We also serve non-refugees and others who are looking to find calm havens in the midst of sadness and a disorganized future for themselves.  So, how do we treat those from such diverse lives? We apply trust in the system, compassion, empathy, and concern. 

We have learned a lot over the past years and know that behavioral health is not just a "Mind thing". Trauma includes the body--even down to the cellular level. In the March/April 2022 Psychotherapy Worker Kate Chard illustrates, "The body’s reactions to trauma are very real, because, as we know from numerous studies, PTSD affects the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. In fact, we often refer to it as an amygdala hijacking when someone goes into fight, flight, freeze with no threat present. Trauma survivors often talk about having cold hands and feet, because blood flow to our hands and feet decrease during fight, flight, freeze. There are also the bodily reactions of increased heart rate, muscle tension, hyperventilation, and so on" (pg 34, Psychotherapy Worker, 2022). 

That is also why many of our clients have other somatic complaints. We encourage our clients to be active and involved in self-care. It does not take the place of therapy but compliments it. The World Health Organization defines self-care as: “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider."

"People are feeling lonelier and less able to unwind and slow down, which makes them feel more anxious and overwhelmed by even the simplest tasks,” (Patel, 2019).

Think of being a stranger in an equally strange land. You don't speak the language, you have none of the things which brought you comfort before, and you may have lived in a refugee camp for years. There is nothing familiar that you see for miles and miles or in the eyes of everyone you meet.

We are here to help make the unfamiliar, familiar. To help you navigate through the overwhelming seas of the unknown. Come and see us. We understand and we want to help.