Peer Support and Trauma Recovery

Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction Volume 15 Issue 1 The Journal of ERW and Mine Action Article 6 April 2011 Peer Support and Trauma Recovery Cameron Macauley Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at JMU (CISR) Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal Part of the Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, and the Peace and Conflict Studies Commons Recommended Citation Macauley, Cameron (2011) "Peer Support and Trauma Recovery," The Journal of ERW and Mine Action : Vol. 15 : Iss. 1 , Article 6. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol15/iss1/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at JMU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction by an authorized editor of JMU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Macauley: Peer Support and Trauma Recovery Peer Support and Trauma Recovery Peer support is becoming an important strategy to help survivors of war-related violence recover from psychological trauma. After a short training in counseling techniques, peer-support workers seek out trauma survivors in the community and help them reintegrate into society, find work, engage in sports and come to terms with their traumatic memories. Peer-support programs incur costs related to transportation and communication, but support groups may recover some costs through income- generating projects. by Cameron Macauley, MPH [ Center for International Stabilization and Recovery ] or most people who survive injuries from land- A Brief History mines or other explosive remnants of war, friends Peer-support programs for military veterans date and family can significantly aid in the recovery back to just after World War I, according toThe New York Fprocess. Survivors rarely recover in isolation; support Times: “A corps of ‘cheer-up’ men, themselves cripples of from concerned people in the survivor’s life is often the various kinds, has been organized at the base hospitals single most crucial element in the period of healing. in France and … in the United States. Through their ef- Survivors call upon their own inner resources to tol- forts, example and precepts, the injured man is stimu- erate physical pain, mental anguish, flashbacks, night- lated to use his brains on his own behalf.”4 Following mares, fear, difficulty with daily activities, loss of World War II, amputee veterans were often employed employment or school interruption, as well as stigma, in prosthetics centers to teach ambulatory skills, daily- discrimination and the humiliation of depending on living activities and residual limb care.5 Still in use and others for assistance. Yet emotional support, compan- similar to the current peer-support model, Alcoholics ionship, sensitivity and affection are natural human Anonymous, a group for recovering alcoholics, devel- responses and, in this painful time, often make the dif- oped the “sponsor method” in the late 1930s.6 In the late In 1996, when Kemal Karic˘ (right) was four years old, an artillery shell severed his right leg below the knee. His mother was killed in the ference between suicidal depression and the desire to 1990s, the Amputee Coalition of America began train- same blast. He received peer support from LSN Outreach Worker Nusret Pleho (left). All photos courtesy of Reverend Paul Jeffrey. move forward and recreate a “normal” life.2 ing Peer Visitors to talk with new amputees while they Some organizations providing victim assistance for recovered from surgery in the hospital.7 In 1997, Jerry Landmine Survivors Network es- Because peer-support workers home, a skilled peer-support worker survivors recognize the power of psychosocial sup- White and Ken Rutherford established Landmine Sur- tablished peer-support programs in are survivors, some of their train- can encourage a survivor to return port and incorporate it into their programs. In partic- vivors Network (later renamed Survivor Corps) to take 12 countries before closing in 2010. ing includes how to deal with their to the social network, which im- ular, many victim-assistance programs recognize the this approach to mine-affected countries worldwide Peer support is offered to survi- own feelings of fear, anger and grief, proves self-esteem, increases prob- strength and power of bonds between peers—people with the intent of creating a global network of landmine vors as either one-to-one individu- which is important in coping with lem-solving capabilities and reduces similar in age, gender and social background, and espe- survivors to provide victim-assistance services.8 al counseling or in group sessions emotions that other survivors’ sto- the incidence of suicide. cially those who share a history of trauma survival. Peer where all members are survivors. ries may trigger. Once survivors are comfortable support has become a standard way to help survivors re- The Implementation of Peer Support Peer-support workers receive some Peer-support workers are some- in a social setting, they usually ben- adjust during their recovery. A variety of nongovernmental organizations use training on how to: times referred to as “outreach work- efit from a survivor-support group. Peer support is particularly attractive in post-con- peer support in programs for survivors of war-related • Provide effective counseling ers” because they seek out survivors Support groups meet for a variety flict settings because it encourages survivors to help one violence, including but not limited to those injured by • Deal with suicidal behavior and in the community who may not have of reasons, not always overtly relat- another, occurs in natural community settings, can be landmines or ERW. Peer-support programs exist for am- substance abuse received treatment or attention for ed to trauma recovery but frequent- adapted to specific ethnic and cultural circumstances, putees, military-combat and torture survivors, refugees, • Help survivors obtain profes- their psychological trauma. Trau- ly for more practical activities such avoids the stigma associated with psychiatric care, em- and survivors of kidnapping and sexual violence relat- sional services, such as dealing ma survivors may isolate themselves as income generation, entertain- phasizes outreach and people’s strengths, and is likely ed to war. Programs for landmine survivors use peer with health problems, starting a and avoid social contact, remain- ment or sports. In the midst of these to be culturally sensitive since it is delivered by commu- support as a principal tool in Afghanistan,9 Bosnia and business/finding work or apply- ing bitter and depressed for years. events, peer support takes place and nity members.3 Herzegovina,10 Cambodia,11 Rwanda12 and Vietnam.13 ing for financial assistance By visiting a survivor in his or her survivors benefit from contributing Published by JMU Scholarly Commons, 2011 1 14 feature | the journal of ERW and mine action | spring 2011 | 15.1 15.1 | spring 2011 | the journal of ERW and mine action | feature 15 Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction, Vol. 15, Iss. 1 [2011], Art. 6 3. Social learning theory postulates that peers, because Peer support encourages survivors they have undergone and survived relevant expe- to provide that supportive net- riences, are more credible role models for others. work for the trauma-stricken, and When survivors interact with peers who cope suc- it can often help survivors recover cessfully with stress, difficulties or illness, they are quickly without seeking help out- more likely to exhibit positive behavior changes.17 side the community. Peer-support 4. Social comparison theory suggests people are con- programs for trauma survivors can stantly comparing themselves to those around supplement thinly-stretched men- them. They are more comfortable with others who tal-health services in post-conflict share common characteristics with them, which settings and promote vital social re- helps them establish a sense of normalcy. Interact- construction following a war. ing with others who are perceived to be better than see endnotes page 81 them gives them a sense of optimism and some- thing to strive toward.18 Helping others, who they consider to be struggling or in need, enhances people’s own sense of self-worth. 5. The helper-therapy principle proposes four main Ardie Sabahudiv (left) and Popovic˘ Dragan (right) are landmine survivors who fought on benefits for those who provide peer support.19,20 As a opposite sides during the Bosnian civil war. They both work as professional sculptors Kadira Nukic˘ (left) lost her leg above the knee during the 1995 and received peer support through the Association of Disabled Persons in Banja Luka, siege of Srebrenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Her husband and result of making an impact on another person's life, Bosnia and Herzegovina. two children were killed in the fighting. She received peer support from LSN Outreach Worker Aladin Mujac˘ic˘ (right) in 2006 the “helper” has an increased sense of interpersonal and went on to establish a support group for female amputees in competence, experiences the reward of positive ex- Bosnia and Herzegovina. changes, learns useful skills and receives social ap- group meetings, except in very small hearing survivors’ trauma stories.25 to a group effort. Support groups expose survivors to proval from the person they help and others.17 communities.

Load more