Mental Health Resources

Torture survivors engage in psychological services to pursue a wide range of goals, from single symptom reduction to addressing the complex effects of torture on their families and communities. Psychological effects of torture vary considerably. Likewise, there is wide variation in the types of assistance sought to address such effects, depending on a host of factors ranging from service accessibility to beliefs about health and healing.

523 Resources Available

Browse all Mental Health Resources

Hope: Trauma-Informed Care Schooling for Displaced Children Globally

Social Services Resources

Torture occurs within a cultural and social context. It breaks the connections between individuals and their social environment. It separates the bonds of communities. Social work interventions, therefore, are directed at individuals, their families and immediate environments, community, social, and functional groups, and policies and systems. These are accomplished through direct service, resource development, community interventions, education and training, research, and public policy work.

329 Resources Available

Browse all Social Services Resources

A ‘Springy Tornado’: Therapy with a Child Refugee with Disorganized Attachment

Legal Resources

Attorneys encounter torture survivors with a variety of legal needs. Frequently, however, the survivor’s initial and most pressing legal problem involves immigration matters, such as asylum, family reunification, or defense from removal (deportation). Because safety is crucial to the survivor’s ability to engage fully in torture treatment services, the asylum process is integral to rehabilitation.

269 Resources Available

Browse all Legal Resources

Guide: Afghan Backgrounder

Medical Resources

Survivors of torture often present for care in medical settings, and sometimes in torture treatment programs. The medical portion of HealTorture.org is primarily, but not exclusively, geared to primary care providers (PCPs), including family doctors, internists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Other staff members in medical settings such as nurses and medical assistants can also facilitate survivors’ healing. Survivors frequently present to gynecologists (due to genital trauma, pelvic pain, etc.), cardiologists (persistent chest pain), gastroenterologists (persistent abdominal pain), and neurologists (intractable headaches and history of traumatic brain injury). Many survivors have gotten great relief of symptoms from physical therapists and practitioners of yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

595 Resources Available

Browse all Medical Resources

Assessment and Treatment of Traumatic Brain/Head Injury in Survivors of Torture

Integrative Care Resources

18 Resources Available

Browse all Integrative Care Resources

Improving Well-Being for Refugees in Primary Care: A Toolkit for Providers

Administration Resources

Resources for practitioners in operations and administration who are serving survivors of torture are as follows: development, integrated care, evaluation, technology, training, working with interpreters, and self-care.

305 Resources Available

Browse all Administration Resources

Program Evaluation Resources

Resources for all staff serving survivors of torture to use program evaluation to set the direction of the program, assess the impact of their work, and improve care. For those with dedicated Evaluation and/or Data Management staff, there is a Roadmap to Data Analysis series for an introduction to inferential statistics and Client Data Toolkit series on identifying and implementing a client data management system for your organizational needs.

70 Resources Available

Browse all Program Evaluation Resources

Fundamentals: Introduction to Program Evaluation Resources

Mental Health Resources

Torture survivors engage in psychological services to pursue a wide range of goals, from single symptom reduction to addressing the complex effects of torture on their families and communities. Psychological effects of torture vary considerably. Likewise, there is wide variation in the types of assistance sought to address such effects, depending on a host of factors ranging from service accessibility to beliefs about health and healing.

523 Resources Available

Browse all Mental Health Resources

Hope: Trauma-Informed Care Schooling for Displaced Children Globally

Social Services Resources

Torture occurs within a cultural and social context. It breaks the connections between individuals and their social environment. It separates the bonds of communities. Social work interventions, therefore, are directed at individuals, their families and immediate environments, community, social, and functional groups, and policies and systems. These are accomplished through direct service, resource development, community interventions, education and training, research, and public policy work.

329 Resources Available

Browse all Social Services Resources

A ‘Springy Tornado’: Therapy with a Child Refugee with Disorganized Attachment

Legal Resources

Attorneys encounter torture survivors with a variety of legal needs. Frequently, however, the survivor’s initial and most pressing legal problem involves immigration matters, such as asylum, family reunification, or defense from removal (deportation). Because safety is crucial to the survivor’s ability to engage fully in torture treatment services, the asylum process is integral to rehabilitation.

