Ani Kalayjian

Transforming generational trauma, horizontal violence, and trauma of the war in Syria Katherine Kaze and Dr. Ani Kalayjian It was a warm sunny day in October when I first landed in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, to begin our Meaningfulworld outreach work. Our work in Armenia began in 1989 immediately after the disastrous earthquake. As our car sped away from the airport, my eyes were greeted by buildings constructed of smooth pink stone placed alongside a number of new construction sites and modern creations. Older citizens from the countryside sold plump fresh fruit on the roadside amid the younger set of well-dressed businessmen and middle-class women. At first impression the city was quite charming – a vivid juxtaposition of ancient and contemporary culture. This was the characterization that would remain with me as the mission progressed. In 10 days’ time, I was introduced to a spirited, proud, and resilient people whose past provides a rich backdrop for a future that is still in transition. Through traditional meals, 13 training programs, and many new connections, it became clear that though much work remains to be done, the passion to complete it is also present. The team consisted of Dr. Ani Kalayjian and myself, and we were joined by Karen Gargaryan from Yerevan. Our first day was dedicated to reflection and organization, with a visit to Dzizernagapert, the memorial monument for the Armenian Genocide. With a burning flame at the center of 12 stone pillars, visitors are made to feel the sense of pride the Armenian people have for their heritage, and a sense of sorrow for those killed during the genocide carried out by the Ottoman Turks. The first half of the week centered on the training of professionals in Yerevan. The first workshop targeted professors of psychology at Yerevan State University’s Pedagogical Institute Psychological Department, with representatives from The Intra Mental Health Center, the Caucasus Institute of Gestalt and Family Therapy, the Armenia Round Table Foundation, and the State University. The team also traveled to the Civil Society Institute to meet with a group of mothers who had suffered the loss of their sons to snipers in the Azerbaijani conflict. One participant described the anger she felt at not receiving the support she needed. The women felt helpless and angry at the lack of recognition for their sons’ sacrifices, with some having come outside for the first time in a year to participate in our workshop. All participants complained of physical ailments such as high blood pressure and skin disorders of unknown origin after the loss of their sons. The team encouraged the women to empower themselves and share information by engaging in mutual support, make a list of their needs, and make use of the 7-Step Model. It was later established with the Chairman of the Board Artak Kirakosyan that the mothers will be offered free weekly therapy and grief-counseling sessions. In a separate training with youth members of PeaceJam, participants were also encouraged to be part of an “adopt-a-mother” program so the troubled mothers can be connected with a support system. Our team conducted its next workshop through the aid of the Minister of Health as well as the Armenian Red Cross. Close to 50 medical doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other health care professionals attended, providing lively discussion about the idea of transforming the pain and suffering of the Genocide, the negative impact of the Soviet Regime, the devastating earthquake, the 20-year-long war with neighboring Azerbaijan, and leadership challenges after the nation’s independence. They specifically expressed physical pain, backache, stomach acidity, insomnia, as well as anger outbursts and extreme frustration and sadness. At the Nar Dos School in Yerevan, students aged 7 to 9 were drawn from their respective classes to attend a special workshop. These students were refugees of the Syrian war seeking to rebuild in a new home. The most frequently expressed negative emotions were worry, anxiety, and embarrassment. Some expressed feelings of missing their home in Syria and their friends. In an expressive drawing exercise, approximately one-fifth drew their home in Syria and expressed a yearning to return home. Overall the children seemed happy, and their teachers were giving them a lot of positive attention. Additionally we worked with the teachers and their principal. Plans were solidified to continue to provide the school with much-needed supplies, including gym equipment and chalkboards. We then met with psychology and linguistics professionals and social workers at FAR and World Vision. Here a spirited yet agitated discussion regarding the current leadership and political scene in Armenia revealed feelings of helplessness in the face of corruption and dismay at not having a platform for protest. The team encouraged participants to focus on things that they do have control over, like starting an Armenian psychological association and strengthening that organization across Armenia in order to build leverage as a strong professional organization. Truly, it is only united that we will stand strongest. Reinforcing a commitment to initiate positive change, the team also met with Dr. Bruce Boghosian, president of the American University of Armenia, to discuss incorporating gender studies in a meaningful capacity at the university. Dr. Boghosian shared the view that domestic violence was a salient gender issue and a poignant starting point for such a program. Through his network, Meaningfulworld will begin the dialogue that is essential for generating a program on gender studies at the university in collaboration with Barnard College. Further on in the week the team traveled two hours away to Vanadzor to conduct a workshop with psychologists, social workers, and the community at the Armenian Constitutional Rights Protective Centre (ACRPC). A passionate discussion about the issue of domestic violence arose. Participants commented that domestic violence was more prevalent in urban areas and villages and among less-educated communities. They expressed dissatisfaction that domestic violence was not at the forefront of social issues, and the males who were present reaffirmed that it was instead viewed as a cultural norm in line with gender roles

