Audience
The main target group of the Freedom Focus Female course are women with a migration background that have experienced trauma in their life. Results from the pilot group indicated that many of the themes also align with Dutch women without a migration background. The course is suitable for all women that want to take the time to pay attention to the battles and pain in their lives and to take a step further in that.
Course content
There are 15 central themes in the Freedom Focus course that may help deal with a past that involves trauma. During the sessions there is much room for different methods of learning: games, exercises, information, conversation and discussion, creative work forms, learning from the bible, and prayer.
Lesson 1
Freedom
An introductory lesson about freedom, in which the participants set goals for themselves.
Lesson 2, 3
Dealing with danger
Explanation of how trauma works and what its consequences are.
Lesson 4, 5
Identity
How do you view yourself and how does God view you?
Lesson 6, 7, 8
Common traumas
These lessons focus on a number of traumas: loss, sexual abuse and violence.
Lesson 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
Making steps
What can help you live more freely? Forgiveness, positive thoughts, the fight against evil and dealing with your emotions are discussed, among other things.
Lesson 14, 15
Future
These lessons explore how to retain what you have learned, what your sources of strength are and what your dream for the future is.
‘It was a very beautiful course. I had the courage to speak about my addiction and talk about my fear for the first time in my life.’
Participant
Gatherings
The Freedom Focus course has 16 meetings. The program of the sessions is similar for each. A session consists of the following elements:
- Fun – Every lesson starts with a fitting exercise or an active or funny game.
- Figure out Freedom – The group leader introduces the theme of the gathering. This part usually consists of both learning and listening, and activities such as through asking questions, discussing statements, or by doing exercises. Sometimes the introduction includes a video.
- Follow-up – The theme will further be discussed in small, fixed groups. The groups remain the same the entire course so that you don’t have to share your story repeatedly. A small group consists of 3 to 4 participants and a group leader.
- Findings – You get the time to write down what you have learnt and don´t want to forget.
- Future steps – You think about what you want to do coming week with the knowledge you have obtained.
- Finish – Ending the gathering with a prayer or another form.
- Forward – Usually there is a short homework assignment and encouraging bible verses to think about that week.
