visible-hands-collaborative

ICT and Shared Vulnerability | Teaching Integrative Community Therapy in the U.S.

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 19:46:32 GMT

Shared Vulnerability and Collaborative Learning Communities:

Relational and Didactic Frameworks to Teach Integrative Community Therapy

Integrative Community Therapy (ICT) is a conversational methodology that embraces human suffering through community-based conversations. These open and public conversations invite participants to address their everyday life challenges, creating bonds of solidarity and care, and building a sense of community. ICT has been part of the Brazilian health system for decades. It is practiced in more than 30 countries around the world.

Developing ICT training programs in different countries and cultures, requires an adaptation to fit the particularities of the context. This article will address the history of Visible Hands Collaborative (VHC), an NGO based in Pittsburgh, and the challenges it faced in the process of introducing Integrative Community Therapy (ICT) training and practice to the US.

It will review the theory and methodology that informs ICT practice, along with the principles of Shared Vulnerability and Collaborative Learning Communities (CLC) as the relational and didactic frameworks used in the training of ICT facilitators. This training will serve as an example of the adaptation and implementation of an ICT training program to the local, cultural, and contextual needs of a community of practitioners in the area of Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, US. The authors will share their reflections and learnings regarding the building of a suitable and sustainable

ICT training and practice.

"Mental Healthcare in the US is bullsh*t."

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 15:25:04 GMT

"Mental Healthcare in America is bullsh*t."

Anxiety and depression are crippling enough; add to it a difficult system to navigate, and a crippling wait for support becomes devastating.

An Overwhelmed and Overloaded System

The mental healthcare system is overwhelmed and overloaded. Mental healthcare workers are overworked. Neither are equipped to keep up with the mass amount of Americans needing support. We conducted on-the-street interviews to ask real people what they thought about navigating the Mental Healthcare system in America, and the consensus? "It's bullsh*t", as one interviewee put it!

We Need More Healing and Less Waiting

Picture this: You walk into a big clinic in search of help, only to find a single table surrounded by hundreds of chairs occupied by people waiting, frustrated, and overwhelmed. This is our mental healthcare system – a room filled with waiting, rather than healing.

What we need isn't more chairs, but diverse tables tailored to each community and person’s unique needs and culture, offering genuine mental health support. Frankly, we need a revolution; a shift toward an evidence-based, effective, accessible, and equitable solution, already being used as a first line of treatment in 46 countries – except the United States.

Every individual in the US deserves not just support, but mental health support to truly thrive. Shockingly, only 28% of the population has access to enough mental health professionals, leaving over 27 million individuals untreated out of 43.8 million who experience mental illness each year. Ignoring daily stressors can lead to a spiral of despair, which is clearly reflected in these statistics.

For years, we've clung to an overwhelmed method – clinical, one-on-one talk therapy – huddled around a single table. The result? Our nation's collective mental health is deteriorating. Our ability to cope with daily stress is dwindling, eroding our mental well-being. Yet, navigating the maze of insurance, referrals, waitlists, and payments while summoning the strength to seek mental healthcare is crippling. One-on-one therapy remains an option, but it's no longer the only one.

The Solution is Here

Imagine a single, simple step leading you to mental health support. It's time for Integrated Community Therapy (ICT) to become the new, diverse table we gather around. Your support will help create these tables in every community. ICT thrives online or in person. It's powered by peer moderators – community members who are expertly trained to foster mutual cooperative learning, sharing, and healing. These moderated conversations offer new perspectives, hope, and real-time solutions in a judgment-free space.

Across the globe, ICT is changing lives. From Brazil's primary care referral system to peer-led conversations in Switzerland and Australia, ICT is dismantling life's challenges. Let's reclaim America's mental healthcare. We're raising $195,000 to expand ICT's reach. This method, inspired by an international model, empowers everyday people to heal themselves and support others. It minimizes the impact of daily stressors, freeing up the mental healthcare system to cater to those in dire need.

Imagine a world where help is readily available, where referrals are effortless, insurance isn't a hurdle, stigma dissipates, and waitlists are mere days, not months. The cost of waiting is too high – the quality of life for 332 million Americans is at stake.

Join us in igniting the ICT revolution.

Your support isn't just a donation; it's a spark that lights the path to healthier lives, stronger communities, and a brighter future. Stand with us. Together, we can create lasting change that benefits everyone, everywhere.

A Unique Approach: Exploring ICT's Potential in Mental Healthcare

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 19:33:56 GMT

ICT's Potential to Revolutionize Mental Healthcare

Prioritizing horizontal connections and community mobilization

Addressing the Mental Health Crisis: Seeking a Path to Change

In this article, we delve into the distinctiveness of Integrative Community Therapy (ICT) as a long term solution to the prevalent mental health crisis. We shed light on the limitations of the current linear model of care in the United States and explore an alternative approach that can enhance the accessibility, affordability, and effectiveness of mental healthcare. Dr. Kenneth Thompson, Executive Director of Visible Hands Collaborative, has been working in the community mental health setting for decades, and has actively sought ways to address the challenges inherent in the existing system.

Through his extensive experience, Dr. Thompson has encountered persistent issues with the linear model of mental healthcare. This approach, focused on a lengthy referral process and one-on-one care, falls short in meeting the incredible demand for accessible, affordable, and effective mental healthcare. As time has passed, the shortcomings of this model have become increasingly evident. In response, Dr. Thompson began exploring ways to expand mental health support, such as integrating psychiatric care into primary healthcare settings with a goal to streamline the process and minimize delays caused by referrals, insurance claims, and waiting periods for therapy sessions.

Instead, Dr. Thompson's journey led him to discover a promising method being developed in Brazil, aimed at providing care to large groups of people at once. Recognizing the importance of connection and mutual support in addressing mental health challenges, he embarked on a mission to import and adapt ICT as a meaningful resource for individuals in the United States.

The Woman at the Front of the Line

Dr. Adalberto Barreto, a Brazilian psychiatrist, was approached by his brother to help a struggling community in the shantytowns of Fortaleza, Brazil. The community consisted of unhoused migrants facing difficulties adapting to their new reality. Dr. Barreto arrived in the favela to provide psychiatric assistance, and soon a line formed with people seeking his help.

At the front of the line was a woman who expressed trouble sleeping. Initially, Dr. Barreto approached the situation clinically, offering to prescribe sleeping pills to the woman. However, when he asked the woman if she desired medication, she replied that she was struggling to provide for her children, and that it would be impossible for her to afford the prescribed medication. It was then revealed that the root cause of her sleeplessness was the traumatic experience of witnessing her husband's murder.

