We’re Safe Here Now: Counseling victims of violence after terror

The counseling trainee (counselor) and the clients described herein are native to the African continent. At the age of 12 the counselor volunteered at a refugee camp in Nairobi, Kenya where she witnessed atrocities. This experience inspired her to become an advocate for victims. The counselor graduated with a B.S. in Public Health from Southern Connecticut State University in 2010. She then worked as a program manager for a residential program for mentally ill individuals in this area. Victim of Terror: She returned to Africa in 2013 to visit family when she and her 1 year old son became victims of a terror attack at the Westgate Mall Nairobi, Kenya. They were captive in the mall with other victims (deceased and living) for four days. She thus had first hand experiences that connected her emotionally to victims of violence. This connection creates both empathy and challenge. The challenge is to cope with memories and feelings in the context of client sessions. Purpose of this Presentation: The purpose of this project was to two fold: 1. For the counselor and her peer to deeply explore the experience of a counseling trainee working with sexually victimized refugees in the context of the counselor’s prior trauma. 2. To explain this exploration so that others would appreciate the issues involved