**Disclaimer** I am not a mental health professional. This is simply my idea for what could be an effective and supportive way for survivors of sexual trauma to heal through the sharing of their stories.
It's an unfortunate fact that many people suffer from some form of post-traumatic stress. According to PTSD United up to 70% of Americans have experienced some type of trauma, and 20% of those people will go on to develop PTSD. I am one of those Americans who suffers from PTSD. While not all of my coping methods have been the best, I do believe that being able to tell your story is a key factor in healing. Turning my story into a narrative that I could tell to others has been invaluable to me. After looking into different studies that have explored the use of narrative therapy for PTSD, I think I would want to create a workshop that focused on narrative therapy for survivors of sexual trauma. While there are an abundance of events that can lead to the development of PTSD, I believe that a narrow focus and the shared experience would best suit the attendees.
The idea for the workshop that I have designed comes from "Efficacy of Narrative Writing as an Intervention for PTSD: Does the Evidence Support Its Use?". This study, conducted in 2015, ran through a number of scenarios for incorporating narrative writing into PTSD therapy including structured writing therapy, expressive writing, and narrative exposure. The scenario that appeals the most is structured writing therapy, which was conducted online. The use of an online meeting place, instead of face-to-face would, I believe, increase the comfort level for the participants, and allow for a greater amount of participants. The study did this on an individual basis, but there is a benefit in being able to share with others in a more immediate fashion. Given the nature of the writing assignments, it would probably be best to include participants who are farther along in their recovery, and are more capable of talking openly about their individuals traumas.
The workshop would be conducted over a five week period, with two sessions a week. The sessions would be 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the amount of participants. The writing prompts will be sent out at the beginning of each week (Sunday) with the plan for each session in that particular week. Ideally, the writing would be done before each session, with the sessions spent reading and discussing each other's pieces.
The end result ideally would be that the participants find themselves in a place where they are able to further share their story but it is not a requirement. The only real goal is to provide an alternate means of coping with a traumatic event. Even the most painful stories need to be told, and heard.
Sloan, Denise M et al. “Efficacy of Narrative Writing as an Intervention for PTSD: Does the Evidence Support Its Use?.” Journal of contemporary psychotherapy vol. 45,4 (2015): 215-225. doi:10.1007/s10879-014-9292-x
It's an unfortunate fact that many people suffer from some form of post-traumatic stress. According to PTSD United up to 70% of Americans have experienced some type of trauma, and 20% of those people will go on to develop PTSD. I am one of those Americans who suffers from PTSD. While not all of my coping methods have been the best, I do believe that being able to tell your story is a key factor in healing. Turning my story into a narrative that I could tell to others has been invaluable to me. After looking into different studies that have explored the use of narrative therapy for PTSD, I think I would want to create a workshop that focused on narrative therapy for survivors of sexual trauma. While there are an abundance of events that can lead to the development of PTSD, I believe that a narrow focus and the shared experience would best suit the attendees.
The idea for the workshop that I have designed comes from "Efficacy of Narrative Writing as an Intervention for PTSD: Does the Evidence Support Its Use?". This study, conducted in 2015, ran through a number of scenarios for incorporating narrative writing into PTSD therapy including structured writing therapy, expressive writing, and narrative exposure. The scenario that appeals the most is structured writing therapy, which was conducted online. The use of an online meeting place, instead of face-to-face would, I believe, increase the comfort level for the participants, and allow for a greater amount of participants. The study did this on an individual basis, but there is a benefit in being able to share with others in a more immediate fashion. Given the nature of the writing assignments, it would probably be best to include participants who are farther along in their recovery, and are more capable of talking openly about their individuals traumas.
The workshop would be conducted over a five week period, with two sessions a week. The sessions would be 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the amount of participants. The writing prompts will be sent out at the beginning of each week (Sunday) with the plan for each session in that particular week. Ideally, the writing would be done before each session, with the sessions spent reading and discussing each other's pieces.
- Week 1 would include introductions within the group and a discussion of the basics of narrative theory with a focus on creative non-fiction and the role of storytelling in society. It is important to help the participants understand the reasons that we tell stories, and how we can connect with others through our narratives.
- Week 2 would be devoted to the participants getting to know each other better and getting comfortable with sharing. The first two writing assignments would therefore be geared towards a very brief summary and sharing of personal history and the precipitating events(s), as well as a discussion of these pieces.
- Week 3 would cover the events in greater detail (as much as they are able to), with multiple sessions to cover them and work through thoughts, feelings, and ideas together. Discussion would be scheduled but it is expected that not everyone may be able to participate fully. Writing will still need to be made available for classmates to read.
- Week 4 will go back into the previous week's work, with the idea of taking a more impassioned and critical eye at the writing itself, how the story is presented, and how it may help others. Participants are encouraged to (gently) critique each other's work and suggest edits or additions. The idea is not to tear down the pieces but to find ways to further convey the message.
- Week 5 will focus on writing reflections regarding the course and how it has or has not helped the participants find an effective outlet to assist in their recovery. There will also be some discussion of how these pieces can be published to a wider audience, should they choose to do so.
The end result ideally would be that the participants find themselves in a place where they are able to further share their story but it is not a requirement. The only real goal is to provide an alternate means of coping with a traumatic event. Even the most painful stories need to be told, and heard.
Works Cited
Comments
Post a Comment