At this point, fellow community members stepped forward, offering comfort and support. They massaged her feet, brought her tea, offered hugs, and wrapped her in a blanket. Dr. Barreto quickly realized that as a lone clinician, he couldn't help every individual in the line.

Dr. Barreto understood that medication was not the most pressing requirement in the community. Instead, he recognized the need to mobilize the community's own resources to address the challenges they faced. This realization prompted him to develop a method that would harness the community's collective abilities. This method, later known as ICT, aimed to foster problem-solving, emotional literacy, and emotional solidarity, ultimately creating a community-driven approach to care.

The Uniqueness of ICT: Unlocking Potential through Solidarity Care

The Concept of ICT:

The concept of ICT emerged within the favelas of Fortaleza, Brazil, as a response to the community's pressing needs. ICT is a large group dialogic method involving 10-200 participants. Its core idea is that individuals possess resources and capabilities that can be shared with one another. However, they are often unaware of these resources and lack opportunities for collaboration. Additionally, individuals encounter various problems in need of solutions, but aren’t sure where to find them.

The Process of ICT:

A round of ICT begins by fostering a welcoming environment, which is crucial for creating a conducive atmosphere for dialogue. Each individual is then invited to describe their challenges, while the moderators work to identify commonalities among these challenges. It's important to note that during the sharing process, community members speak from their own experiences, refraining from providing advice or delivering speeches. Through this collective sharing, participants gain new ideas for overcoming their challenges and build connections, creating a sustained sense of support. This approach promotes emotional literacy, emotional solidarity, and problem-solving, facilitating the development of a community-oriented framework called "solidarity care."

The Value of Solidarity Care:

Solidarity care establishes linkages, connections, and supportive communication channels that hold significant meaning for individuals. The primary goal of ICT is to provide a supportive and meaningful network, while problem-solving becomes a secondary outcome or added benefit. In contrast, clinical care fails to develop the same level of community engagement and is incapable of drawing upon the strengths of the community. Clinical care tends to isolate problems, placing the burden solely on the client and therapist. In contrast, ICT emphasizes the importance of tying emotional support to community engagement. Being part of a community is essential for healing and problem-solving, operating at a level that doesn't require primary care institutions.

ICT represents a unique approach to mental healthcare. By prioritizing horizontal connections and community mobilization, ICT taps into individuals' collective resources and capabilities while providing a supportive and meaningful environment. Solidarity care, as exemplified by ICT, offers an alternative to traditional linear models of care and holds tremendous potential in addressing the mental health crisis through community-based support systems.

Positive Shared Experiences as Catalysts for Connection: Exploring the Role of Nature Observation

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 18:05:57 GMT

Positive Shared Experiences as Catalysts for Connection: Exploring the Role of Nature Observation

The Potential of Seeking Positive, Shared Experiences in Nature to Foster Connections and Ignite a Transformative Process

Severing Our Innate Connection to the Animal Kingdom: Detrimental Implications for Human Success

The modern world, characterized by technological advancements and evolving societal norms, has resulted in significant transformations in our daily lives. We find ourselves immersed in cubicles, obtaining food delivered miles from its source to stores, and prioritizing self-serving tendencies. We belong to the animal kingdom, yet we have increasingly distanced ourselves from the natural world in which we belong over the course of millennia.

"Neglecting the innate connection we share with nature and animals risks setting ourselves and future generations up for failure, loneliness, and isolation."

This disso ciation from our roots in nature extends beyond its impact on work, diet, and leisure activities. It profoundly affects our ability to establish meaningful connections and interact with one another, leading to a shift in our collective mindset from a communal existence as a herd to favoring individualism.

By examining the social dynamics of horses, a highly social prey species, we can derive valuable insights into human interactions, reactions, and emotions. It is for this reason that equestrian-based psychotherapy has been used worldwide.

Neglecting the innate connection we share with nature and animals risks setting ourselves and future generations up for failure, loneliness, and isolation.

The Significance of "Sense of Place" in Facilitating Connection

As beings inhabiting a specific environment, we are inherently tied to a sense of place. Our minds possess an instinctual drive to comprehend and establish spatial relationships. From the moment of birth, we are immersed in new surroundings, and our priority becomes familiarizing ourselves with locations that provide safety, family, shelter, and sustenance. Throughout our lives, we remain focused on the spaces around us, ensuring a continued sense of security, love, and nourishment. When a particular space fails to meet these primal needs, negative connotations become imprinted in our minds and memories.

"Creating a sense of place, a mental geography, fosters connections, enhances relationships, and amplifies communal resources."

Consider major global events such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks or the Columbine High School massacre, along with numerous subsequent mass shootings. In recounting these experiences to others, the question often arises, "Where were you?" Places evoke memories and hold significance not only for humans but for all creatures. Creating a sense of place, a mental geography, fosters connections, enhances relationships, and amplifies communal resources.

Expanding the Notion of Sense of Place and Community to Include Virtual Spaces

Although we have grown increasingly detached from our animal origins, hope remains. We can harness technological advancements rather than resisting their existence, bridging the gap between the natural and virtual realms. By creating shared virtual spaces, exemplified by Dunrovin Ranch's live-streamed webcams and moderated chat rooms, individuals can imagine and engage with the ranch as if they were physically present, fostering a sense of ownership and detailed mental imagery. This communal digital environment enables people to connect and build meaningful relationships, blurring the boundaries between the physical and virtual worlds.

Once relationships are established, genuine sharing of life experiences can occur, facilitating mutual learning and the formation of bonds. Engaging in practices such as Integrative Community Therapy, which can be powerfully experienced online or in person, requires a mindful approach, wherein the intent is not problem-solving but connection-building. By wholeheartedly listening to others' joys and sorrows, we move beyond the realm of intellectual analysis and establish fields of meaning that facilitate the construction of a community. These conversations aim to broaden our awareness of belonging, connectivity, and resilience, rather than engaging in debates. By organizing our thoughts, feelings, and actions, we can assign significance to the notion of community itself, recognizing its crucial importance as understood by our animal ancestors.

"We can harness technological advancements rather than resisting their existence, bridging the gap between the natural and virtual realms."

Through an innovative use of technology and community conversation, Dunrovin Ranch and Visible Hands Collaborative have developed an immersive equestrian experiment that aims to foster connections, deepen your sense of place, and embrace the power of shared positive experiences.

Experience the power of place for yourself.

The State of Mental Healthcare in America

Tue, 30 May 2023 23:08:59 GMT

People are Dying...

and our Mental Healthcare System Can’t Cope

We have a moral imperative to utilize alternative solutions to disrupt and begin healing the mental health emergency in America.

