Photo: Kai Tan pictured with Juan, her co-intern at the CVT, enjoying Lake Harriet in Minneapolis after providing supportive childcare for parents to attend a group therapy session.
Being an intern at the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT), I spent time in both the New Tactics in Human Rights program and the Saint Paul Healing Center (SPHC). This experience helped me understand the application of human rights in the healing of survivors of torture.
The SPHC is CVT’s mental health clinic. It provides intensive support for individuals impacted by torture. I realized early on that connection and comfortable relationships with the staff were central to the Healing Center’s work.
The Role of Intermediaries in Creating Community-Centered Spaces for Healing
Therapists, community health providers, and social workers are “intermediaries” in human rights and healing work. They are advocates who translate global ideas into local situations. They have the power to redefine context-specific ideas such as mental illness, healing, wellness, and justice. The way clients understand these concepts can redefine how they view their own recovery. It is especially important to understand survivors of torture and war trauma as whole people.
Unfortunately, governments often expect asylees and refugees to fit their experiences into legal frameworks, which can overlook the depth of their trauma. Standard diagnostic tools, like the DSM-5, also do not capture the political and social roots of trauma. A clinical diagnosis can pathologize someone’s experience. Clinical labels are also difficult to translate for people who are not familiar with the field of psychology or psychiatry. A rigid diagnosis might also dictate the way someone thinks they should heal. This highlights the critical importance of culturally and contextually informed care for survivors.
I learned that help means recognizing someone’s past experiences, their identity, and their social context. A broader, more flexible approach to mental health recognizes that war crimes, displacement, and political violence shape not only a person’s psychological state but also their sense of justice and belonging. Mental health professionals play a critical role in helping survivors make sense of their experiences. They can provide guidance for survivors in developing their own coping strategies. This includes mental health concerns like depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It also includes coping with and living in their new surroundings and context. A community-centered space for healing is tailored to the individual’s life and circumstances. It is a space that validates survivors’ experiences through supportive listening.
Translating Anti-Oppressive, Trauma-Informed Care
In Transnational Human Rights and Mapping the Middle, Sally Engle Merry discusses intermediaries working to raise awareness about domestic violence globally. In one case, she describes how India rejected labels outlined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). When India introduced a bill on domestic violence in 2001, the government did not use CEDAW standards.
Instead, advocates focused on the reconciliation process for women in dowry conflicts. Nari adalats, or women’s courts and a parent program, Mahila Samakhya, worked to build women’s collectives in villages. These sanghas, or women’s collectives, empowered the poor, and addressed domestic violence against women. They prioritized women’s equality through nonformal initiatives that focused on health, literacy, savings, political engagement, and community development. Furthermore, the sahyoginis, or women activists, work with each other to make decisions for their local communities.
Community Centered Trauma-Informed Care in Practice
When applied to the field of mental health, a therapist at the Healing House explained to me what anti-oppressive care looks like at CVT. Working within an anti-oppressive way involves the use of egalitarian language. It also involves using language that does not stigmatize but resonates. Another discussed how she replaces the term “PTSD” with a Dari term for anxiety, or liver blood, when working with the Afghan women in groups.
I learned that care can mean telling someone, “this makes sense,” rather than trying to fix somebody. It can look like providing tools for somebody to process their trauma. The Center has been encouraging collective sharing and group reflection. Community programs connect people through familiar and fun sports like soccer. I participated in a weekly informal group for people to talk. This included yoga every month and served as a space for people to talk with each other. We shared together about our experiences with Minnesota weather, different national dishes, and family role experiences.
I’ve learned a lot about flexibility and adaptation in doing human rights and healing work. I also learned about the challenges refugees face in adjusting to life in the US. I learned about my own ability to empathize, validate, and destigmatize conversations about processing trauma. Most importantly, this experience made me realize how community and listening are central to human rights and this healing work.
Resources
New Tactics Resource:
Other Sources Explored for this Perspective:
