Therapeutic Life Story Work - child trauma training

Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSW)

Berry Street is pleased to partner with Richard Rose to deliver training to Australian practitioners in Therapeutic Life Story Work. Through our Professional Learning and Development Team we deliver one day introductory workshops throughout the year and the Professional Diploma in Therapeutic Life Story Work.

TLSW explained

Therapeutic Life Story Work enables children and young people who have experienced the trauma of child abuse and neglect and who are struggling with the pain of their past to reflect, develop compassion for themselves and move on. It is a defined approach, designed to introduce the past as markers for the present. Once these are understood, the child is supported in considering how to move on to make significant changes, as a result of a far deeper understanding and awareness of how their history has been negatively impacting on their present.

In essence, Therapeutic Life Story Work is not just about the who, what, where, when, why and how, but how a painful past, if not reflected on and worked through, can go on to blight the present and future. Instead, if we can help children to think about their history of trauma and loss, to understand its origins and effects, we can identify and understand the ‘ghosts of the past’ so children are no longer haunted by them. For more information visit the TLSW website.

Professional Diploma in TLSW

Delivered annually, this is a comprehensive 12-day course (delivered over 12-months) based on Richard Rose's 'Life Story Therapy with Traumatised Children - A Model for Practice' (2012). It is designed to equip participants with the skills, knowledge and experience to undertake Therapeutic Life Story Work with children and young people during the course of their work.

Course participants will learn how to help children and young people to understand their behaviours, feelings and thoughts in light of their past. Participants will be empowered to enable children and teenagers to reflect on what has happened to them instead of moving into destructive repetitions of past pain and/or re-victimisation (e.g. bullying). The course will focus in particular on interventions such as family trees, wallpaper work, and eco- and geno-scaling. It covers the concepts of attachment, trauma, loss, relevant brain science, magical thinking, identity and meaning.

Who should attend

Life Story Therapy will greatly benefit all those working with children affected by early life trauma including: those working with children in care; teachers; youth workers; therapists; and those who are involved in recovery work with children and families in need.

Please contact us as learning@berrystreet.org.au for more information and upcoming course dates.

Getting started

View upcoming training dates for TLSW here, or to discuss tailored training options with Richard, available Australia-wide, please contact the Professional Learning & Development Team on 03 9429 9266 or email learning@berrystreet.org.au.