Psychological counselling and psychotherapy
Counselling and psychotherapeutic services are provided to the victims of trauma and violence by professional psychologists and psychological counsellors in PEACE Centre itself and through our professional referral network.
The majority of clients are from Windhoek and surrounding areas, with a few coming from remote areas. These services are provided free of charge.
Community Survivor Supporters Training
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Services, PEACE Centre provides training to local community members to become supporters of survivors of domestic abuse, violence, and trauma. A study of domestic abuse in Namibia found that it occurs among all sectors of society, including the rich, poor, in every ethnic group, within all educational levels, and in rural and urban areas. Domestic violence occurs within various types of relationships, with most survivors being women and most perpetrators being men. Because this type of violence is often underreported, it is crucial that survivors have resources within their informal networks, such as neighbors, friends, traditional authorities, and relatives, to which they can go for support.
The training provided by PEACE Centre aims to enhance the effectiveness of those community members identified by their communities as supporters by providing them with the psychosocial elements of support work, an introduction to basic counseling, assertiveness, knowledge of the domestic violence laws, and the definitions of gender and how gender stereotyping contributes to violence.
Trauma and Crisis Interventions
PEACE Centre trains counsellors and others in Namibia in the basics of trauma and crisis intervention. In these trainings participants learn both basic and advanced skills that help them to identify and assess the affects of trauma and crisis, as well as learn the phases and human behavioral responses to traumatic events. Participants are prepared to provide basic counselling skills and also guided on how to appropriately refer clients in their community.
Prevention and Treatment of Compassion Fatigue and Burn-out
PEACE Centre understands that the impacts of trauma and violence also affect those who work directly with survivors as supporters and helping professionals. For counselors, community supporters, health professionals, police officers, and social workers, the impacts of working with trauma survivors can lead to secondary trauma and burn-out. PEACE provides trainings for people in the community to help them create and maintain strategies for self care, compassion fatigue prevention, and burn-out support. Please contact PEACE if you and your staff would like training and support in creating healthy self-care routines and building these prevention measures into your work.
The Development of Support Groups
In order to extend and deepen the impact of psychosocial support to other communities in Namibia, PEACE offers trainings to organizations and community-based groups to help them create and facilitate support groups. This trainings assists members of communities to identify unmet needs and create appropriate support groups to facilitate a healing and safe space for people in Namibian communities.