As Suicide, Addiction, Violence and Depression Skyrocket, Our Existing Healthcare System is Unable to Keep Up

130 people in America will commit suicide today (AFSP, Suicide statistics 2022). Let that sink in for a moment: 130 families will mourn the loss of a loved one lost to suicide today . Over 900 funerals will be planned this week with suicide listed as the cause of death. Nearly 4,000 lives will be extinguished due to suicide every month in America alone. There were 1.2 million suicide attempts in 2020. Of those, 25% were successful in their attempts. What does this mean for the other 75%? What could have saved the lives of the 45,000 that were lost to suicide?

One thing is for certain: the mental health model of clinical care is overwhelmed and unable to serve the demands of individuals in need of help. Adding to the problem are overdoses, violence, depression, anxiety and other mental health emergencies, catapulting America into a full-blown epidemic. As Dr. Barreto has wisely stated, "A crisis comes to us as a way to show that an interactive model has broken down, or has been exhausted, and therefore, needs to be rebuilt ."

‘At Risk’... to be Failed by the System

The mental health model of clinical care is overwhelmed and unable to serve the demands of individuals, particularly those experiencing mild to moderate mental health challenges. Integrated systems to prevent the escalation of individual needs cannot be addressed in traditional clinical settings. Why? Clinical, traditional mental healthcare boasts an insufficient and, frankly, inappropriate preventative model, offering only one-on-one talk therapy as the solution.

This model of one-on-one talk therapy, which was designed to be preventative, fails to account for the lack of insurance coverage, costly service options, lack of equitable access in lower income communities, language barriers, cultural barriers as well as the stigma associated with mental health and a need for therapy. This one-size-fits-all approach cannot even be described as one-size-fits-most. At best, it suits some . In addition, American individualistic values and the resistance to relying on others creates a roadblock of enormous proportions. As such, the model that was meant to be preventative isn’t reaching those that may need it the most and is conversely perpetuating the issue at hand.

There is a Solution, But Are We Too Stubborn to Adopt It?

There is a way to overcome the mental health emergency in America, but it will require us to reevaluate our idea of “therapy” and abandon our individualistic values. A model of community-initiated care is being used around the world that has proven extremely successful. So successful, in fact, that it boasts success rates of nearly 90% in resolving the issue that brought them to “therapy” in the first place (Barreto et al., 2011).

So what is this seemingly “too good to be true” solution that has impacted (and likely saved) the lives of millions around the world? Terapia Comunitária Integrativa was developed by Dr. Adalberto Barreto in Fortaleza, Brazil in response to an increased need for mental health services in impoverished neighborhoods, or favelas. The model is based on five steps, or participatory proceedings, that elicit community conversation and knowledge-sharing in a group of up to 200 people.

However, American individualistic values and the resistance to relying on others creates barriers to community based care. Add to that the post-Covid isolation, the stigma of mental health needs, and more, and you’ve got a dumpster fire of resistance, discarding community-based solutions that are not only affordable, but culturally relevant to those being served.

Is Self Reliance Killing Us?

When a model demonstrated in 36 countries that has served over 2 million people over the course of three decades has been accepted and proven as a formal level of care, we cannot NOT act to embrace this option. It is virtually unethical to not seek and adopt alternative options of care with skyrocketing suicide rates, violence, addiction, depression and anxiety rates in the United States. Americans are notoriously stubborn, prideful and individualized… and it’s quite literally killing us.

Of 12,000 Brazilian TCI participants surveyed in 2004, only 11.5% required a referral for further mental health specialty services, while 88.5% reported that the issue that brought them to TCI had been resolved through the community-based model of conversation and healing. A similar survey was conducted in 2008 boasting equivalent results: 87.8% of participants resolved their initial complaint through attending TCI and only 12.2% required further intervention. Based on this, Barreto and his team concluded that by providing preventive and primary care-based TCI services to individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, or other minor to moderate mental health complaints, they had successfully diverted community members away from expensive and excessive specialty services that often have harmful adverse health effects (Barreto et al., 2011). Not only did they divert community members from further (likely unnecessary) intervention, but they allowed for the time and resources of specialists to be left available to those who truly needed further intervention.

It’s Time to Take Back Our Mental Health – and Mental Healthcare

We believe that community has the power to heal. Visible Hands Collaborative is pioneering the use of Integrative Community Therapy, inspired by the Brazilian model of TCI, as a first line of defense in the fight against the mental health emergency in America. By taking matters (and healthcare) into their own hands, individuals and communities will thrive again and tens of thousands of suicides will be prevented each month.

Our mission is to introduce and implement Integrative Community Therapy in communities, universities, churches, schools, and healthcare systems nationwide, promoting peace and healing in both individuals as well as communities. This model can unleash the capacity for emotional healing that resides in our communities using methods that are inclusive, accessible and equitable, effectively disrupting the mental health care system as we know it.

Sources

Suicide statistics (2022) American Foundation for Suicide Prevention . American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Available at: https://afsp.org/suicide-statistics/ (Accessed: December 13, 2022).

Barreto, A. (2011). Terapia Comunitaria Na ESF/SUS. Retrieved April 4, 2020, from https://pt.scribd.com/document/270489889/terappia-comunitaria-na-ESF-sus-pdf

The Lost Art of Community

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 11:43:59 GMT

Reviving the Lost Art of Community: Why it's Necessary to Rediscover the Power of Togetherness

The power of togetherness is an asset that can change the way we navigate life’s challenges, victories and everything in between

Mastering Community as an Art for the Benefit of All Humankind

Community is an art form that has been mastered by many cultures around the world. There’s something powerful about neighbors coming together to support one another financially, emotionally, and physically. Western culture has moved away from relying on those around us to help meet our needs, and it’s killing us. Many cultures around the world have not only maintained the integrity and art of community, but are thriving because of it.

