Friday Afternoon Videos
From 1983 onwards, Dulwich Centre was known for holding free events on Friday afternoons. These ‘Friday Afternoons at Dulwich’ would begin at 4.30pm so that people dropped by on their way home after the working week. They always consisted of a good speaker sharing some aspect of their practice that was currently intriguing and challenging to them and this was then followed by discussion and drinks! Now, every second month, on the Friday afternoon we are placing up on this website a video, maybe an audio recording, or a link to something very interesting. Of course, you can view this wherever you are in the world at a time that suits you, and then contribute to the discussion and debate. We are delighted that this new momentum of online discussion is continuing the ‘Friday Afternoons at Dulwich’ tradition.
We will welcome your suggestions as to topics that we could cover and if you come across particularly interesting video of audio recordings please let us know c/o dulwich@dulwichcentre.com.au We are also in the process of working out possibilities for translating the transcripts of Friday Afternoons into a range of other languages.
Disclaimer: Please note that the views expressed in Friday Afternoons videos and forums are those of the presenters and forum participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dulwich Centre Publications or Dulwich Centre Foundation. Dulwich Centre Publications and Dulwich Centre Foundation does not accept responsibility for them. Nor can we accept responsibility for the effects of using the ideas shared in these presentations in your own contexts. Watching these video presentations is not a substitute for training or supervision in narrative practice, both of which we thoroughly recommend.
Seasons of Change: Cross-cultural partnerships in co-researching change while navigating experiences of violence against self-identified women in Nepal by Julia Scharinger
This video offers insights into stories of self-identified women and girls who came to live in a shelter in Kathmandu, Nepal, to forge their own pathways after surviving trafficking, forced sex work and/or other forms of violence in their homes, communities and beyond. Based on seeking out culturally resonant forms of expression and re-presentation of preferred identity stories, it depicts explorations on how collective narrative practice may offer accompaniment in times of transition and navigating new pathways. Inspired by Michael White’s work of ‘migration of identity’ and following adaptions by Tileah Drahm-Butler and Nihaya Mahmud Aba-Rayyan, it documents...
Read MoreBringing the gaze to peri-natal depression by Amanda Worrall
This video talks about a co-research project where Amanda invited women to reflect on what they perceive to be some of the causes of perinatal depression. Interesting insights were shared. Important insider knowledge also emerged that highlighted some of the antidotes that they have discovered that have been successful in reducing or eliminating the presence of depression in their lives. The wisdom and insights women share continue to inspire, encourage and move Amanda. This video is dedicated to everyone she has had the privilege to work with. Amanda works for the Perinatal Mental Health Service in Central Australia. She feels incredibly blessed to be...
Read MorePeer Narrative Practice: Learning Together and Working Side by Side by Hamilton Kennedy
This video explores the experience of combining two different therapeutic approaches, Narrative Therapy and Intentional Peer Support. It aims to explore the huge value of the peer relationship. The peer relationship is when both or all parties in the relationship have had some similar or like experience. It follows Hamilton’s experiencing of implementing peer narrative practice with people like Hamilton, that is young people who have been admitted, often forcibly, to psychiatric hospital. It asks of us to consider; is there merit to establishing a more equal relationship? Should the places we work for have peer workers? What is possible when there is a peer...
Read MoreNarrative Walks by Chris Darmody
Narrative Walks is a hope-based, depathologising outdoor program that was developed to engage with populations who 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. In this video Chris outlines his own hopes for the future development of Narrative Walks as a program transferable to many people and lands. Chris Darmody is a Father, Husband, Psychologist, Son, Dreamer...
Read MoreTurning hopelessness into action: Narrative responses to the late-2018 political context by Tiffany Sostar
This video describes a series of narrative responses to the hopelessness, despair, and fear felt by some community members in late 2018, in response to: the Kavanaugh hearings and confirmation; anti-trans legislation and sentiment being introduced in America (and parallel rhetoric in Canada); anti-woman legislation and sentiment; anti-immigrant legislation and sentiment; ongoing colonialism and white supremacy; rising fascism; and more… These narrative responses included collective document creation, discussion groups, letter-writing campaigns, and a focus on invitations to solidarity and to collective action. Importantly, these...
Read MoreThe Narrative Docket: Working with young people involved in legal and police systems, by Clement Yee
This 3-part video introduces the Narrative Docket, a narrative practice innovation developed for use when working with adolescents who have been referred to social services typically through the legal and police systems. Its contents comprise of a ‘collective document’ containing accounts of experiences of being involuntarily referred, a ‘Court Trial Metaphor’ layout that acts as a platform facilitating the use of various narrative practices, and a ‘checklist’ that captures the qualities, values, characteristics, expertise, knowledge and skills of the young person which may be less obviously reflected in other psychometric instruments which are required to be...
Read MoreThe Language of Structuralism by Mark Hayward
This video explores the effects that structuralist thought has had on Western psychology, it’s dominance in cultural ideas about mental health and the different historical events that have contributed to this. It’s essentially a deconstruction of some of the ideas; a deconstruction that shows the foundations to be invented, not discovered, and exposes the limitations to our thinking when we accord these ideas truth status. Structuralism is an interesting and sometimes helpful theory and metaphor but only one of many possible ideas for understanding people and relationships. Mark Hayward has worked as a Family Therapist in the UK for 30 years...
Read MoreResisting Calling-Out Culture: “Leaning in” with respect and dignity by Vikki Reynolds
In this presentation, Vikki discusses strategies from activist movements to resist calling-out culture, where we cut off, exile and attack fellow workers, and instead find ways to offer critique which is different from attack. Structuring safety and creating cultures of critique requires that we create relationships of respect and dignity as a frame for our solidarity. We then acknowledge the ethics of the other and “Lean In” to offer a critique that brings us all more in line with our collective ethics for justice-doing in community work. The heart ache, betrayals and hardship caused by attack of other workers in our movements is the stuff that drives...
Read MoreQuantum Leaps from the Safe Space: A week long ‘Intensive’ narrative family gathering in response to childhood sexual abuse by Ellen Cornfeld
Emerging stories of experiencing childhood sexual abuse within the family tell of silences, hazy memories, and confusion. When silence is woven into religious and family culture, the individual’s journey of healing can linger in despair and suffering. This project is about belief in Narrative Practices, about belief in creative thinking which can enable unique cultural connections with those we work with, and about a belief that families have the ability to heal from sexual abuse that has occurred in the family. This is the story of how these beliefs inspired a week-long family gathering from half-way around the world, in response to childhood sexual abuse. This video,...
Read MoreLetters to Friends: co-researching preferred stories of identity, from individual therapy to collective therapy by Nerida Barclay
This Friday afternoon video is a critique of the historical and modern day mental health systems, arguing that these systems are constructed to internalise sociohistorical problems via individualist methodologies that can be degrading of people’s lives. The video goes on to describe a project of collaboration between Nerida and two young people at the Australian organisation, headspace. Narrative therapy co-research methodologies are used to construct letters that transform individual therapy in to collective therapy. <span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height:...