269 Resources Available

Browse all Legal Resources

Guide: Afghan Backgrounder

Medical Resources

Survivors of torture often present for care in medical settings, and sometimes in torture treatment programs. The medical portion of HealTorture.org is primarily, but not exclusively, geared to primary care providers (PCPs), including family doctors, internists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Other staff members in medical settings such as nurses and medical assistants can also facilitate survivors’ healing. Survivors frequently present to gynecologists (due to genital trauma, pelvic pain, etc.), cardiologists (persistent chest pain), gastroenterologists (persistent abdominal pain), and neurologists (intractable headaches and history of traumatic brain injury). Many survivors have gotten great relief of symptoms from physical therapists and practitioners of yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

595 Resources Available

Browse all Medical Resources

Assessment and Treatment of Traumatic Brain/Head Injury in Survivors of Torture

Integrative Care Resources

18 Resources Available

Browse all Integrative Care Resources

Improving Well-Being for Refugees in Primary Care: A Toolkit for Providers

Administration Resources

Resources for practitioners in operations and administration who are serving survivors of torture are as follows: development, integrated care, evaluation, technology, training, working with interpreters, and self-care.

305 Resources Available

Browse all Administration Resources

Program Evaluation Resources

Resources for all staff serving survivors of torture to use program evaluation to set the direction of the program, assess the impact of their work, and improve care. For those with dedicated Evaluation and/or Data Management staff, there is a Roadmap to Data Analysis series for an introduction to inferential statistics and Client Data Toolkit series on identifying and implementing a client data management system for your organizational needs.

70 Resources Available

Browse all Program Evaluation Resources

Fundamentals: Introduction to Program Evaluation Resources

Medical

Survivors of Torture Grand Rounds: Posttraumatic Stress Evaluation and Treatment
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Medical, Staff Training, Trauma & PTSD, Webinar
1 Hour
All levels
0 Lessons
0 Quizzes
0 Students
The full title of this session is “Survivors of Torture Grand Rounds: Evolution and Future...
Free
Read more
Survivors of Torture Grand Rounds: Neuroscience of Stress and Resiliency
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Common medical conditions, Medical, Trauma & PTSD, Traumatic brain injury, Webinar
1 Hour
All levels
0 Lessons
0 Quizzes
0 Students
Description: Significant practice gaps exist for the Survivors of Torture (SOT) treatment programs and their...
Free
Read more
Hope: Trauma-Informed Care Schooling for Displaced Children Globally
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Children, Children, Children, Children and Torture, Medical, Mental Health, Trauma & PTSD, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine, Webinar
100 Minutes
All levels
0 Lessons
0 Quizzes
0 Students
Description This webinar, held on May 15, 2025, was sponsored by the Office of Refugee...
Free
Read more
Trauma Informed Care (TIC) for Survivors of Torture Virtual Symposium
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Medical, Staff Training, Trauma, Trauma & PTSD, Webinar
4 Hours
All levels
0 Lessons
0 Quizzes
0 Students
Description The Center for Victims of Torture’s National Capacity Building Project and our partner, The...
Free
Read more
Collaborative Care: Psychosocial Well-Being Behavioral Health Interventions
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Access, Chronic Pain, Individual Psychotherapy, Integrated Care, Integrative Care, Medical, Mental Health, Primary Care, Trauma, Trauma & PTSD
70 Minutes
All levels
3 Lessons
1 Quiz
5 Students
The following course is the second of two courses on psychosocial wellbeing, and is part...
Free
Read more
Collaborative Care: Psychosocial Well-Being Attending to Basic Needs
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Access, Accessing healthcare, Assessing Need and Evaluating Outcomes, Case Management Basics, Domestic Violence, Integrated Care, Integrative Care, Medical, Mental Health, Primary Care, Sexual violence and sexual torture, Sexual violence and sexual torture, Social Services, Substance abuse, Substance Abuse, Suicide, Suicide, Trauma
90 Minutes
All levels
3 Lessons
1 Quiz
5 Students
The following course is the first of two courses on psychosocial wellbeing, and is part...
Free
Read more
Collaborative Care: Assessment and Symptom Presentation
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Access, Assessing Need and Evaluating Outcomes, Chronic Pain, Common medical conditions, Dental, Diabetes, Integrated Care, Integrative Care, Medical, Mental Health, Primary Care, Social Services, Traumatic brain injury
120 Minutes
All levels
3 Lessons
1 Quiz
6 Students
This course, on assessment and symptom presentations, is part of the Collaborative Care for Refugees,...
Free
Read more
Transforming Trauma: The Path to Hope and Healing
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Interventions, Medical, Mental Health, Mental Health Groups, Social Services, Staff Training, Trauma, Trauma & PTSD, Treatment Approaches, Treatment Model, Webinar
135 Minutes
All levels
0 Lessons
0 Quizzes
0 Students
This workshop, held on October 1, 2024, was hosted by The National Capacity Building Project...
Free
Read more