The last several decades of ongoing conflict and oppression in Myanmar (as it is now officially known) has had an extensive psychological and emotional impact on its people. Unfortunately, there has been a distinct lack of psychosocial programming provided through culturally appropriate methods in Myanmar. This study investigated an eight session psychotherapy group called Sharing Circles. Trained local staff implemented a group intervention in Yangon, Myanmar with 57 Burmese participants from Yangon identified as belonging to one of three vulnerable groups. Preliminary findings suggest the Sharing Circles may be an effective psychosocial technique for improving psychological symptoms and providing psychosocial support. Limitations included: lack of a comparison group, relatively small sample size, convenience sample, and simple pre and posttest design. Further, well designed, studies of group interventions with identified vulnerable groups are needed to confirm and clarify initial findings as well as to evaluate its potential application in other conflict affected regions.

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Using a case study, this paper describes initial results from qualitative research with women widowed as a result of conflict in Kashmir. Recognising resilience as a process that contributes to a sense of wellbeing, this paper highlights how this process also often involves experiencing and exercising overlapping identities of being a ‘victim’, ‘widow, and a ‘mother’ for women within conflict contexts. Further, the paper questions simplistic readings of resilience and wellbeing that classify people as resilient or not resilient, and classify relationships, identities, and feelings in terms of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ by reflecting on questions such as: ‘is belief or portrayal of oneself as a victim unhelpful or negative? Or, is worrying bad?' The case study included here is one of the fifty qualitative interviews conducted as part of PhD research on resilience among women widowed due to conflict in Kashmir.

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When invited to facilitate a training course for psychosocial workers and/or mental health staff, I am sometimes confronted with unrealistic expectations: the person commissioning a training expects a detailed programme that describes exactly what subject matter will be covered, and precisely when. In other cases, I am requested to design a programme that connects to an earlier training, facilitated by another expert in the mental health and psychosocial support field. Here, I sum up what, in my opinion, should be included in a report of a workshop for mental health and psychosocial support workers, what organisers of capacity building projects need to know about training psychosocial workers and mental health staff, and what should be asked of a trainer they intend to hire.

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This personal reflection discusses the author’s personal involvement supporting the mental health needs of Syrian refugees. The mental health needs of this population includes a wide range of psychological problems that require further evaluation to fully understand. The scale of the problem is huge, affecting large numbers, some of whom were subjected to prolonged torture and witnessed daily bombardments. Many other factors add to the refugees’ misery, including: their ordeal before reaching safety, uncertainty of the future, feelings of entrapment and humiliation. There are also the general effects of forced displacement, the stigma surrounding mental health issues, and lack of means and trained professionals. Host communities have been overwhelmed and unprepared to deal with such huge demands. While several aid agencies have been involved, there is a lack of coordination resulting in either missing out whole communites and duplication of efforts in others. Additionally, these challenging environments affect conducting studies with, often, highly frustrated populations and some results may be skewed as a result. This paper ends with suggestions of what can be done to improve approaches to providing some relief in this unprecedented and continuing crisis.

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Despite growing support for supervision after task sharing trainings in humanitarian settings, there is limited research on the experience of trainees in apprenticeship and other supervision approaches. Studying apprenticeships from trainees' perspectives is crucial to refine supervision and enhance motivation for service implementation. The authors implemented a multi-stage, transcultural adaptation for a pilot, task sharing training in Haiti entailing three phases: 1) literature review and qualitative research to adapt a mental health and psychosocial support training; 2) implementation and qualitative process evaluation of a brief, structured group training; and 3) implementation and qualitative evaluation of an apprenticeship training, including a two year follow-up of trainees. Structured group training revealed limited knowledge acquisition, low motivation, time and resource constraints on mastery and limited incorporation of skills into practice. Adding an apprenticeship component was associated with subjective clinical competency, increased of confidence regarding utilising skills and career advancement. Qualitative findings support the added value of apprenticeship according to trainees.

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This paper describes the experience of a group based parenting programme for mothers with past, or ongoing, domestic violence experience in Surkhet district, Midwestern Nepal. Twenty women took part in the programme, with meetings every three weeks over a period of nine months. The results, after data triangulation, showed significant improvements for the majority of caregivers with respect to: (a) increased understanding of children’s attitudes, feelings and behaviours; (b) improvements in management of conflict situations within the family; and (c) greater empowerment and self-confidence. Some of the main challenges encountered by the facilitators while running the sessions are discussed. This encouraging experience suggests that a combination of programmes, using behaviour, relationship and psychotherapeutic approaches, can be a source of support to reduce negative parent/child interactions for mothers harmed by violence. Presenting this study provides an opportunity to examine some of the current challenges of supporting parenting skills within violent environments.

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