Read MoreOut of the Shadow of Domestic Violence by Natalie Smee
In this Friday Afternoon Video Natalie demonstrates her work with four women using narrative therapy principles and practices to respond to women who are impacted by domestic violence. The video describes the interview process and explores the impact and ‘acts of resistance’ the women described throughout the sharing of their stories. The use of externalising metaphors and stories introduce a way of viewing domestic violence and other difficulties in their lives, in a hope to decrease the influence of domestic violence in the women’s lives and to increase their personal agency in dealing with it. The video draws on the migration of identity, collaborative documents and...
Read MoreRunning with Narrative Ideas by Carmen Ostrander
Seeing through a narrative lens provides opportunities to refresh and reconsider approaches to the ‘performance’ of counselling, and the ways in which we might collude with or resist the influence of power and discourse in practice. In this video Carmen invites you in to her fledgling practice to share examples of some of the ways in which narrative ideas inspire and shape her work; through letter writing, note taking, research, and practical expressions of a de-centred position when working with individuals. Carmen Ostrander is an Australian narrative and expressive arts therapist currently based in Vancouver, Canada. Discovering narrative ways...
Read MoreTowards de-colonised practice: using narrative practice to develop storybooks and documents by Grace Drahm
Grace’s discussion focuses on the different maps of narrative practice that she has utilised to support Aboriginal young people and their families to develop storybooks and therapeutic documents which centre and honour their Aboriginal worldviews. Grace Drahm is a Social Worker who has worked in Remote Aboriginal Communities in Cape York for nearly a decade in supporting mental health and wellbeing. As a non-Aboriginal woman, Grace is working towards a de-colonised practice that assists her to engage in practice as political action, which challenges the dominant ideology of a Western system, and which tries to ensure that she is not perpetuating colonisation, but...
Read MoreHow talking about what “matters” rather than “what is the matter” can reposition a person and take an advantage over problems: Introducing the Rappelling Metaphor by Ryan Carpenter
In this video Ryan Carpenter highlights some of the work he is doing working with folks who have experienced incongruences with their sense of self and lived experiences. By inviting questions that speak to what is important for people, therapeutic conversations can create an advantage over the disadvantage in a problem dominant narrative. This presentation highlights three techniques in creating this advantage. The first example introduces a new technique, Ryan calls the “rappelling metaphor.” The rappelling metaphor, inspired by Michael White’s notion of spirituality, is a technique that makes visible spiritually transformative experiences. This...
Read MoreDidgeri: Local Collective Response by Anthony Newcastle
This Friday afternoon video describes the work around Didgeri which began as a regular opportunity for Aboriginal men and young men to learn to play the didgeridoo, yet grew into a local collective initiative to help give voice in support of men who had experienced sexual abuse in their youth. This video describes how Didgeri became involved in the No More Campaign and what has been made possible among participants of Didgeri as a result of their involvement in such a collective action initiative. Anthony Newcastle is the owner and principle facilitator of Natjul Indigenous Performing Arts, an Aboriginal owned and managed facilitation company that...
Read MoreConformity pressures: Deconstructing social discourses in the Korean context by Eunjoo Lee
This video shows how social discourses surrounding conformity pressures are deconstructed in a Korean context, illustrated by the Korean proverb, ‘the pointy stone meets the chisel’. This video demonstrates how Sunnie – who felt anxious communicating with colleagues – and Eunjoo explored ways to revise her approach to conformity pressures. The conversation with Sunnie proceeds with a map, which consists of three stages: starting with the presented problem; deconstructing social discourses; and exploring alternative stories. The second stage is the process of externalising discourses, which has five steps: making the discourse visible and naming it (‘should...
Read MoreMindfulness and Narrative Therapy By Ian Percy
Ian Percy offers ways of conceptualising mindfulness that includes, and diverges from, prevailing discourses and practices. While mindfulness can be thought of as a moment-to-moment non-evaluative or nonjudgmental practice, it is also associated with remembering, imagination and ethics in Buddhist traditions. Various purposes and practices of mindfulness are relevant for therapeutic meetings. In this video, Ian will offer a brief guided method that brings gentle attention to somatic experiences before proposing that mindfulness can assist in sustaining preferred skills and the consolidation of desired values and ethics. These expanded applications of mindfulness can be...
Read MoreUsing Collective Knowledge in Narrative Family Therapy by Yael Gershoni
In this video Yael Gershoni will demonstrate a way of finding points of departure for re-authoring “alternative stories”. The concept is that the multi-generational family of origin can be a rich resource of “collective knowledge”. Collective knowledge is knowledge we gather from a group of people. Yael proposes expanding these practices to include using collective knowledge from multiple generations of the family experience. In these therapeutic conversations ideas are collected from the histories of multiple generations within a family. Embedded in these histories are stories of how to deal with difficulties that bear resemblance to those confronted by the client....
Read MoreCreatively intervening in interpersonal and state violence: The storytelling and organizing project by Rachel Herzing
Originally given to students in the Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work program, this presentation outlines approaches to reducing violence that do not rely on remedies tied to policing and imprisonment. The presentation draws from work done by US-based organizations Critical Resistance and Creative Interventions as well as a pilot project to help communities reduce the violence of policing by reducing contact with law enforcement. Rachel Herzing is an organizer and community educator who fights to reduce the violence of imprisonment and policing. She is currently the co-director of the Center for Political Education, a community resource dedicated to...
Read MoreNavigating relationships when our children are in out of home care: A narrative therapy group for parents whose lives are affected by child protection intervention and the removal of their children by Lauren Graham
Lauren describes a narrative informed group she developed and conducted for parents whose children are in care, and the ripple effects of linking communities through the sharing of stories and documents initially generated through the group. This initiative is linked to the work of a local action group in which Lauren is a member, in partnership with parents, which helps raise awareness and promotes strategies for family inclusion. Her work with this community continues and the themes of the group and stories generated continue to be shared, helping to make visible the skills and knowledge of parents on this journey, including the ways in which they resist the...
Read MoreBeads of Life – a narrative therapy group for children who have been diagnosed with a medical condition by Sara Portnoy
‘Beads of Life’ group uses narrative therapy principles to help young people with a diagnosis of Cancer to tell the many stories in their lives in ways which make them stronger. The video describes a one day workshop that is run at University College Hospital, in London where beads are used as ‘hooks’ that the young people can hang their stories on. In the morning the young people choose different beads to represent the many different stories in their lives related to their skills and abilities, where they are from, how they spend their time, the important people in their lives and their hopes and dreams. Having spent the morning ensuring that the young...
Read More“Out of the box” conversations: an invitation to co-explore the broader politics of problems and reconstruct preferred ways of being in responding to stories of drug-use and racism By Kassandra Pedersen
This innovative methodology involves the creation of a “box of problems” to assist therapists and the people consulting them to collaboratively investigate the historical, social, political and economic contexts of problems. In this presentation, Kassandra describes her exploratory use of the ‘box of problems’ in therapeutic conversations with a young immigrant girl struggling with the effects of drug-use. The project was centered around the metaphor that “Problems have Ethics” and it explored pathways to unmask and question those “Ethics” by bringing into the therapeutic conversations the girl’s understandings about relations between dominant discourses around drugs...
Read More‘Tipping the Apple Cart of Oppression and Building Spirit Together- Reflections, Resonance and Transport in a Women’s Collective by Keri Murray
This project was a collaborative effort to question everything, and in doing so co-create a process that resists psychological colonization. Keri partnered with the Calgary Women’s Health Collective (outside of public services) to offer a ‘safer space’ for women who struggle with mental health troubles to unpack oppression in their lives and explore/enact preferred identity claims. Keri is joined by Sanni-Ilona Paljakka, Loree Stout and Frank McGrath in mentorship and solidarity. But it is the ideas and generosity of the Women’s Collective participants that Keri wishes to uphold and honour in this presentation. Keri is a narrative therapist in...
