2019: Issue 1 Archives - The Dulwich Centre

Intergenerational narrative practice in response to intergenerational trauma—Saviona Cramer

admin@dulwichcentre.com.au — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 06:31:33 +0000

As part of a year-long narrative practice training program taking place in Rwanda, Saviona Cramer offered a workshop on intergenerational narrative practice in response to intergenerational trauma. She drew on her work with Jewish families whose parents or grandparents survived the Holocaust. The workshop took place on 16 August 2018 on the shores of Lake Kivu. It was a very significant day. Rwandan colleagues indicated that there was profound resonance and great interest in how such practices could be used in Rwanda. That evening, David Denborough sat down with Saviona and interviewed her in order to create this short paper. The following day, Rwandan colleagues were invited to speak about what was significant to them about this work. Their perspectives are included in the following piece, ‘Intergenerational narrative practice in the shadow of genocide: Rwandan reflections’.

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Narrative Walks—Chris Darmody

admin@dulwichcentre.com.au — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 06:22:55 +0000

Narrative Walks is a hope-based, depathologising outdoor program that was developed to engage with populations that may not be drawn to conventional methods of therapy. This structured day program encourages participants to explore 15 narrative therapy questions, and to engage in a number of other activities during a 20 kilometre walk through the bush. The program invites different perspectives on problem stories, and offers walking as a narrative metaphor. This paper sets out the steps taken in developing the program with a number of groups and individuals to ensure the program meets the needs of the people for whom it is intended. The paper describes trials undertaken with young men, the group that initially inspired Narrative Walks, and also outlines my hopes for the future development of Narrative Walks as a program transferable to many people and lands.

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Working with young people in residential care in India: Uncovering stories of resistance—Maya Sen

admin@dulwichcentre.com.au — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 06:19:49 +0000

This paper describes narrative therapy interventions with young people living in residential childcare institutions in Kolkata, India. It presents an analysis of the contexts of poverty, violence and oppression that shape young people’s experiences before entering care, and the ideologies that shape their experiences within residential institutions. It then demonstrates the application of a narrative framework for working with young people in residential care through the stories of four young women.

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Discovering the good man: Double story development with a survivor of repetitive ongoing trauma in immigration detention—Janet Pelly

admin@dulwichcentre.com.au — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 06:17:01 +0000

This paper explores the possibilities for transforming a trauma narrative while the person remains in a traumatic situation. It focuses on my work with Yasin (not his real name), a stateless Middle Eastern man who sought asylum in Australia in 2013 after a lifetime of persecution for his ethnicity, religion and attempts to seek protection. The paper describes the use of narrative practices, including double-storied testimony, re-authoring conversations and the Team of Life process, to help Yasin manage life in an immigration detention centre, and to reduce the frequency of his flashbacks and nightmares. The paper presents the efforts of one man to re-author elements of his life while trapped in an environment that both replicates past trauma and denies hope for a better future.

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A first person principle: Philosophical reflections on narrative practice within a mainstream psychiatric service for young people—Philippa Byers and David Newman

admin@dulwichcentre.com.au — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 06:12:19 +0000

This paper is a collaboration between David Newman, an experienced narrative therapy practitioner and teacher, and Philippa Byers, a narrative therapy student with an academic background in philosophy. The paper charts ideas developed during Philippa’s student placement with David, as they discussed narrative practice, other mental health practices and philosophy. The paper draws on philosophy of language and the philosophy of Paul Ricoeur, applying this to Michael White’s injunction to look (and listen) for the experience-near in the words and phrases that are offered to narrative therapists. It offers philosophical reflections on an ethical principle of narrative practice which Philippa and David call a first person principle. The first person principle is elaborated in a discussion of David’s narrative practice with young people. This offers philosophical and practical insights to some of the issues and questions that may arise for narrative therapists who, like David, practice within mainstream services, encountering ‘neuro’ and other professionalised discourses and accompanying expectations.

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Decolonising research: an interview with Bagele Chilisa —David Denborough

admin@dulwichcentre.com.au — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 05:59:06 +0000

In this interview, Motswana postcolonial scholar Professor Bagele Chilisa discusses
strategies for decolonising research, resisting the domination of Western knowledge,
working with Indigenous worldviews, and introducing accountability and collaboration
with people and communities who are the subjects of research. This piece has been created from two sources – a conversation between Bagele Chilisa, Cheryl White and David Denborough that took place in Gaborone, Botswana on 23 August 2018 and Bagele’s keynote presentation, Equality in diversity: Indigenous research methodologies, at the 2015 American Indigenous Research Association Conference.

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