Guðbjörg Thoroddsen

 

Education:

Junior College Menntaskolinn i Reykjavik 1976

Acting Academy of Iceland 1981

Teachers credentials from University of Iceland 2003

Diploma for master degree in Positive Psychology, diagnosis Endurmenntun Háskóli Íslands, pharmacy 2015

How It All Began

During my studies at the Acting Academy and alongside my acting carrier I worked as a councilor at a government run juvenile facility. This lasted for about ten years. I also did a bit of teaching there. While I worked there I created a new experimental course in cooperation with Bryndís Guðmundsdottir, search from The Child Protection Agency, dealing with feelings and emotions often experienced in the teen years. Today a similarly based course called Life skills has become a part of every schools curriculum.

To this day I have been working in both these fields simultaneously. I do counseling and therapy with young people, families and individuals mostly through Miðgarð, a district social service office in Reykjavik.

I founded a special facility for adolescents 16 and older in cooperation with The Social Services Office in Reykjavik. At the time there were no other solutions available for this age group. Later I also participated in the founding of a half-way house for juveniles and adolescents through the Social Services Department.

I was employed as a child development specialist at several juvenile and adolescent facilities such as Unglingaheimili ríkisins, Tjaldanesheimilið, BUGL and Stuðlar, a treatment center for young substance abusers. In all these places the work involved intense teamwork between child development specialists, psychologists and teachers.

In addition to other therapeutic work at Stuðlar, I taught relaxation technique, emotional therapy and did individual counseling. I also gave drama workshops for therapeutic purposes at Stuðlar and Meðferðarheimilið Hvítárbakka.

I designed a workshop in public speaking emphasizing relaxation and self-empowerment for adults.

I have given innumerable workshops for children, teenagers and adults with the emphasis on relaxation technique. When I taught in a special education class, I was able to develop my technique for working with difficult emotions through relaxation further, both on an individual basis and in group settings. In this class there were many students who needed to enhance their self esteem. I also worked with children from the other classes in the school and in The Children's House associated with the project Children are People.

The Buoy works! but continues to develop.

During the school year 2001-2002 I worked full time teaching The Buoy, a self empowerment technique in five different schools. There were courses going on all the time. 380 children participated with results showing some great results. Simultaneously I was working with groups of children within the school on solutions to bullying using the methods from The Buoy.

Counseling is like teaching in many ways and in 2002-2003 I completed my teacher's training to get certification with my acting experience as the foundation. That winter The Buoy was in great demand and I gave several workshops as well as classroom work concerning bullying.

My final thesis from the teachers college program was about drama for therapeutic purposes. At the time I was not permitted to write it on The Buoy. But times change and today both BA and MA dissertations exist on The Buoy.

From 2003-2004 I worked in 5 elementary schools full time and 3 part time, giving courses using The Buoy.

From 2004-2005 I taught continuous courses in 3 of the elementary schools.

Courses for professionals to practice and teach The Buoy.

In the fall of 2003 I attended a lecture series at the Student- and Job Counseling Association.

At the meeting I gave a lecture about The Buoy. Several student counselors who were there approached me afterwards to learn more about the methods I was using in The Buoy. As a result I decided to offer a special training course for student councilors to introduce the ideas I base my teachings on and the techniques that I use. The first course was held in November 2003. Since then I have given many workshops for professionals to learn about the methods used in The Buoy, and they are in constant demand. Student- and Job Counselors, teachers, deacons, nurses and other professionals have attended these courses. They learn the method and some purchase all the guidance tools available for the beginning practitioner. Many have started using The Buoy in their work, both for themselves personally and in teaching. There are Buoy guides now working all over the country (in Iceland).

And on it goes.

The Buoy a self help book was published in 2007 in Icelandic. It is also available as an audio book. In 2009 the book was published in English. It is available in print as well as on line copies.

The Buoy has become a well known method due to its good results.

I have taken my methods and teachings to many places and adjusted them to specific needs whenever it is required. My journey has led me all over Iceland, but also abroad. I offer private consultation, group sessions, lectures and workshops for professionals.

There is a great need for addressing emotional issues in the school system and in society in general. There has been a great need and demand for The Buoy. The Education Service Center followed what I was doing in the schools as it was pioneer work which was working very well and they expressed great interest in it.

Guðbjörg Thoroddsen – hlutverkaskrá

Verkefni

Hlutverk

Ár
Jómfrú Ragnheiður,LA Jómfrú Ragnheiður

1981
Þrjár systur, LA Irena

1981
Dýrin í Hálsaskógi, LA Lilli klifurmús

1982
Eftirlitsmaðurinn, LA María

1982
Atómstöðin, LA Ugla

1982
Jómfrú Ragnheiður, ÞLH Jómfrú Ragnheiður

1982-83
Gísl, LR Teresa

1983-85
Fassbinder, Beisk tár Petru Von Kant Marlene

1984-85
Dagbók Önnu Frank, LR Margrét

1985
Thokhov, Villihunang, ÞLH Brúðurin

1985
Upp með teppið, LR Ýmiss

1986
Agnes barn Guðs, LR einsöngur, Gregorískir sálmar

 1985
Kabarett,LA KIT-Kat stelpa

1987
Smámyndir, Lh. Saga Akureyri leikstjórn

1987
Aðstoð Nonni og Manni

1988
Hús Bernörðu Alba, LA Sylvia Plath

1991
Gauragangur, ÞLH Stjúpa Orms

1993-94
Gaukshreiðrið, ÞLH Aðstoðarleikstjóri

1993
Leigjandinn, ÞLH Aðstoðarleikstjóri

1995
Einleikur, Bóndinn
eftir Ingibjörgu Hjartar, ÞLH og Deiglan, AK Bóndinn

1995
Nanna systir, LA Álfdís

1996
Dýrin í Hálsaskógi, LA Amma mús/konan á bænum

1996
Kossar og kúlissur, LA Hildigunnur leikstjóri

1997
Vefarinn mikli frá Kasmír, LA Jófríður

1997
Hart í bak, LA Áróra

1997
Kona einsömul,Dario Fo, Deiglan, AK Kona Einsömul, einleikur

1997
Söngvaseiður, LA Ráðskonan

1998
Kossinn, Hallgr. Helgas. Austurbbíó. Rvk. Móðir og spákona

2000
Kvikmyndir
Skilaboð til Söndru Hjúkka

1983
Skytturnar Ebba

1985
Ingaló Þjónn

1992
Benjamín Dúfa Móðir

1995
Draumadísir Barnaverndarfulltr.

1995
Hilmar Oddson Félagsmálafulltrúi

1997
Auk fjölda hlutverka í útvarpi og sjónvarpi.