Meeting Register Page

3rd Annual Symposium on Social Healing: The Role of Hope and Imagination in Hurt and Healing

“The greatest casualty of trauma is not only depression and emotional scares, but also the loss of the ability to dream and imagine another way of living.” -Shawn Ginwright

On April 26th 2023 the Institute for Social Healing, along with our partners, will host the third annual symposium in which we will bring together researchers, educators, policy makers, practitioners, community leaders and students for the presentation of research, sharing of ideas and holding space for open dialog on topics related to the broad concept of social healing. The symposium is cost free, virtual, and open to all who wish to attend.

This year’s symposium will emphasize the role of imagination in trauma and healing. As trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk wrote “Imagination is absolutely critical to the quality of our lives. Our imagination enables us to leave our routine everyday existence by fantasizing about travel, food, sex, falling in love, or having the last word-all the things that makes life interesting. Imagination gives us the opportunity to envision new possibilities-it is an essential launchpad for making our hopes come true.” Our symposium will focus on the role of imagination in social healing and methods that help individuals, families and communities practice hope and imagine a better tomorrow.

Symposium Objectives
• Articulate a vision for a better tomorrow for our communities.
• Describe the nature of imagination and hope.
• Discuss the role of hope and imagination in the experience of trauma and healing.
• Describe methods to support individuals and families in crafting and articulating their vision for a better tomorrow.
• Describe methods of fostering hope in individuals and communities.

Apr 26, 2023 09:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)