The Samburu people of Kenya have maintained a deep sense of tradition and respect for their elders. Living in groups of five to eight families in temporary huts, the people move from pasture to pasture every few weeks, chasing after ideal weather and land to maintain their farming livelihood. The families of the small villages work together to take care of their livestock, homes and each other in various ways. They rely on their community members for a great deal of support in day to day life. Without it, their nomadic lifestyle would cause families and the community to crumble. ("Country Technical Note on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues: Republic of Kenya")

The Maori community in New Zealand is another example of people whose unique cultural identity is founded on a strong sense of community. The Maori people place a strong emphasis on "whānau," which translates loosely to ‘extended family’. Whānau means that multi-generational families come together to support each other in all aspects of life, and maintain a deep connection to their land and ancestors. The whānau are sometimes related by blood, but the idea extends to include neighbors and friends as well. Their devotion to unity, the passing down of generational wisdom and knowledge, combined with their shared values empower the community to thrive. (Tai Walker, “Whānau – Māori and family - Contemporary understandings of whānau”)

Take a look at Bhutan for another example of community-focused culture to be emulated. The Bhutanese people believe in the concept of Gross National Happiness, which places importance on the well-being of the community rather than economic growth. Not only do the Bhutanese people make their own decisions based on the GNH, but all governmental and economic decisions are made with it in mind, too. Can you imagine the incredible ramifications that this idea could have on a country? It’s no wonder this ideology has inspired communities worldwide. The focus on the well-being of all its community members, their value for culture and tradition, and their powerful sense of community are what make these people a force to be reckoned with. (Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI))

These communities have forged an unbreakable bond, strengthened by their shared values and beliefs, empowering them to fearlessly confront the obstacles of modern life. Through the philosophies of whānau and the Gross National Happiness, the communities continue to value the greater good of the community as a whole. It’s a stark contrast from the individualism valued in the United States, and it begs the question; why are we as a nation so focused on individualism, and is it leading to our demise?

With Individualism on a Pedestal, Americans are Dying

Individualism has long been one of America’s most valued traits, and it’s killing us. With suicide rates skyrocketing and mental health systems at capacity, we can no longer put individualist ideals on a pedestal without continuing to see the mental wellness of our society plummet. Is it brave or courageous to go through life shouldering the difficulties of issues such as poverty, divorce and childbirth alone? Why have we as a society placed so much value on being independent, that it even applies to facing hardships and issues that adversely affect our mental health in solitude?

Rediscovering the lost art of community will change our lives, communities and disrupt the worsening mental health emergency. The first step in creating a strong community is engaging with those who live, work and worship around us. Engagement can show up in a variety of ways, and things such as hosting a block party, organizing a neighborhood garage sale, or creating a list of contact information for the neighbors on your street are a great start. But in order to truly foster a sense of community that lasts, it's imperative to build trust with your community members.

So how is trust built, exactly? There are a number of aspects involved when building trust, but communication, empathy, and vulnerability are among the most important and critical.

Open and honest communication is crucial to building trust, but it isn't enough to simply speak openly and honestly. It's equally important, if not more important, to spend time actively listening to others. By listening to the people around us, we can begin to appreciate and identify their hopes, dreams and fears. In addition, people who are willing to share their feelings and emotions with others create a deeper connection that can lead to greater trust. Vulnerability can feel scary and difficult, but it's an integral part of the trust building process.Trust is also built where an immense amount of empathy lives. When you put yourself in another person's shoes and understand their perspective, you create a deep and meaningful connection and create an incredible foundation on which trust is built.

The Key to Rediscovering the Art of Togetherness is Being Used Internationally… But America Doesn’t Know it Exists

There’s a tool being used in 36 countries around the world known as Terapia Comunitária Integrativa (TCI) that has proven successful in creating and fostering the trust and healing that is necessary for communities to thrive, resulting in healthy interdependence. It utilizes the aspects of trust-building (communication, empathy and vulnerability) combined with guided conversation to create, nurture and encourage community. TCI has already touched over 2 million lives across the globe and provides equitable access to mental health support without doctors, copays, insurance, or referrals. Beyond the positive force that TCI provides in alleviating mental health symptoms, it fosters a strong sense of belonging and benefits the community in a variety of ways, including socioeconomically. TCI gives people a place to share the areas of life in which they are struggling, and draws upon other participants’ lived experiences to foster connection, trust and hope. Visible Hands Collaborative is pioneering the use of Integrative Community Therapy, inspired by Terapia Comunitária Integrativa , for the first time in the United States in order to combat the mental health emergency, strengthen communities nationwide, and help America rediscover the lost art of community in hopes that it will never be lost again.

About/sources:

"Country Technical Note on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues: Republic of Kenya." International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) , 1 Apr. 2012, www.ifad.org/documents/38714170/40224460/Kenya.pdf/7f70d9b6-5e5c-4628-942c-7ae749a2f262. Accessed 21 Mar. 2023.

Tai Walker, 'Whānau – Māori and family - Contemporary understandings of whānau', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/whanau-maori-and-family/page-1 (accessed 21 March 2023)

Story by Tai Walker, published 5 May 2011, updated 1 Jun 2017

Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI) (n.d.). Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index . OPHI. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://ophi.org.uk/policy/gross-national-happiness-index/

Lessons in Asset Based Community Development From Africa

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 14:30:08 GMT

It Takes a Village to Raise a Child;

But What Does it Take to Raise a Village?

The Broken Down Tractor

An old African proverb asserts that "it takes a village to raise a child", but what does it take to raise a village?

In a remote village in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a broken down tractor sits idly in the sand. The once shiny metal body has been dulled with intense weather exposure, and the heavy machinery serves not as an example of power, but as a reminder of isolation and inadequacy. Well-meaning intentions of improving food security, a high priority for the people, inadvertently causes more distress for the local inhabitants.

Curious about the story of the broken down tractor, visitor Eric Smith posed a question, “What’s the story behind that?” He learned that some prominent international person with aspirations of improving the farming process had purchased the tractor, which was shipped in from overseas to the secluded village. Unfortunately, with no ecosystem to support maintaining the tractor, combined with the harsh climate and sandy conditions, the tractor broke down relatively quickly.

In fact, in just one season, it was a total goner. In the remote village, there was no Tractor Supply or Home Depot. The training, tools and mechanics to work on this type of product weren’t available, and a tractor mechanic simply doesn’t exist. Their only option was to ship the tractor overseas to be fixed, but there was no investment in the local industry to support that. So with a dead tractor now serving as a glorified garden statue, further proving that all good things come from overseas, the people went back to their traditional farming ways, and the issue of food security was unchanged.

The Cattle and the Plow

A few decades later during his time in the village of Achibu in Uganda, Eric was working alongside the people of Abu. Through a process of questions, discussions and discovery, Eric found that the the locals were most concerned about food security, mirroring the concerns of the people of Congo. After walking alongside the people to devise a solution, Eric was told that the Acholi, a Nilotic ethnic group of Luo peoples in northern Uganda, were really good at using cattle. “Let's go learn from them,” they mused. So they did.

