Presentation at Binnational Conference for Treating Traumatized Children Words are important but they may also get into the way, especially in the aftermath of trauma, experience beyond words. The use of non- verbal means was originally introduced in order to cross cultural and language barriers, using the universal language of images and symbols. Our experience shows that artwork provides a means for processing information and containing strong emotions as well as a way of weaving together a narrative out of disrupted parts of life (and self) I am going to ask you here to listen with your eyes (and heart) to stories waiting to be told....

1. Listening with One’s Eyes -- Blending Expressive
Arts in Group-Work with Bereaved Children
Eleanor Pardess, SELAH- Israel Crisis Management Center
Binnational Conference for Treating Traumatized Children
30.6.2002

2. Bereavement following Violent Death
• Children who have lost a parent, sibling, or another relative
through violent circumstances are more likely to develop
complicated grief compounded with posttraumatic stress
reactions, which are often overlooked and underestimated.
• These often “forgotten mourners” bear the heavy burden of
dealing with their own grief as well as that of parents and
other family members (Silverman, 2000; Sandler,1998; Dyregrov,
1991)
• The ability to construct a trauma narrative and feeling
understood are protective factors (Neimeyer, 2000)
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3. Art and Working Through Trauma
• The expressive arts provide a vehicle for processing
information, containing strong emotions and enhancing self
regulation
• Use of imagery directed to right brain, speaking the ”language
of trauma”
• Using multiple modalities can open lines of communication
and support narrative construction
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4. A Modular Approach to Groupwork
Narrative Solution Adventure Wilderness
Approach Focused Therapy Training
• The Expressive Arts and Making the Invisible Visible
• Group Process Made Visible (Riley, 2001)
• Grief and the Healing Arts ( Bertman, 1999)
• Managing Traumatic Stress through Art (Cohen et al, 1995)
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5. Building networks of support- An ecological perspective
Communty/Culture
School
Family
Child
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6. Stories Waiting to be Told- Illustrations from Seminars
“This is the missile that blew up the
plane. My father and grandmother
broke into the sea. It is very cold in
there and the sharks are eating them
up.”
(5 year old boy lost father and grandmother
in Air Siberia plane
crash-Oct 2001)
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7. The Intrusion of the Black
“This is for my mother a
present, but the black is
spoiling it all”
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8. Survival in the Desert Workshop
• Layers
• Burnt tree
• Trees in the desert
• Water
10 year old girl who lost
brother
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9. Group work with parents-
• Parents can be helped to become aware of the subtle
messages they convey , to separate their own fears from
those of the child, and have their own responses validated
and normalized.
• Identity disruption and loss of sense of competence needs to
be acknowledged.
• Constructing a coherent family narrative can be facilitated
through expressive arts in a way that can promote family
resilience (Byng-Hall, 1995; Walsch, 2000)
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10. Between the Living and the Dead
• “I am all caught up in knots of
thoughts. Every part of my body,
right down to my feet, is
entangled in thoughts. Many of
them are black thoughts.
• I want to be with my husband all
the time. He is always there,
standing behind the empty
chair. Sitting in the other chair is
Husband killed 4 year old son Me
my little boy. He is wearing
green-the color of life. He is my
hope. I know that he needs me
but I am stuck in the middle,
actually nowhere, not knowing
who to turn to first”
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11. Between the Living and the Dead
“My son was a taxi driver. You see
the car severed and the baby left
in the back . I am trying to keep on
going somehow, for the sake of
my grandchildren.”
Me Baby
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12. No more music in my life
Beethoven’s fifth
symphony cut off !
“Fate’s strike!”
“No more music in my
life”
(Five months after wife was
killed. A musician, unable to
find a job as a musician)
Life continuum disrupted-
divided into “before”and
“after”.
The loss is also the loss of
one’s own self and identity.
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13. Between the Living and the Dead
” I was in the handcuffs of
death. Death wanted to take
me away. I didn’t feel I had the
strength or will to resist. Only
my granddaughter’s small
hand, over the void, and the
family, and the people from
Selah who helped me – is
pulling me back to life.”
(Son killed in terrorist attack)
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14. Nourishing Memories
“This is me in the
center on a sled in
the snow with my
brother and father
when they were
alive. They were
playing with me in
the snow. We had a
lot of fun.”
Father died This is me in Brother died
in Russia the center two years ago
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15. Discussion- Stories Waiting To Be Told
• Combining the expressive arts with narrative therapy can
open new possibilities for practitioners.
• Art can be a valuable resource in the re-authoring of life
narrative – A narrative with the child in the center.
• Treating traumatic stress can pave the way to renewed access
to nourishing memories, strengthening continuing bonds and
restoring the “going on being”.
Suggested activities- “My Book”, Look and Listen to Me”, “Journeys”
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16. Providing a safe space
AVOIDANCE
RE-ENACTMENT
• Providing a safe space for back and forth movement
and oscillation between intrusion (re-experiencing
and re-enacting memories etc) and avoidance
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17. The challenge - Processing of traumatic events within the
window of tolerance
Pardess/ Expressive Arts in Group-Work with Traumatized Children Binnational Conference for Treating
Traumatized Children/2002
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18. Practical Implications
• Titrate- Work in small doses
• Empathy
• Follow the child’s response
• Listening with one’s eyes
• Try various channels
• Don’t forget enjoyment and
play. Dare to expect miracles!
“Such a tiny can and so much water”
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