Companion House Assisting Survivors of Torture and Trauma

1. Working with people from a refugee background Companion House Assisting Survivors of Torture and Trauma Glenn Flanagan

2. Companion House is a government funded community-based organisation. It was established in 1989 to care for survivors of torture and trauma who have sought refuge in Australia. Companion House

3. Medical Service Counselling and Advocacy (Early Intervention, General Services and Children’s Services) Complementary therapy Community Development Training and Community Awareness Immigration Advice and Application Assistance Ph: 6251 4550 web: www.companionhouse.org.au Companion House services

4. What do you value most in your life?

5. Who is a refugee?

6. A refugee is someone who: “Owing to a well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his or her nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail him or herself of the protection of that country”. (United Nations High Commission for Refugees Convention)‏ Who is a refugee?

7. The Refugee Experience

8. The Refugee Experience Pre-flight

9. The Refugee Experience Flight/Exile

10. The Refugee Experience Refugee Camps

11. The Refugee Experience Settlement

12. What is unique about the refugee experience?

13. Australia’s refugee and humanitarian program • Total for 2010-2011: 13,750

14. Trauma

15. Trauma . Traumatic events overwhelm the ordinary systems of care that give people a sense of control, connection and meaning Trauma impacts on the individual, the family and the community. Trauma and Recovery Judith Herman

16. Key Components of the Trauma Reaction / Effects of trauma • Shattering of previously held assumptions: • Loss of trust • Meaning, identity & future • Shame • Guilt • Anxiety • Feelings of helplessness • Loss of control • Relationships changed • Grief • Depression

17. Acts perpetrated by the persecutory regime Social & psychological experiences which lead to the trauma reaction Core components of the trauma reaction Violence Killings Assaults Disappearances Chronic Fear Chronic Alarm Inescapability Unpredictability Anxiety Feelings of hopelessness Loss of control Death Separation Isolation Prohibition of traditional practices Disruption of connections to family, friends, community & cultural beliefs Relationships changed Grief Depression Deprivation of human rights Killing on mass scale Exposure to boundless human brutality Destruction of central values of human existence Shattering of previously held assumptions: Loss of trust, meaning, identity & future Invasion of personal boundaries Impossible choices Humiliation and degradation Guilt Shame

18. Settlement Challenges Social & psychological experiences which lead to the trauma reaction Core components of the trauma reaction Ongoing danger in country of origin New unfamiliar environment Fear about the future Chronic Fear Chronic Alarm Inescapability Unpredictability Anxiety Feelings of hopelessness Loss of control Continuing separation from family Loss of belonging in new dominant culture Disruption of connections to family, friends, community & cultural beliefs Relationships changed Grief Depression Devaluing of person in new culture Injustices Exposure to ignorance and lack of understanding Destruction of central values of human existence Shattering of previously held assumptions: Loss of trust, meaning, identity & future Racial prejudice Inability to communicate Reliance on others and services Humiliation and degradation Guilt Shame

19. Social & psychological experiences which lead to the trauma reaction Core components of the trauma reaction The Recovery Goals Chronic Fear Chronic Alarm Inescapability Unpredictability Anxiety Feelings of hopelessness Loss of control Restore safety Enhance control Reduce fear & anxiety Disruption of connections to family, friends, community & cultural beliefs Relationships changed Grief Depression Restore attachment & connections to others Offer emotional support and care Destruction of central values of human existence Shattering of previously held assumptions: Loss of trust, meaning, identity & future Restore meaning and purpose to life Humiliation and degradation Guilt Shame Restore dignity & value Reduce excessive shame & guilty

20. Working cross culturally

21. Working cross culturally • There are many challenges which can arise with settlement • Trauma, the refugee experience and culture shock are all significant in their impact • Culture is protective and fosters well being, and cultural expression can be important • We should always be careful not to create cultural stereotypes, make generalizations or single out communities

22. Working cross culturally • Acknowledge the strengths and resilience of individuals, families and communities • Build relationships and trust with communities, families and individuals • Recognize that people from a refugee background are working cross culturally already • Use interpreters to ensure safety and dignity

23. Summary • Helplessness and isolation are the core experiences of psychological trauma • Empowerment and reconnection are the core experiences of recovery Judith Herman Trauma and Recovery