Armed with newfound knowledge of how to use the cattle and plow, the community was excited and hopeful. They came together with grit and determination, and took the time to figure out the costs associated with purchasing a cow. Concurrently, Eric and his team purchased a second cow for the village. With their newly acquired cattle, they were off and running, increasing food production by ninefold.

Eventually, one of the cows died. Applying the lessons they had learned in the past, the people knew that if they worked together toward a specific goal, they would be more successful. They purchased a replacement cow and reaffirmed that by working together to achieve a common goal, they could achieve great things.

Asset Based Community Development in Action

Eric Smith has carried those twin stories with him in both his head and his heart throughout his life. He says that these stories exemplify the process of Asset Based Community Development (ABCD), and clearly displays why he believes in ABCD wholeheartedly. Two villages, each with similar concerns, and two polar opposite outcomes.

So what was the difference? Eric credits the success of the Achibu community to the process of asking questions and walking alongside the community to find a solution to their food scarcity concerns, combined with ensuring the solution is maintainable. Eric has since applied Asset Based Community Development to a variety of contexts in the U.S.A. Along the way, he's learned that the principals of ABCD work in every circumstance. It has become increasingly clear that when the goal is to support a community, the best aid comes in the right dose at the right time to supplement what residents are already doing. This is Asset Based Community Development at work; a bottom up versus top down approach, and working together to achieve greatness.

About/sources:

Eric Smith is the Executive Director of Great Lakes Urban, a Michigan-based non-profit organization connecting people in communities and strengthening their efforts to build strong, safe, and healthy neighborhoods. Their goal is to discover, coach, and support leaders across North America who are already working to create strong communities. They are focused on building a movement based on the principles and practices of asset-based community development.

Having grown up in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Eric Smith has seen first-hand the effect that Asset Based Community Development can have on people and their communities. His passion for ABCD was bred from his own experiences, with fond memories of witnessing abundance in community as a child.

The Art of Aging

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 21:27:49 GMT

The Art of Aging

How Shared Wisdom Becomes an Antidote to Our Mental Health Emergency

The Friendship Bench: Wisdom of Elders as an Asset

The wisdom of elders has long been leveraged internationally as an asset to stabilizing communities. The Friendship Bench project in Zimbabwe is such an example where the wisdom of elder women and grandmothers trained in therapeutic talk can help individual community members rise out of ‘kufungisisa’ (depression & anxiety) by creating safe spaces and a sense of belonging that improve mental wellbeing and enhance quality of life.

The US mental health emergency continues to reach new heights. It has become increasingly urgent to disrupt the crisis with innovative tools to prevent the loss and disruption of more lives due to mental illness. In order to combat the mental health emergency in its current state, it’s imperative to rely on the shared collective wisdom and life experience of older adults which can be leveraged in new community initiated care models.

Utilizing Collective Wisdom as a Therapeutic Tool

Visible Hands Collaborative is executing a U.S. based launch of Integrative Community Therapy, borrowing from the Brazilian-born model known as Terapia Comunitária Integrativa, which is in practice in over 36 countries and has touched over 2 million lives. Like The Friendship Bench, Integrative Community Therapy (ICT) is a practice leveraging the wisdom and collective experience of many individuals brought together in a group setting and sharing intentional, safe conversations.

Capturing the impact of group dynamics, ICT moderated conversations evoke coping strategies in each participant; those who may not share a specific condition or lived experience but do share common dilemmas. Each person gains from the collective wisdom and life experiences of their peers and other participants, creating individual emotional literacy and fostering solidarity and connection within a community. These elements come together to ensure a healthy mental wellbeing.

The Wisdom of Aging is an Overlooked Asset

The wisdom of aging, later life insights and reflections of experience can make older adults skilled pioneers of hope during our mental health emergency. Community initiated Care (CiC) models, such as the community conversations supported by trained community moderators demonstrated in ICT, are rapidly growing as new effective mental health options.

Whether engaging as moderators, instructors or as participants of ICT, older adults with their wisdom and experience can become significant influencers in impacting greater community mental health.

Life experience becomes medicine. Wisdom becomes an antidote. Growing older becomes a community asset.

About:

Brigit Hassig, MPA, is the Chief of Staff and Operations of Visible Hands Collaborative. Brigit has a keen sense of what’s needed as she embraces the possibilities present in uncertainty and change. This energizes and empowers others to find new results authentic to themselves. She believes growing older is a time of expansion, not contraction. As a social entrepreneur, Brigit relocated, rebranded and reestablished a community center serving the aged 50+ population. Through her efforts, she tripled its size to serve over 1,200 clients annually and increased volunteerism by over 250% resulting in the lifelong learning environment receiving national recognition. She also created and launched a lifestyle and wellness online model, dripping a series of engaging and educational content to reshape the initial experience of adults moving to senior communities and reframe the residential sales process to be a more personal, relational experience. Brigit was noted in the best seller book, Live Long, Die Short , as being out in front of the national movement to bring successful aging to all. She now is engaged in a nationwide launch during our nation’s mental health emergency of a practice that pioneers a new community-based mental health model that relies on the shared wisdom and connection of individuals being brought together in moderated dialogue.

Community Therapy After Drought and Destruction

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 16:02:52 GMT

How Terapia Comunitária Integrativa was conceptualized out of impoverishment, drought, displacement, and struggle

A Rich Culture Suffocated by Drought

Prior to the 1980’s, people living in Northeast Brazil’s Sertão were rich with culture and purpose, relying on the land and each other to meet their needs. The women would wash clothes in the dam while the men worked the land and cattle. The children ran free, and created toys from natural elements around them, simultaneously learning to use nature to provide solutions to their needs. Unbeknownst to them, these lessons would translate to solving issues that would arise later in life, too.

There was joy in everyday life. The small communities banded together on the basis of shared religion, professional interests and geographical areas. Their social circles were small, but their bond was great. The duties of work and child rearing were shared, and it was in a place like the Sertão that true meaning was brought to the phrase, “it takes a village…”.

Unfortunately, Brazil is under constant threat of catastrophe due to severe and debilitating drought. The abundant life of the Sertão was seriously impacted by drought in 1980, causing the population to plummet by hundreds of thousands due to malnutrition, dehydration and disease. The people, livestock and land found themselves in a constant state of desperation for water during the drought, which caused a mass exodus. The once vibrant community was forced to abandon their homes, lives and culture in hopes of trading it all for the suspected security of the coastal land.

Escaping the Drought is Met with More Difficulty

As the people left their once fruitful, secure and hope-filled land along with their comfort and memories behind, they were met with more difficulty in the road ahead. They traveled by animal, cart, or foot with the hopes of finding a better life in more populated areas. Unfortunately, the hardships were just beginning for the Sertanejos.