Read MoreMy Happy Ending: A narrative group work to respond to children in situations of family violence by Jocelyn Lee
‘My Happy Ending’ group work uses narrative therapy principles and practices to respond to children who have experienced violence in their families. The video describes the two-days-one-night group work process and offers reflections on working with children in Singapore using narrative ideas. ‘My Happy Ending’ is an original creation, consisting of the performance and narration of an original fictional story written specially for the group work, storytelling, and several play- and art-based activities. Using child-friendly metaphors and stories to introduce children to the use of externalisation as a way of viewing violence and other difficulties in their lives, it...
Read MoreRecipes for Life: A collective narrative methodology in responding to gender violence by Meizi Tan
This project explores the double story development of women’s responses to gender violence through the use of collective narrative methodology. This project describes the use of Recipes for Life in a two-days-one-night group work retreat organized for women who have experienced gender violence in their intimate relationships. Two forms of outsider witness practices are further introduced to promote the acknowledgement of their alternative stories of resilience and resistance towards gender violence. Other narrative practices of collective documentation, externalizing and de-constructing social discourses that support gender violence are further incorporated through the...
Read MoreMy Meeting Place: Re-arming ourselves with cultural knowledge, spirituality and community connectedness by Vanessa Davis
This video demonstrates the integration of Aboriginal Art with Narrative Practices to create culturally appropriate counselling for Aboriginal practitioners when working with Aboriginal children and young people. Thus creating indigenised therapeutic work, which contributes to the de-colonisation of Aboriginal people. Here Vanessa will also offer a step-by-step explanation of how she has used ‘My Meeting Place’ in a one-on-one counselling session, to create and guide narrative conversations. Vanessa is an Aboriginal woman from Tennant Creek, Northern Territory Australia. Currently living in Brisbane and working as a Social and Emotional...
Read MoreThwarting Shame: Feminist engagement in narrative groupwork with men recruited to patriarchal dominance in relationship by Kylie Dowse
The partnership between feminism and narrative practice supports this groupwork with men who have used violence toward their partners and families. Externalising and rich characterisation brings to life a conceptual support group to distract Shame while men participate in weekly sessions. Keeping Shame occupied has made possible double story development with men toward their preferred ways of partnering and fathering. The ‘Insight’ group sits within a small Australian feminist domestic violence service, and is designed and delivered by Kylie Dowse, an Aboriginal woman. This video invites viewers to consider how narrative ways of working intertwine to prioritise the...
Read MoreLeaving a Legacy and Letting that Legacy Live (Laisser un héritage pour les enfants et laissant l’héritage rester en vie) by Linda Moxley-Haegart
Leaving a Legacy and Letting that Legacy Live This presentation provides an overview of narrative practices used with children who are dying and their families in a hospital palliative care setting. Narrative practices of subordinate storyline development, remembering conversations and definitional ceremony, living documents, and collective narrative practice, are used to allow children to ‘leave a legacy’, and for parents to ‘let the legacy live’. This piece also includes reflections on working in bilingual contexts, as well as some ethical considerations of working with children in oncology settings. Linda Moxley-Haegert has been...
Read MoreThe Use of Narrative Therapy Group for Young Women with Unwed Pregnancy Experience by Siu-wai Lit
In Hong Kong, teenage girls who become pregnant when not married are routinely blamed for what is described as their ‘immature’ and ‘irresponsible’ behaviour. All too often, this then becomes a dominant problem-saturated story with totalising effects that blinds their eyes from seeing the alternative stories of their own lives. There is generally little concern given to this group of teenage women and a lack of understanding of their own accounts of the issue and their subjective experience of facing social disapproval and exclusion. Siu-wai chose to use a narrative therapy group to facilitate double-story development. By eliciting these young women’s narratives of...
Read MoreFrom ‘disorder’ to political action: Conversations that invite collective considerations to individual experiences of women who express concerns about eating and their bodies by Kristina Lainson
Concerns about eating and its effects on bodies are often articulated in terms of individualised pathologies. This video describes an interweaving of narrative practices which has proved helpful for a number of women experiencing such concerns. By inviting collective considerations to their individual experiences, and by recognising and naming their existing commitments and agentive responses to societal expectations, it became more possible to move away from ideas of ‘stuckness’ towards a sense of being influential both in their own life, and possibly in the lives of others similarly concerned. Kristina is a Narrative Therapist based in Aotearoa New Zealand. Most of...
Read MoreThe Life Certificate: A Narrative Framework in working with grief and loss by Mohamed Fareez
As opposed to conventional ways of addressing the ‘trauma’ of loss, narrative ideas provide a refreshing alternative to celebrate the lives of those who have left us. We celebrate the gifts of their values, skills and knowledges as part of the process of legacy building. Re-membering practices allow the deceased to continue “living” in the present and future. This presentation proposes the use of the ‘Life Certificate’ a narrative therapeutic document that allows us to document the preferred stories of our lost loved ones. Examples of how the ‘Life Certificate’ is used in practice will be discussed, along with narrative...
Read MoreCreating preferred family trees: Adjusting the recipe of collective narrative practices by Jennifer Swan
This video explores the work done with the ‘Squid Group’ and the use of ‘Chosen Family Trees’, which was a practice innovation to find a way to ‘thicken up the roots’ of the Tree of Life for people isolated from lineages of support due to migration, violence and mental health issues. The Squid group is still meeting every month and continues to find ways to re-story what it can mean to utilise lived-experience of mental health concerns to contribute to the lives of others. Jennifer Swan works as a mental health social worker in private practice in the Port Adelaide area of Adelaide, South Australia. She began studying and working...
Read MoreNarrative family therapy with students encountering school non-attendance problems by Yuk King Lau
Yuk King Lau brings together narrative therapy and systemic family therapy in her practice with students encountering difficulties in school attendance. This integration includes: (1) Shifting from privileged systemic ‘assessment’ to co-researching; (2) Moving from giving consultation to a ‘rite of exchange’; (3) Exploring the active participation of problems in ‘family dynamics’; (4) Collaboratively re-authoring identities and developing alternative relational practice; (5) Creating mutual witnessing processes among family members; and (6) moving from clinical intervention to collective practice. The integration of these two...
Read More“Troublemaker Cards”: Externalising and responsibility in men’s domestic violence groups by Ryan Greenwell
One way of externalising the ideas and discourses that support men’s domestic violence and abuse,whilst maintaining the language that supports responsibility-taking, is through the use of Troublemaker Cards. These cards can be used as a resource in men’s groups; with men individually; with couples; or even with women survivors individually or in groups. For the men, the questions on the cards support a double storied approach where they can begin to create new future relationships based on non-abuse and respectfulness. While there are currently 16 Troublemakers identified, one particular powerful and overarching Troublemaker, “Own-her-ship”...
