In this conversation on Narrative Therapy, Christy and Raviraj explore the idea of What makes a story and its influence on how we perceive ourselves, others and the world around us.
They share stories from their lived experience and work and illustrate the politics of stories and how systemic structures of oppression use stories as a way to exert social control. The conversation also looks into how Narrative Practices are rooted in people’s movements and the ways in which these practices have been used to respond to structural injustice in communities and individual contexts.
Christy also shares stories from the social justice work along with Adivasi communities, queer people and transgender people, drawing resonance with decolonisation and resurgence. Raviraj shares stories from the work with disabled children, queer people, Adivasi people of Dadra Nagar Haveli and resonance with the anti-caste movement in mental health.
Raviraj is an occupational therapist, children’s book author and a teacher who believes that all the problems of this world are rooted in the structural systems of oppression rather than in communities or peoples bodies and identities. His work is informed by Narrative practices, sensory integration, accountability practices, queer writings, children’s books, his mother’s cooking practices and his communities ways of living. He consults with communities, children, families, adults and organisations to discover and reauthor their preferred ways of being.
Christy Nag is an Adivasi of Munda Tribe whose work lies in the intersections of Adivasi, transgender and child rights. Since 2016 she has been working along with the Adivasi youth from tea gardens in Dooars and is a member of Prayatn – Striving for Equality. Christy is pursuing integrated MPhil-PhD at TISS, Mumbai and is a member of the Queer Collective – TISS, Adivasi Students’ Forum – TISS and the Blue Dawn. She has been writing on Adivasi concerns from Adivasi perspective and has bylines in Youth ki Awaz and First Post.
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