• Home
  • Books
  • Journals
  • Authors
  • Blog & Podcast
Firing The Mind Firing The Mind
  • FAQs
  • CONTACT

    CONTACT US

    Whether you’re looking for answers, would like to solve a problem, or just want to let us know how we did, we are always happy to hear from you.

    POSTAL ADDRESS

    Phoenix Publishing House

    Unit 2, Brookstone House
    6 Elthorne Road
    London N19 4AG
    United Kingdom

    Email:  hello@firingthemind.com
    Phone:  +44 (0)20 8442 1376

    SAY HELLO

    SEND US A MESSAGE

      CONTACT INFORMATION

      62 Bucknell Road, Bicester
      Oxfordshire OX26 2DS
      United Kingdom

      +44 (0)20 8442 1376

      hello@firingthemind.com

      Whether you’re looking for answers, would like to solve a problem, or just want to let us know how we did, we are always happy to hear from you.

    Login / Register
    Search
    0 Wishlist
    0 items / £0.00
    Menu
    Firing The Mind Firing The Mind
    0 items £0.00
    -10%New
    Click to enlarge
    Home Authors Sarah Coleman Life and Hope Out of Darkness: Creative Interventions for Helping People in Violent Communities
    Not Acceptable: An Exploration of Workplace Bullying £17.99 – £26.99
    Back to products
    An Introduction to Fairbairn’s Psychology of Dynamic Structure: The Analysis of Cultural Objects £17.09 – £25.99

    Life and Hope Out of Darkness: Creative Interventions for Helping People in Violent Communities

    Author: Sarah Coleman

    £13.49 – £21.99

    With real-life examples, this book contains tools for providing effective support for people facing ongoing trauma due to living in a community with high levels of violent crime. It provides hope in a world of despair and reveals how creativity and mindfulness shed light out of darkness. The lessons it teaches are relevant to us all.

    Look inside!

    Author

    Sarah Coleman

    Series

    Psychotherapy Matters

    ISBN

    9781800133150

    Format

    Paperback, e-Book, Print & e-Book

    Page Extent

    160

    Publication Date

    May 2025

    Subject Areas

    Psychotherapy and Trauma & Violence

    Clear

    Compare
    Add to wishlist
    Share:
    • Description
    • About the author
    • Contents
    Description

    Can a young British woman from across the seas impact a group of African women living in a poverty-stricken community likened to a war zone? How can she help them deal with trauma when they constantly live in trauma? Life And Hope Out Of Darkness: Creative Interventions for Helping People in Violent Communities reveals the story of Sarah Coleman and the women she worked with, using art, drama, puppetry, dance, mindfulness, and breathwork to shine a ray of light and hope into the lives of women stuck in a whirlwind of violence and poverty.

    Sarah takes the reader on a journey using the voices and stories of three women (each created from an amalgamation of people she worked with) to depict what life is like living in such difficult circumstances. She emphasises the importance of creating a safe space for effective therapeutic work to happen and how to achieve this in a violent community. Sarah also explores how to navigate differences, including the necessity of acknowledging white power and privilege. She describes how to help people create good support structures in their lives and how to seek support from each other. 

    In a community where isolation is a means of survival, her book opens up the possibility to connect: to play with each other, to reach into each other’s lives and build a way of creating a healthy community, to learn to forgive past hurts and to receive forgiveness, to embrace new potential, and to reach out and search for role models for guidance. It also delves into the importance of psychoeducation to raise awareness of what is happening in the body, with exercises in breathing, dancing and movement. Sarah highlights the importance of shaking out the body to dispel trapped trauma and calm the nervous system down.

    Working in violent communities takes its toll. Sarah gives testimony of the impact on her life and the importance of self-care. The book ends by affirming it is possible to live with hope despite difficult circumstances. Each chapter ends with thoughts for reflection that benefit us all, making us look at the ways in which we live and how we can all work to make things better.

