Stitching the Unspeakable
Survivors of sexual and gender-based violence– even if they are trapped in war zones or displaced as refugees– deserve a full opportunity to heal from the deep psychological wounds they have suffered. But rarely are long-term psychological services available where rape is a pervasive weapon of war.
Inspired by ancient cultural practices, and validated by current neuro-scientific understandings of trauma, Common Threads Project has developed a unique and effective group recovery program.
Inspired by ancient cultural practices, and validated by current neuro-scientific understandings of trauma, Common Threads Project has developed a unique and effective group recovery program.
In a safe and supportive environment, women create story cloths to depict experiences that may be hard to express in words. This becomes an entry point for a multi-dimensional therapeutic process. We build local capacity through training and mentoring, build successful interventions and conduct rigorous research. The CTP approach empowers women as they make their journey
From victims to survivors to agents of change
Ecuador
The pilot project of Common Threads was launched in 2012 in Lago Agrio, Ecuador. Continue reading “Ecuador”
Nepal
To serve women who fled to Nepal as refugees from Pakistan, Iraq and Bhutan, we launched Common Threads Nepal in 2014. Continue reading “Nepal”
Bosnia and Herzegovina
In 2016, Common Threads Project women’s circles were established in urban and rural settings in and around Zenica, Tuzla, and Bihać, with over 65 women participating. Continue reading “Bosnia and Herzegovina”
Democratic Republic of Congo
In collaboration with Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation and Panzi hospital, we have launched a project in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
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A 501(c)(3) non-profit
Empowering women as they make their journey from victims to survivors to agents of change
Capacity Building
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CTP develops partnerships with local organizations so that we can collaborate together to adapt the CTP model to meet community needs.
Our 80 hour experiential training course prepares local practitioners to conduct the program. After completion of the course, the facilitators lead women’s circles in teams. Common Threads Project continues to mentor, supervise and support the staff as they lead the women’s healing circles.
Intervention
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Phase I consists of 14 weeks of workshops. During this time, the women’s healing circle creates emotional safety, teaches skills for stabilization and techniques for managing symptoms, provides psycho-education about trauma, and engages in art therapy activities. As part of phase I, women design and sew story cloths and begin to speak to each other about the experiences they depict.
Phase II sees a deepening of the clinical work during the next six months of sessions. The participants discuss common themes that have surfaced in their story cloths such as loss, grief, self-blame, survivor guilt, self-esteem, etc. They continue to consolidate the gains that began in Phase I. They practice leadership skills so that increasingly they can take on responsibility for facilitating the circle.
By Phase III, the participants create their own self-directed independent support group. They set goals and activities of their own choosing, and may decide to pursue income generating work, advocacy, in addition to sustaining their support network.
Research
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Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, Common Threads Project tracks well-being, mental health symptoms, coping capacities, community cohesion, and changes in attitudes about gender roles and violence against women among both participants and a control group before the intervention, and after each phase of the program. In addition, independent evaluators conduct in-depth interviews of participants in order to understand their experience of the program.
The findings demonstrate that CTP is an effective approach to support women in their healing process following experiences of sexual and gender based violence in the context of mass conflict and displacement.
