NOVEMBER 2016
Vikki Reynolds (Vancouver, Canada) & Mike Boucher (Rochester, New York)
November, 20, 2016: 5pm (New York time)
Vikki & Michael offer an alternative approach to work with trauma, which focuses on the resistance of victims of violence and oppression. Drawing from a decolonizing and justice-doing stance, their activist analysis resists the neutral and medicalised language of ‘trauma’, and names the contexts of social injustice that create the conditions for suffering. Honouring the wisdom of the people we work alongside in their acts of resistance and responses to trauma brings forward their agency and wisdom – creating identities of knowledge, autonomy and strength, as opposed to victim/survivor identities, or other spoiled identities.We will address structuring safety as the foundation of the work, alternative understandings of the way trauma works, and the duty of the witness to work towards justice-doing, connection of private pain with public issues.
OCTOBER 2016
BC Society of Transition Houses Annual Training Forum
Keynote Address
Taking on oppression on all fronts: Feminism & Justice-Doing
In this talk, Vikki will address our collective commitments to feminism and justice-doing while working in contexts of oppression and suffering, and weave our collective resistance to structural oppression together with social movements and feminist informed community activists who are taking on oppression on all fronts. We will acknowledge the darkness of mean and hate-filled politics, rape culture that occurs within a wider context of violence, and the suffering of “messed with human beings” alongside luminous stories of everyday resistance with threads from community work and social movements, and the” immeasurable outcomes” of our work alongside women struggling to keep a finger hold on dignity.
October 28, 2016
Radisson Hotel Vancouver Airport Richmond, BC
Social justice & Feminist informed work with men who use violence
Friday, October 7, 2016 1pm – 4:30pm
#401 – 1638 East Broadway, Vancouver BC
SPARK II: In-house training opportunity for FSGV staff only
Vikki Reynolds returns to FSGV with another valuable training for FSGV staff! In this workshop Vikki will address work with men who have used violence. This approach comes from a justice-doing and decolonizing frame, and is informed by an intersectional feminism.
Nelson Committee on Homelessness
Public Presentation and Forum:
Homelessness, Trauma & Suffering: Communities Responding with Heart
Work that bridges the worlds of therapy and social justice
What is the link between trauma and homelessness?
As a community concerned with social justice, how can the stigma and misunderstandings around homelessness be addressed?
Wednesday, October 12th 7:00 Pm
Nelson United Church 602 Silica Street
Nelson, BC
With community guest panelists
For info contact Ann at NCOH: ncoh@nelsoncares.ca 250-352-6011 x19
Article from the Nelson Daily
Workshop:
Responding To Hardship & Suffering: Homelessness, Trauma, Mental Wellness & Substance Use
An engaging workshop for service providers working with marginalized people & victims of trauma
Thursday, October 13
8:30 Am Registration / Refreshments
9:00 Am To 4:00 Pm Workshop
Lunch Provided
$25 – Sponorships available.
Space Limited. To Register contact Ann at NCOH: ncoh@nelsoncares.ca 250-352-6011 x19
SEPTEMBER 2016
Collaborative Teams: Structuring Safety and Creating Cultures of Accountability
Team Day: September 28, 2016
Witnessing Resistance to Trauma and Violence
In this experiential 2 day workshop Vikki offers an alternative approach to work with ‘trauma’, from a decolonizing anti-oppression stance, which focuses on the resistance of victims of violence and op-pression. Honouring the wisdom of the people we work alongside in their responses to trauma brings forward their agency and wisdom.
We will explore the theories and practices of “Leaning In” as imperfect allies, and responding accountably to the impact of power and privilege when working in communities with people experiencing poverty, violence and oppression.
September 22 & 23 9:00 to 4:00 PM
2420 Montrose Ave.
Abbotsford, BC
University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work Presents:
Dr. Vikki Reynolds RCC, Visiting Scholar
Lectures & Public address
September 14-16, 2016
JULY 2016
Family Worker Training + Development Programme
Social Justice and Community Work: Tensions, Points of Connection and Hopeful Skepticism
11th July 2016
In this experiential workshop Vikki invites a critique of the tenuous, strained, yet hopeful relationship between social justice activism and community work & therapy. We will address the tensions of community work replicating oppressive practices, and invite a critique of our practice with an aim to move us more in line with our collective ethics for justice-doing. We will explore the theories and practices of “Leaning In” as imperfect allies, and responding accountably to the impact of power and privilege when working in communities with people experiencing poverty, violence and oppression.
