PAKISTAN & KASHMIR EARTHQUAKE, 2005
In 2005, a major earthquake devastated areas of northern Pakistan and Kashmir. In 2006, I was invited by colleagues and NGOs in Pakistan to provide trauma healing support through the application and teaching of Energy Psychology techniques to earthquake survivors, community leaders, and medical professionals.
ENERGY PSYCHOLOGY
Energy Psychology is increasingly being used by counsellors deployed to disaster zones to provide reduce the effects of anxiety, stress and trauma. Dr Charles Figley, Ph.D., psychologist and founder of the Green Cross (1995) and a leading figure in trauma treatment has stated that:
“Energy Psychology is rapidly proving itself to be among the most powerful psychological interventions available to disaster relief workers for helping the survivors as well as the workers themselves.”
– Dr Charles Figley, Ph.D., psychologist and founder of the Green Cross (1995)
FIELD WORKING
TESTIMONIALS
VIDEO: Mr. Ali Gohar, Noor & Dr. Khan, Pakistan, 2006
“Thank you very much for all your support and sharing of knowledge with the Pakistani and Afghan refugee communities. It was one of the best trainings that we received during our professional life. Each individual gets benefits from it, and I hope that the knowledge will disseminate further with all stakeholders, earthquake affectees, and Afghan refugees.”
Ali Gohar, Just Peace International
“I liked the idea. In today`s world all human beings need love, support and care. This kind of training is not only helpful in supporting an individual but can be very effective in bridging the gulf created on the basis of region, religion and race among human beings”.
Dr Rakhshinda Perveen, Executive Vice President, Sachet
“If this was in all our schools, we wouldn’t have the trouble we are having with our children now.”
Dr Khan, BEARA (Balakot Earthquake Affectees Rehabilitation Association)
Project Report
INTRODUCTION
The Pakistan earthquake occurred on October 8th 2005. Unofficial estimates say that 200,000 people died. The final number will never be known as the mountains swallowed up whole communities and their bodies will never be recovered.
We were asked by our Pakistani friends to help by training people in Pakistan how to release the psychological effects of the trauma, and the fundamentals of Energy Psychology techniques for working with trauma and stress.
During the two weeks of our visit, we worked in Balakot, Muzaffarabad, Peshawar and Islamabad. In that time we trained 160 Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Counsellors, Community Development workers and Teachers, how to use Energy Psychology techniques, such as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT), both for themselves and with their communities and families. They were all dealing with survivors, trauma and illness, as well as their own compassion fatigue.
We visited some of the temporary schools in Balakot and up in the mountains. Here we had a chance to work with the children. We showed 350 school-children how to get rid of their fear of the earthquake by demonstrating the techniques using drawings and with the help of their teacher’s translation. We got all of the children following along as we explained and made it into a game for them They loved learning one technique called EFT, (Emotional Freedom Technique) where they tapped on acupuncture points on the hands face and upper body while thinking about their fears.. When we finished with one group of about 200 we asked them to put their hands up if they felt better when they thought about the earthquake. Every hand shot into the air! So, when we asked them how they felt the replies we got were “relaxed, happy, better”. We later passed a group of boys who were sitting on the side of the mountain using EFT. It was wonderful to see them smiling and laughing as they waved to us.
PESHAWAR
Project Title: PAKISTAN – Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees and Earthquake Survivors
Sponsor(s): Just Peace International
Location(s): Peshawar
Dates: 30 May 2006 – 31 May 2006
Purpose & Identified Need(s):
- To identify the needs of the staff and educate them on the symptoms of stress, burn out, and underlying trauma and how that affects the individual, and to teach them processes to alleviate these symptoms.
- To run a train the trainers programme for the staff of the Commissionerate.
The staff comprised of social workers, counsellors and psychologists who were working with earthquake survivors and Afghan refugees in the camps. Some of the staff were working out in remote areas and had travelled more than 6 hours to attend.
The number of staff that attended the training was 25. They had no previous training in the effects of trauma.
Activities and Interventions:
Day 1. Taught attendees the new understanding of the energy field and how trauma is stored in our body, mind and energy field. Applied Muscle testing to demonstrate how thoughts and memories affect our energy levels. Taught about the effects of trauma and the brains response to danger, the flight fight freeze response, and how we can get stuck in this moment in time which triggers flashbacks, nightmares and panic attacks. Taught energy psychology processes, Emotional Freedom Technique, Finger Holds and breathing techniques, to change the body and brain’s response to release past memories and to use on a daily basis to deal with stress.
Day 2. Taught Tapas Acupressure Technique for self care and to use within their communities.
Outcomes:
The attendees reported 100% reduction in their stress levels. The Commissioner General gave up smoking overnight.
Testimonial:
“Thank you very much for all your support and sharing of knowledge with the Pakistani and Afghan refugee communities. It was one of the best trainings that we received during our professional life. Each individual gets benefits from it, and I hope that the knowledge will disseminate further with all stakeholders, earthquake affectees, and Afghan refugees.”
Ali Gohar, Just Peace International
BALAKOT
Project Title: PAKISTAN – Balakot
Sponsor(s): Just Peace International
Location(s): Balakot
Dates: 31 May – 2 June 2006
Purpose & Identified Need(s):
The town of Balakot was at the epicentre of the earthquake and was completely devastated.
