Foundation Level 2026
An invitation
Welcome to this Foundation Level training on Story Mediation: a 13-week, cohort-based learning journey for those who wish to engage Story Mediation as a disciplined practice of attention, sensing, and collaboration.
This journey offers an intentional entry into working with stories that can be integrated in education, facilitation, leadership, and any collaborative settings.
As our journey unfolds, this inquiry will reveal deeper connections—with one’s own story, with others, and with Story as a shared field of meaning.
This program is a professional formation in Story Mediation — a structured way of learning how to host, accompany, and design story-based processes in group, organisational and educational contexts.
You will embody the role of the Story Mediator — someone who supports meaning-making without directing outcomes or appropriating experiences.
In that role, you will learn to
facilitate story-based sensemaking conversation
sense how meaning emerges in interaction
intervene with care, clarity, and responsibility
develop a coherent, embodied practice
design story-informed processes for collaborative work
Stories shape how people make sense of their lives, their work, and one another. In organizations, communities, classrooms, research and any collaborative contexts, stories carry meaning, emotion, power, and difference.
Story Mediation offers you a way to:
host story-based conversations responsibly
support collective sensemaking
work with meaning without overstepping into therapy
honour story ownership while enabling learning and insight
This program helps you develop the stance, judgement, and ethical grounding needed to work with stories in real-world contexts.
Even though this is not a storytelling course, this program will support your practice of crafting, telling and hosting of authentic stories.
This program is for people who work with people, meaning, and change, and who recognise that stories are already shaping their practice — whether named or not. Rather than addressing all professions in the same way, this program offers distinct points of entry into a shared practice of Story Mediation.
This training may serve those who:
Work as adult educators, facilitators, or trainers
Engage in leadership, organisational, or community development
Use story-based approaches in non-therapeutic settings
Are curious about story as a living, relational phenomenon
Are willing to cultivate a reflective, practice-oriented stance
Although the program requires rigour and imagination, no prior certification in storytelling is required. Bring your curiosity, humility, and readiness to engage with your own story as part of the practice.
This programme is led by Paulo de Tarso Fonseca Silva, Story Mediator, adult educator, published author and founder of Metaphora International.
Paulo de Tarso F. Silva developed the Collaborative Story Craft method, and Story Mediation as a distinct practice to guide individuals and groups in intentional engagement with people' stories.
His work combines applied research, facilitation, and creative practice in adult education, organizational learning, and narrative inquiry, offering a bridge between theory and lived experience.
In addition to being a Story Mediator, Paulo is a father, a husband, an immigrant, a children’s author and a "Christmas Elf", exploring how imagination, presence, and care shape learning, inclusion and collaboration. His practice reflects a commitment to the well-being of learners, the craft of Story Mediation and the essence and presence of Story.
This training draws from years of applied work in personal, educational and organizational contexts.
What people have to say
"With story mediation, the process unfolds with remarkable care, allowing each of us to take on different roles, explore more deeply, and uncover unexpected layers—both in story and within ourselves. It creates a space where presence, listening, and gentle observation can truly happen."
"Paulo is a deep listener, thoughtful, mindful, insightful, considerate and skilful. As a Story Mediator, he established a sense of commitment among participants: trust was established over time with a leisurely pace, although clearly each participant felt a deep sense of responsibility for each other to put in the effort necessary and do justice to each story."
Student - Ireland
The program introduces Collaborative Story Craft, a story-based sensemaking method that has been used in Master’s-level research as well as applied consulting and facilitation.
This is a learning journey for leaders who want to work with stories intentionally, ethically, and confidently. By embodying the role of Story Mediator, you will be able to interpret any exchange as a Collaborative Storytelling activity. You will not simply learn tools. You will form a practice.
Story Mediation actively supports creativity — beyond a performance or output, but as a capacity for sensemaking, imagination, and possibility.
Through the practice of Story Mediation, you will learn to:
work with metaphor as a generative thinking tool
notice narrative constraints that limit imagination
support the emergence of new stories without forcing outcomes
create conditions where insight, learning, and innovation can surface
This form of creativity is especially relevant in any type of art but equally important in leadership, education, organisational change, research and social contexts.
Participants who engage consistently, participate respectfully, and complete the required reflective work will receive a Story Mediation – Foundation Level Certificate issued by Metaphora International.
This certification:
Acknowledges foundational engagement with Story Mediation as a craft-based practice
Signals ethical grounding, reflective capacity, and care for well-being and context
Provides a shared language and reference point for working with stories in educational, organisational, and collaborative settings
Marks readiness to continue developing the practice through further training, apprenticeship, or applied work
*Advanced levels and apprenticeship pathways may be available to graduates who wish to continue their journey.
The training takes place online and is designed to support sustained, relational learning across time.
📅 Start date: March 10, 2026
🗓 Schedule: Weekly sessions, every Tuesday
⏰ Time: 10:00 am–12:30 pm (Ottawa time). Please check the time in your location in this link.
⏳ Duration: 13 weeks
🌍 Location: Online (global participation)
👥 Group size: Limited, to preserve depth, care, and continuity
Learning modes:
Guided discussions
Small-group practice
Individual reflective work
Observational learning
Case studies
This is a cohort-based journey. Continuity, care, and pace matter. The 13-week structure is designed to support sustained practice while remaining integrated with participants’ professional and personal lives.
What people have to say
"Paulo is a master in holding inclusive spaces. With heartfelt engagement and clarity every member in the group is invited on common ground. His way of holding safe space for authenticity and integrity is a rare treasure.This feeds openness and depth in connection, communication and collaboration."
Physical movement at Neuro Rehab hospital - Sweden
"Story Mediation has been one of the most positive experiences I had working with storytelling, writing and collaborating with others. Being exposed to story as a sensing vehicle, has been nothing short of mind-blowing. Having experienced how powerful it is, has really opened me up to a completely different realm of possibilities in my own work."
Life Coach - United Kingdom / Venezuela
The full value of the Story Mediation Training & Certification – Foundation Level is: CAD $1,800
To honour both the integrity of the work and the diversity of participants’ circumstances, the following access pathways are offered:
Standard Rate
CAD $1,800
For the wider public, professionals, well-stablished practitioners, associations & organizational representatives.
Community / Self-Funded Rate
CAD $1,200
For students, early-career practitioners, and members of the Metaphora International community.
Solidarity Rate
CAD $900
Offered to extend access beyond economic constraints, while preserving the quality, care, and responsibility of the cohort - limited places.
Pay-It-Forward Rate
CAD $2,100
For participants who wish to support the wider Story Mediation ecosystem and enable others who will benefit from this foundation training.
Participants outside of Canada are welcome to pay using their local currency via automatic conversion at checkout.
Details will be provided during registration. If you have any questions, please reach out to
info(at)metaphoraintl.com
An entry point into a practice, craft, and ethical stance