Trauma & Resistance: Innovative Responses to Oppression, Violence and Suffering
12th July 2016
In this experiential workshop Vikki offers an alternative approach to work with ‘trauma’, from a decolonising anti-oppression stance, which focuses on the resistance of victims of violence and oppression. Honouring the wisdom of the people we work alongside in their responses to trauma brings forward their agency and wisdom. Vikki will illustrate a witnessing approach to therapy using practice examples, structuring safety as the foundation of the work, alternative understandings of the way trauma works, and the connection of private pain with public issues.
Transforming Rape/Violence Against Women Culture
13th July 2016
In this experiential workshop Vikki will address our collective work to resist and transform Rape/Violence against Women Culture. We will address the structural oppressions that create the conditions for this on-going oppression, and consider creative responses to both the people who are victimised by assault, and the people who commit these assaults. This work is informed by Bell Hooks’ ideas that “Feminism is for everybody” and will address how patriarchy is complex and doesn’t serve many men, especially these in marginalised locations, as well as women and gender variant people. We will discuss ethical stances for this work that hold the people who have suffered assault at the centre, alongside a call to account, responsibility and compassionate response to people who enact violence.
Location: Parkroyal, 30 Phillip Street
Parramatta, Australia
Bookings are essential
For registration and more information contact FWTDP
Charing Cross Narrative Therapy
Resisting Burnout with Justice-Doing
This invigorating and powerful workshop offers an alternative approach to the notion of worker burnout. Those those working with people struggling with poverty, violence and oppression are often told that they will “burn out”. Contrary to this is the story of sustainability; how our collective work sustains us, nourishes our hope, invites us to honour the resistance and strength we witness in the people we work alongside, and allows us to work congruently with our ethics. This experiential workshop will address our collective ethics and practices of Collective Care as opposed to self-care. Workers will be invited to begin to build their own “Solidarity Team”; examining who stands alongside them, what ideas and practices sustain them, and how they might access support when burnout attacks.
Date: Friday 15th July 2016
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $160
Venue: Level 4, Lecture Room, 438 Victoria St Darlinghurst, St. Vincents clinic
Upholding Hope & Witnessing Resistance to Trauma & Violence
In this experiential workshop, internationally known presenter, Vikki Reynolds, offers an alternative approach to work with ‘trauma’, from a decolonizing anti-oppression stance, which focuses on the resistance of victims of violence and oppression. Honouring the wisdom of the people we work alongside in their responses to trauma brings forward their agency and wisdom – creating identities of knowledge, autonomy and strength, as opposed to victim/survivor identities, or other spoiled identities. An activist analysis resists the neutral and medicalised language of ‘trauma’, and names the contexts of social injustice that create the conditions for suffering.
July 19th 2016
Footscray Community Arts Centre
Melbourne, Australia
9:30AM-4:30PM
To register please visit www.trybooking.com/201415
Creative responses to trauma: witnessing resistance
Vikki Reynolds offers an alternative approach to work with ‘trauma’. Honouring the wisdom and witnessing the resistance capacities of the people we work alongside in their responses to trauma, brings forward their agency and identities of knowledge, autonomy and strength.
“The act of witnessing, the concept of solidarity and a deep commitment to justice have evolved from my activist experiences and are integrated into my current community work. In bridging activism and community work, I envision our collective community work as doable and sustainable.”
Thursday 21st July
9am- 4.30pm
Campfire in the Heart,
Lot 8204 Ragonesi Road
Alice Springs, Australia
$160. MUST register.
Email: missoliviahenry@gmail.com
Please let us know if cost is preventing you from attending, we will try our best to make it possible for you to attend.
Resisting Burnout with Justice Doing
Monday, 25 July 2016 9:30am – 4:30pm
Those working with people struggling with poverty, violence and oppression are often told that they will “burn out”. This experiential workshop will address our collective ethics and practices of Collective Care as opposed to self-care. Workers will be invited to begin to build their own “Solidarity Team”; examining who stands alongside them, what ideas and practices sustain them, and how they might access support when burnout attacks. In this experiential workshop participants will:
- Consider alternative understandings of ‘trauma’, including seeing PTSD as a potential site of resistance;
- Explore their own acts of resistance against power-over and domination;
- Learn how to structure safety for therapeutic conversations as a foundation of the work;
- Develop witnessing practices that offer new meanings of traumatic past events;
- Learn collective practices to resist “vicarious trauma” and “burn out” in our work and enact collective care.
