Institute Focuses on Peer Support
 In June 2004, Headington Institute staff spent time in Kenya, running a four-day workshop on stress management and critical incident care. Participants from Ethiopia, Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda reflected on their life-style balance and personal stress management skills during the first half of the workshop. The second half of the workshop focused on developing trauma and peer support skills.
What is peer support? Basically, it is caring for others and being well equipped to express that in various ways. We all know that relationships are important. Yet it’s hard to quantify the impact of a smile, a kind gesture, a thoughtful question, or a calm supportive presence during hard times. The intangibility of peer support can make it difficult for us to recognize exactly how important it is. However, when it comes to stability and happiness we seem to be dependant upon the strength and nature of our social and spiritual relationships above all other factors!
Recent research on effective stress management strategies suggests that our relationships help us even more than our personal coping knowledge and skills. Humanitarian workers with low social support were 4 times more likely to experience traumatization, and 2.5 times as likely to experience some form of physical illness, than those with medium or high levels of support.
When it comes to stress management, it is easy to become absorbed in developing a personal coping plan for dealing with life’s pressures. But we can get too self-focused in this worthy pursuit. In our eagerness to control our schedules and limit the amount of stress in our lives, we can view time spent with others as unproductive. But the take-home message is clear….peer support is essential in lightening the stress load! When it comes increasing our personal resilience and joy, time invested in family and friends is far from wasted!
SO FAR THIS YEAR ...
The Headington Institute has:
- Provided 155 hours of counseling, debriefing and orientation to humanitarian staff working in crisis.
- Conducted 8 training workshops on traumatic stress in the humanitarian field.
- Conducted a four day workshop on stress management and critical incident care in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Facilitated a retreat in Australia for relief workers returning from the Iran Earthquake.
- Published a continuing education modules for Mental Health Professionals on Understanding, Assessing and Treating Humanitarians experiencing acute stress reactions.
- Co-sponsored the Humanitarian Conference “Tending the Helper's Fire“ at Notre Dame.
- Contributed to the Working Conference in Amsterdam on “Managing the Stress of Humanitarian Aid Workers.“
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
 We are growing rapidly. During the past year, 3 people have joined the staff of the Headington Institute (Director of Training & Education, Director of Counseling, and Administrative Assistant). In each case, there were multiple well qualified candidates for the position. This made selecting the finalists a challenging task. In the end, there were two criteria that tipped the scales: Was this a person I’d enjoy having lunch with? Does s/he have a personal “calling” to this kind of work? The first criterion was relatively easy to distinguish. In a small program intensely focused on a critical mission, it’s important that colleagues get along well and learn to trust, respect, and enjoy each other. That’s more a matter of chemistry than qualifications. The second criterion is more complicated to determine. Will this merely be a “job” or does this individual have a personal “mission” that matches well with ours? Caring for Caregivers is a demanding but rewarding vocation. I’m pleased to say that Lisa, Laura, and Doug are all highly qualified and quite compatible with each other. More importantly, they are all deeply committed to the work we’re doing and the people we’re serving. There’s a Japanese saying that expresses this well: Who will do the hard thing? Those who can. And who will do the impossible? Those who care. We have a staff that cares.
KENYA PROJECT UNDERWAY
 A major U.S. foundation has recently awarded the Headington Institute a matching challenge grant of $17,500 toward a goal of $35,000 for project “Helping Kenya’s Helpers”.
The “Helping Kenya’s Helpers” project has two stages. The first stage will involve providing trauma management training to mental health professionals based in Kenya and the surrounding areas. The second stage will involve collaborating with those locally-based mental health professionals to help them provide better stress and trauma training for national and international relief and development personnel working in Africa.
The terms of the matching grant are that the Headington Institute must raise the remaining $17,500 from sources other than our regular donors. If this project interests you, please consider becoming an active supporter of the Institute’s work in Kenya. Tax deductible contributions can be made online or via mail. For more information please feel free to contact the Institute or visit our website at any time.
We appreciate both your interest and support as we seek to broaden our impact and serve those working under some of the most difficult and distressing conditions imaginable.
UNITED NATIONS APPROVAL
The United Nations has approved the Headington Institute for association with the UN Department of Public Information. The Headington Institute will also be associated with the non-governmental UN Committee on Mental Health. The Committee works with the United Nations and its specialized agencies to promote psychosocial well-being, improve mental health services, and advocate and educate in the prevention of mental illness. It aims to include mental health issues within a broader context of concerns such as vulnerable populations, human rights, poverty, violence, the environment, peace and well-being.
WELCOME LAURA DEPP
The Headington Institute welcomes Laura Depp to the team! Laura joined the staff in the position of Administrative Assistant in June 2004. Laura holds a Masters degree in Marital and Family Therapy and is currently working towards her professional licensure. As well as working as a therapist in schools and counseling centers, Laura has spent three years living and working in Australia for Young Life. She is well placed to significantly contribute to the Headington Institute’s international mission.
As well as maintaining accounts and records, Laura will be researching foundations and contributing to some of the Institute’s grant proposal projects.
Welcome Laura. We’re glad you’re here!
The Headington Institute is a federally recognized nonprofit corporation with 501.C.3 status. All contributions are fully tax deductible. Please contact us for more information on how to become a partner in this important work.
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