How do we help children and families in the midst of collective trauma in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Purpose

This article is a conceptual paper, based on psychoanalytic understanding of a society at war, and the author attempts to deliver psychoanalytically inspired training for psychosocial workers in Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper starts with a description of the kind of changes that have taken place in Sri Lanka and how these can be understood as a form of collective trauma. The training delivered by the author as part of the UK‐Sri Lanka Trauma group, are described in detail. The training described in this paper can be seen as consisting of a theoretical part, a supervision part, and of an experiential part. The training is illustrated using a lot of case material, which the participants in Sri Lanka have brought.

Findings

The author notes the fact that participants from any community in Sri Lanka would themselves have been traumatised and this has been acknowledged and worked with during the training described in the paper.

Originality/value

Cultural aspects and dilemmas are discussed, such as what kind of challenge does an “outsider” face in delivering mental health training in a different culture to their own.

Citation

Calvert, H. (2011), "How do we help children and families in the midst of collective trauma in Sri Lanka", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 139-147. https://doi.org/10.1108/17479891111196177