- To work with individuals affected by symptoms of trauma resulting from the earthquake and local doctors, teachers, counsellors and psychologists working in the area, also affected.
- To teach local children in the tented school provided by the army how to use simple techniques to help them with their bad memories and nightmares. Staff were present and delighted with the outcome.
Activities and Interventions:
Educated on trauma and how it affects both the body and mind. The latest understandings on how we can alleviate those symptoms using energy psychology processes.
Taught how to use Energy psychology processes including Emotional Freedom Technique, Finger holds, Butterfly Hug and Tapas Acupressure Technique.
Testimonial:
Dr Khan from BEARA (Balakot Earthquake Affectees Rehabilitation Association) said at the end of the training “If this was in all our schools we wouldn’t have the trouble we are having with our children now”.
Outcomes:
All attendees reported a significant drop in their symptoms and a feeling of both hope and peace returning. The teachers and psychologists told us they would be using what they had learnt with their communities.
ABBAS INSTITUTE and HDF
Project Title: PAKISTAN – Abbas Institute and Human Development Foundation (HDF)
Sponsor(s): Just Peace International and Afshan Amir
Location(s): Muzzafarabad, and Bugna, Kashmir
Dates: 4 – 7 June 2006
Purpose & Identified Need(s):
A need had been identified that staff and children were experiencing trauma and anxiety resulting from their losses at the time of the earthquake, which was not being addressed.
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- To teach trauma interventions to medical staff at Abass Institute, and the Field Hospital in Bugna, and how to recognise the signs of burn out and compassion fatigue, and processes to alleviate it.
- Teach children in the boys and girls schools how to release the fear and anxiety experienced as a result of the earthquake.
Activities and Interventions:
One day training in Abbas Institute for Doctors and nurses on trauma and interventions to alleviate the trauma and stress resulting from it.
Two days spent at the field hospital in Bugna, high up and remote in the Kashmir mountains, with the Human Development Foundation.
The HDF took us to the boys and girls schools in Bugna. The schools had been badly affected by the earthquake and the boys were having lessons out of doors or in small tents, the girls were in tents with one small building safe enough to use.
We spent a morning with approximately 150 boys aged between 5-17, and an afternoon with approx 100 girls aged between 10-17 and their teachers.
Outcomes:
We had feedback from one of the medical staff from the field hospital that he had used the Emotional Freedom Technique with a person suffering from PTSD in an outlying region, and had significantly and successfully reduced their symptoms.
The teachers from both schools were delighted at the signs and feedback from their pupils that their anxiety and fear had diminished and in some cases gone.
When we finished with one group of about 200 we asked them to put their hands up if they felt better when they thought about the earthquake. Every hand shot into the air! So, when we asked them how they felt the replies we got were “relaxed, happy, better”. We later passed a group of boys who were sitting on the side of the mountain using EFT. It was wonderful to see them smiling and laughing as they waved to us.
Abbas Institute:
The Head Psychiatrist at the Abbas Institute in Muzzafarabad is Dr Rashid. When I was ushered into his room he was treating a woman who had lost her children, and hadn’t slept for the past 7 months. She was banging her head on his desk in psychological pain. I offered to work with her and he agreed. After 20 minutes she had relaxed considerably, and had stopped banging her head. When he asked her how she felt, she said she felt lighter. I had used TAT (Tapas Acupressure Technique), which involves holding acupressure points. The Head Psychiatrist told her to use the technique that I had shown her, every day. Dr Rashid came to our training the following day.
SAHIL
Project Title: PAKISTAN – Sahil
Sponsor(s): Sahil (NGO)
Location(s): Islamabad
Dates: June 8th 2006
Purpose & Identified Need(s):
- To teach Sahil’s psychologists and social workers Energy Psychology techniques.
Sahil is an NGO that works against child sexual abuse and exploitation and with women’s rights issues. The staff wished to learn new ways to help their clients deal with trauma and stress and to also help them overcome their own compassion fatigue.
Seventeen members of Sahil’s staff attended.
Activities and Interventions:
One day workshop teaching energy psychology techniques including Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT). Teach how trauma affects us, how we respond to it and how we store it in our mind and body.
Outcomes:
We were asked if we could return and run a certified training for the staff because of the value they experienced in the workshop.
All attendees reported a reduction in their anxiety and stress and the feedback was that they felt at peace and lighter.
SACHET
Project Title: PAKISTAN Sachet
Sponsor(s): Sachet (NGO)
Location(s): Islamabad & Muzzafarabad
Dates: 3 June & 6 June 2006
Purpose & Identified Need(s):
- To teach energy psychology techniques to Sachet’s staff consisting of Doctors, psychologists and community workers, numbering 26 in all.
Sachet promotes human development and is “society for the advancement of community, health, education and training”.
To help promote wellness for the staff by reducing their own stress and compassion fatigue.
Activities and Interventions:
Two half-day workshops teaching the fundamentals of energy psychology and energy techniques for working with trauma and stress.
Outcomes:
The staff fully engaged with the techniques and found them to be extremely beneficial.
Testimonial:
“I liked the idea. In today`s world all human beings need love, support and care. This kind of training is not only helpful in supporting an individual but can be very effective in bridging the gulf created on the basis of region, religion and race among human beings.”
Dr Rakhshinda Perveen, Executive Vice President
Sarah Bird 
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