Trauma Support

“I have learned coping mechanisms to help me feel relaxed and calm.” Geoffrey, Pawel

Even though the war ended many years ago in Uganda, many GRG-sponsored groups still prioritize trauma as one of the greatest challenges they face. This requires a range of different support systems. GRG works with groups to design appropriate response methodologies, including group therapy, one-on-one counselling, and trauma education workshops. In 2014, GRG expanded our counselling and trauma care activities to include group therapy, individual trauma counselling and more specialized workshops and in-depth needs assessments. So far we have reached over 1000 people with trauma coping methods and other interventions.

Trauma coping and healing
Designed with assistance from international experts in Psychology and Psycho-therapy, GRG has been doing group workshops to educate the groups on the physical effects of trauma and how members can support one another. From our findings many of the groups who struggle the most to achieve their goals are also the groups with the highest number of trauma cases.

Group therapy
Launched as a pilot project in 2014-2015 with 7 groups, group therapy is helping them to confront their internal challenges and to address problems in the wider community. The counseling topics selected by the different groups include HIV, alcohol & drug abuse, domestic violence, rape / sexual and gender-based violence, personal hygiene and women’s leisure time. GRG plans to expand this pilot project to more groups in the future.

Training peer counsellors
In 2015 GRG will train over 50 peer counsellors in the rural villages where we work. These peer counsellors will be equipped with tools to help groups support their members who suffer with mental illness and trauma. These peer counselors will be supported to connect with available government and civil society resources and mental health service providers to identify and treat people affected by trauma and other enduring effects of the war.