HEALING THE WOUNDS OF HISTORY
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In Healing the Wounds of History we invite people from different generations, nationalities, and cultures to gather and acknowledge, reflect and move towards healing their personal and collective wounds. The model offers an integrative way of working by combining intercultural communication, conflict resolution and ethno-therapy with the expressive arts.
It involves the telling of stories, different drama therapy structures, and sometimes poetry, visual arts, movement, music and/or ritual.
Each of us has been touched by the hand of historical trauma, either directly or indirectly. Rage, guilt, fear and shame are often passed down from one generation to the next. To be embodied and understood, historical trauma needs to be retold and experienced in a personal way. By providing a bridge between the personal and the collective experience, in a safe and supportive environment, the expressive arts help people free complex webs of feeling, heal deep wounds and put ghosts of history to rest.
There is so much beauty and healing in a gathering of this kind. Participants often leave the experience having felt 'understood by the power of shared experience', 'seen by the power of being witnessed', and 'deeply touched by the power of shared tears, pain, laughter and sacred silence'.
Groups occur within a context of deep respect to every legacy and story, and to the holder who chooses to embark in such exploration.
My involvement in this project began by being part of a group of therapists, gathered by Armand Volkas, to explore our collective and historical legacy. This exploration made me aware of the richness and complexity that lies behind the bridging of the personal and the collective. Through the process I was able to release past stories that needed to rest, as well as establish a more engaged and embodied relationship to my legacy and the gifts I received from it. This is the intention I bring to my groups.
Healing the Wounds of History was founded in 1989 by Armand Volkas, MFT, RDT. Armand has developed innovative programs using drama therapy and other expressive arts for social change, conflict resolution and intercultural communication.
For additional information www.livingartscenter.org/index.html
www.dramatherapist.com
In Healing the Wounds of History we invite people from different generations, nationalities, and cultures to gather and acknowledge, reflect and move towards healing their personal and collective wounds. The model offers an integrative way of working by combining intercultural communication, conflict resolution and ethno-therapy with the expressive arts.
It involves the telling of stories, different drama therapy structures, and sometimes poetry, visual arts, movement, music and/or ritual.
Each of us has been touched by the hand of historical trauma, either directly or indirectly. Rage, guilt, fear and shame are often passed down from one generation to the next. To be embodied and understood, historical trauma needs to be retold and experienced in a personal way. By providing a bridge between the personal and the collective experience, in a safe and supportive environment, the expressive arts help people free complex webs of feeling, heal deep wounds and put ghosts of history to rest.
There is so much beauty and healing in a gathering of this kind. Participants often leave the experience having felt 'understood by the power of shared experience', 'seen by the power of being witnessed', and 'deeply touched by the power of shared tears, pain, laughter and sacred silence'.
Groups occur within a context of deep respect to every legacy and story, and to the holder who chooses to embark in such exploration.
My involvement in this project began by being part of a group of therapists, gathered by Armand Volkas, to explore our collective and historical legacy. This exploration made me aware of the richness and complexity that lies behind the bridging of the personal and the collective. Through the process I was able to release past stories that needed to rest, as well as establish a more engaged and embodied relationship to my legacy and the gifts I received from it. This is the intention I bring to my groups.
Healing the Wounds of History was founded in 1989 by Armand Volkas, MFT, RDT. Armand has developed innovative programs using drama therapy and other expressive arts for social change, conflict resolution and intercultural communication.
For additional information www.livingartscenter.org/index.html
www.dramatherapist.com
