Participatory Video as a Psychosocial Intervention in Migratory Trauma

This chapter examines the use of participatory video as a psychosocial intervention in the context of migratory trauma. Drawing on narrative therapy, trauma theory, and media psychology, the author reflects on a three-phase film project created with young migrants experiencing social and cultural dislocation. Through scripting, filming, and editing their own narratives, participants engaged in a collective and creative process that enabled them to reclaim agency, process trauma, and reframe personal experiences. The analysis integrates theoretical contributions from Ricoeur, Freud, Porges, and van der Kolk, emphasizing the therapeutic role of storytelling, bodily attunement, and shared authorship. The chapter argues that participatory filmmaking can foster narrative integration, promote co-regulation, and facilitate a form of posttraumatic growth in displaced populations. The project illustrates how audiovisual tools can transform clinical spaces into co-created healing environments, offering new pathways for empathy, memory work, and cultural connection.