草莓社区

What if a traumatic childhood event could be contributing to health problems? Wouldn鈥檛 listening and learning from a patient about that experience be as valuable for diagnostic purposes to a health care professional as evaluating a high temperature, sore glands or a skin condition?

A two-day transdisciplinary seminar melding theater and narrative arts and the health sciences in April at 草莓社区 (EMU) drew students into interactions that explored these questions, using strategies of responsive listening and collaborative teaching. The event was part of the , led by professor and supported by a grant, which focuses on abuse and strategies of resilience.

The community of approximately 60 learners included graduate students in the , undergraduate students in various health science courses, trained facilitators from the Pennsylvania-based non-profit , and a group of actors from , EMU鈥檚 playback theater group.

The focus of the workshop, said Stauffer, was the mind-body connection from a health sciences perspective. 鈥淎ll life experiences are filtered through our neurological and biological systems. If we are not intentional about addressing unresolved issues, they play out in very negative ways on our health. Our goal in this seminar was to help students make that connection. When we surface and share our stories, we can build community and work towards resolution and resilience in ways that then offload the negative impacts from our bodies.鈥�

The transdisciplinary emphasis brought together Stauffer, who teaches in the MA in biomedicine program, and playback theater troupe co-founders and , also a professor of theater.

鈥淭he collaboration between people who would identify as scientists and people who identify as artists is very exciting,鈥� Foster said, pointing out that the workshop created a space where both are valued equally.

Listening as a 鈥榙iagnostic tool鈥�

After the event, students talked about connecting with their fellow students in ways they鈥檇 never experienced, and how sharing their own stories helped them move toward healing in their own lives.

The ability to listen and show empathy is a unique diagnostic tool with a different sensitivity than a blood pressure cuff or an EKG machine, said one student.

鈥淏y listening to stories of others, I have been able to see the impact of ACEs on the individuals they are today,鈥� said Wally Al-Kakhan, MA 鈥�15 (biomedicine), adding that the experience helped him understand both himself and his fellow classmates better.

The workshop helped biology major Grayson Mast understand the benefits of a holistic approach to healthcare , as well as contributing to a foundational understanding of psychosocial trauma. 鈥淲e all have moments in our past that have torn us down and made life more difficult. Learning how to affirm someone鈥檚 ability to discuss a traumatic event in their life is really important,鈥� said Mast, who hopes to go to medical school.

When contacted for an interview several weeks after the seminar, Mast said that the workshop was 鈥渙ne of the most important educational events of my first year at EMU.鈥�

Sharing 鈥榙eep鈥� stories

The seminar began with a playback storytelling event that surfaced stories of adverse childhood experiences (known as ACE鈥檚). Playback theater is a kind of collaborative art in which members of the audience volunteer to tell a story and then watch as the actors 鈥減lay back鈥� an interpretation of the event. But before that happened, the group led a series of informal interactions that helped to build community, and to voice and normalize natural tensions and unease about the topic and the format.

鈥淲e heard everything from 鈥業 don鈥檛 understand鈥� to 鈥業t鈥檚 really difficult to talk about this鈥� to 鈥楾his makes me nervous鈥� and even 鈥業鈥檓 irritated that I have to give up my weekend for this,鈥欌�� Foster said.

Although specific stories cannot be shared because of confidentiality, Foster says one general story about a father spending time with his children provides an example of what the audience heard. 鈥淭his seemingly positive story of a really good day was actually very painful, because that parent had been very neglectful, and that one wonderful day was a marker of what this person had been without,鈥� Foster said. 鈥淭he story really opened the audience to the possibilities and the idea that all stories have meaning.鈥�

The next day was dedicated to work in small groups 鈥� telling, listening, and responding to stories. Mike Yoder, co-founder of Guidespring and a facilitator of similar events for 14 years, says he was moved by the depth of responses from the students.

鈥淭o watch them share with their friends and embrace them with really powerful responses was a very moving experience,鈥� Yoder said. 鈥淚 heard them say things like 鈥業 didn鈥檛 know that happened鈥� or 鈥楾hat breaks my heart鈥� or 鈥業鈥檓 amazed that you lived through that but it hasn鈥檛 defined you.鈥� Watching them make those connections, to show sadness for what they鈥檇 experienced but then also identifying with their strength鈥攖hey were truly thrilled by the experience of building those relationships of trust.鈥�

At the end of the seminar, the group participated in a second theater event that focused on audience members鈥� stories of change and resilience.

鈥淲e wanted them to think about strategies to move forward, and the networks of people they rely on to help them move forward,鈥� Stauffer said, linking the students鈥� experiences to what she鈥檚 learned from her research of resilience strategies among domestic violence survivors in communities of homeless women, undocumented Latinas and Mennonite women from Old Order or conservative church communities.