Healing Circles
Psychological support and mental well-being
From the renewed partnership with Amna Refugee Healing Network, a UK-based organization working for the mental well-being of refugees, NOVE launches the Healing Circles project to provide psychological support to Afghan women and girls, who are increasingly affected by the growing restrictions imposed by the Taliban regime.
The significant results of the previous collaboration with Amna confirmed the importance of investing in mental well-being and psychological support. For this reason, NOVE has decided to continue and strengthen its commitment in this area and expand its activities, building on a solid foundation.
The project aims to restore the psychological balance of the participants, promote simple yet effective strategies to cope with high-stress situations, and provide concrete support in regaining control of their emotions, fighting the deep despair in which they live.
NOVE’s specialized staff will assist 37 girls living in a female orphanage and about 60 female heads of household in vulnerable conditions, in Kabul. These girls and women, survivors of violence, war, and the loss of loved ones, face daily isolation, extremely limited freedom of movement outside their homes, and enormous economic difficulties. The restrictions imposed on them as women put them to the test, causing severe stress, anxiety, and major depression. Healing Circles will help them heal, rebuild, and find hope again.
The girls will be assessed by a psychologist who will meet with each one individually to understand their personal background and psychological condition. Later, a personalized therapeutic path will be created based on their needs. Monthly group sessions will also be held, using play, drawing, music, and storytelling as therapeutic tools, to cultivate their ability to express emotions and create a safe space where they can be “just” children. The orphanage staff will also be involved in the psychoeducation process, strengthening their specific skills and creating an environment suitable for the girls’ recovery from the traumas they have suffered.
The women, who are already involved in NOVE’s socio-economic support projects, will follow individual psychotherapy sessions, have access to an emergency support channel that will provide them with immediate psychological assistance, and be able to take part in a meditation and mindfulness program. Simple yet effective activities such as breathing exercises, body stretching relaxation, and daily meditation can reduce anxiety levels, increase awareness of being ‘here and now’, and strengthen emotional stability. There will also be space for small group sessions, which will help develop mutual aid practices, improve the sense of belonging to a group, and create opportunities for sharing their healing journey.
The psychological support project plays a key role in the healing process and emotional empowerment of women who have suffered severe trauma and consequent psychological damage.
Through dialogue, active listening, and reconnection with their emotions and with others, many women have already regained their mental well-being, rebuilt their self-esteem, and formed healthier relationships with those around them.
When a woman has the opportunity to listen to herself—and to be heard—to understand her pain and find a path to healing, she not only heals herself but breaks a vicious cycle of silence around these types of issues, enabling future generations to face them more easily.
Maryam, psychologist of Healing Circles
