Group Treatment with Survivors of Torture

Survivors of Torture programs across the US are creating and using innovative and effective techniques in providing treatment services through groups. In this series, we will feature three torture rehabilitation programs that are conducting group treatment, within Judith Herman’s three-staged framework – as written about in her book, Trauma and Recovery.

This series will be of particular interest to clinicians working with survivors of torture, but others in your organization may find it useful as well.

• The Orientation Group: PSOT’s Approach to Welcoming and Further Resourcing (Part 1). This first session in this series took place on March 18th at 2:00 PM EDT and features Melba Sullivan of the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture.  Dr. Sullivan will discuss PSOT’s four-week client orientation groups, representing Stage One – safety and stabilization.

• Reflections on a Women’s Psychotherapy Group at the Center for Victims of Torture (Part 2). This webinar is the second in the NCB Project’s three-part series on Group Treatment with Survivors of Torture.  In the series, the NCB Project will highlight three Survivors of Torture programs that are using innovative techniques to provide group treatment. This second webinar will feature an in depth look at a women’s psychotherapy group conducted at the Center for Victims of Torture.  This group represents a Stage Two – Remembrance and Mourning –  group of Judith Herman’s framework for healing from trauma.  Dr. Kanzer will discuss many aspects of facilitating these level 2 groups including how to start and how not to get stuck, the development of the “group community,” balancing group needs vs. individual needs of participants, how to work with and honor the trauma experiences within the context of group, and the role of the clinician in the group to help maintain aspects such as group safety and attention to group process. 
• Reconnecting Survivor Communities at the International Institute of Connecticut (Part 3). This webinar is the third in the NCB Project’s three-part series on Group Treatment with Survivors of Torture.  In the series, the NCB Project will highlight three Survivors of Torture programs that are using innovative techniques to provide group treatment.