By Dr. Lyn Westman | Mental Health Program Consultant
In August, we trained 71 informal care providers in basic mental health and trauma. Church leaders, social workers, and individuals who serve with local and international NGOs attended training workshops. Training emphasized how to meet the needs for people suffering from the catastrophic earthquakes on April 25 and May 12.
Just after training in August, when an aftershock struck, trained participants left immediately to serve people in the mountains where there are fewer resources. Team members were better equipped to assist people holistically—meeting physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs. In addition, participating in this training opened a door for Nepali partners to obtain funding for construction projects.
At least one participant has been using Baby Finds Grace, a children’s story developed for children who have experienced trauma and/or grief, to help children.
The training also had an impact on awareness and treatment of the severely mentally ill. One church leader told us the mentally ill were often seen as animals, and he would work to change opinion to stop people from throwing stones at them.
Next Steps
Training continues in 2016. The second workshop will focus on trauma and special populations such as children, older adults, the homeless and prisoners. We will also follow up with participants trained last year to see how they have been using what they learned, and to provide assistance in challenging areas.
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