    This uplifting book is recommended reading for all therapists and trainees involved in working with groups or the repercussions of trauma, and for individuals looking to bring hope and inspiration into their lives.

    About the author

    About the author

    Sarah Coleman received her undergraduate degree in costume making. She is passionate about using her creativity to help people and completed a master’s in integrative arts psychotherapy to support this. She uses a mixture of art forms, including visual art, dance, drama, music, puppets, poetry, sand tray, and breathwork.

    Sarah has half a decade of experience working in the UK with children, young people, and adults who were impacted by domestic violence and substance misuse. She ran a private practice for adults with mental health issues.

    Sarah moved to South Africa at the start of 2020 to deepen her skills in working with trauma, running therapeutic groups in violent communities.

    She enjoys playing the piano and saxophone, dancing, swimming, hiking, and being in nature. She is passionate about connecting with people on a deeper level and making life better for them.

    Contents

    Contents

    Acknowledgements
    About the author
    Introduction

    Prologue. The journey

    Part I: Safety and support
    1. Safety
    2. Difference
    3. Dreaming
    4. Support
    5. Control
    6. Boundaries

    Part II: Body awareness
    7. Just explain
    8. Just breathe
    9. Just dance
    10. Just shake
    11. Just sleep

    Part III: Connections
    12. Play
    13. Community
    14. Forgiveness
    15. A higher power

    Part IV: Moving on
    16. Comfort zones
    17. Rehearsing the possible
    18. Relational dynamics
    19. Role models

    Part V: The impact on the therapist
    20. Taking its toll
    21. Finding life

    Epilogue. Living with hope
    Notes

    3 reviews for Life and Hope Out of Darkness: Creative Interventions for Helping People in Violent Communities

    1. Schalk Holloway, author of ‘Die Groot Storie’ – 03/04/2025

      ‘As someone who lived and ran interventions in at-risk communities for twelve years, I’m excited to say that this book is both surprisingly practical and relevant. I have no doubt that you will be able to easily apply the contents, chapter by chapter, both in your own life and in the lives of those entrusted to you – it’s that good!’

    2. Dr Ela Manga, integrative medical practitioner, South Africa – 03/04/2025

      ‘Sarah Coleman has written a book that is as heartbreaking as it is essential. As a doctor and an advocate for healing trauma in South Africa, I have witnessed first hand the deep wounds that violence and instability inflict on individuals and communities. Sarah brings not only professional expertise but also immense compassion to this work. She illuminates the resilience of the human spirit while offering practical tools for support and healing. This book is a gift – one that holds both truth and hope in equal measure.’

    3. Emma Mills, art psychotherapist, full member of the British Association of Art Therapists – 03/04/2025

      Out of the Darkness by Sarah Coleman is a vital resource for therapists, counsellors, and facilitators working with trauma-affected groups. Insightful and compassionate, it explores resilience in challenging environments, offering practical guidance, reflective questions, and real-life vignettes. Coleman highlights the power of community in healing, making this an essential read for professionals. A moving testament to the human spirit, this book is both an inspiring and practical tool for those supporting others through trauma, especially those still living in traumatic environments.

    Add a review Cancel reply

    You must be logged in to post a review.

    FIRE YOUR MIND

    Sign up to our newsletter today!
    Please wait...

    Thank you for subscribing!

    Our purpose is to stimulate debate, to open minds to new ways of working, to present opposing theories and above all to question everything.

    Email: hello@firingthemind.com
    Karnac
    • About
    • Publishing with
    • Trade
    • Rights
    Useful links
    • Privacy Policy
    • Returns
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Shipping & Delivery
    More links
    • FAQs
    • Home
    2022 Firing the Mind. Powered by Bicester IT Hub
    • Home
    • Books
    • Journals
    • Authors
    • Blog & Podcast
    • Wishlist
    • Compare
    • Login / Register
    Shopping cart
    Close
    Sign in
    Close

    Lost your password?

    No account yet?

    Create an Account
    Start typing to see products you are looking for.