Their expectations of being warmly welcomed by the city dwellers were quickly extinguished, along with their hopes of feeling “at home” once again. Struggles to adapt to the culture, make connections, secure housing, and meet their basic needs overwhelmed the people, leading to alcoholism and substance abuse, domestic violence, and the unraveling of the family unit.

The Sertanejos did their best to adjust despite the obstacles, constructing shanty homes out of whatever they could find, creating favelas (or makeshift neighborhoods) of fellow migrants. Their resilience was short lived, as law enforcement continually knocked their shanties down night after night. Where there were once dreams of a better future, there was again hopelessness and despair.

Out of Despair, a Web of Solidarity and Trust Was Woven

As more and more families escaped the drought and found themselves making a home in the favelas, they found strength in unity. They responded to the police with non-violent resistance, and worked together to collectively rebuild their houses. They quickly realized that organization would be key to their success, and petitioned Town Hall to protect their rights to housing.

Their progress was again short-lived, and the police destroyed their homes despite their petitions. With newfound determination, the people knew what they must do; They decided to form a larger alliance with the intention of continuing to stay organized and responding non-violently to the police. Thus, the community of Quatro Varas was born. Schools, homes, health centers, gardens, and more were built and staffed using the talents and strengths of the community members.

It was then that Brazilian Psychologist, Adalberto Barreto, conceptualized community therapy as a way for the people to forge new relationships, strengthen their sense of identity, and restore their hope. This community-based therapy showed that both individuals and the community held the key to solving their problems; mirroring the same lesson they had learned through the process of settling into the favelas. The community that had once been overrun by impoverishment, drought, displacement, and struggle found that working together to weave a web of unity, strength, support and organization was not only key to their success, but also to a fulfilling, enriched life.

Lessons From Brazil; Healing Our Nation

Since first being introduced in Brazil in the 1980’s, Terapia Comunitária Integrativa has been used worldwide as a first line of defense in mental healthcare systems, boasting efficacy rates as high as 80% in preventing individuals from requiring further mental health intervention. Its 30 year shelf life is far from over; TCI has already impacted the lives of millions, yet has not yet been introduced to the majority of the world, including the United States. It’s beyond time to pursue this innovative, effective solution to the nation’s mental health crisis.

If Terapia Comunitária Integrativa could heal the Sertanejos, what can it do for Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, or your community?

Why Integrative Community Therapy?

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 12:37:25 GMT

Integrative Community Therapy, A Powerful Tool in Mental Healthcare

Integrative Community Therapy creates a forum for collective healing and proliferation of resiliency

What is Integrative Community Therapy?

Integrative Community Therapy, also known as ICT, uniquely approaches alleviating mental healthcare issues by offering community-based conversation guided by skilled moderators to allow individuals to share, discuss, and heal from the everyday challenges that life can bring. Integrative Community Therapy was inspired by the concept of Terapia Comunitária Integrativa, and is based on the teachings and beliefs of Dr. Adalberto Barreto, Paolo Freire, cultural anthropology, Resilience Theory, Theory of Human Communication and systemic thought.

Each ICT session takes place in 5 parts:

1. Welcoming : Participants arrive, are greeted by one another, and are led through orientation, including celebration of holidays and birthdays, and discussion of rules of engagement.

2. Voting on the Session’s Topic: Participants are invited to propose topics for the session based on what they are struggling with in their daily lives. Once several proposals have been considered, participants vote on which topic they would like to discuss as a group. Individuals are asked to introduce themselves before proposing a topic.

3. Contextualization: The person whose topic is chosen is asked to provide more details about what their specific struggle is. Participants are invited to ask questions. The topic is then broadened to incorporate experiences from all group members.

4. Sharing: Individual participants are asked to share their own experiences with the theme. They can share their ways of coping but are asked not to “give advice”. Instead, they can provide details of their own narrative. All participants are invited and encouraged to share through the form of expression that they desire, including poetry, singing and other forms of verbal and nonverbal expression.

5. Concluding Ritual: Traditionally, the group stands in a circle, holds hands and recites a prayer or concluding statement.

The Power Lies in Horizontal Sharing

In this practice, horizontal (or circular) sharing between participants is prioritized over vertical methods, in which some authority bestows knowledge or solutions upon a receiver of said knowledge in a top-down manner. Participants come together with an equally valid but broad and diverse range of knowledge and experiences. Once the individual becomes the owner of their narrative and knowledge, they feel more capable of facing problems in their life. The theory of practice asserts that solutions to a community’s biggest challenges are hidden within broken networks that must be rebuilt and reintegrated into shared community understanding. As such, the community acquires the power to replace its dependence on perceived systemic authorities.

Why utilize Integrative Community Therapy?

By emphasizing community building in a shared environment, ICT creates a forum for collective healing and proliferation of resiliency. The practice of ICT provides a novel and robust approach to bottom-up community-based group therapy. The participatory and emancipatory elements of ICT implicate its use as a powerful tool to empower members of disenfranchised communities who suffer from mental illness.

This practice asserts that liberation from systemic oppression occurs most completely when individuals maintain ownership of their personal and communal narrative. ICT applies this idea by facilitating patients’ in contextualizing their own mental and spiritual healing, encouraging participants to create and share their narratives in a safe space. This allows participants to feel empowered through community input and collective storytelling to become the protagonists of their own stories.

ICT Resources and Publications

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 16:22:46 GMT

Publications featuring TCI + ICT

Andrade, F. B. D., Filha, M. D. O. F., Dias, M. D., Silva, A. O., Costa, I. D. C. C., Lima, É. A. R. D., & Mendes, C. K. T. T. (2010). Promoção da saúde mental do idoso na atenção básica: as contribuições da terapia comunitária. Texto & Contexto - Enfermagem, 19(1), 129–136. doi: 10.1590/s0104-07072010000100015

Barreto, A. (2011). Terapia Comunitaria Na ESF/SUS. Retrieved April 4, 2020, from https://pt.scribd.com/document/270489889/terappia-comunitaria-na-ESF-sus-pdf

Barreto, A. (2012). Terapia comunitária: passo a passo (4th ed.). Fortaleza: Gráfica LCR.Th

Burlingame, G. M., Seebeck, J. D., Janis, R. A., Whitcomb, K. E., Barkowski, S., Rosendahl, J., & Strauss, B. (2016). Outcome differences between individual and group formats when identical and nonidentical treatments, patients, and doses are compared: A 25-year meta-analytic perspective. Psychotherapy, 53(4), 446–461. doi: 10.1037/pst0000090

Burnes, T. R., & Ross, K. L. (2010). Applying Social Justice to Oppression and Marginalization in Group Process: Interventions and Strategies for Group Counselors. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 35(2), 169–176. doi: 10.1080/01933921003706014

Caricia, M. (2010). Terapia Comunitária: um encontro que transforma o jeito de ver e conduzir a vida (dissertation). Joao Pessoa.

