Remembrance of Things Past: Reflections from the Fertile Field

1. Remembrance of Things Past: Reflections from the Fertile Field – 1990 – 2017Belfast, Ireland ‘Unedifficulteestunelumiere / Unedifficultreinsurmontableestunsoleil’ Paul Valéry a difficulty is a light, an insurmountable difficulty is a sun. Rosie Burrows, PhD www.rosieburrows.comdrrosieb@gmail.com

2. Remembrance of Things Past: Reflections from the Fertile Field 1990-2017 (Belfast, Ireland) Purpose: Reflect on authored and co authored research, exploring the Gestalt researcher as witnessing, influencing and being influenced by engaging with personal and social change in areas of environmental, social and psychological (also, political and physiological) concern. The value of ‘second readings’ – Proust. Method: a Gestalt appreciative and confrontative (collaborative and creative) inquiry from 1990 to the present of a place and people recovering from the impact of political and other conflicts, human rights violations, loss, trauma, and, in the process of transition towards a better society. Ethical concerns: ethical concerns arise in a contested context of multiple realities and perspectives, and, in reflecting on individuals, families, and communities who experienced acutely and/or chronically vulnerable life situations. (Gestalt in Ireland). Present centred research exploration that models using the past for transformative learning. ‘Intentionality’ – shifts contact with past into contact with what is emerging.. moving beyond historic perspective ‘by opening up to its object, rather than dominating it.’ (Farrands, 2016)

3. Intentionality/inner stance: ‘that hope and history rhyme’Seámus Heaney‘it is in the shelter of each other that people live’“Arscáth a chéile a mhaireannnadaoine,” is an Irish saying that translates literally as: “People live in each other’s shadows.”- we rely on each other.‘The mountains never meet but people can always encounter one another’

4. Context of the north of Ireland “A climate that respects and protects basic civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights is fundamental to the promotion of mental health. Without the security and freedom provided by these rights it is very difficult to maintain a high level of mental health.” (Gostin, 2001) quoted in (WHO, 2004): 4,000 deaths – 1969. Almost as many suicides since the Good Friday Peace Agreement 1998 and higher than any other country in Europe – ‘Children of the Conflict’ internalising aggression;highest prevalence of PTSD in Europe; physical and other injuries. ‘Hidden harm’/abuse. ‘Trauma is not only a cause of suffering, it is also a resource that can be used to support a right.’ Fassin and Rechtman (2009) See Dealing with suidice: how does research help? M.Tomlinson, 2013 http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/Documents/RaISe/knowledge_exchange/briefing_papers/tomlinson110413.pdf

5. Trauma, Human Rights and Social Justice ‘Integration of the trauma must take place in all of life’s relevant dimensions or systems and cannot be accomplished by the individual alone. Routes to integration may include reestablishing, relieving, and repairing the ruptured systems of survivors and their community and nation, and their place in the international community.Danieli(1998)

7. Walk the line no rooms available, we seek refuge - past the Library, protestors at Twadell, to Holy Cross Monastery, Ardoyne. an airless room, across from reception hemmed between chair stacks, tables, crucifications, cards to St Anthony. we take our time to orient together to a single gothic window, four eyes fired on sympathetic arousal scanning caked in dirt, see through speckled pane, our dilated pupils walking the line - Belfasts low hill slopes, french gray sky stretched open over redbrick derelict, shadow, rainy day ground. she points me to the exact spot where her father lay thirty years before- shot. last moments. we sit the silence older to younger women knowing the aftermath, when chaos came to town wearing green, blue, red, black, biro criss crossing spirograph vortexes, confining, and beyond the beyond family grief grooves - limbo - , no one’s land. all dressed up. nowhere to go. Jiggling havoc. Jumping Jackfreefall.. pinball blizzard ‘Hard to take in.’ we sit and breathe together our eyes find each other for prolonged moments on parasympathetic pause: exhaling breath slowly, sensing body as light glider plane helping her land safely through turbulence- she makes it , and together we make it to her five year old walking hand in hand with dad at the Agricultural Show His presence with us, warm flows, as him and her proud, giggle past piglets tails, cow clap, people dressed up to the nines we’re in this together. Rosie Burrows, 2017 – dedicated to all of us who lost loved one(s)

8. ‘We used to be able to cope with everything, from the army busting in our front doors in the middle of the night, to banging the bin lids to defend our community. See now, there’s meant to be peace and we’ve lost our confidence.’ (Grandmother, Voices Women’s Group) Solidarity wavers when the memory of a strong feeling of solidarity fades away….. what holds thick relations together is…the memory of past emotions, of great solidarity in trying times (Margalit, 2002)

