Here you will find resources explaining the process as well as reflections and samples of our creative trees.

The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life: An approach to working with vulnerable children, young people and adults

How can people be invited to speak about their lives in ways that make them stronger?

The Tree of Life is a hopeful and inspiring approach to working with children, young people and adults who have experienced hard times. This methodology was co-developed through a partnership between Ncazelo Ncube (who was working at REPSSI at the time) and David Denborough (Dulwich Centre Foundation). Ncazelo and David initially developed this Tree of Life approach to assist colleagues who work with children affected by HIV/AIDS in southern Africa. This approach has proved so successful and popular that it is now being used with children, young people, and adults in a wide range of countries across Africa, and also in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Russia, Nepal, the USA, and elsewhere.

tree 3 This approach enables people to speak about their lives in ways that make them stronger. It involves people drawing their own ‘tree of life’ in which they get to speak of their ‘roots’ (where they come from), their skills and knowledge, their hopes and dreams, as well as the special people in their lives. The participants then join their trees into a ‘forest of life’ and, in groups, discuss some of the ‘storms’ that affect their lives and ways that they respond to these storms, protect themselves, and each other.

The Tree of Life enables people to speak about their lives in ways that are not re-traumatising, but instead strengthens their relationships with their own history, their culture, and significant people in their lives.

tree 1 The Tree of Life has been used with children, young people and adults in many different contexts, including groups of refugees and immigrants; people whose community has suffered from a natural disaster (floods); groups of young people who have been expelled from school; women who have been subject to domestic violence, neglect, physical abuse, and emotional abuse within their families; adults who are experiencing mental health struggles, and in many other contexts.

We have also recently developed an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander version of the Tree of Life, and this is being used in Central Australia, Arnhem Land, and north Queensland.

2011 Tree of Life process for Story Telling Redfern and Blue Mountains Helen Kearins facilitator

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bQlxe0-YU7kuIHQBIZLHuVhke8uQo-Hf/view?usp=sharing

Spirit event review in newsletter 21072011.pdf

From Martina Chippendale – the friend who put us in touch with the tree of Life Storiy Process.

Elaine I have just read Jillian’s reflection. I am reminded of the power of The Tree of Life, what it offers to our memories

and our life as we step forward. It is only a tool and it is in the hands of people like you, Helen and the team you worked with,

that magic works. There was much contained in Jillian’s one page, reflections from her and others, connections and re-connections.

I loved that the ‘glow’ continued and that she recalled ‘Dancing and Drawing’ and her surprise that she could have forgotten these

aspects of her life. This is what I love about The Tree of Life process, watching people work their way through it, discovering long

forgotten delights in the form of people, events, hopes and skills. Also the linking of these things.

Dulwich* will be interested to hear of your experience.

Elaine as I’ve been lying here getting my brain back, I’ve had thoughts of an event for women, initially a celebration of the women

who have contributed to my life here in WA and my idea about what it is to be a woman. A thank you in a way.

Then I wondered about a women’s spirit event here in WA. Thanks for your inspiration and support.

* Dulwich is the name of the organisation in Adelaide, where the Tree of Life process was born.

Lots of love to you

Martina xxx

Martina Chippindall AN APD DE