ATOP Meaningfulworld has taken the first step to assess the needs of a community of children displaced by conflict in Syria. Your ongoing support ensures these children can rebuild a stable life. Katherine Kaze and Dr. Ani Kalayjian SYRIA- In 2011, protests against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime sparked a civil war whose death toll has since risen beyond 100,000. As violence escalated, a succession of third party groups joined the fray, including jihadist groups and neighboring governments. Many of those with the means to do so have since fled to other territories. This includes a large Syrian Armenian population, based mainly in Aleppo, whose roots derive from the migration associated with the Turkish occupation and Genocide of Armenia in the early 20th Century. According to a United Nations estimate, 2 million refugees have since fled the nation, with ¾ of that figure identified to be women and children. Another 4 million remain displaced inside the country as death tolls continue to rise. Seated at the front of a modest classroom of in Yerevan, Armenia, the 23 fresh faces before us contained no trace of the violence of their previous environment. Aged 7 to 9, these students had all arrived at the Nar Dos School in District 14 of the city to continue their studies in Arabic until the conflict seemed as though it would find some resolution. Many had arrived between 6 months to a year before Meaningfulworld’s visit. As the conflict worsened, the children had been divided into existing Armenian classes at the appropriate level to begin integrating into the education system and assume courses taught in the Armenian language – it had become clear that there would be nothing to return to back home. The goal of Meaningfulworld’s outreach at the Nar Dos School was to form a collaborative relationship with staff in order to access and treat the mental health and general status of the displaced children. We arrived at the school with various supplies and gifts for the children, introducing ourselves with a lecture on the negative emotions derived from stress. Applying the 7 Step Model, we engaged the children about their experiences in Armenia and found responses to be enthusiastic and open among all participants. The most frequently expressed negative emotions were worry, anxiety, and embarrassment. Students reported their fears about being late to school, and not doing well in the new school environment. It was evident that several felt uncomfortable with the use of the Eastern Armenian language (as the Western Armenian is used in Syria, as well as the majority of the diaspora), continuing to make their requests to the team in Arabic when words in Armenian did not readily surface to their memory. As conversation progressed, one girl (9 years of age) stated that her brother had begun to physically bully her after their relocation, causing her to seek help from her parents. Several others expressed a longing for home in Syria. Another female student stated “I am sorry that I am sitting here while my friends are still in Syria. I wish they could be here with me”. In general, the children seemed well adjusted. They demonstrated familiarity and comfort among each other, and it appeared they had established a support structure within their small group. To encourage the flow of ideas, paper and crayons were distributed among the children. In lieu of psychological surveys, which are geared toward adult understanding, we utilized their drawings. This method was originally introduced in 1926 by Florence Goodenough, a child psychologist who asked children to draw a picture of a man, of a woman, and of themselves and used the results to evaluate their psychological development. In this case, the students were requested to draw “a place where they feel safe” as a means of identifying the items that they currently associated with security and stability in their new environment. The majority of participants drew their homes in Armenia, or places associated with home or school, such as a football field, a garden by their home, and an amusement park. Approximately 1/5 of the students drew their homes in Syria and expressed a yearning to go back home. In a discussion that followed the presentation of the drawings, teachers elaborated that three out of 23 children displayed fears, jumpy feelings, and hyper-vigilance in the classroom. The team distributed Bach remedies for shock and trauma and grief especially for children donated by Nelson Distributers, followed by a series of yoga and breathing exercises. Examples of the children’s drawings: (Left) An Armenian garden, Center) a home in Syria, (Right) a child at home in Armenia Following our meeting with the children, we held a meeting with the Principal Arusyak Barseghyan to discuss the needs of the students. Arusyak expressed the dearth of supplies within the school, specifically chalkboards, chalk, and gym equipment.. Plans to continue a collaborative relationship in order to facilitate the receipt of these supplies were established, and a new partnership was successfully nurtured. It is clear at the conclusion of our visit that there is much Meaningfulworld can offer in terms of support as these children continue to adjust. The team has begun to coordinate plans to return to Armenia in October 2014 to continue to work with the children, specifically designing more in-depth training for the teachers and educators. In the interim, the team will continue to facilitate the distribution of the most high priority tools, as identified by Director Barseghyan, and welcomes physical and financial donations toward this endeavor. Inquiries regarding continued outreach with Syrian refugees may be directed to Katherine Kaze at kkaze711@gmail.com. ATOP Meaningfulworld began work in Armenia in 1989 immediately after the earthquake bringing mind-body-eco awareness, mindfulness, meditation, energy balancing, peace building, conflict transformation, leadership, and restorative justice.