Resisting & Transforming Rape Culture: Innovative Responses to Oppression, Suffering and Trauma
Tuesday, 26 July 2016, 9:30am – 4:30pm
In this experiential workshop Vikki will address our collective work to resist and transform Rape/Violence against Women Culture. We will address the structural oppressions that create the conditions for this on-going oppression, and discuss ethical stances for this work that hold the people who have suffered assault at the centre, alongside a call to account, responsibility and compassionate response to people who enact violence.
In responding to sexual violence, Vikki will explore ways to honour the wisdom of the people we work alongside in their responses to trauma. We will look closely at the language that is used to disguise the violence of sexualized assault, and the liberatory ways we can use language accountably and effectively. There will be practice examples and stories and writings from clients who have consented to share their stories in an effort to contribute to resisting and transforming rape culture.
Venue: Visible Ink, Fortitude Valley, Australia
Cost: $160 each workshop
Registrations: Contact admin@brissc.org.au or 07 3391 2573
JUNE 2016
An Ethical Stance for Therapy
A British Columbia Association of Clincal Counsellors Region 4 Workshop
While theory and practice competencies are essential for therapists, they need to be grounded in solid ethical frames in order to align with ethical principles.
Participants will experience a particular stance for ethical therapeutic work that is situated in social justice activism, and be invited to explore, investigate and articulate their own engagement with ethics as a frame from which therapeutic theory and practice grows.
Through lecture, practice and group activities, we will:
- explore ethical issues in therapeutic relationships
- explore an ethical map to address ethical dilemmas, such as dual relationships.
- engage in a group therapeutic practice
- investigate the ethical stance of the work from inside the practice.
This work is grounded in a Supervision of Solidarity (Reynolds, 2010; 2014), and is informed by a spirit of solidarity and social justice activism. This ethical stance for justice-doing (2012) in therapy encompasses centering ethics, doing solidarity, addressing power, fostering collective sustainability, critically engaging with language, and structuring safety.
Putting ethics at the centre of therapeutic practice opens our work to transformations for ourselves, the people we work alongside and our communities and society, and offers the potential for experiencing the social divine.
Date: Saturday, June 25, 2016
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Cost: No charge
Adler University, 1090 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, B.C.
The Collab Salon:
Centering Ethics in Group Supervision: Vikki Reynolds & Shona Russell
Sunday, June 19, 2016 @ 5:00 pm NY Time
What are narrative approaches to supervision? How does a group co-create respectful ways of exploring complex concerns and challenges that reflect the ethics of a just and accountable community? Join Shona and Vikki for a conversation about group supervision practices that contribute to a reinvigoration of professional identity, keep faith with what is given value, and build on an ethic of justice-doing. Shona gives workshops on Exploring narrative approaches to supervision and Vikki writes about Centering Ethics in Group Supervision: Fostering cultures of critique and structuring safety. We are particularly eager for local consultation groups to join us!
Justice-Doing in Community Work
Wednesday, June 1st 2016 | 9am-5pm
Woodwards Skyroom
Lunch will be provided
In this workshop Vikki will share an anti-oppressive and decolonizing approach for justice-doing in our community work, exploring ways of addressing power, centering ethics, critically engaging with language and shouldering each other up with sustainability
MAY 2016
Our Voices Against Violence…
Trauma & Resistance
Innovative Responses to Oppression, Violence, & Suffering
UBC Boathouse
7277 River Road, Richmond
Tuesday, May 31st
9:00 to 4:30 pm
Cost: FREE
Light refreshments & lunch provided.
Seats are limited!
Please RSVP to Clay at ctang@chimoservices.com
This workshop presents an alternative approach to work with ‘suffering’, from a decolonizing anti-oppression stance, which focuses on the resistance of victims of violence and oppression, as opposed to attending primarily to the details and effects of the events, which can be harmful for both the person and the front-line worker. Resisting neutral and medicalized language, we will name poverty, racism, rape culture and other systemic contexts of social injustice.
