Reclaiming Lives From The Effects of “Trauma”

The effects of “trauma” bring many people to therapy. Drawing on more than twenty-five years of experience, Jill will invite participants to explore an approach to deconstructing problematic life stories coloured by trauma, and authoring alternative, preferred stories. The work will be grounded in the narrative metaphor and involve the use of narrative practices. Participants will have the opportunity to witness the work through videotape examples and to try out practices through carefully constructed exercises.

The main examples will focus on domestic violence, but the discussion will expand to include terrorism, war, forced relocation and discriminatory practices. Jill will also invite participants to consider the effects of language, including the word “trauma” itself. Most of Jill’s experience is in therapy contexts but also includes community work with victims of trauma.