9. Robust and Genuine Process ‘People felt that there has been enough reports and that its time for a robust and genuine process that builds confidence through small, practical steps.’ Community worker, Interface Conference, Community Relations Council, 2009

12. BACP award winning research ‘We’ll never be the same’ • Considering the Context, Model, Work and Key Learning www.barnardos.org.uk/we_will_never_be_the_same.pdf • Considering Trauma and Recovery www.barnardos.org.uk/considering_trauma_and_recovery-2.pdf

13. The research resource • Considering Groups and Leadership www.barnardos.org.uk/considering_groups_and_leadership-2.pdf • Considering Community and Transformation www.barnardos.org.uk/considering_communities_and_transformation-2.pdf

14. The research resource • Considering Children Parents / Carers www.barnardos.org.uk/considering_children_and_parents_carers-2.pdf • Considering Victims and Workers (removedby organisation -hard copy only – I think we were insensitive with the benefit of hindsight)

15. Risks/unintended outcomes Attunement to people in life threatening situations over prolonged periods = very high risk. Challenges did outweigh resources = traumatic loss/retraumamatisation/ill health Group think / unhealthy confluence(Lichtenberg). Acting in and out of anger/grief, ’as if’ relating, rather than relational and situational ethics. Loss of diversity and individuality. Challenge of developmental field (disembedding, interiority, reorganisation – McConville) • Mistakes / Tragedies / Learning • includes: • *Personal and family loss during high • impact / high risk practice and high • aggression in practitioner group, culture • and environment. Loss of self/husband during high challenge work • *The central need for connection and compassion in a harsh context field • Risks of human rights practice

16. Because of you This country no longer lies Between us but within It breathes becalmed After being wounded In its wondrous throat In the cradle of my skull It sings, it ignites My tongue, my inner ear, the cavity of heart Shudders towards the outline New in soft intimate clicks and gutturals Of my soul the retina learns to expand Daily because of a thousand stories I was scorched A new skin I am changed for ever AntjieKrog (dedicated to all our children, and also my daughters, Anya and Niamh Burrows O’Connor

18. Transformative learning and inquiry: Methodology: Complexity - towards the ‘versatile practitioner’in the field – psychotherapist, group/organisational development practitioner, and research practitioner allows for significant influence, as well as increased vulnerabilities/risks. A Field/Celtic spiral of long term resourced practices that include therapeutically informed practice, action research, influencing activities, practitioner research, ‘resource’ research, engagement at all levels of system and growth/integration as Gestalt practitioner. *Versatile practitioner = Gestalt? Ethical implications to explore to address vulnerabilities/risks: Consider in the Gestalt Fidelity Scale and Gestalt Training Institutes, awareness and skills to practice effectively and ethically at diverse levels of system (individual-societal) with the physiology, psychology, politics, and ethics of trauma,including historic, transgenerational, war, conflict, childhood and other relational trauma. This can increase influence, and prevent/reduce harm alongside various forms of shared non authoritarian leadership, embodied practices, value placed on rest/restoration, on human being, not only performance, on value of ethical as well as the political witnessing, a culture of repair and non blame, where we stop forces that reproduce trauma through integrating missing/underdeveloped pieces. This includes missing or undeveloped pieces in Gestalt theory and practice and tracking this over time globally. What is your embodied response - sensation, feeling, image, and finally, meaning? *research resources that emerge and translate from practice, action and practice research to support a wide range of others – public, policy makers, politicians, frontline practitioners