Read MoreTherapeutic Conversations about Pop Culture by Julie Tilsen
Cultural studies is an interdisciplinary field informed by methods and theories from literary studies, sociology, communication studies, history, cultural anthropology, feminist theory, and economics. Cultural studies focuses on the investigation of subjectivity and power in the social world, and in particular, in popular culture. In this video, Julie introduces cultural studies methodologies as conceptual and conversational resources that help us have meaningful and productive conversations about peoples’ relationships with the commodities and practices of popular and media culture. The video provides a brief overview of cultural studies, questions for...
Read MoreThe Alliance against “Anxiety” – Acknowledging skills and knowledge for those who are suffering from anxiety by using art in narrative practice by Rebecca Wong
This video presents ways of using art and narrative practice for children and youth who are facing ‘Anxiety’. Through art exercises young people have a chance to externalize and re-author their anxiety stories. Rebecca (commonly known as Caca) collected young people’s insider knowledge, deconstructed social discourses through the use of outsider witnesses; created collective documentation; and convened definitional ceremonies. Peers and Parents were then invited to join an Alliance. Caca would like to acknowledge the participants who agreed to share their stories in this presentation. Rebecca Wong is currently working as a counsellor in a social service agency in...
Read MoreLiving in Stories: Embodiment in therapy through Liturgical Practice by Chad Loftis
A lawsuit against Bullying, a funeral for Joy, an induction into the Society of Mad Dragon Trainers – what do they have in common? They’re all forms of Liturgical Practice. In this presentation, Chad shares some stories about his use of ceremony and ritual – what he calls Liturgical Practice – in therapy and introduces some of the thinkers and ideas that have informed this work. Chad is a Narrative therapist working in Thailand and throughout Asia with expats, NGO workers and missionaries. He also works alongside an anti-trafficking team in Thailand. He grew up in Melbourne but is married to a Coloradan. They have four children together. ...
Read MoreSeeing is Believing: Reaching beyond words – using video to re-story parent-child relationship by Carry Gorney
Seeing is Believing is an exciting new approach to working with the mother-infant relationship that has been developed by Carry Gorney based on a preventive intervention for new parents STEEP (Steps Toward Effective, Enjoyable Parenting) which was originally evaluated at the University of Minnesota. It is based around the use of video to help parents/carers who would benefit from support in their relationship with their child/ or child in their care, to improve the parent-child connection. Although this approach can be used across a wide age range and with both fathers and mothers, Carry has used it predominantly with young children and infants and their mothers. Video...
Read MoreActs and stories of resistance by Murisi Mtsvanga-Moyo
This video explores stories of resistance of men whose lives are under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The video seeks to capture and magnify acts of resistance that these men have taken or are constantly taking against drugs and alcohol. This co-research is influenced by Michel White’s view that no one is a passive recipient of hardship. The men I work with may be ‘captives’ of drugs and alcohol but they are not passive recipients. Collaboratively we seek to bring to awareness the many precious acts and stories of resistance that the men are taking now or have been taking all along. This is part of on going co-research work of exposing, strengthening...
Read MoreExploring Sex and Pleasure in a Narrative Group Therapy Context by Cyndi Darnell
As a relative newcomer to the field of Narrative Therapy I found myself immersed in both theory and practice of Narrative concepts through 2015 as I studied for the Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work. This video presentation outlines the process and experiences that were co created in Melbourne in 2015 as myself and a group of individuals met weekly for 15 weeks to apply the principles of group Narrative therapy within a sex and pleasure context. While groups have been run using narrative principles before, none had been offered around the themes of sex, intimacy and pleasure as distinct from sexuality and identity. In my work as a sex and relationship...
Read MoreExploring the Bicycle metaphor as a vehicle for rich story development: A collective narrative practice project by Marc Leger
In this video Marc talks about a Collective Narrative Practice project which involves exploring the Bicycle as its central metaphor. He will provide an overview of this collective practice methodology and share specific examples of how he has explored this metaphor with the use of ‘place-based’ narrative questioning practices within his own context. Marc has recently teamed up with a bike mechanic, a community developer, an outdoor education teacher and a grade 11 high school class, to explore this methodology as an alternative approach to mental health promotion work while they learn to rebuild and restore bicycles bound for the local scrap yard. Marc Leger works as...
Read MoreExplorations in narrative documentation with people from refugee backgrounds by Chanelle Burns
This video explores the use of narrative documentation in work with people from refugee backgrounds, specifically in contexts of responding to trauma. Through the lens of narrative documentation, a number of narrative principles and practices are explored, including eliciting responses to trauma, scaffolding, externalising, re-authoring, and outsider-witnessing. Chanelle Burns is a Social Worker based in Melbourne, Australia. She has worked in a variety of roles with people seeking asylum and from refugee backgrounds. She is currently working as a counsellor advocate at the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (also known as Foundation House). Chanelle is...
Read MoreCollective Narrative Practice with young people with Aspergers who experienced bullying in their lives by Chris Tse
This video presents an experience of collective narrative practice with young people with Aspergers who experienced bullying in their lives. This project intends to connect young people together collectively. An innovative methodology of Smartphone of Life will be illustrated in assisting the young people to re-authorize their stories with alternative identities. The practice of externalizing conversation, re-authorizing conversation, outsider-witness practice and definitional ceremony will be described with the stories of young people. The local knowledges and skills of young people have been documented in co-creating the postcards for sharing. If you want to share...
Read MoreUsing Narrative ideas to support families where a loved father has been violent towards his female partner and continues to live at home at the request of his children by Carolyn Markey
Apart from swimming with her Border Collie and being a taxi for young people who live with her, Carolyn’s working life is primarily with children. Having been taught by Michael White in the early 90’s, Carolyn now practices Narrative therapy as a school counsellor in a co-eduational school in Adelaide and in an NGO, Uniting communities within a family counselling team who work primarily with those affected by violence. She is also a senior teacher of the Dulwich Teaching Faculty. This piece of Narrative therapeutic and group work describes some recent consultations she had with a mother and her two daughters traumatically affected by their loved...
Read MoreRe-storied and Restored: Queer Family Conundrums across the Generations by Manja Visschedijk and Gipsy Hosking
In this Friday afternoon video we (Manja and Gipsy) share some snapshots from our 28 years of loving, living and working together in the intersections of age, sexuality and illness as non-biological mother and daughter in a Lesbian family. In fighting for our rights as a ‘same sex’ family, we recognise that we do this within a complex, everchanging interplay of privilege and marginalisation. For us, intersectionality means we can’t talk about our struggle for recognition and equal rights as a queer family in Australia, without also talking about the broader colonial, social and political context in which the struggles of our family and our communities...
Read More‘Unspoken Words’ : Creative Letters to Elders of my Past and Present by Annette Dudley
My name is Annette Dudley. Through my Dudley and Yow Yeh bloodlines, my Ancestors connect me to the Torres Strait Islands – Murray Island, Vanuatu – Tanna Island and The Bailai Nation of the Gladstone area, in Central Queensland, Australia. I would firstly like to acknowledge Elders past, present and future of the Traditional Custodians of the land that I live and work on, the Darumbal Nation, the Bailai Nation, the Ghungalu Nation, the Wadja Nation and the Woppaburra Nation. I would also like to acknowledge the Elders who have taken me under their wing and guided me, supporting me to do the work that I am honoured to do. I have had the privilege of working...
