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.

484 Resources Available

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

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.

302 Resources Available

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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.

265 Resources Available

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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.

578 Resources Available

Browse all Medical Resources

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

Integrative Care Resources

18 Resources Available

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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.

283 Resources Available

Browse all Administration Resources

AsylumWorks Fellowship Training

Available to full members only

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

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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.

484 Resources Available

Browse all Mental Health Resources

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

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.

302 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.

265 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.

578 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.

283 Resources Available

Browse all Administration Resources

AsylumWorks Fellowship Training

Available to full members only

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

Special Topics

Prevention and Treatment Services for Substance Use Disorders among Survivors
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Mental Health, Social Services, Administration, Webinar, Special Topics, Special challenges, Organizational development, Substance abuse, ORR trainings and reporting, Substance Abuse
62 Minutes
All levels
0 Lessons
0 Quizzes
0 Students
During the 2024 ORR Survivor of Torture Recipient Meeting, held in Washington, DC on March...
Free
Read more
Services to Survivors Experiencing Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Administration, Community engagement and education, Domestic Violence, Integrative Care, Interventions, Mental Health, Organizational development, ORR trainings and reporting, Sexual and gender-based violence, Sexual violence and sexual torture, Sexual violence and sexual torture, Social Services, Special challenges, Special Topics, Webinar
52 Minutes
All levels
0 Lessons
0 Quizzes
0 Students
During the 2024 ORR Survivor of Torture Recipient Meeting, held in Washington, DC on March...
Free
Read more
Providing Trauma-informed Services to Older Survivors of Torture
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Mental Health, Social Services, Medical, Administration, Webinar, Special Topics, Common medical conditions, Diabetes, Cambodians/Khmer, COVID-19, Integrated Care, ORR trainings and reporting, Cambodians/Khmer, Cambodians
90 Minutes
All levels
0 Lessons
0 Quizzes
0 Students
Description: During the Virtual Town Meeting held on January 23, 2024, three insightful program presentations...
Free
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Applying Ambiguous Loss Theory to Torture Survivors: A Conversation with Pauline Boss
by
Mitchell Katayama
in
Mental Health, Webinar, Special Topics, COVID-19, Advanced Clinicians
1 Hour
All levels
0 Lessons
0 Quizzes
0 Students
Description: Survivors of torture have endured multiple and often catastrophic losses – loved ones, home,...
Free
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Fundamentals: Cultural Competence
by
Mitchell Katayama
in
Mental Health, Social Services, Legal, Medical, Integrative Care, Special Topics, Staff Training
60 Minutes
All levels
5 Lessons
0 Quizzes
146 Students
This lesson introduces Cultural Competence (43 minutes, plus reflection and additional reading time) and was...
Free
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Fundamentals: Mental Health Services
by
Mitchell Katayama
in
Administration, Integrated Care, Mental Health, Psychological Consequences of Torture, Special Topics, Staff Training, Training Mental Health Evaluators, Treatment Model, Working with Torture Survivors
140 Minutes
All levels
6 Lessons
0 Quizzes
114 Students
This lesson introduces Mental Health Services, Part 1 (47 minutes, plus time for reflection) and...
Free
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Healing and the Pursuit of Justice: Challenging Sexual Assault as an Instrument of War: Part Three
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Mental Health, Sexual violence and sexual torture, Special Topics, Webinar
11 Minutes
All levels
0 Lessons
0 Quizzes
0 Students
Description: This video was made by the Center for Victims of Torture. The entire video...
Free
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Healing and the Pursuit of Justice: Challenging Sexual Assault as an Instrument of War: Part One
by
Sara Bracewell
in
Mental Health, Sexual violence and sexual torture, Special Topics, Webinar
6 Minutes
All levels
0 Lessons
0 Quizzes
0 Students
Description: This video was made by the Center for Victims of Torture. The entire video...
Free
Read more