“It feels like therapy.” Not the name of our new podcast (though wouldn’t it be a good one?) but a piece of feedback we’ve received after running our storybook workshops at Sonder & Tell. 

Most recently, it was played back to us at a day we hosted for Pembroke VCT, talking heroes and happily-ever-afters with their portfolio brands spanning paint, eyewear, underwear and gelato.

And after this occasion, we did a little reflection on why our workshops feel like therapy – and the feelings we’ve seen our clients experience at different stages. Here are our top ten:

1. Relieved: You get the chance to articulate your problems out loud. And trust us, there’s no holding back.

2. Challenged: Who are these people asking me these questions? Can we get to the answer already?

3. Enlightened: We play those problems back to you in a different light. And find other problems you hadn’t thought about. There are a lot of aha's at this point.

4. Critically assessed: You’re guided by an expert, who has the critical distance to tell you what’s important and what’s not. (That ex you can’t forget = that product feature you won’t stop talking about.)

5. Childlike: You can feel like a kid, observing something for the first time. We talk in heroes, magic powers and guiding beliefs to get you to approach your strategy with fresh eyes.

6. Studious: You get to draw, write, share and apply your new thinking with others. (More fun kid stuff.)

7. Safe: It’s a safe space – no idea is too small or too silly to share.

8. Expansive: We move you from the nitty details to the big picture, to see the overall impact certain choices could make.

9. Structured: We guide erratic thoughts into a solution that makes sense.

10. Clear: You feel a touch lighter as you leave with clarity on the problem you’ve brought to the table.