Read MoreDecolonising Identity Stories by Tileah Drahm-Butler
This presentation aims to bring forth conversation on the ways that narrative therapy can be used as a decolonising practice, where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and skill in resistance is honoured and talked about in a therapy setting. Tileah Drahm-Butler is a Durrumbal woman who lives and works in Kuranda, in Far North Queensland. Tileah is a Social Worker in a hospital setting, currently working in Emergency Department and Intensive Care Units. She completed the Masters in Narrative Therapy and Community Work in 2014 and is passionate about finding ways to describe Narrative Therapy practices in ways that are culturally resonant to Aboriginal and...
Read MoreUsing a Narrative Framework to Receive Testimonies of Trauma by Viviane Oliveira / Usando o Questionário para se receber testemunhos de trauma por Viviane Oliveira
In this video, Viviane describes how she has been using a narrative framework to receive and document testimonies of trauma to support people to reclaim their lives from the effects of abuse and violence. She also shares a story of a person she has worked with who has moved away from the effects of trauma and towards a meaningful and happy life after using this framework. The video is presented in English and Portuguese. Viviane Oliveira is a Brazilian narrative therapist who has been leaving and working in Australia for the last 9 years. She is passionate about social justice and has worked extensively with Aboriginal people and people from culturally and...
Read MoreRelocating the problem of disability: Norm Kunc, Emma Van der Klift, Vikki Reynolds and Aaron Munro
This video explores the intersection of Critical Disability Theory with the principles of Narrative Practice. Norman Kunc & Emma Van der Klift are narrative practitioners who have disabilities; Norman has cerebral palsy and Emma is Autistic. In a conversation with Vikki Reynolds and Aaron Munro, Emma and Norman provide two insider perspectives that can help narrative practitioners understand the importance and the process of “relocating the problem of disability.” For more information about the work of Norm Kunc and Emma Van der Klift see www.broadreachtraining.com/ This video was published on...
Read MoreMy Alternative Story from East to West by Yeemei Wong
Yeemei Wong worked in Hong Kong as a school social worker where she met many young people and their families who lived in disadvantaged circumstances or in poverty. Yeemei then started studying Narrative Therapy in Australia and began to practice in New Zealand. She has now returned home and is working for an agency which supports unwed young mothers and their babies. Yeemei is dedicated to integrating art, music, documents or other creative media into her narrative practice. Yeemei is also passionate in connecting narrative lovers together. Here is an illustration drawn by Yee Mei to tell a bit more about this lovely journey: This video is inspired by the...
Read MoreThe League of Parents and Small People against ‘Pocket Kering’ by Elizabeth Quek and Rose
This video describes a narrative collective practice project in a community in Singapore that experiences financial difficulties and other complex issues. Conversations with the families set out to allow rich description of their experiences of ‘Pocket Kering’, or ‘no money’. Conversations with children involved engaging with the personified ‘Pocket Kering’ monster and retelling of their Superpowers – the skills, values and knowledges that children use to shrink this monster. The League of Parents and Small People against Pocket Kering was formed and children were employed to plan and run a small economic project using their...
Read MoreResisting Violence, Reclaiming Lives by Phillipa Johnson Cook
In this video Phillipa recounts fragments of a collective narrative film methodology and illustrates a process of using narrative practices and film in a community setting to discover, link, document, celebrate and inspire creative responses to violence. This project emerged from co-research with a group of young people in Ipswich, Australia who were responding to experiences of domestic and family violence. It represents a body of work that could not have been generated without the diverse contributions of many people and organisations. Phillipa originally shared some of the ideas and stories she speaks about in this video at the International Narrative Therapy and...
Read MoreActs of Resistance, Acts of Reclaiming by Loretta Pederson
Loretta Pederson works with families in Western Sydney at a non-government organisation. She also works in private practice and is a member of the Dulwich Centre teaching faculty. In this video Loretta speaks about working with women who have been subjected to sexual and physical abuse, using Michael White’s ideas of noticing responses to trauma. She recently gave a longer version of this presentation through Caspersen Therapy and Training Center. References and further reading: Beaudoin, M and Zimmerman, J. (2011). Narrative Therapy and Interpersonal Neurobiology: Revisiting Classic Practices, Developing New Emphases. Journal of Systemic Therapies, Vol...
Read MorePrinciples of Neurobiologically Informed Narrative Therapy by Jeff Zimmerman
Jeff has been working with Narrative ideas for almost 30 years, the past ten spent enriching his work with ideas drawn from Interpersonal Neurobiology and Affective Neuroscience. Secretly, though, he has always harbored an interest in making movies, and hopes you will have as much fun watching this one as he did making it. Concepts of mind, mindfulness, and the importance of affect will be the feature attractions. However, it is intended to whet your appetite, not provide exhaustive information. If interested, you might check out some of the further readings listed below: Zimmerman, J.L., Beaudoin, M.N. (in press). Neurobiology for your Narrative: How...
Read MoreNarrative Coaching: two presentations from France
Our first presentation is by Pierre Blanc-Sahnoun. As a coach and HR consultant, Pierre works with narrative ideas in the profit and non profit organizations around the themes of corporate identities, company communities, and the stories about work in the client’s life in regard with dominant stories about success and performance. He is one of the founders of la Fabrique Narrative (the narrative factory), a narrative center he founded in Bordeaux, France, where he lives. He has written several books and articles (and songs !) about coaching and reauthoring of work. Our second presentation is by Elizabeth Feld. Elizabeth comes to the narrative community through a...
Read MoreQueer theory as a resource for therapists by Julie Tilsen
Julie Tilsen is the author of the book ‘Therapeutic conversations with queer youth: Transcending homonormativity and constructing preferred identities‘. In the first part of this video, Julie discusses queer theory as a theoretical resource for therapeutic practice. Next, Julie talks with Jayson, a transgender young person, about his experience navigating the limitations of the gender binary within a heteronormative and homonormative world. Questions for self-reflection are included and viewers are invited to write reflections to Jayson. For more information about Julie’s work see her website Published May 1,...
Read MoreRescuing Relational Meaning by Tom Stone Carlson and Amanda Haire
This presentation entitled, ‘Of drawers and coffee cups: Rescuing Relational Meaning from the Otherwise “Ordinary” Everyday Events of Life’, is by Tom Stone Carlson and Amanda Haire. We’re delighted to offer this video presentation from Tom and Amanda which builds upon their recent paper, ‘Toward a Theory of Relational Accountability: An Invitational Approach to Living Narrative Ethics in Couple Relationships‘. This paper described an approach to couples therapy that seeks to help couples intimately apply the ethics of narrative ideas in their personal lives and relationships. This intimate application of narrative ideas is focused on...
Read MoreCan narrative practices contribute to ‘social movement’? An invitation to join a project from David Denborough
G’day and welcome to this Friday afternoon video presentation from Dulwich Centre in which we invite you to join a project considering the challenges and possibilities in relation to narrative practices contributing to ‘social movement’. I’ve also included various links to texts and videos below. We hope to hear from you to continue the conversation! References and further information: I will include here the references to various texts and videos that I mention in the presentation. Introduction Can we contribute to ‘social movement?’ by David Denborough. Chapter 6 from the book Collective Narrative Practice: Responding to...
