Person:
Mountain,
Vivienne
Mountain,
Vivienne
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mountainvivienne@gmail.com
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Mountain
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Vivienne
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PublicationResponding to need- a study of selected church-based counselling services in Melbourne2009 Mountain, VivienneThis report has not investigated the large denominational services such as Anglicare from the Anglican Church or Centacare from the Catholic Church. These larger organisations have their roots in the Church but their administration is independent of local churches and many programs rely on government funding. The twelve centres investigated here have a close link to the congregations of people from whom the initiative arose. The study aims to show some of the variety of services being offered to the local community by churches. The stories of formation and the ongoing experiences of staff provide a positive illustration of what churches can do. It is hoped that these stories can inspire and encourage congregations who are looking for a valid way to live out the gospel through practical interaction with the local community.
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PublicationPlay Therapy – respecting the spirit of the child(International Journal of Children's Spirituality; 21 (3-4) ) 2016 Mountain, ViviennePlay Therapy is an appropriate form of counselling for children; it is based in a therapeutic relationship where communication is developmentally appropriate and easily expressed. Using a variety of methods from non-directional to co-operative play, the therapist acts to affirm, articulate and co-regulate emotional expressions and joins the child in finding meaning, and understanding of the environment. Play Therapy is presented in this paper as an expression of spiritual connection. The relationship of mutual respect and positive expectation between therapist and child allows new understanding to emerge. The interaction between these two areas of knowledge, Play Therapy and children’s spirituality is examined through case study notes and experience of Play Therapy as an early intervention response to children at a time of community disaster. The author is a Clinical Play Therapist as well as a lecturer in children’s spirituality, so this work emphasises the importance of the spiritual nature of the child and the use of a spiritual connection with the therapist for children recovering from psychological distress.
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PublicationResearch into children's perception of prayer- the meaning and function of prayer for children.2008 Mountain, ViviennePrayer is a central element of all religions. Alongside the sense of the theological importance of prayer there has been increasing recognition of the psychological function and personal benefits of prayer for adults. this thesis reports on the theological and psychological perceptions of prayer held by children., shown through their understanding of the meaning and function of prayer. this thesis contributes to the field of children's spirituality. As there is little existing research literature on children and prayer, the finding of this study provide valuable new understanding and propose new aspects of theory with implications for professionals involved in the education and the welfare of children. the research reported in this thesis represent the first Australian research on children's perception of the meaning and function of prayer. The choice of participants reflect the diverse philosophical and religious traditions found in the Australian, multi faith society. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 participants from Primary School Year Five, selected from six different schools in the Melbourne metropolitan area. Theres were: the Catholic, Independent (Christian), Christian (Parent- Controlled of Community School), Jewish, Islamic and government schools. Considerable agreement has been observed through the data, between children educated in a variety of school systems. the personal experiences of prayer for many were seen associated with the community of faith to which the participant belonged, and for others, prayer was learnt eclectically and practiced in a private individualistic manner. All participants indicated that they had prayed and all contributed ideas about prayer through the interviews. All participants perceived prayer to function as an aid in life. Prayer was used by participants at significant moments in life and the words and thoughts helped to clarify and articulate deep feelings. Eight elements of theory have been generated through this research which are presented as recommendations for professionals engaged in religious education and student welfare.
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PublicationChildren and the Church- Jesus brings the child to a place in the middle2014-03-17 Mountain, VivienneThis thesis investigates the relevance of aspects of the Child Theology Movement in selected churches in Melbourne Australia. Semi-structured interviews and Focus Groups were conducted with Children’s Pastors and Ministers. The research pays due regard to the extensive writing in various theologies of the child from which this new movement has grown.
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PublicationChildren's prayer: multi-faith perspectives2016 Mountain, VivienneThis book provides strong arguments for giving prayer a central place in the education and nurture of children. It is based on research in Australian Catholic, parent-controlled Christian, Independent, Jewish, Muslim and government schools. The author demonstrates focused attention and care in the data collection from the words of children and their drawings of people praying. She takes us through her thorough processes of analysis and synthesis. The research shows that prayer is valued by all children, whether they come from a religious background or not. For some children it is a way of associating with their communities and traditions of faith. For others, prayer is practised in an individualistic manner. Prayer is a way to perceive and respond to the experiences of life. It can help in dealing with the challenging emotional states of anxiety, loneliness, fear, anger and guilt. It can give hope for the future. It provides a way of seeking help for others, as well as expressing praise and thanksgiving. Vivienne Mountain has a background in teaching and in clinical counselling. She lectures in Spirituality and Ministry with Children at Stirling Theological College, University of Divinity, Australia. She has published three books as well as contributing chapters to a number of others and articles for national and international journals.
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PublicationPlay Therapy2016 Mountain, Vivienne ; Noble, Carolyn ; Day, Elizabeth
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Publication"Four links between Child Theology and children's spirituality,"(International Journal of Children's Spirituality; 16 (3) ) 2011 Mountain, VivienneIt is my thesis that the Child Theology Movement is a new and significant aspect of cultural change within the Christian church that will have resonance with the wider community, affecting parenting behaviour as well as spiritual and religious education. This paper examines some of the aspects of children’s spirituality that link to and have value in the Child Theology Movement. These aspects are: living based in relationship, living in vulnerability, living in creativity and play, living in openness and hope.
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PublicationNurturing the Prayer Life of Children2014 Mountain, Vivienne ; O'Higgins Norman, JamesThis chapter is a brief investigation into the prayer life of children. Three aspects of truth are embraced in this theological reflection. First, there is the truth from my own experience; second, the truth from my faith background of Scripture and Church; and third, the truth from our contemporary culture involving two scientific research projects. The major part of this chapter will focus on peer reviewed research, related to children and prayer. It is my hope that this work will give teachers, chaplains, counsellors and pastoral workers a greater ability to nurture and develop the prayer life of the children in their care – an encouragement to their spiritual life in relation with the Divine.