Full Description
Life story work is an approach designed to enable traumatized children to explore, question and understand the past events of their lives. It aims to secure their future by strengthening attachment with their carers and providing the opportunity to develop a healthy sense of self and a feeling of wellbeing.
This new edited volume documents innovative ways in which life story work has been developed. It draws on the work of nine life story centres based around the world and provides understanding and guidance for those working with children who have experienced trauma. The book illustrates current theory and practice and looks at how the approach is being used in a variety of settings including schools, intensive services, youth justice, and post-adoption support, highlighting its versatility. The importance of trauma-informed practice when working with vulnerable children is emphasised throughout, to help practitioners provide the best for the children in their care.
Contents
Foreword - Deborah D. Gray; Preface; PART I: Introducing therapeutic life story work, theory and practice; 1. Introducing the Therapeutic Life Story Model: All of us share something in common - we are all a collection of stories - Richard Rose AAP. 2. The Vital Process of Recovery - Richard Rose. 3. Communicating with Children: Therapeutic Life Story Work Techniques - Richard Rose. 4. The Complexity of the Life Story Practitioner's Role - Nadine Jay, Child Centred Therapy, UK. PART II: Therapeutic life story work in diverse contexts. 5. Kaitiakitanga: Safeuarding the Memories of Foster Children's Experiences Through the Use of Therapeutic Life Story Work - Marni Otway, Social worker, NZ. 6. A Dramatic and Narrative Approach to Life Story Therapy, Facilitating Attachment in Adoption - Joan Moore, ASA (Adoption Support Agency), ISW, UK. 7. Therapeutic Life Story Work with Looked After Children in Japan - Shoko Tokunaga, The Nippon Foundation, JAPAN. 8. Wondering from the Womb: Therapeutic Life Story Work in an early years service - Kathy Crouch, Mallee District Aboriginal Services, AUS. 9. Therapeutic Life Story Work: A Multimodal Therapy for Children With Complex Needs - Dr Rebecca Wild, Queensland Health, AUS. 10. Seeing My Journey With New Eyes: Therapeutic Life Story Work With Deaf People - Dr Goedele A.M. De Clerck, University of Manchester, UK. PART III: Implementing therapeutic life story work. 11. Dispelling the Karma - Soula Kontomichalos, Elise Saunders, Del Aulich, Sebastian LaSpina and Anna Fasolo, Department of Health and Human Services, AUS. 12. The Implementation of Therapeutic Life Story Work, Practice Review of a Pilot Progam - Dr Jodie Park, Family Pathway Solutions, AUS. 13. Life Story Therapy in a School Setting - Paula Price, Creative Child Therapy, UK. 14. The Spin Project, Evora and Lisbon - Professor Maria Barros and Margarida Marques, PORTUGAL. 15. Project Logic - Providing Services and Support for the Provision of Therapeutic Life Story Work - Amanda Jones, Berry Street, AUS. 16. Learning to Understand, Therapeutic Life Story Work at Metro Intensive Support Services NSW - Melissa Stokes, Anna-Elizabeth Mattiuzzo and Natalie O'Keefe, Metro ISS, AUS. PART IV: 17. Spreading the practice of therapeutic life story work: We're All Stories in the End - Kendra Morris-Jacobson, Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center (ORPARC), USA. Epilogue.