19. Action, Practitioner Research, and Resource Research List of research – in proess of completing Brassnecks and Boundaries (1987) - exploration of an ecological community in Englandand Wales; Rural Community Development: a resource (1990); Community Development in Protestant Areas CDPA (1991) -’profound experience’, clear articulation of part of background, and of identity or ‘Protestant’, Key – challenges to individuation and to connection/organisation. NOW – less SPACE for challenging conversations. Unlocking the Lower Ormeau: an anti poverty strategy (1992) (with Janet Mueller and Mike Tomlinson– Online under Professor Mike Tomlinson, Queens University (with two woman co authors erased!) Core theme: Equality/Human Rights/Diversity - road widening stopped, headstart as clear strategy / research on needs, problems, opportunities of a small Catholic, Nationalist, Republican community…., presented coherence – difficulty representing all voices in the system due to conflict. And now? Hard copy and online under Professor Mike Tomlinson, Unlocking the Lower Ormeau. Holistic approaches to health and well being PhD - (includes chapter on 1st Gestalt training group in the north of Ireland) (1993) – An expanded starting point - impact on me- supporting individuation, nourishing, exploration of well being, consciousness, community, and leadership styles in Gestalt and other trainings and practices , and in organisations/networks/self help groups. Gestalt chapter. Core interest = leadership styles, level of consciousness re well being/quality of life, – active and passive resistance to dependency. Working with Women Political Prisoners (with Martina O’Hare) Workers Education Association (1992-3); Women’s Education Conference Report with Ruth Taillon et al (1993) Parenting Matters – many interventions – parent support groups for all ages, policy, Fathers, Children’s rights/ Equality – supporting parents, protecting from the System re punishment of children removed, Anti Sectarianism, transgenerational and conflict related trauma. End Physical punishment of children (change in the law) and support for positive / democratic/assertive parenting to shift towards preventative/early intervention and support model versus last resort punitive. 4 nation Family Policy report (1997) Parenting Matters report (1996) Regional Parent Facilitator Training: an evaluation with Brenda Martin (1998), A Case Study of Parenting Group for Parents with Children with Disabilities, Anna Louise Shepherd, with Rosie Burrows and Tony McAllister file: ///Users/rosieburrows/Downloads/documentslide.com_parenting-matters-project-a-case-study-of-a-parenting-group.pdf (1998) Engaging Fathers (with Tony McAllister) 1998; Fair Play: talking with children about prejudice and discrimination with Dr Paul Connolly and Sara Tibbs (2002) Fathers in Prison with Deirdre Sloan (2002) Support and Information for parents of teenagers with Clare McLaughlin, Deirdre Sloan, 2000; Lobby with other/Write on Abolition of Physical Punishment of Children (with other organisations 1995-long term) Whatever you say, say nothing: Parenting in a divided society Linda Brady with Rosie Burrows - 2002); Working with the legacy of war, Rosie Burrows, 2003; Bearing witness: supporting parents and children in the transition to peace R Burrows, B Keenan - Child Care in Practice, Special Edition on Conflict, 2004 - Taylor & Francis; ‘ ‘We’ll never be the same’ (2004) Award winning British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy action and practitioner research www.barnardos.org.uk/we_will_never_be_the_same.pdf and see powerpoint slides for 4 other resources Out of town, Out of Mind: mental health needs of the Flying Horse, Model Farm, New Model Farm community (2005) with Bríd Keenan Do you think we’re mental? Contact Youth (2005) Bríd Keenan and Rosie Burrows. https://www.contactni.com/cmsfiles/other-contact-documents/Do-You-Thnk_Were-Mental.pdf Living with what’s happened: Review of a therapeutically informed group with families bereaved by suicide (2006) Rosie Burrows and Bríd Keenan, for Barnardo’s and PIPS TransgenerationalTrauma South African Presentation to International Group of Gestalt Organisational Practitioners and University of Cape Cod Film made with Voices Women’s Group, Turf Lodge (2007) Parenting Apart evaluation. Parenting NI. (2008 Is anyone listening? Autism NI (2010) www.autismni.org/is-anyone-listening.html – focus groups exploring and recording needs of parents and professionals. Theoretical framework. Launch local parliament. Autism Bill. Used for lobbying, advocates, for funding, awareness, affirmation of experiences. and other areas (e.g. research on Autism (2010) launched in Local Parliament/Assembly and Autism Bill-legislation in 2011) Extraordinary skills for Extraordinary Circumstances: Women and Conflict - Former combatants and activists, or family members of, survivors of trauma/loss/abuse – Community Arts Forum ( ) Relatives for Justice (2012) Women and Conflict Connect – adult survivors of institutionalised abuse (2015)-ongoing practice and practice reflection as Group Supervisor, Trainer, occasional Consultant to the Director, leading to Healing Relational Trauma Training throughout Ireland for the Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy Developing Resilient Leadership action research/training, Common Ground: ecological therapy project and New Life Counselling –group intervention and evaluation on young people and addiction Lifeline work and Supervisor, Connect, Dublin Currently evolving new writing

20. Future research event in Belfast? • https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/mar/15/praise-of-belfast-glenn-patterson-northern-ireland • https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/jul/26/alternative-city-guide-belfast-northern-ireland

21. Unedifficultéestunelumiére ‘ Unedifficultéinsurmontableest un soleil’ – ‘Welcome that which is difficult and awkward’ John O’Donohue(1997:194).