CCD Seminar, “Therapeutic Techniques for Counselors Addressing Abuse and Trafficking” The Community Capacity Development department of the Tsunami Project organized and hosted a 2-day seminar on February 2-3, 2007. The seminar was held at The Salvation Army's (TSA) Training College in Colombo and was designed to target all individuals working with community members, including various TSA staff, personnel, and leadership, as well as other community-serving organizations: Administrators, Community Counselors, TSA HIV/AIDS Counselors, Corps Officers, residential home Staff, and non-TSA personnel from CARITAS and PEACE.

( Above: Tucker Rader & Eranga Sudarshana, paired together during a counselor-client exercise.)

Through field-research, coordination with government workers / other organizations, and interaction with the community and TSA personnel, it became apparent that within tsunami-affected communities many people have suffered and remain vulnerable to abuse and human trafficking. Due to the loss of home and livelihood, many tsunami-affected individuals were powerless and extremely vulnerable while living in IDP camps, with neighbors, or family members -- completely depending on others to meet basic needs and offer protection.

This seminar was designed in an effort to 1) educate TSA staff about the existing problems and relevant issues, 2) build a foundation for educating the community, aiming at both prevention and response, 3) develop skills for helping others to address these issues, and 4) continue ongoing coordination and networking with other professional organizations who are also working in these areas.

Facilitators included Mark Edwards (Community Capacity Development Coordinator), Mindy Pierce (CCD Project Officer), Tucker Rader (Program Assistant), Chamani Edwards (HIV/AIDS Community Officers), and Sisila Samarage (HIV/AIDS Community Officers).

(Above: Mark Edwards explains the “triggers” group exercise.)

(Above: The seminar was presented in both English and Sinhalese. Which made for two completely exhausted presenters at the end of two full days!)

The seminar was attended by approximately 30 participants; the format was that of an informal lecture and also included group activities, partner interaction, and brainstorming sessions. During the afternoon of the first day, desks were moved into a large circle for the purpose of encouraging more dialogue. Day 1 topics addressed included the following: 1) An Introductory parable, 2) Biblical motivation and encouragement for community counselors, 3) Definition of child sexual abuse & commercial sexual exploitation, 4) Definition of consent, 5) “Triggers” activity, 6) Effects of sexual abuse, 7) Prevention & response, 8) General factors that increase vulnerability of trafficking, and 9) Resource list with contact information. Day 2 focused on practical therapeutic techniques for working with people in our communities who have been abused and/or trafficked. Participants entered into the discussions, practiced the techniques, interacted with one another, and were given opportunities to recognize and confront their own ideas, beliefs, and perceptions. Topics included the following: 1) Psychosocial assessment, 2) Psychoeducation, 3) Stress management (controlled breathing, relaxation training, and thought stopping), 4) Emotion-identification and expression, 5) Cognitive coping, and 6) Trauma narrative.

(Above: Captain Thujanthini and Ms. Kumarage work together; Adam & Major Jaya have a discussion in the background.)
Several in attendance remarked that they perceived the training as extremely valuable and found that they were learning new information. The seminar team was also invited to extend these trainings to other areas of the island, including other tsunami-affected communities. In addition, a couple of individuals identified their own personal experiences with sexually abusive situations.

(Manel- far left- helps facilitate group discussion; Chamani records the group's ideas.)

Overall, we perceive this 2-day seminar to have been a successful first step in increasing awareness of abuse-related issues and in building skills to help address these issues while serving the community. This topic is a very sensitive cultural issue, and brings with it a long history of avoidance, secrecy, and embarrassment. We were thus encouraged that the audience was not only receptive, but even willing to engage in discussions and activities, and requested follow-up trainings. We look forward to additional opportunities to continue the work where we have just begun to scratch the surface.