Merve Kan’s Post

I do not subscribe to this notion that we are taught as mental health professionals that we can't have political views, as if we are not also human beings navigating a political landscape that often harms us. We didn't sign away our rights when we became professionals, most of us who are undercompensated for doing the emotional labor of helping people navigate a world of unrelenting violence and oppression. Never forget the origins of the systems and institutions that you are in (American imperialism, settler colonialism) Never forget the way that mental health professionals were and continue to be used to perpetuate harm and to be an extension of the carceral state. We, as licensed therapists, are mandated to contact the police if someone has a mental health emergency and we have seen and heard many of those interactions go so far south, some leading to the murder of the person in distress. Never forget the diagnoses that used to exist in the DSM. Never forget how the DSM and mental health institutions have been leveraged to stigmatize people fighting for liberation. Never forget how the medical establishment treats marginalized populations. The rabbit hole is deep if you choose to notice it. It's not the easiest choice but it's the only choice for a mentally well world. #collectiveliberation #decolonizetherapy #therapistsofcolor #communitymentalhealth

Nice to be cited in this interesting new paper in the International Journal of Psychoanalysis: Traumatic experience and loss: A brief therapy with a traumatized refugee boy and his parents in... -https://zurl.co/1VDu

Thanks to Cambridge Public Health, Becky Wolfe, and Jonathan R. Goodman for spotlighting my research at University of Cambridge! Some excerpts from the second stage of my research: "The second stage of our research focuses on Arabic-speaking Syrian refugee women in Lebanon. Through focused group discussions, we will explore their perceptions, needs, resources and readiness for mental health interventions. We focus on women because they face additional gender-based traumas including rape, forced abortion and sexual trafficking whilst already grappling with psychological distress from displacement. In the context of Arabic-speaking Syrian women, these challenges are influenced by family responsibilities, social stigma, cultural pressures, and significant changes to family dynamics, gender roles, identity, safety, and security. As we’ve seen from interventions in Lebanon, targeting women to improve their wellbeing translates to better wellbeing for the children and their whole family. Incorporating these qualitative methods allows for a more comprehensive perspective of women’s needs compared to relying on ‘western’ methodologies of extracting information, which may not fully capture the complexities of other cultural contexts. For instance, these methods often implicitly conceptualise mental health and illness as opposite ends of the same spectrum, such as considering mental health the absence of illness." Read the full article in the link below. #women #arab #MENA #middleast #mentalhealth #syria #lebanon #cambridge #publichealth https://lnkd.in/eCY2E-Ye

Numerous #asylumseekers and #refugees endure harrowing experiences and profound losses, often involving prolonged exposure to violence and separation from loved ones. Many flee imminent warfare with little warning, facing a multitude of hardships. Research indicates that children seeking #asylum in Europe frequently grapple with various mental health challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Upon arrival, these individuals may continue to face hurdles such as social isolation, familial and cultural estrangement, and difficulties accessing essential services. Language barriers and a lack of comprehension regarding legal procedures and migrant rights further compound their struggles. Displacement is happening all over the world and to people from all walks of life. At CIAC we are here to connect cultures and change lives. 🌐 We're proud to provide a low-cost fee services and extensive pro bono assistance to those in need. With five dedicated staff and ten volunteers from nine nationalities, CIAC is a diverse organisation making a difference in our ever changing community. 💪 #CIACImpact #ImmigrationSupport

As #political and #economic crises persist in regions like #Ukraine, #Yemen, and #Palestine and with the ongoing challenges of the #Covid19 pandemic, the mental struggles of displaced persons remain a pressing concern. That’s why I wanted to share with you my latest essay for my #HumanSecurity class. My essay focused on the critical issue of #mentalhealth in armed conflict, particularly among Syrian refugees. My essay explores the impact of trauma on the mental well-being of Syrian refugees, focusing on the urgent need for comprehensive mental health support in humanitarian responses. To do so, I conducted a #comparativestudy to analyze the accessibility of mental health resources for Syrian populations in two distinct settings: a European country, Germany, and a Middle Eastern country, Jordan. The recent news highlight the struggles of refugees worldwide. From exposure to violence, to limited access to essential resources in the host country, the insights from my research resonate deeply with what is currently happening in the world. My essay emphasizes the importance of prioritizing #mentalhealth in #humanitarian aid efforts and in #policyresponses. By addressing the long-term effects of trauma and advocating for accessible mental health care, we can work towards a safer and healthier future for all displaced populations. I would like to thank my Professor Nuno Pereira de Magalhães for giving me the opportunity to write on this very interesting subject, for his feedback throughout the process, and for awarding me the grade of 9/10 #HumanSecurity #MentalHealth

