Trauma Informed Care Trainings in Nepal

As COVID-19 cases flatten out in Nepal through the use of masking, social distancing, and vaccine distribution, the feast of Indra Jatra marks the return of the first full festival season since the pandemic started. Following the cautious opening of public gatherings, Healing Together has continued to make strides in delivering necessary in-person trainings to support trauma healing and resiliency. 

Trauma among the LGBTQI Community

Despite the efforts of organizers and activists, LGBTQI people in Nepal still face discrimination, rejection, exclusion, and abuse for their gender and sexuality. During the long periods of stressful lockdown, this community has faced increased harassment and violence. In response, Healing Together Nepal recently partnered with a local advocacy group to facilitate the first ever LGBTQI specific trauma and resiliency training. 

The Training

Over the course of 2 days, Country Director Suresh Chhetry facilitated learning about how trauma affects mental and physical health. Participants practiced deep listening, mindful awareness, and trust-building. There was laughter, tears, and a shared sense of belonging. According to Suresh, "Every minute was a special moment".

The Impact

Participants left this training with skills and knowledge to transform their trauma into power. These participants will bring this healing to their relationships at home, school, and work. In addition, participants made plans to engage less connected members of the LGBTQI community in order to share what they learned. The effects of this training will ripple out through personal networks and support continued healing from collective trauma. 

Thank you!

Thank you again for supporting this urgent and necessary work! We could not do it without your donations.

Links:

• Healing Together US Homepage
• Healing Together Nepal Homepage

While the number of COVID-19 cases has flattened in Nepal, the social impact of the lockdown has been devasting. Up to 90% of Nepali's have been out of work - leading to an increase in alcohol abuse among men and women, increased household violence, and a significant increase in child marriages.

The good news: more and more local citizens are realizing the critical need for mental health support. We are inspired by conversations happening in social media, and even at the local and national government level, about how to support a country that is suffering in ways that are both visible and invisible. 

Online Training: Making training affordable and accessible

To meet the demand for resources, our local team will launch our online mental health training in Nepal in just a matter of a weeks! The first of its kind in the country, our training will offer individuals and community organizations with a self-paced trauma recovery certification - equipping them with knowledge about the impact of trauma and violence, tools to heal themselves, and skills to support survivors in their families and communities. The entire training is offered in the Nepali language, with localized cultural content, and is free of charge.  

In-Person Trainings: Training hundreds to heal thousands

Thanks to the passion of our country manager and Healing Advocate, Suresh Chhetry, we'll be offering 10 in-person trauma healing workshops to over 300 teachers from 80 schools in rural Nepal, reaching tens of thousands of students. 5 of these workshops are scheduled to take place (adhering to social distancing protocols) before the end of the Nepali calendar year in mid-July. 

Name Change & Local Registration

Finally, we're excited to share that we've changed our name from Gratitude Alliance to Healing Together - to more clearly reflect our mission to democratize community-based mental health and resilience resources. Our local chapter in Nepal is now called Healing Together Nepal and, thanks to your support, is now registered in the country with a local Nepali Board of Directors to oversee its activities. 

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We thank you for your ongoing support as we innovate and learn about the most effective ways to reach communities in need during the ongoing pandemic, and beyond. Your investment in community mental health is changing lives - and helping us build a blueprint for scaling mental health support that we've replicated in East Africa and the USA, as well.

Namaste!