Narrative Theatre for Social Action: A skill for psychosocial workers

This article describes the general use of Narrative Theatre and the skills needed by facilitators. The context fusing Narrative Theatre in the long term to strengthen social action is described. Emphasis and detail is given to the short-term application of Narrative Theatre as an activity or event:. The importance of structural support in terms of management, supervision in the field and on-going raining is highlighted. Practical application is illustrated by an example from the field.

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A protocol for psychosocial intervention in refugee crisis; early experiences in Rwandan refugee camps

This paper describes the conceptual framework and application of a working model (‘EPSoCare) for psychosocial interventionfor refugees living in camps in low income countries. The intervention's main objective is social re-integration of individuals with psychosocial problems. The model was applied in pilot programmes in camps with survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The interventions aimed to cover 360.000 refugees in camps in Tanzania, and 230.000 in a camp in Zaire.

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Integration of psychosocial counselling in care systems in Nepal

In Nepal,, as is the case in many non-Western countries, psychosocial programmes have not been structurally integrated in the care giving spectrum. Integration f psychosocial programmes raises ideological issues and is complicated by practical difficulties. This article describes the current situation of psychosocial counselling in Nepal and what is still lacking, such as supervision systems, promotion of counselling, and effective strategies for community implementation.

Keywords: counselling, psychosocial programmes, training

 

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Letter to the Editor. Some critical notes on Anica Mikus Kos & Vahida Huzejrovic: Volunteers as helpers in war-related distress.

Some critical notes on Anica Mikus Kos & Vahida Huzejrovic: Volunteers as helpers in war-related distress.

In this journal, Anica Mikus Kos & Vahida Huzejrovic (Intervention, 2003, Vol. 1 (2) pp. 50-56) recently described the role volunteers can play as helpers in war-related distress. They base their description on their experiences in this field during the recent Balkan war in former Yugoslavia.

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Book/article reviews: Joop de Jong (ed.) (2002) Trauma, War and Violence: Public Mental Health in Socio-Cultural Context

Book/article reviews

Joop de Jong (ed.) (2002) Trauma, War and Violence: Public Mental Health in Socio-Cultural Context. Plenum, New York. pp. 454.

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Community Psychosocial Support in Afghanistan

In 2001 Save the Children and UNICEF launched new programmes in Afghanistan,. The emphasis was not on mental health service delivery, but on a community-based psychosocial support strategy. The article discussed the principles f the work undertaken by the two agencies. It also explores both these research and project planning which was carried out in Kabul between 2 001 and 2002.

Key words: community based psychosocial support, qualitative research, child-to-child groups

 

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Good practice issues in working with interpreters in mental health

If access to appropriate mental health services is not to be limited to people’s ability to speak a dominant or host language used by mental health providers, an interpreter or bicultural worker will be required. This article makes suggestions for good practice in working with interpreters either in situations of ongoing-armed conflict or with asylum seekers refugees and internally displaced people who have fled from areas farmed conflict.

Key words: Interpreters, language, culture, mental health, psychological well-being, training, support

 

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Clinical supervision for counsellors in areas of armed conflict

This article describes clinical supervision of counsellors as a structured process that encompasses emotional support, education and monitoring of professional performance. It is based on the experiences of the authors while supervising counselors with limited professional education in areas of armed conflict.

Keywords: assesment, case-conceptualisa-tion, clinical supervision, counselling.

 

What is clinical supervision

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Working with survivors of war in non-western cultures: the role of the clinical psychologist

In this paper the possibilities are explored for integrating Western individualistic models of assessment and intervention in clinical psychology and psychotherapy into work in areas of armed conflict where the culture is predominantly collectivistic. Sri Lanka is used as a case study to provide examples and illustrate how such integration might take place. Directions for training in assessment, intervention, programme evaluation, research, teaching, and supervision are discussed.

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The Nakivale Camp Mental Health Project: building local competency for psychological assistance to traumatised refugees

Little is known about the usefulness of psychiatric concepts and psychotherapeutic approaches for refugees who have experienced severe traumatic events and continue to live in stressful and potentially dangerous conditions in refugee settlements. The central goal of the Nakivale Camp Mental Health Project is to establish the usefulness of shortterm treatment approaches when applied by local paramedical personnel in a disaster region.

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