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Free online and in person Art and mindfulness workshop for families and friends of missing people
Healing Through Art: A Workshop for families and friends of a missing loved one
Join us to explore your story through art and mindfulness. Connect with others who understand. Together, we’ll craft narratives of strength, healing, and hope.
No skills needed!
Multiple dates available; please contact Pascale for more information (07909592223) or send an email to pascale.waschnig@uwl.ac.uk.
Recrutiting family members of missing people for research
As part of my research, I’m seeking to reach out to people affected by the repeated or single disappearance of a loved one, whether they have been found or are still missing.
I understand that speaking about such sensitive experiences can be deeply challenging, but all conversations will remain confidential. Your stories will be heard with the utmost respect and sensitivity.
By participating in this research, you can share your experiences in a safe space, helping shape the way future doctors and professionals approach these situations. It’s a chance to make a meaningful difference not only for your own family but for many others who will benefit from this work in the future.
If you want to discuss this further, please feel free to text or call me on 07909592223, or to send an email to pascale.waschnig@uwl.ac.uk.
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Panellist and speaker at International Conference on missing people in Seville, Spain
I am thrilled to share that I was recently invited to present, with Josie Allan, the head of partnerships at the charity Missing People, as a panellist at an international conference on missing people. My intervention was on best practices for the prevention of people with Alzheimer's going missing. This international event brought together experts, carers, researchers, families of missing people, the press, police, search teams, and advocates dedicated to improving the lives of families of missing people.
During the panel, I discussed key strategies, innovative solutions, and the latest research on preventing individuals with Alzheimer's from going missing. The session emphasised the importance of early intervention, carer training, and community-based initiatives in ensuring the safety and well-being of those living with Alzheimer’s.
It was a truly inspiring experience to exchange ideas with such a passionate and dedicated group of professionals from around the world. We're proud to contribute to this vital conversation and continue working towards creating safer, more supportive environments for individuals with Alzheimer’s and their families.
Read my blog on the Missing People website: https://www.missingpeople.org.uk/united-by-hope-conference. Stay tuned for more updates and resources to support best practices in Alzheimer’s care and prevention!
Paper in a day with international researchers at the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Boston, US
I had the pleasure to participate in a paper in a day organised by Assistant Professor Lonneke Lenferink and Justina Pociūnaitė from the University of Twente and researchers from around the world at the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies in Boston, UK.
The goal of PIAD, which was founded by Eva Alisic, is to foster global connections and the exchange of ideas through the production of a specific product, such as a paper, short message, or opinion article that is prepared for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Doctoral debut
If someone would have told me that I would start a PhD in psychology at my age, I would have simply laughed in amusement! I had to pintch me twice when I was accepted and awarded a Vice Chancellor scholarship!
My research will be looking at the moral injury and hermeneutic injury experiences of families of missing people, training medical schools, and counsellor students.
Reflecting on my own experiences and on the result of a family group brainstorming exercise, I’ve always felt that if only GPs and doctors had been more aware of the potential risks associated with someone going missing and had been able to recognise and address the immense pressures my family, my children, and I were facing, things could have been so much better.
It was an incredibly isolated and difficult time. Having the understanding and support from healthcare professionals could have made a profound difference for all of us.
That is why I’m collaborating directly with medical schools and counselling organisations to ensure that future professionals, especially doctors, are better equipped to understand the multiple challenges we experience. Doctors often play a key role in providing support and can help connect families with the right resources and organisations during such a painful time.
If you want to discuss this further, please feel free to send an email to pascale.waschnig@uwl.ac.uk.
Update: Featured on the Missing Persons Uncovered Podcast with Caroline Humer and Karen Shalev
Update: Featured on the Missing Persons Uncovered Podcast with Caroline Humer and Karen Shalev
I am excited to share that I recently had the privilege of taking part in the Missing Persons Uncovered podcast, hosted by Caroline Humer and Karen Shalev. In this episode, we dove deep into critical topics surrounding the trauma and moral injury faced by families of missing persons and the role of art therapy in helping these families heal.
This podcast series is a powerful exploration of the hidden crisis that affects millions of lives worldwide.
It was an honour to be part of such an important conversation, and I hope our discussion can help raise awareness and provide insight into how we can better protect and support society’s most vulnerable people.
I highly encourage you to listen to this and other episodes in the series. Caroline and Karen are doing incredible work in bringing attention to this often misunderstood and under-discussed issue.
You can tune in to the full episode on the Missing Persons Uncovered podcast platform:
https://open.spotify.com/show/7fQKcVMOhQ0mwrHUU6PWdm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeY8EIO7Cl0&t=1259s
Research Award
Research Award
Art-based Research
Art-based Research
Short film: Maman
Short film: Maman
A personal account and letter to my mother who went missing on the 3rd of May 2013 in Vourey, Isere France....
Animation:Through the prism of missing
Animation:Through the prism of missing
A broader account of the experience of families of missing people to raise awareness of the public on their suffering
It is always with you
It is always with you - painting from the researcher with quotes from participants https://youtu.be/tH68mAJ-39I or the Artivive app
If you don't know anything, you just imagine everything...
