Today I am speaking with Tony Gammidge about art therapy and the power of creativity in healing trauma. We also take some time to talk about his own boarding school experiences and the work that he does in prison and secure units.

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Tony Gammidge is an Artist, Filmmaker/Animator, trainer and HCPC registered Art Therapist.

He has a particular interest in stories, and personal narrative and in the idea of embodied storymaking (stories that are made by hand as well as told). This is reflected in his own work, films, artist books and installations but also in his participatory work in prisons, secure units, mental health settings and centres for asylum seekers. 

He has made over 30 films with participants in this time. Many of these films have won Koestler awards and been screened in conferences, symposiums and in galleries and museums.

Questions to ask:

1. I would love to start my interview with a little more about you. What drew you into the work that you now do?
2. Could you talk about art therapy please? I found art and creativity to be so healing in my own therapeutic journey. What is it? How has it helped you and your clients?
3. In working in groups of ex-boarding school men I have seen the transformation that story-telling has on the individual and the group. In your opinion, what is the importance of story-telling? What happens when we tell our stories? And what happens to those who hear us speak or perform our personal journeys?
4. Could you please speak about the idea of ‘home’ or its loss (or ambiguous loss), also in contrast the ‘Hostile environment’ (eg Home Office's attitude to refugees)?
5. Could you also please talk about embodied narrative, stories told through the hands and the body. Could you give an example? How does this process of embodied narrative work?
6. How do our early experiences often shape our careers (for you in prisons and with refugees)?
7. I would love you to speak about your animations and the work that you do in secure units and prisons. Would you be able to share a little about Norton Grim? Where did this character come from and how did making the film about him feel?
8. What were your experiences of boarding school like?
9. Could you share some of the healing that has happened in these environments as people have had permission to share their stories?
10. How do people find out more about you?

#tonygammidge #arttherapy #traumaarttherapy

For more information about Tony and the work he does please visit: https://www.tonygammidge.com/

He mentions an interview with Dr Pauline Boss on Ambiguous Loss on the ‘On Being’ website:

https://onbeing.org/programs/pauline-boss-navigating-loss-without-closure/

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/