Bringing narrative skills to women living in the shadow of uncertainty to help build community.
Columbia University’s Narrative Medicine Educators group was recently honored to have a groundbreaking trio of 2021 and 2022 CPA graduates and Narrative Mindworks members Catherine Defoor MD, Carole Geithner LSCW, and Maureen Mavrinac MD., join them for a presentation and discussion about their participation in a pioneering outreach program for women seeking to continue or resume their interrupted education in Bangladesh.
NM World Connect
This trio of multi-talented professionals reside respectively in New York, Ohio, and California, but despite the 10-to-13-hour time difference with their students, they still make it happen–coming together to facilitate narrative medicine workshops with these women across the globe. The women are attending the Asian University for Women in Chittagong, Bangladesh (AUW). The AUW is a fully independent and regional institution that seeks to educate and empower women through a liberal arts and science education. The school recruits students whose education has been prohibited or disrupted in their home countries, with the majority coming from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Yemen, Palestine, and other South Asian and Middle Eastern countries.
Writing for Healing
During their recent Narrative Medicine Educators presentation these narrative practice professionals shared their often very challenging, yet remarkably rewarding series of eight weekly workshops with these motivated, inspiring, and courageous young women.
The facilitators embarked on a journey through the challenges and triumphs of implementing narrative programming for parts of the world where, for women in particular, culture dictates a reticence of discussing the intimate and the personal.
Meet The Presenters
Dr. Cathy DeFoor is a general pediatrician and 2021 CPA grad who also co-facilitates NM workshops for parents of transgender people and writing groups for Women Writing for(a) Change Cincinnati.
Cathy shared “These sessions made the world smaller and at the same time made me grow.” All three facilitators talked about conducting sessions that were both eye-opening, challenging, and also presented new ways of building joy and community. Cathy usually starts out with a meditation to bring people into the same space for the session followed by a lifting prompt, for example “What are your worries? What are you doing this weekend? Short self intros are followed with two texts and prompts. “It’s all about how we fit together to help each other.” Throughout their work unique struggles presented to both facilitators and participants. But they puzzled ways to work together aimed at overcoming the immediacy of myriad technical issues, as well as larger life challenges.
Carole Geithner is a CPA 2022 graduate and author of "If Only" a coming-of-age novel that explores bereavement in adolescents. She runs her own social work practice, facilitates NM workshops with members of Gilda’s Club Cancer Support Community, and also works with Generation of Change, an online education group serving women living in Afghanistan.
Art as a Third Object
After close looking at the rustic quilt, Carole made a collage of their words, remarking that the structure of the piece was reminiscent of a tapestry braided together. Reflecting on the overall impact of the opportunity to work with these women, she shared, “I felt that I was the braider as well as part of the braid.” The representation of this poignant image created affiliation – a unique and beautiful byproduct of the group’s joint work. “Holding the shifting space” is full of different facets Carole noted– weaving together a sense of trust and safety has been vital to the creation of a strong grounding.
Maureen Mavrinac MD, (CPA NM 2022) is trained in Family Medicine/Geriatrics. She also facilitates NM groups with Generation of Change, the online education group for women living in Afghanistan. She shared initial words; stems of a poem she uses as to “help open space” and to encourage students to share responses about themselves. She underscores the powerful sense of community across the globe despite our distances apart by reminding the students that “we all see the same moon.”
The three facilitators described their students as often having to deal with challenges of familial and work obligations, coupled with an unreliable Internet. Yet, they made it to the sessions, whether joining early, late or intermittently, they expressed both excitement and commitment – looking forward to the meetings as peaceful retreats from the pressures of everyday workloads.
The AUW initially established the groups to build community and resilience in the student body, but these NM alumnx also found deep community.
Growth Opportunties
“There is a tremendous opportunity for growth” Maureen notes. The fluidity and unpredictable nature of the sessions due to connectivity issues oftentimes, presents double the challenge. But Maureen notes, they’ve all adapted to having deepened skill sets in managing all contact inputs. They pull out their phones, contacting student leaders, and “the popping in and out” is something you get used to. Native languages differences aside, all monitoring roles fall to the facilitators, the chat, the WhatsApp and the image. But “When you write from the heart it really does connect.”
Bringing Joy
What was clear is that common threads of connection were forged through the sessions, and the universality of many of life’s experiences succeeded in binding both facilitators and participants together in a shared zone of connection.
After two years on the project, Carole described even through significant connectivity issues and cameras are often off because of bandwidth issues, power outages, or cultural norms of not being seen on camera played out – “deep appreciation” for each other developed. “They could see each other even if we're not actually seeing each other through words and open-hearted listening - they feel seen and heard through the close listening.”
Cathy remarked on a profound and moving moment when a participant said “Miss, you brought me joy today. Thank you."
Our Gratitude
We are grateful to these thoughtful narrative practitioners for sharing their incredibly inspiring and heart-felt work. Stay tuned to learn more about the incredible difference they are making in the world!
