Narrative Therapy and Responding to the Trauma of Sexual Violence: Acts of Resistance and Acts of Reclaiming
Narrative Therapy and Responding to the Trauma of Sexual Violence: Acts of Resistance and Acts of Reclaiming
Event Location:
Carruthers Marsh Pavillion, 55 Ashbury Blvd, Ajax, Ontario, L1Z 0E7, Canada
Event Description
A message from the Narrative Therapy Centre on March 16, 2020 This workshop has been cancelled. It is our hope to reschedule to a future date.
Hearing stories of sexualized violence can be challenging, particularly when this is regularly part of the work. Workers may get weighed down by the stories, and may hold worries about retraumatising clients during the counselling, health check or court preparation process. While primarily focusing on counselling, this workshop will support workers in a variety of fields when responding to the impact of sexual assault. It draws on the theory and practices of Narrative Therapy to support clients to tell their stories in strengthening rather than retraumatising ways. The idea that people always respond to trauma, even if it is not recognised by themselves or professionals, will be discussed.
Learning Outcomes:
Participants will leave with new ideas, and a sense of hope and possibility for this challenging work and will:
- Have a clearer understanding of the impact of sexual violence on the identity formation of adults and children
- Become more comfortable in respectfully hearing stories of sexual violence
- Have ideas of how to support clients in the telling of their stories, to reduce the risk of re-traumatisation
- Learn to collaboratively identify acts of resistance to violence
- Learn to collaboratively identify acts of reclaiming of life from the ongoing effects of sexual violence
- Move from a focus on individual ‘pathology’ to a political understanding of gendered violence
- Consider ways workers can be sustained when responding to issues of sexual assault and injustice
Theoretical input will be supported through examples from the work of the presenter, focusing on the context of working with people who have been subjected to sexual assault or multiple, ongoing abuses. There will be opportunities for participants to engage in experiential exercises.
Target Audience:
This program will be relevant for a diversity of service providers including counsellors, therapists, community workers, child protection workers and mental health practitioners working in settings such as victim and crisis services, private practice, hospitals, women’s shelters, sexual assault centers, schools, Violence Against Women (VAW) organizations, and other community-based and social service agencies. This workshop is relevant to those working with adults (including adults who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse), young people and children.
10% discount for students and groups
Students please attach a copy of student ID and at checkout in discount code enter STUDENT10.
For groups of 3 or more, please register together in one transaction and at checkout in discount code enter GROUP10
Certificates of Participation will be available upon completion of the workshop and will state the number of hours of Narrative Therapy Training. Certificates may be used to qualify for eligibility for continued education credits from professional colleges and licencing boards. Please contact your own college or association to confirm requirements.
If you require accommodation during a workshop or event, take a look through our list of places to stay that are close to our venue in Toronto
Payments may also be made via fax registration or sending a cheque via post. If you wish to pay with this method, please email us and we send you a workshop flyer for you to complete and fax or mail with your info and payment.
Cancellations will be accepted if requested in writing at least 14 days prior to the event. A 10% admin fee will be deducted from the amount to be refunded. We regret that a refund cannot be offered after the cancellation date, but a colleague may be substituted for attendance.
Facilitators
Loretta Pederson - Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work; BA (Welfare Studies)
Loretta from Sydney Australia has, for 20 years, worked with families and individuals who are responding to complex issues such as mental health struggles, family violence, sexual assault, and drug and alcohol issues. She worked for an Intensive Family Support Service as team leader and is now in independent practice offering counselling, supervision and training. Loretta is on the teaching team for Dulwich Centre, Adelaide and has facilitated workshops in Australia, China, Singapore, Qatar and Turkey. She also volunteers for Twenty 10/Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service. Narrative ideas have been an integral part of Loretta’s counselling and group work over the past 15 years. She is particularly passionate about meeting with people who are experiencing mental distress or responding to trauma. Loretta’s article ‘Sharing sadness and finding small pieces of justice: Acts of resistance and acts of reclaiming in working with women who’ve been subjected to abuse’ was published in the Narrative Therapy and Community Work Journal in 2015. www.narrativetherapyconnections.com
Registration inquiries can be made at contact@narrativetherapycentre.com or by calling (905) 427-8239