Psychosocial & PTSD support for our Volunteers (14 August 2020)
With the help of the call center, we were able to gather a list of USJ students who were affected by the explosion. An appointment was taken from each of the students in order to visit their house and assess their needs. Volunteers ; comprised of psychology students, members of the Mental Health club and pharmacy students, attended a training session with renowned psychologist Sara Zwein.
The session’s goal was to equip students with the proper tools needed for psychosocial support ; how to listen to the students’ struggles, without delving into the psychotherapy realm. The training also included tips on how to behave, what to say and what to avoid saying when dealing with people who have experienced a traumatic situation.
Each team was composed of both psychology and pharmacy students. The objective of the visit was two-fold : first and foremost, to offer active listening, but also to assess the students’ needs either explicitly or from observation. Needs included medicine, food boxes, financial help or referrals (psychotherapy, legal assistance and pharmaceutical intervention).
The Chaplaincy at USJ organized PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) sessions for volunteers who were working closely with victims of the Beirut explosion, such as:
– Call center team
– Damage assessment team
– Cleaning team
Two group sessions were organized, each containing 10 volunteers :
– Session 1 : 9h30 AM to 11h AM
– Session 2 : 11h30 AM to 1 PM
Both sessions were hosted by Fr. Zaki Sader s.j.