The vast majority of published knowledge in mental health comes from the Global North, and the conceptualizations of traumatic stress are generally limited to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (C-PTSD). Therefore, there is an urgent need to examine trauma through the lens of the Global South, where traumatic events are often ongoing, making existing conceptualizations insufficient.
The aim of this workshop is to gain a critical perspective on Western concepts of trauma and explore alternative frameworks for understanding and responding to situations involving continuous threat and violence. The concept of continuous traumatic stress (CTS) will be introduced, and contextually appropriate objectives for psychosocial support interventions will be suggested. This workshop invites mental health professionals to broaden their knowledge, gain more nuanced and complex perspectives on trauma, and advocate for psychosocial support interventions that are relevant to our context.
Learning Objective Participants Can Expect From This Event
- Explore the history and implications of PTSD, and introduce the concept of continuous traumatic stress (CTS), highlighting the differences between PTSD, C-PTSD, and CTS in contexts of ongoing trauma.
- Discuss the distinction between resilience and steadfastness to plan culturally and contextually appropriate psychosocial interventions, and set relevant objectives for practice.
- Examine therapeutic approaches, self-care strategies for mental health professionals working in CTS contexts, and encourage open discussions and future collaborations to develop more relevant clinical interventions.
Who is This Workshop Appropriate For?
- Psychotherapists, clinical psychologists, social works and other mental health professionals who have experience in working with trauma.
How May This Workshop Impact Your Practice?
- Participants will gain a deeper understanding of contexts where trauma is ongoing, and where the conceptualizations of PTSD and CPTSD may not be sufficient. This workshop will equip them with the tools to work effectively in these contexts, taking into account various factors and therapeutic goals.
Course Content
Organisation
Mental Health Services
Presenter
With her graduate studies in Clinical Mental Health Counseling & Art Therapy, Myra Saad is one of the very few qualified art therapists in Lebanon. She has founded “Artichoke Studio – Art Therapy Center in Lebanon” to establish the field in the region and to provide mental health services based on high professional and ethical standards. Given the local setting, one of her areas of expertise has become working with individuals and groups suffering from various types of psychological trauma, especially due to war and ongoing violent conflicts. In the past 15 years, Myra has been often collaborating with local and international organizations such as Sesame Street, War Toys, ICRC, the Lebanese Red Cross, to name a few. These collaborations have allowed her to work with different populations and in contexts in which “post trauma” is not necessarily relevant, such as: families of the missing from the civil war in Lebanon dealing with ambiguous loss; emergency medical first responders who are constantly exposed to traumatic incidents; individuals and groups affected by the recent and ongoing conflicts in Lebanon and Palestine; among others. Myra has co-authored a chapter about working in contexts of continuous traumatic stress in the book entitled “Making Its Mark: Art Therapy in the Arabian Peninsula”. She was a member of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA) and has co-organized and presented at conferences in Lebanon, the US, the UK, Hong Kong, Colombia, and others. She’s currently a member of the Lebanese Order of Psychologists.
