BISU Psychology Instructors Embrace Storytelling and Music as Tools for Healing

In a powerful convergence of psychological practice and the arts, two psychology instructors from Bohol Island State University (BISU) took part in the 15th Psychology Regional Forum hosted by the Department of Psychology at Silliman University in Dumaguete City from May 13 to 15, 2025. Centered on the theme “𝑨𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑻𝒐𝒐𝒍𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒄,” the forum gathered mental health professionals, educators, and advocates from across the country.
Representing BISU’s College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Michalle Wong and Ms. Christine P. Guliman attended separate, specialized workshops aligned with their professional interests each gaining unique insights into nontraditional approaches to mental health and wellness.
Dr. Wong joined the three-day workshop “𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒖𝒎𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈,” facilitated by Rev. Al B. Fuertes, PhD. The session explored the therapeutic use of storytelling in addressing trauma, building community resilience, and shaping collective narratives. Drawing from his fieldwork with refugees and conflict-affected communities, Dr. Fuentes emphasized the power of stories to transform pain into purpose.
Wong saw real-world uses for the framework in her work in teachings and help with her own field of specialization. “Storytelling, I realized, is more than self-expression it is a profound act of healing and reclaiming agency,” said Dr. Wong. “The experience deepened my understanding of how narratives can be used strategically in both classroom settings and community-based interventions.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Guliman immersed herself in the workshop “𝑴𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒄 𝒊𝒏 𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔,” led by music therapist Ms. Danielle Elise Zamar-Alcantara.
The session offered both theoretical grounding and personal discovery, equipping Guliman with tools to integrate music into mental health initiatives and classroom discussions. “As a lifelong music lover, this workshop resonated deeply,” Guliman shared. “It reminded me that music can access emotions where words often fail. We didn’t just learn about music therapy we felt its healing firsthand.”
Though they engaged in different learning experiences, both the instructors left the forum with a strengthened sense of purpose and a renewed vision for their roles as educators and mental health advocates. Their participation exemplified BISU’s commitment to advancing holistic and innovative approaches to psychological education.
“Whether through a story or a song,” Guliman noted, “we both found that healing begins when people are truly seen, heard, and valued.”
The 15th Psychology Regional Forum, made possible through the dedication of Silliman University’s Department of Psychology, served as a reminder that healing can be found not only in science but in the creative, human experiences that connect us all.

𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘗𝘩𝘋. – 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺, 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘉𝘰𝘩𝘰𝘭 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