News

Emotional Healing, Training and Research Project for Continued Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Recovery, Resilience, and Meaning-Making in Palestine, Israel with Palestinians and Jordan 14 May – 25 May 2015 SPECIFIC AIMS: The Mental Health Outreach Program (MHOP), organized by the Association for Trauma Outreach and Prevention (ATOP) Meaningfulworld, a not-for-profit (501(c)3) organization, affiliated with the United Nations, spearheaded by trauma expert Dr. Ani Kalayjian, is a disaster relief project that trains local counselors/psychologists, students in trauma relief and provide psychosocial aid to Lebanese survivors of ongoing conflict, as well as the new influx of Syrian and Iraqi refugees. This is especially important in the areas bordering Israel, where there is constant shelling, trauma, and conflict. The model of the MHOP has been utilized to aide disasters in over 45 calamities, such as Sri Lanka, Armenia, Turkey, Japan, the United States, Sierra Leone, DR Congo, Rwanda, Kenya, etc. Dr. Kalayjian has also worked with veterans of Gulf War, Vietnam War, Kosovo conflict, as well as Rwandan Genocide. The program is revised and modified to be effective across cultures, gender and age. ATOP Meaningfulworld promotes the advancement of knowledge about the immediate and long-term human consequences of traumatic events and promotes effective methods of prevention, relief and restoration to those treating traumatized populations. In Lebanon, the MHOP will disseminate the knowledge it gained from helping survivors to the international community. This knowledge will be shared through research, discussion, education, training, networking, support of professionals, healing workshops, and collaboration with other trauma organizations in the area, and the use of knowledge transfer media. We have worked in the Middle East since 1997, the most recent humanitarian relief work was in May 2014. The program has a four-pronged approach: Phase One: This phase involves sending a team of volunteer mental health professionals to Lebanon to set up the initial logistics of the base camp, pilot the treatment model, and identify local translators and psychosocial resources for training. Deliver psychosocial support and psycho education to the surviving community, in collaboration with the local authorities. This phase was conducted in 2007 and 2013. Phase Two: This part focuses on the long term rehabilitation and empowerment of the surviving community through strengthening the mental health first aide system. This will be carried out in collaboration with local authorities, state, academia (Bir Zeit University, Bethlehem University, Al Quds University, University of Jordan, Jordan River Foundation, etc). Phase Three: This part focuses on training the local psychosocial counselors and other professionals and paraprofessionals in order to equip them to best mental health delivery system, through evidence based integrative healing, and sharing research from 2007, 2012, 2013 & 2014. Phase Four: Emphasis will be placed on compiling data on the trauma suffered in this region. Exploratory and descriptive research will be conducted in collaboration with the local professionals. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Description of services included in the training: The Meaningfulworld Humanitarian Outreach Program developed by Dr. Kalayjian has focused upon national & international mediation, spiritual activism, psychoeducation and rehabilitation of those who are suffering human and natural disasters around the globe as well as to transform generational trauma and achieve ancestral healing. Through conflict transformation workshops conducted in over 45 calamities, national and international conferences, healing circles, interfaith programs, mind-body-spirit health fairs, youth empowerment programs ATOP Meaningfulworld is dedicated to fostering a meaningful, peaceful, and just world in which every individual enjoys physical, mental, ecological, and spiritual health. A sense of meaning, peace, and justice, although unique to each individual, is achieved through a transformative journey that integrates knowledge and experience with a sense of responsibility, activism, mindfulness, and reflection. At the core of all programs is the 7-step Biopsychosocial and Eco-Spiritual Model, through which various aspects of trauma, dispute, conflict, or disagreements are assessed, identified, explored, processed, worked through, released, and a new meaning achieved. This innovative model incorporates various theories including: psychodynamic (Freud, 1910), interpersonal (Sullivan, 1953), existential and humanistic (Viktor Frankl, 1962), Electromagnetic Field Balancing (EMF, Dubro & Lapierre, 2002), Learning Theory, Forgiveness (Kalayjian & Paloutzian, 2010), Flower Essences (Bach & other flower remedies), Essential Oils, physical release (Yoga, Marshal Arts), and mind-body-spirit chakra balancing, prayers and meditation. This model is used successfully in over 45 calamities around the globe. The MHOP will provide daily group therapies and individual therapy for adults, art and play therapy with children, family therapy, as well as desensitization groups for those with fears.Background: MHOP will bring a Team of trauma experts joined with Dr. Kalayjian and trained by her before their departure and debriefed after. The seven-step Bio-Psychosocial and Eco- Spiritual model (7-Step Integrative Healing Model) will be used. This model is comprised of a series of seven consecutive steps through which various aspects of traumatic exposure are assessed, identified, explored, and worked through. The program consists of 7- steps: (1) Assessment: Levels of post-traumatic stress are assessed using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, (2) Expression of feelings: Participants are encouraged to express what they were feeling in relation to the conflict; (3) Empathy and validation: This step is focused on Interpersonal Theory, H. S. Sullivan (1953). As described by Eagan (1982), in “accurate empathy”, the team is aware of the individual’s circumstance, understands both the content and the affect the individual expresses, and engages the individual in dialogue which leads to movement through the phases toward recovery and acceptance; (4) Discovery and expression of meaning: Each member of the group is invited to focus on the strengths and meanings that naturally arise out of any disaster situation. This step is based on Humanistic Psychology and Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy, Meaning-Centered Therapy; (5) Information dissemination: The team provides information to the survivors and community mental health professionals; (6) Eco- Centered Healing, focusing on how we can connect with mother nature, respect and love her. And (7) Physical Release, chakra balancing, yoga, meditation: Diaphragmatic breathing and other physical exercises to release fear and shock is utilized. The program concludes with an experiential, therapeutic, mindful breathing exercise, stretching, visualization, meditation and prayer. Value of training for local