Alice Brown is a PhD student, studying across the disciplines of psychology and design. Her research involves designing interactive resources focused on strength based support for people who have experienced trauma. She has worked at QUT for several years as a tutor within the Interactive and Visual Design discipline and as a research assistant for both Urban Informatics and Institute of Future Environments. Her past experiences include workshops and exhibitions at the 2013 and 2014 Ars Electronica Festival situated in Linz, Austria. More recently she exhibited her work at the IxD16 conference in Helsinki, Finland where her team was awarded Best in Category – Expressing for the annual IxDAwards. Alice’s interests lie in designing for health and wellbeing, social connectedness, creative therapies and participatory design.
Website: www.aliceachoo.com
Email: av.brown@qut.edu.au
Alice Brown: PhD Abstract
Creative Care: Designing interactive resources for those who have experienced trauma and their trusted others
How might we design resources that creatively engage trusted others in providing care for those who have experienced trauma? Trauma is a common experience that impacts individuals, their families and communities. Research into strength-based supports for those who have experienced trauma is growing, especially research into posttraumatic growth or the potential to grow after traumatic experiences. There is potential for trusted others (such as friends and family) to be positively involved in the post trauma journey, however this is not easily achieved. There are various ways technologies have been designed to support the post-trauma journey. Usually, these simply adapt or digitise existing psychology exercises. Alice’s research explores ways trusted others can creatively care for those who have experienced trauma, without requiring expert knowledge in trauma or psychology.