Resources

The following resources provide practical ideas for working on mental health and trauma issues in contexts of therapy, community work, and psychosocial support.

Collective narrative practice: Responding to individuals, groups, and communities who have experienced trauma, David Denborough

This book introduces a range of hopeful methodologies to respond to individuals, groups, and communities who are experiencing hardship. These approaches are deliberately easy to engage with and can be used with children, young people, and adults. The methodologies described include: the Tree of Life, the Team of Life, Checklists of social and psychological resistance, Collective narrative timelines, Maps of history, and Songs of sustenance.

Kite of Life: From intergenerational conflict to intergenerational alliance

Intergenerational conflict brings with it significant challenges. And conflict can be especially complex in refugee and migrant communities, where old and young people alike have to negotiate the ways of the ‘old’ and ‘new’ countries. Sometimes, these challenges can lead to seemingly intractable and irresolvable differences. This publication introduces a new collective narrative methodology, the Kite of Life, which was developed during a project in St James Town, Canada’s most densely populated community. Also described are nine key principles which can help to build intergenerational alliances.

Raising our heads above the clouds: The use of narrative practices to motivate social action and economic development - The work of Caleb Wakhungu and the Mt Elgon Self Help Community Project

Poverty, conflict, and disease are like ‘clouds’ that encircle our communities. We must find ways to raise our heads above the clouds and work towards the world we hope for … This publication documents an emerging field of practice: narrative development work. The Mt Elgon Self-Help Community Project, based in rural Uganda, uses narrative practices to spark and sustain local social action and economic development.

Working with memory in the shadow of genocide: The narrative practices of Ibuka trauma counsellors - by David Denborough

In 1994, the genocide in Rwanda claimed over one million human lives. Today, Ibuka, the national survivors’ association of Rwanda, has developed ways to respond. This publication documents the unique forms of therapeutic and collective practice that Ibuka workers are developing. It contains the stories of this work and its outcomes; the principles they are employing; examples of the methodologies; and ideas for how workers and organisations in other contexts can develop their own effective practices.

Yia Marra: Good stories that make spirits strong from the people of Ntaria/Hermannsburg

This publication contains stories from the Aboriginal community of Ntaria/Hermannsburg about the ways in which they are dealing with grief, ‘grog’ (alcohol), and other hardships. These stories have since been shared with other communities, and some messages that have been returned are also included. Yia Marra explains the principles informing this project and introduces new concepts in collective narrative practice. Drawing on narrative ideas and the work of Paulo Freire, Sharon Welch, and Hilde Lindemann Nelson, Yia Marra will be relevant to those responding to social suffering.

Strengthening resistance: The use of narrative practices in working with genocide survivors, David Denborough, Jill Freedman, and Cheryl White – booklet & DVD

This powerful, inspiring, and practical book and DVD package provides options for workers dealing with significant mental health and trauma issues in the wake of war and genocide, as well as natural disasters and other significant hardship. By describing the work of Ibuka, the national genocide survivors’ association in Rwanda, it also shows how narrative approaches can be used in the aftermath of extreme trauma.

Conversations about gender, culture, violence & narrative practice: Stories of hope and complexity from women of many cultures, edited by Angel Yuen & Cheryl White

This inspiring book consists of writings from women of many cultures about initiatives, projects, and ways of working to respond to violence. It describes narrative ways of working with those who have experienced violence and creative ways of engaging with men and women who have enacted violence against others.

Telling our stories in ways that make us stronger, Barbara Wingard and Jane Lester

In this graceful, strong, and thoughtful book, Barbara Wingard and Jane Lester share stories of their lives and work as Aboriginal women. Chapters include: Finding culturally-appropriate ways to grieve, remember, and heal; Understanding Aboriginal homelessness; Talking about diabetes; and Responding to family violence.

Trauma: Narrative responses to traumatic experience, edited by David Denborough

This wide-ranging, thoughtful, and practice-based book provides clear ideas about how to respond to adults, couples, and children who have endured traumatic experience. The book includes stories of inspiring work from Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Israel, and South Africa.