Trauma Narratives with Inner City Youth: The Storiez Intervention

Research shows that inner city youth are being exposed to trauma at alarming rates. Not only are youth exposed to one incident of trauma, they are often victims of complex trauma. Evaluation of best practices and commonly implemented interventions for youth reveals that creation of a trauma narrative is an integral element of treatment for this population. However, there is a gap in the literature as it relates to the definition of the trauma narrative and the process by which the narrative should be created. The Storiez intervention is presented as a tool for clinicians to implement with trauma-exposed, inner city youth. Storiez is a client-centered, strengths-based intervention that seeks to assist youth in creating, voicing, and honoring their life stories.