*Note* This scheduling program was not designed by folks who do a lot with APA Style and unfortunately it defaults to listing authors in alphabetical order. We cannot fix this for this online schedule, but the author orders are posted in the order submitted in the printed program available via pdf here.
Deane Metzger (1992) writes "when it is our own life story that we are telling, we become aware that we are not victims of random and chaotic circumstances, that we, too, despite our grief are living meaningfully in a meaningful universe" (p. 55). This workshop will work to facilitate conversations and teachings about feminist narrative therapy and the possibilities it offers for trauma work. We will explore the importance of storytelling and personal narrative in the lives of African American mothers living in toxic traumatic neighborhoods and interventions used to unearth these narratives. We will discuss the personal and collective narratives produced by mothers who experience chronic violence and loss. This presentation is not only intended to explore the various ways in which narrative plays an important role in the lives and treatment of black mothers who are suffering from PTSD, depression, and grief, but also to spark discussion about how stories work in relationship with restorative justice to provide the optimal means of expression and healing. Narrative conversations about violence and loss are less about the passive suffering of trauma and more about growing invigorating identity stories amid the ongoing transitions that trauma occasions. The role of the narrative therapists is as a collaborator or co-author with the client. The narrative frame involves opening space for the authoring of alternative stories, the possibility of which have been previously silenced by the dominant oppressive narrative which maintains the problem. The collaborative approach of the narrative practitioner can be useful for accessing the mother's spiritual strengths by respectful inquiry into her worldview and its nuances of meaning. Attending this workshop will foster a sense of cultural sensitivity and provide a new way to think about black mothers and trauma, professionally and personally with practical applications and skills to be immediately incorporated. Metzger, D. (1992). Writing for your life: A guide and companion to the inner worlds. Harper Collins Publishers: New York
