Trauma and abuse commonly have a toxic effect on a person’s sense of identity, and on their ‘story’ about life and relationships. Our sense of identity has significant implications for how we experience ourselves and for how we move forward in life.

​

In this workshop Richard will describe how to identify and work with people’s responses to trauma, with a view to assisting them to develop or reconnect with more positive senses of identity, and more positive views of life and relationships. This approach will be examined in light of ideas from Narrative Therapy, and will be illustrated with case material - including work with indigenous and non-indigenous children, adolescents and adults who have experienced domestic violence, sexual

abuse, and other forms of trauma.

 

During this Training you will have the opportunity to:

• Receive an overview of the major principles of Narrative Therapy;

• Learn about how these principles can be applied to a range of issues presented by children, adolescents and adults who have experienced trauma;

• Learn techniques for engaging with difficult clients;

• Learn techniques for inviting clients to argue for change;

• Be exposed to ideas for hopeful ways of working with challenging situations;

• Learn about a range of techniques utilised by narrative therapists for co-creating with client’s alternative stories of identity;

• Discuss specific issues relevant to your own counselling practice.