29/10/24: Twenty three professionals working with Ukrainian Refugees and International Protection Applicants came together to participate in a one-day self-care and trauma-healing workshop hosted as part of the Glencree Welcomes Refugees project. The workshop, which was facilitated by Capacitar International founder Dr. Patricia Cane, focused on practical wellness, healing and team-building practices and self-care tools that help support trauma-healing for refugees and those working with them who may experience vicarious trauma.

Among the attendees who participated in the workshop were those who work and volunteer with Cáirde, Barnardos, Dublin South City Partnership, Southside Partnership, Cross-Cultural Conversations, Places of Sanctuary Ireland, Helping Irish Hosts, Peter McVerry Trust, Kildare Volunteer Centre, Newhall Refugee Centre, Newtown Together and other groups.

The workshop explored the affects of trauma on the body, mind and emotions and participants learned Capacitar practices that help alleviate the effects of trauma, traumatic stress, and secondary trauma in refugees and those who walk with them.

During the session, participants were introduced to the Capacitar 'Refugee Accompaniment Manual' which provides a toolkit of healing methods that can be used by professionals and grassroots individuals and groups to stabilise and balance emotions, flashbacks and other reactions resulting from traumatic stress in a variety of settings. This dedicated trauma-healing and self-care manual was produced by Capacitar in 2016 to support those forced to flee their home countries due to conflict, war and human rights violations, and grassroots people involved in refugee and international protection outreach in their communities.

Feedback and comments shared by participants following the workshop included how safe, protected, calm and grounded they felt during and as a result of the practices learned during the session.

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