Help Make A Difference In Healing the Scars of War and Disaster

Support Capacity for Healing and Peace In The World
By Supporting This Effort!

An ongoing part of the
Catastrophic Trauma Recovery Program (CTR)
and the
15th Annual International Conference on Conflict Resolution (ICR)

sponsored by
Common Bond Institute (CBI)
and HARMONY Institute

in cooperation with
The EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Program (EMDR-HAP)  and
International Humanistic Psychology Association (IHPA)

Bringing Relief Workers and Peace Makers together from regions of conflict
for intensive training in trauma recovery skills
to assist civilian victims of war, violence, and disaster.

What This Effort Seeks To Do

1. Provide intensive training in highly effective trauma treatment and conflict resolution skills to front-line counselors directly assisting victims of war and violence, as well as natural catastrophe, in their societies. The training is open to counselors from all over the world who can then return to their communities to immediately apply and share these skills.
   
   
2. Create local teams of qualified trainers to continually expand training in their regions. The goal is to instill local communities with increased capacity to heal themselves and radically reduce the potential for future violence and war, as well as the potential for creating more trauma and victims.
   
   TODAY there are literally hundreds of thousands of trauma victims throughout the world due to recent violence; by many accounts millions from both these incidences and past violence to civilians. Most receive little or no treatment for this deep wounding, and live injured, impaired lives. As another tragic consequence, the incidence of violence within and between victim groups increases, producing only more victims.
   
   TODAY over 150 counselors have already stepped forward asking to be part of this particular training, and the number is rising. All are engaged daily in directly attending to the vast needs of masses of victims of war, violence, and disaster in their societies. These individuals have the potential of providing treatment to thousands, and increasing the number of healers in their local communities for expanded services.
   
   Training is being offered to trainees free of any charge, with only their transportation and accommodations needing to be covered. We are now working to bring as many of these key counselors as possible to receive this vital skills training.

BE PART OF A SOLUTION:
We hope you will join in supporting this crucial humanitarian effort
by making a TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION to help accomplish this.

Need

A sad fact is that psychological and emotional injuries at all levels of society are the most enduring consequences of war and violence, as well as natural catastrophe. Yet historically, these traumas have been the least addressed and gone untreated for entire civilian populations, becoming part of a society's suffering that is inherited by its future generations.

Whether in the Middle East, Caucuses, Balkans, South Asia, Central Africa, or the many unfortunate regions of the world where violence particularly to civilians creates more victims and more damage to the psyche of entire societies, unresolved communal psychological wounds are one of the most -- if not the most -- powerful fuels of future war and violent conflicts. When two societies who are in conflict each carry the deeply rooted identity of "victim," there is the greatest danger of blind, brutal treatment toward a dehumanized and demonized "Other." Today it is easy to see the heritage of this embedded suffering and the machinery of fear, hate, and rage continually producing more victims.

During a time of a crisis of leadership at the governmental level, it has fallen to non-government organizations around the world like ourselves to deal with this overwhelming and growing need. It has also fallen to us to find the means to provide for this assistance. We accomplish this by asking for support from anyone who resonates with this cause. In this period when nonprofit services everywhere are struggling for funds to continue their crucial humanitarian work, this is an especially urgent moment for us.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE!

Examples of Regions Seeking Assistance

The number of requests for this training has more than tripled and continues to increase, and so we are redoubling our efforts to solicit donations. Countries where counselors are waiting to come to this training currently include: Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Kosovo, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Kashmir, India, Chechnya, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Angola, Rwanda, S. Africa, Burma, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Nearly all are impoverished countries, where human services are seriously underdeveloped or absent, and where the existing social support systems are seriously damaged or destroyed due to the same destructive forces that have caused the trauma. The challenges are overwhelming, yet they are surmountable if we work wisely and in collaboration.

Description

This is a joint effort between several training organizations to offer both a training of direct service providers and a "training of trainers," intended to provide treatment and a means for increasing the number of skilled workers in these local communities. The goal is to create an extensive, expanding, and permanent pool of local health professionals equipped with effective skills. An added benefit is the invaluable investment in the future health services of these same regions.

The trainings are conducted by teams of expert clinicians. Follow up supervision and consultation is offered to all trainees from the cooperating organizations.
Trainees will also participate in an intensive program of presentations on trauma assessment, treatment, and implications, as well as practical conflict resolution skills, through taking part in the 15th Annual International Conference on Conflict Resolution (ICR) immediately prior to the training. The intent is to repeat this training each year in conjunction with the Annual ICR Conference. Future ICR Conferences build follow-up supervision and consultation sessions into the conference schedule.

An ongoing interactive global network is being developed to keep trainees connected with trainers, each other, and organizations doing trauma recovery work, as well as provide web based communications, a reference library of training materials, and a database for assisting in coordinating delivery of services.

WE ARE WORKING TO HELP CREATE A MOMENTUM toward recovery and toward peace; a momentum that grows through assisting local communities build their own capacity, within themselves, to heal each other and to prevent more misery.

We have a window of time to arrange for all the logistics of bringing these key individuals to the training and conference, if we can act soon. If this resonates with you, your colleagues, and friends we would greatly appreciate your support. You can take a concrete step to bring relief to literally thousands of victims suffering from trauma by supporting this one training, and in doing so weigh in on the side of peace and hope to heal the victims of war, and to prevent future wars and future victims.

How YOU Can Help

Contributions may be made out to the "Common Bond Institute," with a note on the check ear marking it for "CTR Trauma Training," and sent to:

Common Bond Institute
12170 S. Pine Ayr drive, Climax, MI 49034 USA
Email: SOlweean@aol.com 

DONOR CATEGORIES:
       10 -       500   Supporter
     500 -   1,000   Advocate
  1,000 -   2,000   Benefactor
  2,000 -   5,000   Underwriter
  5,000 - 15,000   Patron
15,000 +               Major Patron

Donations Of Any Size Make This Effort Possible and can be made by check, money order, cashiers check, or credit card. Contributions can also be wired directly (contact CBI for instructions).

Support is also possible through placing  Advertisements in the On-Site Program.

For More Information

Information is also available by e-mail or fax upon request. If you wish more specific information on this appeal, clarification, or to speak with someone directly please contact Common Bond Institute directly, using the contact information below. Please visit our web site for more information on our organizations and an international list of endorsing organizations.

Endorsements

 The ICR Conference is endorsed by a growing list of over 80 organizations and universities internationally and has received support in the past from the presidents of the US and Russia (see our Supporters ).  It is sponsored by Common Bond Institute (US) and HARMONY Institute (Russia), in cooperation with the International Humanistic Psychology Association. 

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