healing

05/10/2021

The Repair of Early Trauma: A Bottom Up Approach

‘Told to us through the voices of children, this unique animation teaches us that by putting together the seven-piece jigsaw puzzle of ‘Developmental Trauma’, we can understand how a child’s adverse childhood experiences have shaped their emotional world and outward behaviour. Once we understand this, we can then […]
27/09/2021

Marion’s Film Story, Part 2

I continue the series of films made by Mike Liu and I when we spent a day with Professor Marion Kickett, Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin University, in York in September 2103. Marion is a Noongar from the Balardong language group. The first six […]
21/09/2021

Facilitating Healing at Carrolup, Part 2

I continue my article focused on the process of healing that occurred at Carrolup Native Settlement. These sections are taken from my eBook Connection: Aboriginal Child Artists Captivate Europe. ‘Prior to November 1946, the children had been closeted away on the Settlement. However, they were taken to the […]
20/09/2021

Facilitating Healing at Carrolup, Part 1

Some of you will know one of the main reasons I became involved with the Carrolup story was because of my interest in the healing of trauma and its consequences (e.g. mental health problems, addiction). I was looking for a story about the healing of trauma amongst Aboriginal […]
15/09/2021

Oprah Winfrey & Dr. Bruce Perry in Conversation: SXSW EDU 2021

‘Oprah Winfrey and leading child psychiatrist and neuroscientist Bruce Perry, MD, PhD explore the impact of childhood trauma on who we become, the decisions we make, and how healing must start with one question ‘what happened to you?’ in anticipation of a new co-authored book of the same […]
13/05/2021

Healing Section of the Recovery Stories Website

I have another website, Recovery Stories, which focuses on recovery from addiction and mental health problems. One section of the website, labelled Healing, takes you on a journey that focuses on the healing of intergenerational trauma. I have arranged this section so that a person can start with […]
04/05/2021

On Trauma and Healing: Quotes from Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey’s New Book

In yesterday’s Story Blog post, I talked about one of the best books I have read, particularly in the area in which I work. What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry MD, PhD and Oprah Winfrey is informative, inspiring and deeply-moving. In […]
03/05/2021

‘What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing’

This weekend I read one of the best books I have ever read, certainly in one of the areas in which I work. The book, What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing, is written by Bruce D. Perry M.D., Ph.D. and Oprah Winfrey. The book is […]
20/04/2021

The Importance Of Grounding

Last week, I was feeling rather overwhelmed with my work and some of the other things going on in my mind. I shouldn’t have felt overwhelmed with work, as I am officially ‘retired’ and don’t need to be doing what I do. But I was… and I do, […]
26/01/2021

Senior Australian of the Year: Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann

I was absolutely thrilled to see that Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann was made Senior Australian of the Year 2021. Miriam Rose has done so much for Aboriginal peoples around Australia, as well as for society as a whole. Her Award is thoroughly deserved. I was fortunate enough to meet […]
20/01/2021

Key Factors Facilitating Indigenous Healing

When I first developed the educational healing resource Sharing Culture back in 2014, I did a great deal of reading about the healing of trauma and intergenerational trauma. I summarised what I considered to be 12 principles of healing, which are relevant to Aboriginal people here in Australia […]
12/01/2021

How I Came to Write About Carrolup, Part 2

Yesterday, I posted the first part of the Preface to my book Connection: Aboriginal Child Artists Captivate Europe, which told the story of how I came to be involved with Carrolup. Here is the continuation of the Preface, which describes my background and how it has influenced my decision […]
08/12/2020

Our Carrolup Talk at Casuarina Prison

John and I visited Casuarina Prison, the main maximum security prison for males in Perth, on Friday, 13th November to give a talk about the Carrolup child artists and see the art class in operation. We greatly enjoyed our visit, which lasted just short of four hours. We […]
03/11/2020

Key Steps in Healing: Judy Atkinson

As some of you know, I was inspired to work in the healing trauma field in large part by Judy Atkinson’s wonderful book Trauma Trails: Recreating Song Lines – The Transgenerational Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia. I was reminded of Judy’s book when I was interviewed about […]
15/09/2020

My Carrolup Talk in Perth

On Friday, 11th September 2020, I gave a talk entitled Connection: Aboriginal Child Artists Captivate Europe at the Royal Western Australian Historical Society in Perth. This talk was originally to be given in May, but had to be postponed due to Covid-19. I had been looking forward to […]
15/07/2020

Judy Atkinson’s Fireside Yarns

Some of you will know that Judy Atkinson and her wonderful book Trauma Trails – Recreating Song Lines: The Transgenerational Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia inspired me to start working in the healing trauma field. Now, Judy has taken over my Friday mid-afternoons with her Fireside Yarns, organised […]
18/06/2020

Key Elements Underlying the Healing of Trauma

In our forthcoming book Connection: Aboriginal Child Artists Captivate Europe, I have written two appendices, one reflecting on The Trauma and the other on The Healing. In my last blog, I provided a section of the first Appendix, The Trauma: Reflections. Here, I include the first part of […]
10/06/2020

The Impact of Removing Children From Their Families

At its heart, the story of Carrolup is about the innate emotional needs of human beings, like feeling a sense of belonging. What happens if these needs are not satisfied? And what can happen if satisfaction of these needs is restored? In our forthcoming book Connection: Aboriginal Child […]
Translate »