Vivian Navaratnam, Singapore
Two developments in the narrative field that have taken place in Singapore have left me with excitement. The first development is the availability in Singapore of the Postgraduate Certificate in Narrative Practice (facilitated by Dulwich Centre and the Academy of Human Development). To me, this is a milestone in the counselling scene in my country. Practitioners now have the possibility to be exposed to narrative ideas and practices without having to travel out of Singapore. The second development is the setting up of the Narrative Practice Support Group. We have been running for three years and the existence of such a group sustains our interest in narrative ideas. This group also provides a place for the practitioners in the above course to further engage in their thoughts on narrative ideas.
One example of Michael’s ideas being carried on in significant ways
One thing that stands out for me is the idea of re-membering. I was talking to a middle-aged lady from a minority culture (here in Singapore), and she belonged to a religion that was very conservative and had a lot of traditions and rituals. Our communication was in a mixture of English and Malay. In explaining Michael’s idea of re-membering (in relation to the lady’s late husband), I was very surprised that this idea of re-membering was well received and understood. Michael’s idea of re-membering seems to be able to cut across cultures, socio-economic status, and religious faiths.
