ACTIVITIES ORGANISED IN THE ART FOCUSED TRAUMA COUNSELING CARE:

 Has 5 activities:

• Psycho education apply with 5curriculum in group,
• The individual counseling,
• art, drama, music therapy,
• systemic therapy,
• Sport and game therapy.

These activities are aimed to heal spirit, emotion and soul.

Here below are curriculums used in this program:

 “baby find grace”, based on psycho education. This manual is adapted to individual children from 5 to 12 years old, which is reading by a caregiver, it is also used for groups of children from 9 to 12 years old. Elikia-drc volunteers use it in groups of more or less 6 children per group and have the opportunity to observe behavior, feelings, thought and make themselves available for individual counseling or additional help if identified in the group.

Lyn Westman the author of the book encourages even older children to enjoy the book if they find it beneficial.

The purpose of the book is for ours babies in DRC to find grace and equip people to deal with these changes and losses in a positive way and bring healing to children.

In DRC particularly in the east of the republic where the trauma is very experienced, children are more affected by losses from war, natural disasters of volcano, poverty, and the epidemic of cholera, EBOLA and disease, recurrent like malaria.

More of our children in need who benefit from this manual have lost parents and the most valuable possessions, they live without them, hopeless and confused thinking that God loves some and hates others also tend to doubt his existence.

The importance of this manual is that it talks about God in a simple and voluntary way.

Empower curriculum program

Which helps the community better understand their experience and be skilled in the knowledge, talents and courage to overcome their personal challenges.

Empower is no longer therapeutic but rather educational designed to equip participants with the new talents of life.

The context and situation encountered with adults, children at the age of 13-18 years old and victims of war in DRC pushes ELIKIA to make intervention this wonderful manual so that the beneficiaries can identify themselves the internal and external resources to take care of themselves. And make the life the better it can.

UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE, MENTAL HEALTH AND TRAUMATISM

Is a recently received manual from Lyn Westman which also makes it easier for us to follow our patients well, and to provide good quality care.

This manual helps us to embrace all dimensions of mental health, it is filled with lives, which speaks not only of our patients but also of ourselves, of how to take care of ourselves, in our experience we believe that if the world take ownership of the book and would enter to carry an umbrella so as not to be affected later. ELIKIA DRC advocates and dreams of a world of understanding, love and peace in Jesus Christ.

Trauma healing book: this book is similar with the baby find grace, used for the same age of children as well as the baby find grace, the particular of this curriculum is that it is here from Sammy and rose history, and accomplished by the Joseph story. It has many activities, to relax children and remove out their feelings; here we refer to the scripture of the bible.

Art, Music, Dance and drama

In African culture, music plays a key role in the way people celebrate and worship. Sharing their stories through song provides opportunities for individual healing and communal healing. Through the song of one child, many may learn they are not alone in their experiences – helping break down walls of isolation brought on by past trauma.
Incorporating drama into weekly group therapy provides the children with an avenue to not only share their stories of war, captivity, and rescue, but to build confidence, foster friendships, and develop language & communication skills.

Incorporating drama into weekly group therapy provides the children with an avenue to not only share their stories of war, captivity, and rescue, but to build confidence, foster friendships, and develop language & communication skills.

Art & storytelling can bypass the limitations of language. When children draw their pain, they begin releasing the burdensome weight of heartaches and memories they may lack words to express. For many, this expression becomes the key step on a path of healing and rediscovering hope.

In African culture, dance plays a significant role in the way people interact and relay historic events. Dance is not only another for children to express and process their pain… it can also be a lot of fun! Dance, play and joy – every child needs these
Not only are they passionate – they are successfully replicating the care programs that restored their lives. With God’s help and through these empowered young men and women – good news is spreading and communities are being transformed!

Using music, dance, drama, and art in trauma care provides a safe avenue for children to express and process their emotional wounds

Individual counseling activity:  this activity is based on active listening, the facilitator listens with his whole body and empathy to allow the patient to feel loved and restore hope and self-esteem. One-on-one counseling is just a method used to allow the patient to understand his problem, its causes and to reflect on it himself with the facilitator to find out how to overcome his problem.

We use this activity when in the group psychology certain individuals show the need to be listened to in a particular and deep way.

The facilitator is very enthusiastic, just and observant, he takes his limits into account, and allows himself to offer a referral for very appropriate and reliable care.

Systemic therapy 
Many times in group activities the patient with symptoms has a history from his family or his community, the facilitator accompanies him to go and be part of a psycho palaver in his family (community) and group counseling.

Sport and game therapy: sometimes our beneficiaries and especially our children lack words and difficult to express themselves, sports and game activities allow them to open up their chances to express their emotions and feelings.

More children like football, fun games, educational games…