Donna Jennings

I am very pleased to share the very first episode of BRAVE ARE THE STORYTELLERS A PODCAST 🎧 for real people with real stories. I invite you to join me as we listen to real people share their real stories of Tragedy, Trauma, Strength, Resilience and Recovery. Donna’s Story Donna Jennings, a dramatherapist from Scotland, is our first Brave Storyteller. Donna tells us about her son Sam who died suddenly at just five years old from heart failure whilst happily playing at a fruit farm. This tragedy was the catalyst for Tom and Donna to look for ways to bring hope and love into the lives of children and families who have also suffered with trauma, loss and as a result they set up a charity called For the Love of a Child, which uses creative therapeutic approaches to bring healing to children and their families.

 You can listen to Donna’s story here ⬇️ https://bravearethestorytellers.podbean.com/ 

You can find out more about “For the Love of A Child” @www.fortheloveofachild.org.uk]www.fortheloveofachild.org.uk If you wish to donate to this fantastic charity you can do so below ⬇️ 

https://www.fortheloveofachild.org.uk/list-style/ 

Please bear in mind this podcast covers difficult topics around trauma and loss. If you are affected by any of the topics, here are some helplines that you may find helpful. Samaritans 📞 116 123 NHS 📞 111 Mind 📞 0300 123 3393

 I invite you to join me as we listen to real people share their real stories of Tragedy, Trauma, Strength, Resilience and Recovery.

Stephen’s Story
Stephen McClelland gives a tragic - comic account of the trauma of growing up in Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles. He tells a story which is at times emotional, at times humorous. It is a story of inter-generational trauma, passed from his grandfather in WW1 to his fire chief father, through himself and into his children. It is a story that illustrates the cost our emergency service workers can pay for their service to the community. Stephen McClelland is the Head of Social Enterprise at Newry & Mourne Cooperative where he has helped start up over 200 social enterprises. Prior to this he was a local firefighter serving alongside his five brothers and father during some of the most challenging times in Northern Ireland’s troubled history. The physical and psychological trauma he witnessed and experienced has shaped the person Stephen is today. His current work involves helping people on the fringes of society to help themselves find sustainable solutions to some of modern life’s more challenging social issues. A practising Buddhist he finds that its philosophy and practices help him make sense of his life experience, has improved his mental health, increased self-awareness, giving him greater empathy, and spiritual growth.

Note * Stephen of course does know the Gary Cooper played Marshal Will Kane in High Noon and not Cary Grant.

You can listen to Stephen’s story here: https://lnkd.in/emVVtZbf 

 Please bear in mind this podcast covers difficult topics. If you are affected by any of the topics, here are some helplines that you may find helpful. Samaritans 📞 116 123 NHS 📞 111 Mind 📞 0300 123 3393

Northern Ireland Support Lines 📞

WAVE Trauma Support NI telephone 028 2766 9900

Victims and Survivors Service 028 9027 9100

Lifeline is a free, confidential telephone helpline. It is available anytime every day on 0808 808 8000 

Lisa Cherry and 'Working with the legacy of Trauma'

I am pleased to share the next episode of BRAVE ARE THE STORYTELLERS with Lisa Cherry.

You can listen here ➡ 🎙 https://lnkd.in/ex4gR_4d

Lisa is an author, researcher and leading international trainer and consultant, specialising in assisting schools, services, and systems to create change that supports working with the legacy of trauma.

Lisa shares with us her insights, reflections, and wisdom & reflects on her own life’s journey and story which you can read about in her book, The Brightness of Stars’ 3rd Edition (2022), ‘Stories from Care experienced adults to inspire change’.

Lisa has been working in Education and Children’s Services for over 30 years and combines academic knowledge and research with professional skills and personal experience. Lisa’s MA research looked at the impact on education and employment for care experienced adults who experienced school exclusion as children in the 1970's and 1980's.

Currently, Lisa is undertaking DPhil research at The University of Oxford in the Department of Education, asking the research question "How do care experienced adults who were also excluded from school make sense of belonging?"

Lisa is the author of the hugely successful book Conversations that make a difference for Children and Young People (2021) and ‘The Brightness of Stars’ 3rd Edition (2022).

Trauma Informed Consultancy Services Ltd Lisa Cherry FRSA

 
Please bear in mind this podcast covers difficult topics. If you are affected by any of the topics, here are some helplines that you may find helpful.

📞 Samaritans 📞 116 123 NHS 📞 111 Mind 📞 0300 123 3393 📞 ASSIST TRAUMA CARE 01788 551919

I am very pleased to share the next episode of BRAVE ARE THE STORYTELLERS A PODCAST 🎧 for real people with real stories.

I invite you to join me as we listen to Debbie Amas and Lauren Musk tell their story.

Debbie was Lauren's social worker in the early 1990's. Debbie and Lauren illustrate the healing power of safe and authentic relationships in social work. For both it’s been a “Healing and nurturing and affirming relationship”.

The podcast talks about all things; trauma inducing and trauma reducing social work practice.

Self-Care for Listeners:

Please bear in mind this podcast covers difficult topics around trauma and loss. If you are affected by any of the topics, here are some helplines that you may find helpful. Samaritans 📞 116 123 NHS 📞 111 Mind 📞 0300 123 3393 and ASSIST TRAUMA CARE 01788 551919

You can listen to the Podcast here:
https://lnkd.in/emVVtZbf

Please bear in mind this podcast covers difficult topics. If you are affected by any of the topics, here are some helplines that you may find helpful. Samaritans 📞 116 123 NHS 📞 111 Mind 📞 0300 123 3393

Northern Ireland Support Lines 📞WAVE Trauma Support NI telephone 028 2766 9900. Victims and Survivors Service 028 9027 9100.

Lifeline is a free, confidential telephone helpline. It is available anytime every day on 0808 808 8000.

A life less ‘orderly’, John Davis tells us about his experience as a medical orderly working at Newry’s Daisy Hill Hospital at the height of ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland.

John’s story takes the listener on a personal, painfully emotional journey from despair to hope. Through the compassionate retelling of his personal experience of working on the front line of emergency medical care from the 1970’s to the 1990s.

John gives a unique perspective of harrowing and traumatic incidents such as “The Miami Show Band Massacre 1975”, “The Kingsmill & Reavey family Massacre's 1976” and the “Narrow Water bombing in 1979”.

John talks about the importance of his faith at this time and the comfort ‘that lighting a candle and praying for the dead, and the survivors’ brought him.

John’s story reminds us of the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity and the restorative, healing power of community, music, and shared laughter.

You can listen to John’s story here:
https://lnkd.in/ekGmdKBH 

Please bear in mind this podcast covers difficult topics. If you are affected by any of the topics, here are some helplines that you may find helpful. Samaritans 📞 116 123 NHS 📞 111 Mind 📞 0300 123 3393

Northern Ireland Support Lines 📞WAVE Trauma Support NI telephone 028 2766 9900. Victims and Survivors Service 028 9027 9100.

Lifeline is a free, confidential telephone helpline. It is available anytime every day on 0808 808 8000.