Stitching Stories: Art & Narrative Therapy Practice through Story Cloth

10/19/2019
10 am - 5pm
413 John Carlyle
Alexandria, VA 22314

Art and narrative therapy align perfectly in the art of story cloths. Using fabric helps to bring the unspeakable to light in a tactile, and non-threatening way, externalizing the story and allowing for alternative stories to arise verbally and visually. Cross-cultural traditions of sewing in community have been used by women to organize, build relationships, agitate, advocate, grieve, and heal. Traumatic experiences can be expressed using fabric and thread—the process exemplifies Bruce Perry’s Neurodevelopmental Model of working with trauma using relevant, rhythmic, repetitive, relational, and rewarding activities. This workshop explores the power of “women’s work” and how returning to the art and craft of sewing in this technological age provides an opportunity to slow down, think deeply, and join with others in creative community. Participants will sew their own story cloth; materials provided, but feel free to bring special fabric scraps to use and consider what story needs to be told.

Registration deadline 10/18/19