Protecting our Borders

As we consider ‘what matters’ to those of us engaged in working with people around experiences of violence, it is no longer possible to focus narrowly on a particular localised category of violence understanding. In our view, this is primarily because the territory of violence discourse appears to have changed in recent years.

We have noticed a shift towards understandings of violence that are ‘integrated’ (Kelly 2000, Tomison 2000), with consequent changes to service delivery and practice. More recently we have noticed global experiences and understanding of violence have been more present in our lives and in those with whom we work.

For example, there seem to be more war metaphors used in our conversation; talk about ‘good’ versus ‘evil’, and preoccupation with borders, safety and protection…

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Interview by Deanne with Johnella Bird re “Talk that Sings”

DEANNE: What are the hopes and intentions you hold for readers of this book? What were some important things you hope readers come away with or come to understand?

JOHNELLA: “Talk that Sings”was written in response to my teaching of “The Heart’s Narrative.” Other ideas started to come forward as I began to teach. I began to find words for what I hadn’t previously expressed..

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Through the Kaleidoscope

This paper describes the development of a model of clinical practice with children, young people and their families, where the effects of sexual assault and domestic violence are presenting difficulties.

In order to develop this model, two services have been endeavouring to overcome differences in policy and perceived differences in clinical approach and orientation…

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Spokeswomen

What has come to be known as shared counselling originated in the early 1990s at Dympna House, an organisation in Sydney dedicated to providing services to women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. In order to convey the context from which shared counselling evolved, it is relevant first to consider the ways in which it builds upon feminist traditions…

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