Black and People of Colour communities are not an afterthought. ☝🏽 Our concerns and what we go through daily, should not be "an additional workshop" or "a maybe if -you- have -time -seminar" <-- but instead should be, "and in this space, your voices are centred, you are heard, and you are seen" 🫶🏼 Our humanity should not have to be negotiated. We should not have to remind others why our mental health is important, and the support for that health cannot be compromised. I dream of a space. One where people look like me and white people have done the work and continue to do the work to understand Black + POC’s mental health cannot be healed through traditional Eurocentric practices of therapy… Race-based trauma is real and has so many effects on #bipoc communities - effects that last generations. It’s crucial that we’re able to identify if we’re being impacted by this #trauma so that we can begin to heal, build community, and work towards liberation. This is very relevant right now with the #genocide in #gaza #palestine #westbank , but this is not limited to Palestine. This affects so many communities of color and #indigenous communities across the world like #sudanuprising #congoisbleeding #armenianculture The same pain that made me want to run full force to suicide was also the one thing that kept me from doing so. Because suicide was a safe haven–but it was also a one-way ticket. For every part of my head that is desperate to end my pain, I try and keep going. The only permanence in life is death, and I couldn’t die. Suicidal ideation & existential crisis and I are not strangers. Our healing cannot also come from the same frameworks that gave us reason to heal. Thank you so much Dil Wickremasinghe and 103.2 Dublin City FM for having me on live radio for my 1st activism engagement of the year 10/10/2024 🎙️📝Enclosed here, is the link for playback: https://lnkd.in/eaJVGwJB ✨ ✨ ✨ #suicidepreventionawarenessmonth #intervention #structuralracism #mentalhealthawareness #collectiveliberation #communitycare #westernmedicine #westernlife #psychologytoday #mentalhealthawareness #itsokaynottobeokay #healthcareindustry #healingjourney #healthandwellbeing #blacklivesmatter #blacklinkedin #irishartist #activism

Since seeing the poster celebrating October as Mental Health Month, I haven't been able to shake thoughts of the Palestinian people, who have endured decades of occupation and Genocide. Their mental health is severely impacted by: - Trauma and loss - Displacement and refugee status - Limited access to healthcare and resources - Ongoing violence and uncertainty It's crucial to acknowledge the profound psychological toll of living in a war zone. Alarming statistics highlight the urgent need for support: - 1 in 5 Palestinians experience mental health issues - 50% of Gaza's population suffers from depression - 30% of Palestinian children are affected by PTSD We must amplify their voices and advocate for: - Humanitarian aid and access to mental health services - Protection from human rights violations - Support for community-based initiatives This Mental Health Month, let's dedicate our efforts to: - Raising awareness about the mental health impact of conflict - Advocating for Palestinian rights and dignity - Supporting organizations providing mental health services in Palestine Together, we can make a meaningful difference. #mentalhealthmatters #Palestine #humanrights #conflictresolution #mentalhealthawareness

The following was written in the context of Ukraine. We understand the scope and breadth of the ongoing assault on the children of Gaza, Palestine is ten-fold, an indicator of trauma we have not seen in the 21st century. The impact of war on children is tremendous and pervasive, with multiple implications, including immediate stress-responses, increased risk for specific mental disorders, distress from forced separation from parents, and fear for personal and family’s safety. Thus, the experiences that children have to endure during and as consequence of war are in harsh contrast to their developmental needs and their right to grow up in a physically and emotionally safe and predictable environment. https://lnkd.in/e--7zxMM

In mid-June, the voice of the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners was heard from the stage of the 6th National Dialogue Conference in Helsinki. Olena Kukhar, mediator and consultant, coordinator of the Community Secretariat, spoke at the panel "Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing in Peacebuilding". The National Dialogue Conference is a closed, high-level international event that has been a platform for sharing experience in peacebuilding since 2014, and a meeting place for recognised experts - theorists and practitioners of dialogue. This year's conference, which gathered more than 200 guests on 11-12 June, was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland together with the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation (CMI) and other international partners. Initially, CMI approached the Community with a proposal to present at the conference the concept and results of one of the Community's ongoing projects - mobile teams of psychologists and mediators working in Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Ternopil and Chernivtsi. However, as a result of close cooperation with the moderator of the event, correspondence and communication with the panelists - experts in the field of psycho-social assistance, national dialogue and humanitarian issues - it quickly became clear that a broader conversation would be organic to the overall narrative of the conference: about the changes that are taking place in the social fabric under the direct influence of the ongoing war, and about the work of dialogue practitioners in Ukraine in the current moment. Among the messages that were conveyed during the event: - The Ukrainian community of dialogue practitioners as an expert community has not paused processes due to the full-scale invasion and the ongoing war. The community is active, develops strategies and tactics, and implements projects in Ukraine, in particular, to support local communities, school students and teachers, veterans and internally displaced persons, etc; - Since the outbreak of the war of aggression, communities have faced numerous challenges: in addition to military threats, these include mental health issues, demographic and social changes; - Dialogue and dialogue approaches should be used as a tool to strengthen resilience and social cohesion in Ukrainian society, and such initiatives should be supported even during the active phase of the conflict, with the principle of "do no harm" being crucial; - Experts working in communities and the people they work with are people in traumatic circumstances, which requires adaptation of methodology, tools, etc. (principles of trauma and conflict sensitivity); - Dialogue approaches as part of projects often bring "intangible results" that are nevertheless extremely important for peace in Ukraine. This work should therefore be supported by flexible funding for local actors. Maria Santto / CMI.