But there is that possibility... that somebody out there does know...It's just a terrible way for a human being to have to live with all those horrible thoughts.
It's always with you. It's always there. He is always there...
It is a very excruciating existence...
But you can't actually allow yourself to go down that rabbit hole and wallow in it. You try and put all those emotions in boxes.
You just have to deal with it the best we can day in, day out.
The void in us
The void in us, painting from the researcher with quotes from participants https://youtube.com/shorts/uiEQuahwU-Q?feature=share or the Artivive app
It is like a permanent part of you is missing… This emptiness is so incredibly painful…
The empty space left behind, we grieve every day, waiting for news that might help us understand what and why this happened.
It's just to know, isn't it? Nothing more, but yet so much. It doesn't sound like much, but it's pretty big!
Children left behind
Children left behind. Painting from the researcher with interpretation
https://youtube.com/shorts/sUESGmVmRic?feature=share or the Artivive app
Children are often forgotten; everyone tries to protect them from the cruel reality of what is happening, but they suffer in silence.
It feels so hard to talk about it for the families and the communities. It feels like an open wound that keeps opening yet talking and seeking help for their mental health.
Support is crucial for children to make sense of their experience so they can maintain continuing bonds with the missing person.
Constantly filling the gaps…
Constantly filling the gaps. Painting from the researcher with quotes from participants https://youtu.be/Wtdo5bvBs_o or the Artivive app
It's not something you expect to ever happen in your family. Because it is incomprehensible and awful, everything has just lost its ground and bearing. It's like living a nightmare; hope is all we have.
Getting the police to do anything was really hard work…so you sort of have to lead your own investigation… But it's pretty much like looking for a needle in a haystack.
There is always hope that somebody must know something… In the dark days, the worst of scenarios come back to mind, the crying floods are open. Will I ever see them again?
Moral injury
No-one is paying attention – the moral injury, Painting from the researcher with quotes from participants https://youtu.be/uaNpFGUrdI0 or the Artivive app
There are a lot of unanswered questions that you have to learn to live with.
You want the world to stop and help you, but you have to learn to accept that the media, the police, and social services have all other priorities…
You feel so powerless, faced with the inaction of authorities, faced with a society that doesn’t care about the families nor how to prevent people from going missing.
Feeling alone. Painting from the researcher with quotes from participants https://youtube.com/shorts/_yNtRndcGY8?feature=share or the Artivive app
Scottish mental health art festival (800 visitors)
Scottish mental health art festival (800 visitors)
Feedback from participants:
“I was very moved by your work as I am sure many others have been and will be in future. It seems to me that it comes from a place of deep pain, and I feel this is the type of work that people can connect to in an embodied and impactful way. “
The Royal College of General Practitioners annual meeting, RCGP 2023, in Glasgow (1350 visitors)
Did you know?
Over 155,000 individuals go missing each year in the UK, which is more than the entire population of York. This number increases to 8-12 million globally. Each missing person significantly impacts approximately 12 people in their lives, both emotionally and financially.
Missing individuals often struggle with maladaptive coping mechanisms, which can stem from various factors such as relationship breakdowns, mental illness, anxiety, depression, and dementia. Shockingly, 1 in 50 people go missing due to financial problems.
The Silent Struggle
The families and friends of missing individuals are left in a difficult situation, as they exist in a psychological space where the person is both present and absent. They are dealing with a form of grief that is not easily defined or understood, known as ambiguous loss and disenfranchised grief. They do not have a precise vocabulary, set of behaviours or rituals to rely on, leaving them feeling lost, and stuck in their emotions and trauma.
Breaking the Silence
Unfortunately, many professionals and the public are unaware of their situation, leaving them to explain and justify their struggles, a task fraught with the risk of reliving their traumatic experience, disbelief and the absence of adequate support. Additionally, the lack of action from institutions such as the police, social and health services, communities, and media, as well as adverse reactions from the public, can further harm their emotional well-being and cause moral distress and injury. This is where you can make a difference by understanding their unique experience and supporting them the best you can.
Giving Voice to the Unheard - the Research Journey
This exhibition results from a research project exploring their needs and experiences, specifically their struggles with ambiguous loss and moral injury. The study gathered insights from 39 relatives of missing individuals and found that they often suffer betrayal from others, authorities, and organisations, leading to moral injury. The project used storytelling, augmented reality art, film, and animation to amplify their voices and needs making it accessible to a broader audience. This exhibition employs the painting medium and collages together with quotes from relatives of missing people to bridge the tangible and the intangible, integrating augmented reality and animated versions accessible through YouTube and the Artivive app, inviting viewers to explore the emotional labyrinth of loss and uncertainty.
Feedback from delegates:
"It has made a lasting impact on me. It will be what I remember from the conference." GP
"Instant connection to the pain people with how this experience feels." GP
"I guess we, as GP, need to open our eyes more to how we can help." GP
"I think everyone benefits from sharing the emotional impact of stories and images. This also has value in education; instilling empathy and understanding in education has the potential to develop kindness and more compassionate communities." Academic programme director, GP training
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