I am a United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapy (UKCP) accredited psychotherapist, specializing in trauma, forced migration, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and, torture. I also have a particular interest in working with the effects of vicarious trauma, moral injury, and, burnout associated with front-line aid workers, journalists, and researchers working in these sectors.
Before training in psychotherapy, I gained a degree in Development Studies and Social Anthropology and then a Masters in Human Rights Law. And, for more than 15 years now, I have been working and living in the Middle East, the Balkans, and Europe.
Having initially focused my attention on the fields of international development and human rights, during my time in Syria, in 2008, I began to recognize the troubling pattern of mental ill-health, not only affecting our refugee beneficiaries but also the local and international staff who were working with them. With this concern in mind, I decided that I could best impact the work of the humanitarian aid, human rights, conflict resolution, and international development sectors by focusing on the mental health of its workers, researchers, correspondents as well as the direct beneficiaries/victims.
I do this through:
- Consulting with organisations on their Mental Health specific ‘duty of care’ policies.
- Supporting International organisations, NGO’s and academic institutions through training workshops and supervision for teams, managers, and, senior staff on the effects of and ways to mitigate burnout, vicarious trauma and moral injury.
- Consulting with organisations as a specialist in refugee trauma, MHPSS & GBV with international experience in the field since 2008.
- Providing online psychotherapy sessions to journalists, aid workers and others affected by mental health issues.
- Working pro bono with a local organisation providing trauma therapy to asylum seekers and refugees.
- As an associate with FD Consultants (https://www.fdconsultants.net/), offering Psychosocial Support and Trauma Specialist Services in the humanitarian aid sector.
- International IDEA’s Staff Psychosocial Wellbeing Counsellor/Trainer providing remote support and training to International IDEA Staff, globally (https://www.idea.int/).
Education:
MSc in Gestalt Psychotherapy (UKCP & EAP accredited) Metanoia Institute (Middlesex University) – London, UK
Foundation Course in Intercultural Psychotherapeutic Approaches to Working with Refugees – Refugee Therapy Center – London, UK
MA Human Rights Law – School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) – London, UK
BA Social Anthropology and Development Studies – Sussex University, UK
Additional Training:
Resilience Building Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT)’ Course – Occupational Health psychologist Dr. Tehrani for RoadPeace UK – London UK
‘Secondary/Vicarious Trauma’ Training – Medical Foundation for the Care of Torture Victims – London, UK
‘Psychological First Aid’ Training- RAPID model (Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition) (online) – Center for Public Health Preparedness, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA
‘Large Group Identity and Societal Conflict: Bringing a Psychological Understanding to Conflict Resolution’ Training Workshop – International Dialogue Initiative – Vienna, Austria
AriannaRondos 