Overview

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.

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9781785921858

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Reviews

Innovative therapeutic life story work explores a highly creative way of working, safely, compassionately and effectively with the most painful aspects of children's life stories. It is a must for any child professional wanting to help traumatised children make sense of their lives, and see the connection between what has happened to them in the past and how they experience themselves and others now. Through moving case material and a wealth of practical ideas, practitioners from all over the world, convey the child's sheer relief at having at last found their voice and established a coherent narrative for their lives. -- Dr Margot Sunderland Director of Education and Training, The Centre for Child Mental Health London This latest book by Richard Rose and colleagues reflects the essence of therapeutic life story work, whereby the worker holds out one hand to the child and the other hand to the carer and says to the child 'show us your world.' Something very special happens when a child takes your hand in trust when crossing the road and this is a tough road to cross. In this book, Richard and colleagues show us the world of therapeutic life story work and what it looks, feels and sounds like, so we too can help children make this journey of discovery. -- Annette Jackson - Regional Director Berry Street Gippsland, Australia (Adj Assoc Professor La Trobe University)

Innovative therapeutic life story work explores a highly creative way of working, safely, compassionately and effectively with the most painful aspects of children's life stories. It is a must for any child professional wanting to help traumatised children make sense of their lives, and see the connection between what has happened to them in the past and how they experience themselves and others now. Through moving case material and a wealth of practical ideas, practitioners from all over the world, convey the child's sheer relief at having at last found their voice and established a coherent narrative for their lives. -- Dr Margot Sunderland Director of Education and Training, The Centre for Child Mental Health London

Author Information

Deborah D. Gray is a clinical social worker specialising in attachment, grief and trauma. She is a leading figure in her field, and a sought-after presenter and trainer. She runs a private practice, Nurturing Attachments, in Kirkland, Washington, USA and has spent over 15,000 hours in the last 15 years counselling children who were adopted. Her private practice philosophy is one of empowering parents with information and techniques they can use to meet the needs of their children and develop close, satisfying relationships. She teaches in the Cascadia Resources/Northwest Adoption Resource and Portland State post-Graduate Programs in Adoption Counselling and the University of Washington's Post-Graduate Trauma Certificate program. In her personal life, Deborah D. Gray feels linked to adoption through the family in which she grew up and has also been a therapeutic foster. In 2015 Deborah was awarded with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the international ATTACh conference for her contribution to the field of attachment. To find out more about Deborah, visit her website at www.deborahdgray.com.

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