Read MoreLatin American Team of Life Adventures / Aventuras do Time da Vida na América Latina / Aventuras Latino Americanas el Equipo de la Vida
To start the new year, we’re delighted to include here two videos from Reciclando Mentes/Recycling Minds (Brasil) and Romina Martínez/Marta Campillo (México) showcasing creative uses of the Team of Life Approach. Originally developed by David Denborough to assist colleagues in Uganda responding to former child soldiers, this approach is now being used in a wide variety of contexts. It utilises sporting metaphors and narrative approaches. Para começar o novo ano, temos o prazer de incluir aqui dois vídeos mostrando o uso criativo da Aborgadem Narrativa o Time da Vida. Originalmente desenvolvido por David Denborough para ajudar colegas em Uganda que cuidam de...
Read MoreStories About Home by Leonie Simmons
Leonie Simmons was born in Vietnam and adopted to an Australian family. This thoughtful and beautiful video describes her journey to return to Vietnam and her efforts to deconstruct taken-for-granted ideas about culture, identity, family and home. It will be of relevance to anyone interested in ways of making home and making family as well as to those connected to the issue of inter-country adoption. Published on October 31, 2014
Read MoreAssisting young people to find their language through the language of others: Knowledge from an inpatient ward – By David Newman
In this video presentation, David Newman describes the ways in which he is using living documents with young people in an inpatient ward. The documents he discusses will soon be collected and published in a special resource of young people’s knowledges and ideas about ways of addressing mental health concerns. Further reading: Rescuing the said from saying of it, by David Newman Published on August 28,...
Read MoreYarning with a purpose: An Aboriginal perspective by Carolynanha Johnson
This presentation by Carolynanha Johnson explores the ways in which she is developing culturally appropriate forms of narrative telephone counselling to assist Aboriginal people to quit smoking. Finding ways in which narrative practices can be used in realms of physical health (as well as mental health) seems highly significant. Thanks Carolynanha for this video! After watching it, please join the online discussion! Published on February 28, 2014
Read MoreThe Art of Narrative Psychiatry by SuEllen Hamkins
In this video, SuEllen Hamkins presents her approach to narrative psychiatry: ‘A cutting-edge approach, narrative psychiatry brings together narrative and biological understandings of human suffering and well-being. Rather than focusing only on finding the source of the problem, narrative psychiatry also focuses on finding sources of strength and meaning. The result is compassionate, powerful healing. Narrative psychiatry begins with compassionate connection with those who consult with us, understanding that we live our lives in relationships and connect with one another through the stories we tell. It relishes discovering untold but inspiring stories of a...
Read MoreEvidence, Outcomes and Michael White’s Positioning Ideas by Mark Hayward
Here Mark Hayward dives into considerations about practice evidence and outcomes research and then links these realms with Michael White’s ideas about the position of the therapist. As you watch this engaging video presentation, please refer to the powerpoint presentation included below. And then please join a discussion about these matters on the forum! More information Evidence, Outcomes and Michael White’s Positioning Ideas powerpoint slides by Mark Hayward Evidence, Outcomes and Michael White’s Positioning Ideas PDF by Mark Hayward Published on August 30,...
Read MoreNarratives in the suitcase by Ncazelo Ncube-Mlilo
Ncazelo Nucbe-Mlilo is a Zimbabwean psychologist and narrative therapist living and working in South Africa. Here, she introduces the ‘Narratives in the suitcase’ project which seeks to use journey metaphors to assist child refugees. This work is inspired by the work of Glynis Clacherty and The Suitcase Project (see link below). It also draws upon ideas from Sherri Osborn. More information See also: The Suitcase Project: A psychosocial support project for refugee children Glynis Clacherty and http://www.comminit.com/edutain-africa/content/suitcase-project Published on August 30,...
Read MoreRecovery and hearing voices: five video clips from Ron Coleman
In March 2013, Ron Coleman, one of the leading figures of the Hearing Voices Movement, offered a keynote at Dulwich Centre’s 11th International Narrative Therapy and Community Work which inspired participants. We’re delighted to include five clips from his presentation here. A short history of the Hearing Voices Movement Ron begins with a lament that there was never a chance for Marrius Romme (founder of the Hearing Voices Movement) and Michael White to meet in person. He then offers a short history of the Hearing Voices Movement. Within this history, he honours the contributions of Mickey de Valda, Jon Williams and Terence McLaughlin, all of whom have...
Read MoreCollaborative Helping Maps: A Simple Map to Transform Relational Positioning By Bill Madsen
In this video, Bill Madsen offers a simple map to assist workers take up a post-structuralist relational stance. Interactions between helping professionals and families invite the enactment of particular life stories and experience of identity in the process. With this in mind, the way in which helping professionals position themselves in relation to families becomes very important. This presentation showcases a simple map that can guide thinking and action and help workers take up a post-structuralist relational stance. The map both helps workers think their way through complex situations and provides a guideline for conversations between workers and families. The use...
Read MoreRaising heads above the clouds by Caleb Wakhungu
Caleb Wakhungu and the Mt Elgon Self-Help Community Project use narrative ideas and practices to spark and sustain local economic ‘development’ projects in rural Uganda. This video features a presentation by Caleb Wakhungu describing innovative work that links community work, therapy and development. This presentation was filmed at the recent 11th International Narrative Therapy and Community Work Conference, organised by Dulwich Centre, that took place in Adelaide, Australia from 6-8 March 2013. This second video, produced by Dulwich Centre Foundation International, provides further information about the ground-breaking work of the Mt Elgon...
Read MorePractices of welcome by Aunty Barbara Wingard & Stories from Christmas Island: Working with asylum seekers and survivors of torture by Pohlin Lee
This video features two presentations from the opening session of the recent 11th International Narrative Therapy and Community Work Conference, organised by Dulwich Centre, that took place in Adelaide, Australia from 6-8 March 2013. Aunty Barbara Wingard, senior Kaurna Elder, welcomes participants to Kaurna land and tells stories from her own life to demonstrate the significance of practices of welcome. She particularly relates this to the experience of those seeking refuge in Australia as asylum seekers. Pohlin Lee works as a narrative therapist on Christmas Island, which is where people who are seeking asylum in Australia and arrive by boat are detained while their...
Read MoreUnderstanding families struggling daily with the effects of health problems by Kaethe Weingarten
This video features Kaethe Weingarten, from the USA, sharing ideas and resources for ways to understand and assist families struggling with the effects of chronic physical health difficulties. Kaethe has also provided readings, weblinks and references for further information. Further reading / viewing (free to download) The witnessing project Sorrow: A therapist’s reflections on the inevitable and the unknowable, in December, 2012, Family Process References References for Chronic Physical Illness compiled by Kaethe Weingarten The cruel radiance of what is: Helping couples live with chronic physical illness, in March 2013, Family Process The...
Read MoreCoordinating Stories in Therapeutic Conversations by Glenda Fredman
This video features Glenda Fredman from the UK. In a thoughtful and moving presentation entitled ‘Coordinating stories in therapeutic conversations’, Glenda discusses her work with a family in which a member has died. She also provides a framework for ways of approaching difficult and complex conversations in therapy. Glenda has also provided handouts in relation to the key slides from her talk, an exercise to engage with, and list of further relevant reading. Further reading (free to download) Handout and presentation slides An exercise to engage with Further reading Published on January 25,...
