Evelyn Henry - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Evelyn Henry

Research paper thumbnail of The “lived” experience of Playback Theatre practitioners in post-war Sri Lanka: naivety, altruism, reciprocal caring, and psychological growth

Arts & Health, 2016

Abstract Background: Playback Theatre is applied theatre that draws on real-life stories from its... more Abstract Background: Playback Theatre is applied theatre that draws on real-life stories from its audience to reflect the psychosocial needs of individuals and communities. Contemporarily it is being used to support those exposed to war/disaster; however, the impact of such work on its practitioners, is under researched. Methods: Using interpretative phenomenological analysis positive and negative subjective interpretations were sought from five Western Playback Theatre practitioners who taught in post-civil war Sri Lanka. Results: One superordinate theme, Naivety, Humility and Hope amongst the Rubble, encompassed five subordinate themes. These reveal an integral struggle experienced by Western practitioners unprepared for a culturally different lens. Conclusion: Teaching Playback Theatre in post-war Sri Lanka for these practitioners exposed the gap between the desire to help cross-culturally and their experienced reality. Over time, the collision of Western naivety with good intent facilitated an integral and humble search to be wiser humanitarians cross-culturally in these participants.

Research paper thumbnail of Worlding Eco-psychology: a Collective Bio-ethnography

Human Arenas

In this paper, eight practicing psychologists, a dog (Oscar), white cockatoos, crimson rosellas, ... more In this paper, eight practicing psychologists, a dog (Oscar), white cockatoos, crimson rosellas, blue gums, plum blossoms, the words of theorists of eco-psychology and post-humanism joined together for two days with the mountains of the Darug and Gundungurra peoples, to explore questions about psychology and its capacity to respond to the climate crisis. We designed a series of psychoterratic exercises for this purpose: (1) a bio-graphical definitional ceremony, (2) a series of short lectures and readings set to the poetics of open dialogue, (3) a sympoietic vegetal-thinking exercise, (4) a bush-psychogeography and (5) a final reflection on praxis. We present our findings, written in bricolage, a compost of experiences and ideas both horizontal and vertical, written, drawn and photographic.

Research paper thumbnail of Always a Daughter, Never a Mother: Experiences of Motherhood - Honours dissertation qualitative analysis of the experiences of 10 women, past the age of reproduction, who wanted to have a child but did not

Always a Daughter, Never a Mother: Experiences of Womanhood Childlessness is a topical issue, and... more Always a Daughter, Never a Mother: Experiences of Womanhood Childlessness is a topical issue, and as fertility rates fall below replacement level the spotlight turns to women without children. Popular discourse and stereotypes dominate, as lived experiences of women without children become invisible. This study uses qualitative design to explore experiences of women past the age of reproduction, without biological children. Participants were ten Australian women, aged 49 to 63, who wanted a child. A semi-structured interview was conducted and analysed using Inductive Thematic Analysis. Four themes emerged: ‘Mothers’; the ‘normal world’; ‘sliding doors’; and ‘meaning making’. Women explored the personal and the social, revealing an interweaving narrative of circumstance and choice that changed over the course of their lives. These findings question definitions of women’s childlessness based on categories of choice or circumstance. Furthermore, the experiences of participants past the...

Research paper thumbnail of The 'lived' experience of Playback Theatre Practitioners in post-war Sri Lanka: Naivety, Altruism, Reciprocal Caring, and Psychological Growth

150 Total number of words: 6252 PLAYBACK PRACTITIONERS IN POST WAR SRI LANKA 2 Abstract

Research paper thumbnail of The “lived” experience of Playback Theatre practitioners in post-war Sri Lanka: naivety, altruism, reciprocal caring, and psychological growth

Arts & Health, 2016

Abstract Background: Playback Theatre is applied theatre that draws on real-life stories from its... more Abstract Background: Playback Theatre is applied theatre that draws on real-life stories from its audience to reflect the psychosocial needs of individuals and communities. Contemporarily it is being used to support those exposed to war/disaster; however, the impact of such work on its practitioners, is under researched. Methods: Using interpretative phenomenological analysis positive and negative subjective interpretations were sought from five Western Playback Theatre practitioners who taught in post-civil war Sri Lanka. Results: One superordinate theme, Naivety, Humility and Hope amongst the Rubble, encompassed five subordinate themes. These reveal an integral struggle experienced by Western practitioners unprepared for a culturally different lens. Conclusion: Teaching Playback Theatre in post-war Sri Lanka for these practitioners exposed the gap between the desire to help cross-culturally and their experienced reality. Over time, the collision of Western naivety with good intent facilitated an integral and humble search to be wiser humanitarians cross-culturally in these participants.

Research paper thumbnail of Worlding Eco-psychology: a Collective Bio-ethnography

Human Arenas

In this paper, eight practicing psychologists, a dog (Oscar), white cockatoos, crimson rosellas, ... more In this paper, eight practicing psychologists, a dog (Oscar), white cockatoos, crimson rosellas, blue gums, plum blossoms, the words of theorists of eco-psychology and post-humanism joined together for two days with the mountains of the Darug and Gundungurra peoples, to explore questions about psychology and its capacity to respond to the climate crisis. We designed a series of psychoterratic exercises for this purpose: (1) a bio-graphical definitional ceremony, (2) a series of short lectures and readings set to the poetics of open dialogue, (3) a sympoietic vegetal-thinking exercise, (4) a bush-psychogeography and (5) a final reflection on praxis. We present our findings, written in bricolage, a compost of experiences and ideas both horizontal and vertical, written, drawn and photographic.

Research paper thumbnail of Always a Daughter, Never a Mother: Experiences of Motherhood - Honours dissertation qualitative analysis of the experiences of 10 women, past the age of reproduction, who wanted to have a child but did not

Always a Daughter, Never a Mother: Experiences of Womanhood Childlessness is a topical issue, and... more Always a Daughter, Never a Mother: Experiences of Womanhood Childlessness is a topical issue, and as fertility rates fall below replacement level the spotlight turns to women without children. Popular discourse and stereotypes dominate, as lived experiences of women without children become invisible. This study uses qualitative design to explore experiences of women past the age of reproduction, without biological children. Participants were ten Australian women, aged 49 to 63, who wanted a child. A semi-structured interview was conducted and analysed using Inductive Thematic Analysis. Four themes emerged: ‘Mothers’; the ‘normal world’; ‘sliding doors’; and ‘meaning making’. Women explored the personal and the social, revealing an interweaving narrative of circumstance and choice that changed over the course of their lives. These findings question definitions of women’s childlessness based on categories of choice or circumstance. Furthermore, the experiences of participants past the...

Research paper thumbnail of The 'lived' experience of Playback Theatre Practitioners in post-war Sri Lanka: Naivety, Altruism, Reciprocal Caring, and Psychological Growth

150 Total number of words: 6252 PLAYBACK PRACTITIONERS IN POST WAR SRI LANKA 2 Abstract