Family history speaker: Helen Parker-Drabble

Helen Parker-Drabble is an author, speaker, and former counsellor who combines genealogical research with psychological insight to explore how historical events shaped our ancestors.

She uses established research on attachment, trauma, and adverse childhood experiences to read family history material, so that what a relative lived through can be recognised as an instance of something well documented rather than as something that happened only to them. Her talks help audiences understand ancestors as people shaped by social conditions, their experiences, resilience, and family roles, offering new ways to interpret records beyond dates and documents.

The talk draws on her book 'Yet': A Story of Triumph Over Childhood Separation, Trauma and Disability, Runner-up, CILIP LSG Alan Ball Award 2025 (Best Hardcopy Publication). Short-notice Zoom enquiries welcome.