Keynote Address:
Responding at the Intersections of Power :Small Acts of Justice-Doing
In this talk, Vikki will address our collective commitments for justice-doing while working in contexts of oppression and suffering, and weave our collective resistance to structural oppression together with social movements and community activists who are taking on oppression on all fronts. We will acknowledge the darkness of mean and hate-filled politics, and the suffering of what Bud Osborne calls “messed with human beings” alongside luminous stories ofeveryday resistance and the” immeasurable outcomes” of our work. With threads from community work and social movements, this talk gives a nod to both Goffman & Wade’s illuminations of “small acts of living”.
Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime
Resisting & Transforming Rape Culture:
Innovative responses to oppression, suffering and trauma
Join us for a two-day workshop where we will explore rape and violence against women, investigate the concept of consent, ethical concerns and social responses surrounding violence against women, and address the importance of language from a social justice frame.
May 12 & 13, 2016
Ottawa Police Association Lounge
141 Catherine Street, Ottawa, ON (2nd floor)
Fee: $350 registration fee
*warm lunch & refreshments included
Register online: www.crcvc.ca/our-events
APRIL 2016
Responding to the Darkness in Our Work
Thursday, April 28th 2016 | 9am-2pm
Woodwards Skyroom
Lunch will be provided
In this experiential workshop Vikki will lay some ground work for understanding responses to loss and hardship in our work from a place that holds the dignity and respect for workers and our residents. This will require we look at the social structures of oppression and structural violence that make up the landscape of our work, and look at the psychological ideas that aren’t so useful, like vicarious trauma, as they blame us for not being “resilient” enough. Instead we’ll consider responses to loss that can give a foot up on being harmed and disconnected in the work and honour our humanity and our pretty fabulous ways of “Showing up & doing the hard things”. We’ll also consider Holding on and Letting Go, strategies for honouring clients’ lives and our own best work held in a tension alongside the pain of loss. Finally we’ll strategize ways to creatively and collectively respond to our heart break and suering that are generative and hope filled.
Peak House Presents Peak Speaks
Therapeutic Innovations: Ideas, Practices & Inclusion Lessons from Peak House
Join us in this experiential workshop where we will engage with the core ideas that frame the work of this long standing program. Peak House is an all gender, live-in, treatment program for youth seeking freedom from problematic substance use.
April 14, 2016
9:30 to 4:30
City University –
789 West Pender Street #310
Vancouver, BC
V6C 1H2,
Canada
Registration and more information http://peakspeaks2016.eventbrite.ca
or call 604-254-2187
Secure your seat, space is limited
advance: $100
door: $125
student:$65
FEBRUARY 2016
Creative Responses to Trauma and Suffering Resisting Burnout Through Justice Doing
February 17 & 18, 9am to 4 pm
Jasbir Saran Room
2420 Montrose Avenue
Abbotsford, BC
In this workshop, internationally known presenter, Vikki Reynolds, PhD, offers an alternative approach to work with ‘trauma’ by witnessing practices, structuring safety as the foundation of the work, alternative understand-ings of the way trauma works, and the connection of private pain with public issues.
RSVP to yrcadmin@AbbotsfordCommunityServices.com
Trauma & Resistance: Innovative Responses to Oppression, Violence and Suffering
February 4 & 5, 2016 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn Oakville Centre
590 Argus Road, Oakville, Ontario.
Register online
In this experiential workshop, internationally known presenter, Vikki Reynolds, PhD, offers an alternative approach to work with ‘trauma’, from a decolonizing anti-oppression stance, which focuses on the resistance of victims of violence and oppression. Honouring the wisdom of the people we work alongside in their responses to trauma brings forward their agency and wisdom. Locating sites of resistance, and witnessing the resistance capacities of the people we work alongside, can create identities of knowledge, autonomy and strength, as opposed to victim/survivor identities, or other spoiled identities. An activist analysis resists the neutral and medicalized language of ‘trauma’, and names the contexts of social injustice that create the conditions for suffering.
Vikki will illustrate a witnessing approach to therapy using practice examples and will outline witnessing practices, structuring safety as the foundation of the work, alternative understandings of the way trauma works, and the connection of private pain with public issues.
Vikki Reynolds PhD RCC 