A new Research & Development project titled “Transforming Trauma in a Virtual World: new tools for transformation – self-paced trauma recovery through immersive technologies” seeks to import a successful filmmaking workshop within forensic mental health to Expanded Reality technology. Drawing on their workshop success with Second Chance for Change (SCFC), esc films have begun R&D into a project to process and transform trauma in a virtual setting.
Esc films have over 17 years of experience developing creative processes with therapeutic benefit to those within marginalized populations. Their R&D project aims to use Virtual Reality/Immersive technology as a delivery mechanism for the existing SCFC programme whilst exploring further therapeutic intervention potential. The project intends to explore different ways of drawing out and visualizing people’s stories for them to benefit from self and peer validation and gain a new perspective on the turning points and traumas in their lives.
The team’s belief is that VR / Immersive technology could provide accessible means to share therapeutic services with more people, locally, nationally and globally through remote access. Furthermore, immersive storytelling could prove to be a better platform to aid recovery, implemented remotely, in a shorter time, and prove more cost effective than standard face-to-face programmes.
esc films is an award-winning culture and arts education charity based in Belfast. They use storytelling, drama and film to change lives, challenge perceptions and tackle social exclusion, stigma and discrimination. Their overall aim is to transform the lives of socially excluded people through film-therapy, exploring new and innovative ways of digital storytelling.
TEAM
Dr Kirsten Kearney, CEO, esc films
Tom Magill, Artistic Director & co-founder esc films
CO-INVESTIGATORS
Dr Declan Keeney, Director of the Ulster Screen Academy, Ulster University
Nigel McAlpine, Immersive Lead, Digital Catapult
Dr Paul Best, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work
Dr John Ferguson, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Belfast Trust
Conor Brown, former participant, Second Chance for Change)
ADVISORY PANEL
Prof. Gavin Davidson, School of Social Sciences, Education & Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast
Paul McAleer, Lecturer, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast
Laura Ornsby, BHSCT, Lead Occupational Therapist, Medium Secure Psychiatric Unit, Shannon Clinic
This project is funded by a Future Screens NI Research & Development award.