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Unravelling trauma, co-creating relief and weaving resilience: Playful collaborations with children, families and networks, by Sabine Vermeire

Sabine Vermeire is a trainer, systemic and narrative psychotherapist and supervisor at the Interactie-Academie VZW, a training and therapy centre in Antwerp, Belgium. For more than 30 years she has worked with children, youngsters and families in multi-stress contexts and trauma. She prefers to leave the beaten tracks and work in creative ways when speaking becomes difficult. sabine.vermeire@iaac.eu

In times of hardship, talking directly about painful or traumatic experiences, overwhelming emotions, or problematic actions with children, young people or families can be difficult. As co-researchers, we invite children, youngsters and their families and networks to contribute in playful ways to unravelling the tentacles of hardship and re(dis)covering a sense of agency, belonging and coherence. Together, we look in unexpected corners for safe places to build a team of support and solidarity. In dis-covering a multiplicity of stories rather than being trapped in one dominant story of trauma or loss, we co-create relief and develop more coherent storylines that weave the experiences and stories about hardship into the fabric of their lives.

Key words: Minecraft; children; youth; trauma; car crash; grief; bereavement; hospital; re-membering; safety; narrative practice.

Vermeire, S. (2023). Unravelling trauma, co-creating relief and weaving resilience: Playful collaborations with children, families and networks [Video file]. International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, (1). https://doi.org/10.4320/RRVF1380

Author pronouns: she/her

Video notes

See Sabine’s book:

Vermeire, S. (2023). Unravelling Trauma and Weaving Resilience with Systemic and Narrative Therapy: Playful Collaborations with Children, Families and Networks. Routledge.

https://www.routledge.com/Unravelling-Trauma-and-Weaving-Resilience-with-Systemic-and-Narrative-Therapy/Vermeire/p/book/9780367766382

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Hanh Nguyen Edbrooke September 27, 2023 Reply

    Dear Sabine

    My name is Hanh Nguyen Edbrooke from Vietnam.

    I am grateful for this video, i found the similarity of this story of Victor and one of my client, so beautiful how you invited him to slowly open his door. Will definitely looking to how to adapt somehow your amazing approach to my client.
    Thank you so much for your sharing, all the best to you.

    Hanh

    1. Sabine November 10, 2023 Reply

      Thanks Hanh for your appreciative words. i really hope your client can feel some support in the story of Victor! Best wishes, Sabine

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