Carvalho, M. A. P. D., Dias, M. D., Miranda, F. A. N. D., & Filha, M. D. O. F. (2013). Contribuições da terapia comunitária integrativa para usuários dos Centros de Atenção Psicossocial (CAPS): do isolamento à sociabilidade libertadora. Cadernos De Saúde Pública, 29(10), 2028–2038. doi: 10.1590/0102-311x00000913

Cezario, P. F. (2015). Integrative Community Therapy and its benefits for primary ... Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290649366_Integrative_Community_Therapy_and_its_benefits_for_primary_care_an_integrative_review

Cordeiro, R. (2011). Terapia Comunitária Integrativa Na Estratégia Saúde Da Família: Análise Acerca Dos Depoimentos Dos Seus Participantes. Revista Da Universidade Vale Do Rio Verde, 9(2), 192–201. doi: 10.5892/ruvrv.2011.92.192201

de Assis, N. M. (2017). Grupo de empoderamento e terapia comunitaria para mulheres em situacao de violencia domestica: relato de experiencia (Vol. 16). Sobral: Sanare.

Filha, M. D. O. F., Lazarte, R., & Barreto, A. D. P. (2015). Impacto e tendências do uso da Terapia Comunitária Integrativa na produção de cuidados em saúde mental. Revista Eletrônica De Enfermagem, 17(2). doi: 10.5216/ree.v17i2.37270

Fontes, B. A. S. M. (2020). A terapia comunitária enquanto instrumento para a construção de práticas de cuidado: uma abordagem a partir das redes sociais. Ciências Sociais Unisinos, 55(3). doi: 10.4013/csu.2019.55.3.10

Garcia, L. D. S. L. (2018). Case Study of a Psychosocial Mental Health Intervention in Sao Paolo (dissertation).

Giffoni, F. A. D. O., Vieira, A. C. C., Matos, A. B. M., & Barbosa, J. D. S. (2015). Terapia Comunitária como intervenção na Saúde Mental. ID on Line REVISTA DE PSICOLOGIA, 9(28), 61. doi: 10.14295/idonline.v9i28.365

Guimarães, F. J., & Filha, M. D. O. F. (2009). Repercussões da terapia comunitária no cotidiano de seus participantes. Revista Eletrônica De Enfermagem, 8(3). doi: 10.5216/ree.v8i3.7079

World Health Organization. (2008). Integrating mental health into primary health care a global perspective. Geneva, Switzerland.

Jatai, J. M., & Silva, L. M. S. D. (2012). Enfermagem e a implantação da Terapia Comunitária Integrativa na Estratégia Saúde da Família: relato de experiência. Revista Brasileira De Enfermagem, 65(4), 691–695. doi: 10.1590/s0034-71672012000400021

Lemes, A. G., Nascimento, V. F. D., Rocha, E. M. D., Moura, A. A. M. D., Luis, M. A. V., & Macedo, J. Q. D. (2018). Terapia Comunitária Integrativa como estratégia de enfrentamento às drogas entre internos de comunidades terapêuticas: SMAD Revista Eletrônica Saúde Mental Álcool e Drogas (Edição Em Português), 13(2), 101–108. doi: 10.11606/issn.1806-6976.v13i2p101-108

Lemes, A. G., Rocha, E. M. D., Nascimento, V. F. D., Volpato, R. J., Almeida, M. A. S. O., Franco, S. E. D. J., … Luis, M. A. V. (2020). Benefícios da terapia comunitária integrativa revelados por usuários de substâncias psicoativas. Acta Paulista De Enfermagem, 33. doi: 10.37689/acta-ape/2020ao0122

Menezes Jr., J. O. (2019). O IMPAICTO POSITIVO NA PRODUÇÃO DO CUIDADO E ATENÇÃO EM SAÚDE MENTAL ATRAVÉS DA TERAPIA COMUNITÁRIA INTEGRATIVA. Retrieved from http://temasemsaude.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/19412.pdf

Neder, C. R., & Pinheiro, S. D. A. (2010). Terapia Comunitária em ambulatórios universitários. O Mundo Da Saúde, 34(4), 520–525. doi: 10.15343/0104-7809.20104520525

Oliveira, D. S. T. D., & Filha, M. D. O. F. (2011). Contribuição dos recursos culturais para a terapia comunitária integrativa na visão do terapeuta. Revista Gaúcha De Enfermagem, 32(3), 524–530. doi: 10.1590/s1983-14472011000300013

Oliveira, S. M. D., Junior, J. O. M., Junior, S. V. D. S., Dias, M. D., Fernandes, M. D. G. M., & Filha, M. D. O. F. (2017). Rodas de terapia comunitária: construindo espaços terapêuticos para idosos em comunidades quilombolas. Revista De Enfermagem Da UFSM, 7(4), 712. doi: 10.5902/2179769220299

padrão, P. S. (2010, February 26). A terapia comunitária como política pública. Retrieved from https://consciencia.net/a-terapia-comunitaria-como-politica-publica/

Silva, N. E. K. E., Paro, C. A., & Silva, M. V. D. (2019). Terapia Comunitária Integrativa Como Tecnologia Social: Avanços E Desafios. Revista Temas Em Educação, 28(1), 150. doi: 10.22478/ufpb.2359-7003.2019v28n1.41848

Silva, P. (2016). A Terapia Comunitaria como estrategia de intervencao para o empoderamento de usarios de Caps em processo de alta (dissertation). Joao Pessoa.

Souza, G. M. L. D., Silva, P. M. D. C., Azevedo, E. B. D., Filha, M. O. F., Silva, V. C. L., & Espinola, L. L. (2011). A Contribuição Da Terapia Comunitária No Processo Saúde – Doença.

Cogitare Enfermagem, 16(4). doi: 10.5380/ce.v16i4.23030

Terapia Comunitária se torna ferramenta essencial para o tratamento de pequenos conflitos. (2008, May). Retrieved from http://189.28.128.100/dab/docs/publicacoes/revistas/revista_saude_familia18.pdf

Integrative Community Therapy (ICT): What is it?

