Strengthening Resistance: the use of narrative practices in responding to genocide survivors — David Denborough, Jill Freedman & Cheryl White

Description

This publication documents ways in which narrative practices can be used to respond to individual and collective trauma. In late 2007, David Denborough, Jill Freedman and Cheryl White from the Dulwich Centre Foundation (Australia) and the Evanston Family Therapy Center (USA) headed to Kigali, Rwanda, to provide support and narrative skills training to 34 trauma counsellors and assistant lawyers, all of whom are themselves survivors of the Rwandan genocide. This publication  documents what was addressed during the workshop. It also documents the skills and knowledges of genocide survivors in dealing with the effects of trauma in their lives. This is a powerfully moving and inspiring testimony. At the same time, this publication practically demonstrate how narrative approaches can be used in situations of extreme trauma in order to strengthen hope in contexts of hopelessness. The publication is accompanied by a short DVD which contains the stories of the skills and knowledges of the Rwandan workers. This DVD is in PAL/region 4 format, and will also play on ‘all region’ DVD players in other areas.) One unexpected aspect of this work has involved the participation of Jewish colleagues from around the world. These colleagues have offered reflections and responses to questions asked by the Rwandan workers about: ‘How do Jewish people deal with the problems of memory?’ A number of these Jewish colleagues’ responses are included in Strengthening Resistance.