Read MoreJustice doing in community work & therapy: from ‘burnout’ to solidarity by Vikki Reynolds
In this talk, Vikki illuminates her stance for an ethic of Justice Doing as a frame for community work and therapy, and consider the intersections, tensions and affinities between community work practice, therapy and social justice activism. Vikki’s stance for Justice Doing in therapeutic and community work encompasses centering ethics, doing solidarity, addressing power, fostering collective sustainability, critically engaging with language, and structuring safety. Justice Doing opens our work to transformations for ourselves, the people we work alongside and our communities and society. Providing alternatives to concepts of ‘burn out’ and/or ‘vicarious trauma’, Vikki...
Read MoreWhen your child is diagnosed with schizophrenia: The skills and knowledges of parents by Amanda Worrall
Welcome to this presentation from central Australia by Amanda Worrall, in which she discusses the skills and knowledges of parents in circumstances in which a child is diagnosed with schizophrenia. We’ve also included a paper by Amanda on the same topic. This presentation is aimed at an audience of people who have done training in counselling and therapy and who are interested in engaging with narrative therapy ideas. If you are working with people experiencing significant mental health struggles and/or their families and are interested in using narrative ideas in this context, we would suggest you attend training and seek out supervision and consultation with...
Read MoreWorking with transgender youth by David Nylund
In the first of these two clips, David Nylund describes some of the thinking that informs his work with transgender young people. This second clip is from an interview with William, a 16 year-old transgender male and his mother, Susan conducted by David Nylund. William has just begun hormone replacement therapy as part of his gender transition. The focus of the interview was discussing William’s journey thus far, his hopes for the future, along with acknowledging Susan’s support of her son’s transition. The excerpt from the interview centers around masculinity — William’s critique of traditional forms of masculinity along with his preferences of the kinds...
Read MoreNeighbourly ways of being and communal ways of working by Peggy Sax
G’day and welcome to this Friday Afternoon! This presentation by Peggy Sax from Vermont, USA, explores intentional community-building practices that build “giving back” and “paying it forward” into therapeutic work. These ways of working challenge assumptions about working in individualised ways, and demonstrate how narrative practices can strengthen communities of supports that include but do not centre on therapists, coaches, consultants, and social workers. Peggy aspires to show how therapeutic work that restores a person’s sense of community mindedness, solidarity and connection is highly ethical yet beyond traditional...
Read MoreRecipes for Life by Natale Rudland-Wood
G’day and welcome to this presentation on ‘Recipes for Life’! Building upon other collective narrative methodologies (Tree of Life, Team of Life, Kite of Life), Natale shares here a way of working based on food metaphors. Recipes for life is a narrative approach to telling our experiences and stories through the metaphor of a recipe. It involves exploring memories, connections, histories and journeys through food. This is just a ‘taste’ of ‘Recipes for Life’. To learn more, you might like to read Natale’s paper that is to be published next week (see below). Further reading about folk cultural methodologies:...
Read More‘Inviting paranoia to the table: A narrative perspective’ by Amanda Worrall
There is a long history of narrative therapy approaches being used as a response to serious mental health concerns. Much of Michael White’s early work involved responding to people who were experiencing psychosis (see the reference below to the interview ‘Psychotic experience and discourse’ from 1995 and the work of the Dulwich Centre community mental health project). And so it seems really appropriate that this first on-line Friday Afternoon at Dulwich relates to mental health concerns. Amanda Worrall is a mental health nurse in the Northern Territory (Australia) and a graduate of the Dulwich Centre International Graduate Diploma in Narrative Therapy and...
Read More‘The written word and narrative practice’ by David Newman
One of the defining early characterstics of what has come to be known as ‘narrative therapy’ was the creative use of documentation or the written word. We therefore thought it would be fitting to focus this second on-line Friday Afternoon Discussion with a presentation by David Newman on this topic. In this 30 minute presentation, David explores some of the anthropological ideas that inform documentation in narrative practice; offers some key principles to guide the use of the written word in narrative therapy; and provides some examples from his own therapeutic practice. We invite you to watch and then join the discussion! Further reading:...
Read MoreIn Our Own Voice: African American Psychiatric History by Vanessa Jackson
“In Our Own Voice is a revolutionary act of self-love and a demand for visibility for African-American psychiatric survivors.” This presentation from Vanessa Jackson provokes questions about the role of psychology and psychiatry in the oppression of African American people. At the same time, it describes a hopeful oral history project reclaiming the knowledge and stories of African American people who have endured mental health struggles. How can oral histories be used to honour our past, celebrate our present and protect our future? What stories and histories remain untold in our local contexts? How can the fields of oral history and narrative practice...
Read MoreNarrative Therapy Charter of Story-Telling Rights by David Denborough
G’day and welcome to this Friday Afternoon on-line launch of the Narrative Therapy Charter of Story-Telling Rights. David Denborough works at Dulwich Centre and Dulwich Centre Foundation and this Charter is part of a broader project in relation to ‘narrative justice’ that Dulwich Centre Foundation International is currently engaged with: * When meeting with people whose problems are the result of human rights abuses and injustices, how can we ensure we do not separate healing from justice? This Charter proposes a framework for considering storytelling rights. We hope it will spark discussions about the rights of people who have experienced...
Read MoreColouring Narrative Therapy’s Solidarity by Marcela Polanco
G’day and welcome to this Friday Afternoon discussion which for the first time features presentations in both English and Spanish. Within these presentations, Marcela Polanco addresses the acculturation/decolonization of narrative therapy into Latin America through the means of “translation resistance” (Tymockzo, 2010). Drawing from the same political, epistemological and theoretical tenants of narrative therapy, she presents its translation into her Colombian Spanish. Marcela proposes a therapy of solidarity as a Latin American version of narrative therapy. She presents this proposal as furthering the life of narrative therapy keeping it from becoming colonizing,...
Read MoreSo, You Decided To Have A Narrative Conversation: Narrative Principles I by John Stillman
G’day and welcome to this Friday Afternoon at Dulwich Centre! We’re pleased to include here John Stillman’s presentation on narrative practice. Within this video John has tried to explain some of the key principles of narrative practice as if he was speaking to someone who was going to consult a narrative therapist for the first time. For those of you who are new to narrative ideas, we hope this presentation introduces you to some key narrative concepts. For those of you who are more experienced, we would be interested to hear what aspects of narrative therapy you might choose to emphasise to someone consulting a narrative therapist for the first time....
Read MoreReconstructing identities and inviting preferred stories of self: Narrative practices in mental health settings and prisons by Marilyn O’Neill and Gaye Stockell
Gaye Stockell and Marilyn O’Neill have been engaging with narrative ideas for well over twenty years. They were two of the first practitioners to use ‘re-authoring practices’ within psychiatric settings. In this video presentation they look back to the ‘Worthy of Discussion Groups’ that took place in a community mental health rehabilitation service. They describe how these groups involved reconstructing identities and inviting preferred stories of self. Marilyn and Gaye also discuss how they are now engaged with people in reconstructing identities in many other contexts, including within prisons. We invite your reflections on this video and...
Read MoreUsing narrative ideas in supervision by Hugh Fox
Welcome to this first Friday Afternoon presentation of 2012. We hope the new year is treating you kindly so far! In this presentation, Hugh Fox from the Institute of Narrative Therapy, UK, shares his ideas in relation to narrative supervision. What might narrative supervision look like? What are options for supervision beyond problem-solving? In this presentation, Hugh shares options for supervision including the use of outsider-witness practice and definitional ceremony in order to generate rich description and rich story development. Further reading (free to download) Fox, H., Tench, C. & Marie, (2002). ‘Outsider-witness practices and group supervision.’...