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:08:40 GMT

Integrative Community Therapy: Why it should matter to psychologists, therapists, and communities

The Birth of TCI: From the favelas of Brazil to communities worldwide

Integrative Community Therapy (ICT, based on the Brazilian method of Terapia Comunitária Integrativa) is a unique large group dialogic therapeutic modality that requires only short-term training, can accommodate groups from 15-200 people, and can be performed successfully in an online format. Terapia Comunitária Integrativa was created by psychiatrist/anthropologist Dr. Adalberto Barreto in response to an increased need for meaningful community-based mental health services in the extremely low-income neighborhoods (also known as favelas) of Fortaleza, Brazil.

This modality is based on a five-step participatory structure that elicits therapeutic community conversation and knowledge-sharing in groups of 15 or more. The primary benefits are community building, promoting a sense of “shared suffering,” providing a space of inclusion and diversity, sharing experiences to promote healthy coping strategies, and creating and reinforcing social/support networks. By emphasizing community-building in a shared environment, ICT creates a forum for solidarity, collective healing and proliferation of resiliency.

TCI is now a worldwide movement with excellent results

Today, Brazil has over 42 training centers that have trained 37 thousand community therapists nation-wide, and TCI is offered across Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe as a first-line treatment for patients who present to their primary care physician with mild to moderate mental health complaints as a supplement to medical management. Research examined surveys from 12,000 participants and found 88.5% reported that they had successfully resolved their primary mental health complaint.

Our goal: Attainable, affordable, accessible mental health services for all

Visible Hands Collaborative’s goal is to train a cohort of community members who can facilitate Integrative Commmunity Therapy, bringing this much-needed service to the Southwestern Pennsylvania region and the English-speaking world more broadly. By training a cadre of community mental health workers in ICT, Visible Hands Collaborative hopes to subsequently create a new and sustainable stream of mental health services provided with, by and for the community that increases access while minimizing stress to existing systems.

Integrative Community Therapy Supported by Early Research

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:41:17 GMT

Use of Integrative Community Therapy is Supported by Early Research

Early research supports the use of Integrative Community Therapy as a first-line defense in treating mental health complaints.

A Groundbreaking Approach to Community and Therapy

Integrative Community Therapy is an open, large group dialogic practice that is meant to take place with between 15 and 200 people. The purpose is to discuss the emotional distress that individuals bring to a community, but also to create a universal approach to those same emotional distresses. The practice was inspired by Dr. Aldaberto Barreto, who conceptualized Terapia Comunitária Integrativa as a response to the disconnection, struggles to adapt, and anguish experienced by the people living in the favelas of Brazil.

Research on Terapia Comunitária Integrativa is relatively new, and has only become more common in the past decade. The majority of research on the topic is conducted by Brazilian researchers, with primary focus on qualitative outcomes. These studies provide data on outcomes among those who are treated. There is no research using randomized control trials, and therefore the following outcomes are sensitive to endogeneity from selection bias. Despite this, the research has pointed to positive outcomes.

Quantitative Studies Show Positive Outcomes

The most developed research program use of TCI was performed by a group of researchers in 2004, 2007 and 2009 using surveys from TCI participants from across the country. Of the 12,000 participants who were surveyed in 2004, only 11.5% required referral to an outside specialty service, while 88.5% reported that they had successfully resolved the issue that brought them to TCI. Similarly, in 2008, of the 5,200 who participated, 87.8% resolved their initial complaint by attending TCI and only 12.2% required further intervention. Based on these survey data, Barreto and his team concluded that by providing preventive and primary care-based TCI services, they had successfully diverted community members away from expensive and excessive specialty services that often have harmful adverse health effects (Barreto et al., 2011).

Silva et al. (2016) assessed mental health in the elderly population and found that elderly individuals who attended TCI sessions regularly were less likely to have a Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score ≥5.

Garcia (2018) showed a 20% decrease in SRQ scores after 12 weeks in a cohort of 115 patients who each attended an average of 3.5 sessions TCIover that time. Moreover, the decrease in SRQ was associated with a higher baseline SRQ score. This study also showed an increase in quality of life for participants.

Lemes et al. (2018) described TCI participation in incarcerated male patients with substance use disorder and showed a significant increase in resilience and use of social support networks, leading to improved stability.

Lemes et al. (2020) studied TCI groups in drug rehab centers and showed participants’ displayed growth in domains of social support, self-esteem and resilience.

Andrade et al. (2010) showed increased resilience and decreased use of prescribed psychotropic medications in patients who were referred to TCI through their primary care physician.

Silva (2016) showed an increase in self-esteem and healthy social ties in a group of 11 mental health service users who attended at least 6 TCI sessions.

Assis et al. (2017) observed improved self-esteem and self-empowerment in female participants of a TCI group who are victims of domestic violence.

More Benefits to Terapia Comunitária Integrativa

Additional studies, most often using oral histories and semi-structured interviews, show that benefits of TCI contributed to:

Strengthening of individual resilient attributes, such as self-empowerment, increased autonomy, self-esteem through reanalyzing narratives of life circumstances in a more positive light and empowering individuals to make change (Menezes Jr et al., 2019; Caricio, 2010; Cordeiro et al., 2011).

Practice of social networking encourages rebuilding and reinforcement of family, social, community and spiritual ties (Cordeiro et al., 2011; Filha et al., 2009; Menezes Jr et al., 2019; Fontes, 2020).

Shared examples of use of resilience skills leads to changes in behavioral health and improved psychological integration and rehabilitation (Carvalho et al., 2013).

Sense of empowerment, improved self-esteem and behavioral changes in senior citizens via collective expression of suffering and sharing of resilience strategies (Andrade et al., 2010).

Greater education about medications and integration of care through open discussion about the purpose for and use of psychotropic prescriptions (Souza et al., 2011).

Additional studies have shown that providers and professionals-in-training benefit from facilitating TCI sessions through provision of social support networks and creating a deeper understanding of participants’ struggles and unique competencies (Jatai & Silva, 2012; Carvalho et al., 2013). Similarly, healthcare workers have reported increased communication, understanding and humanistic care due to participation in TCI with patients (Neder & Pinheiro, 2010).

We are confident that further studies will replicate these results and look forward to blazing a trail for ICT to fit seamlessly into communities here in the United States.

Sources

Barreto, A. (2011). Terapia Comunitaria Na ESF/SUS. Retrieved April 4, 2020, from https://pt.scribd.com/document/270489889/terappia-comunitaria-na-ESF-sus-pdf

Barreto, A. (2012). Terapia comunitária: passo a passo (4th ed.). Fortaleza: Gráfica LCR.Ne