10-Year Follow-up for Trauma Outreach and Prevention Project
The Association for Trauma Outreach and Prevention?s (ATOP) Mental Health Outreach Project (MHOP) is embarking on a humanitarian mission to Armenia from 23 October to 04 November 2007.
The first team to be deployed comprises Dr. Ani Kalayjian, the President of ATOP, and Danielle Reid, the Vice President of Public Relations. The team will provide postwar humanitarian outreach and recovery training for psychologists and orphanage personnel, as well as mass-trauma training and generational healing and prevention of genocide.
This undertaking is a follow-up to the Human Rights and Mental Health mission conducted in 1997 in which Dr. Kalayjian focused on evaluating the post-Soviet health reform in the Republic of Armenia. The purpose of 1997 mission was to add to the discussion taking place in the Republic of Armenia about post-Soviet reform, mental health?system reform, and human rights reforms for people with mental disabilities, as well as to give recommendations for interventions and proven therapeutic remedies in other previously Soviet republics. Those therapeutic modalities shared were: music therapy, individual therapy, family therapy, group therapy, play therapy, meditation, yoga, and pharmacotherapy.
In this mission the MHOP team will conduct a follow-up assessment regarding the mental health reform and its impact. There will be a two-day training session for mental-health practitioners, psychologists, and psychiatrists on 26 and 27 October 2007, which has been organized and sponsored by the able leader of the Mental Health Foundation of Armenia, Dr. Arman Vardanyan.
On 30 October 2007, Dr. Kalayjian has an invitation to lecture at the Genocide Museum on the generational impact of genocide, and the subject is empowering through the mind-body-spirit approach. Dr. Kalayjian had met Hayk Demoyan, the Director of the Genocide Museum at the International Association of Genocide Scholars Conference, and discussed with him collaborative research ideas.
The MHOP team will also work in several orphanages where they will train staff in therapeutic modalities conducive to working with young children in distress, placing special emphasis on empathy.
ATOP is a not-for-profit charitable organization that works around the globe to bring healing to traumatized people. More than 15 countries have benefited from ATOP?s MHOP programs and outreaches. Your donation will assist ATOP in delivering their expertise to the Republic of Armenia, and building peace in the Caucasus.
Our motto is, ?When one helps another, BOTH are made stronger.?
Press Release: 16 October 2007
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Photos:
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Mental Health Outreach Project (MHOP) team meets with the Director of the Genocide Museum Hayk Demoyan. | Danielle Reid doing play therapy with the children in the Children's Center. |
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MHOP after completion of the 2-day training with mental health professionals, the banner in the background states Mental Health Foundation Center. | At the Genocide Museum Dr. Ani Kalayjian is interviewed by local media. |