Read MoreHopework: Survival stories from the C.O.U.R.A.G.E. program ~ Families with children who have cancer by Linda Moxley-Haegert
Most parents would never dream of having a child diagnosed with a life threatening illness. When that happens it most often feels like a nightmare. Community narrative therapy practices provide many possibilities to help turn this nightmare into a ‘hopedream’. Families in Montreal, Canada are doing a great deal of ‘hopework’ in order to find their special achievements, knowledges and resources and voice them through ‘stories of survival’, stories of mastery, and coping. To do this a bi-lingual (English and French) hospital community was developed called C.O.U.R.A.G.E. COURAGE means: Using Cancer as an Opportunity to Unite and share Resources in an Amicable Group setting...
Read MoreExternalizing conversations: Statement of Position Map 1 by Mark Hayward
In this Friday Afternoon presentation, Mark Hayward takes us through Michael White’s Statement of Position Map 1 and how these enable externalising conversations. Within this presentation Mark will also invite you to chart an externalising conversation. Included below are a number of related documents and a powerpoint presentation to accompany this DVD. This Friday Afternoon video is therefore a little longer than the earlier presentations (43 minutes). We hope you enjoy it! And we look forward to your participation in the forum.A transcript of Mark’s video is available here. Please download the following interactive documents! Statement Of Position Map...
Read MoreSome things I have learned about sex, gender and sexuality by Mary Heath
Welcome to this Friday Afternoon presentation. This afternoon there is a treat in store, as Mary Heath presents ‘Some things I have learned about sex, gender and sexuality’. This presentation uses stories about everyday life to explore ideas about sex, gender and sexuality.It questions the dominant idea that there are only two sexes and two genders, and that sex should always be congruent with gender, drawing on queer theory – and intersex and transgendered people’s life stories. It also examines the challenges bisexuality and queer theory present to dominant ideas about sexuality, proposing that there are more than two sexualities, and that sexuality...
Read MoreRhythm of Life by Adriana Müller
G’day and welcome to our first Brazilian Friday Afternoon at Dulwich Centre. It’s a great pleasure to introduce Adriana Müller and her presentation on the Rhythm of Life. This way of working draws on narrative ideas and musical metaphors. Adrianna has created two video presentations … one in English and one in Portuguese. We look forward to you joining the forum discussion (in either English or Portuguese). Ritmos da Vida por Adriana Müller Bom dia e sejam bem vindos a nossa primeira versão brasileira de Sextas à Tarde no Dulwich Centre. Temos grande prazer em lhes apresentar Adriana Müller que vai falar sobre o Ritmos da Vida. Essa forma de trabalhar...
Read MoreNarrative conversations with mandated men by Tod-Augusta Scott
Welcome to this Friday Afternoon presentation. This afternoon, Tod-Augusta Scott, from Nova Scotia Canada, shares his work in relation to narrative conversations with men who have engaged in violence against their partners. Below you will also find links to an interview with Tod, and further references and websites. We hope you will join the discussion forum on this important area of work. Further reading (free to download) Augusta-Scott.T. (2006). Talking With Men Who Have Used Violence in Intimate Relationships: An Interview with Tod Augusta-Scott, pp 23-30. International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, no. 4, 2006 Australia: Dulwich Centre...
Read MorePositive Psychology and Narrative Practices by Margarita Tarragona
Welcome! This Friday Afternoon at Dulwich Centre presentation promises something a little different. Rather than a presentation on a particular example of narrative practice, Margarita Tarragona explores similarities and differences between Positive Psychology and Narrative Practices. Margarita is a Mexican therapist and offers her presentation in both Spanish and English. Following her presentation, please read responses from David Epston, Yael Gershoni & Saviona Cramer, and Stephen Madigan. We’d then welcome your responses on the on-line discussion forum. Thanks! La Psicología Positiva y las Prácticas Narrativas por Margarita Tarragona Bienvenidos! La...
Read MoreConsidering polyamory and narrative therapy by Barbara Baumgartner
Welcome to another Friday Afternoon at Dulwich Centre discussion. This week promises another topic to stretch our thinking and practice! Barbara Baumgartner, from Canada, examines how, in her context, much of couple counselling (and the broader culture) takes for granted a range of monogamous assumptions and values. What could couple counselling look like if this was not the case? What if counsellors engaged with the growing numbers of people interested in differing conceptions of intimate relations, including polyamory? After you have watched Barbara’s video we invite you to join the forum discussion on this topic. Further reading Barbara Baumgartner (2009) A...
Read MoreRe-membering reciprocal relationships by Chris Dolman
Re-membering reciprocal relationships by Chris Dolman and a reflection from Barbara Wingard Re-membering conversations are one of the key maps of narrative therapy practice. This video, by Chris Dolman, explores some interrelationships between re-membering conversations and the principles of Just Therapy, through stories of work with Aboriginal people in Murray Bridge, a rural town in South Australia. Following the video, we invite you to read a reflection by Kaurna Elder and narrative therapist and teacher Barbara Wingard: ‘Bringing lost loved ones into our conversations: Talking about loss in honouring ways’. And then perhaps you may like to join the forum...
Read MoreWorking with loss: Beyond re-membering by Jill Freedman
Welcome to this Friday Afternoon discussion with Jill Freedman. This afternoon we welcome you into Jill’s kitchen in Evanston, USA! After a quick introduction from Lily Freedman (thanks Lily!), Jill offers a wide range of suggestions about different narrative responses to loss. We thought this was an appropriate follow-up to last month’s discussion about re-membering conversations. While Jill treasures re-membering conversations, in this presentation she offers a range of supplementary ideas about ways of using narrative practices with those who are grieving. You might like to download Jill’s notes and refer to these as you are watching the video...
Read MoreUtilising narrative ideas when meeting with people experiencing suicidal thoughts By Loretta Pederson
Loretta Pederson works within a narrative practice team at Telopea Family Support (Hope Connect) in Sydney’s western suburbs. In this presentation she considers ways that we can utilise narrative ideas when meeting with people experiencing suicidal thoughts. Practitioners are invited to enter the experience of the people we meet with, in a way that is supportive and sustaining for all involved. Loretta recently gave a longer version of this presentation through the Caspersen Therapy and Training Centre. Powerpoint and document Loretta’s powerpoint Workers’ responses in dark times document References Newman, D. (2008). ‘Rescuing the said from the...
Read MoreEvaluación Narrativa en Casas de acogida (Narrative evaluation in foster homes)
En esta presentación, el terapeuta narrativo Carlos Chimpen, describe las formas de evaluación narrativa que está implementando en casas de acogida. Carlos ha ofrecido amablemente su presentación en inglés y en español. ¡Gracias Carlos! Here, Spanish narrative practitioner, Carlos Chimpen describes the ways in which he is engaging with narrative evaluation in foster homes. Carlos has kindly offered this presentation in both English and Spanish. Thanks Carlos! Evaluación Narrativa en Casas de acogida En las casas de acogida y en las llamadas casas de cumplimientos de medidas judiciales, siempre se ofrece una evaluación de los chicos y chicas que viven allí, basada en el...
Read More