In this conversation, Catherine Maguire-Donvito, Co-founder and Director of Treehouse Theatre, shares the program’s unique approach to supporting refugee adolescents through storytelling and theatrical performance. The initiative is designed to facilitate trauma recovery and raise awareness about the refugee experience among high school students. Catherine emphasizes the importance of building trust and connection among participants before delving into their trauma stories. She explains how narrative exposure therapy helps them develop new cognitive networks and process their traumatic experiences effectively. Catherine also recounts memorable performances and the ripple effect of these performances on both participants and viewers, underscoring the need for empathy and understanding in addressing the refugee crisis.

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We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes.

Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.

If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contact

We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!

Warmly,

The Kintsugi Heroes team

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Theme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

This Limited Kintsugi Heroes podcast series was made possible with grant funding from the NSW Department of Communities & Justice Connecting Seniors Grant Program. To find out more about the program, head to https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/connecting-seniors-grant-program-2025.