Deep Listening

A person’s first contact with AGIR or UFEDOC starts here, with an appointment with a counselor in a safe place where they have value. Mental health is critical to recovering from trauma. Having active listeners with common experience – who care about how each individual can transition to a positive outcome – is a first step.

Many people in displacement camps do not have family or anyone they trust near them. They come from many places, having fled from the volcano, armed violence, and they speak many different languages. Domestic workers are often also estranged from their community as well. Social isolation is common, and trust is unfamiliar.

Deep listening heals. It establishes trust and dignity. Being heard allows participants an active role in their path to a better life. It discovers a path that will work for them – an integrated approach that fits the individual.