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From global phenomenon to framework for living: using the beautiful game creatively to provide therapeutic care for unaccompanied male adolescents seeking asylum in Ireland

From global phenomenon to framework for living: using the beautiful game creatively to provide... The purpose of this paper is to explore, through the composite character of Jaheem, a 16-year-old unaccompanied male from sub Saharan Africa seeking asylum in Ireland (UMSA), the different ways in which football, experienced as a global physical pursuit, a lingua franca and an important site of participation and belonging, can facilitate the development of the therapeutic relationship and the building of coping skills in creative psychotherapy.Design/methodology/approachThe composite narrative approach draws on notes taken by the author immediately after the psychotherapy sessions of seven UMSA between 2016 and 2019, for whom football became part of the therapy process. The experiences captured in the notes were combined and are re-presented and explored through the composite character of Jaheem.FindingsDrawing on the different facets of football was a key factor in developing the therapeutic relationship. This progressed naturally into using player images to identify and explore the expression of difficult feelings, using football talk as a lingua franca and exploring experiences through football as a metaphor for life.Research limitations/implicationsThe risk of Jaheem not being representative of the seven UMSA was mitigated by the psychotherapist’s expertise in this context which informed her judgement of what to include in a meaningful and representative composite.Originality/valueUsing the rarely used composite narrative approach to capture the potential of engaging with the football theme in a therapeutic setting with UMSA males. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png International Journal of Migration Health and Social Care Emerald Publishing

From global phenomenon to framework for living: using the beautiful game creatively to provide therapeutic care for unaccompanied male adolescents seeking asylum in Ireland

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References (65)

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
1747-9894
DOI
10.1108/ijmhsc-03-2020-0022
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore, through the composite character of Jaheem, a 16-year-old unaccompanied male from sub Saharan Africa seeking asylum in Ireland (UMSA), the different ways in which football, experienced as a global physical pursuit, a lingua franca and an important site of participation and belonging, can facilitate the development of the therapeutic relationship and the building of coping skills in creative psychotherapy.Design/methodology/approachThe composite narrative approach draws on notes taken by the author immediately after the psychotherapy sessions of seven UMSA between 2016 and 2019, for whom football became part of the therapy process. The experiences captured in the notes were combined and are re-presented and explored through the composite character of Jaheem.FindingsDrawing on the different facets of football was a key factor in developing the therapeutic relationship. This progressed naturally into using player images to identify and explore the expression of difficult feelings, using football talk as a lingua franca and exploring experiences through football as a metaphor for life.Research limitations/implicationsThe risk of Jaheem not being representative of the seven UMSA was mitigated by the psychotherapist’s expertise in this context which informed her judgement of what to include in a meaningful and representative composite.Originality/valueUsing the rarely used composite narrative approach to capture the potential of engaging with the football theme in a therapeutic setting with UMSA males.

Journal

International Journal of Migration Health and Social Care – Emerald Publishing

Published: Dec 10, 2020

Keywords: Therapeutic relationship; Football; Unaccompanied minors; Composite narrative approach; Coping skills; Creative psychotherapy

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