The Domino Effect: Stories, Systems, and the Power of Being Witnessed

This workshop invites you to continue the domino effect of an outsider witness project that took its participants to unexpected places, both personally and professionally.

The project formed an essential part of a therapeutic journey that explored, among other things, what it means to navigate the world as a young Black man. It centred on burning questions about race and lived experience: what is “as you are” and what is “as people see”? How do you know which is which? Can how you see yourself shift, or is it constrained by how society sees you? These complex questions were asked within an imperfect, white dominated system. Addressing them required more voices and experience to resist the effects of racism.

This marked the beginning of a journey to invite other voices into the therapy. In response to this possibility, the young person said, “I only want to hear from Black people,” opening a brave and complex step into unfamiliar territory through outsider witness practice.

You will hear from the young person about his experience of being witnessed by three Black adults — what this altered for him and what this made possible. You will also hear from one of the outsider witnesses and from the therapist, offering different perspectives on the same process. Through a series of reflecting teams, you will be invited to consider where these conversations, ideas, dilemmas and questions take you, and what you might do with that in your own practice or life.

The process has been experienced as transformative, exciting and unexpected, and at times challenging. 

Your participation in the workshop will continue the domino effect of these impacts. We would like to thank you in advance for joining us.