Samoan PM opens Tsunami Trauma Recovery Training

Trauma Recovery Team, New Zealand

Helping Samoa overcome trauma

27 February 2010

For Immediate Release

Samoan Prime Minister opens Tsunami Trauma Recovery Training

The NZ Trauma Recovery Team arrived in Apia this week to train nearly 40 counsellors and workers in Samoa following the tsunami that hit the Southern Coast of Samoa on 29 September 2009.

Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Aiono Mauelegaoi, opened the 3-day training on Wednesday, saying “at the time [after the immediate aftermath of the tsunami devastation] we could only hope that members of the clergy who included counselling in their every day duties and other family members would be able to bring some semblance of calm and comfort to the people affected. Obviously this was not nearly enough with many victims continuing to suffer lingering PTSDs and depression. I am very grateful with the initiative of your Samoan NLP well being project and the work that has been undertaken to help those that have suffered mentally as a result of the tsunami ...”

Attendees included members of the national mental health unit, Samoan Lifeline, Samoan Victim Support, Ministry of Police and Prisons, UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), UNESO, etc who are learning skills that help people overcome trauma and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).

The team is providing follow-up support to those newly trained in these skills over the next few days, as they work with victims of trauma.

The Trauma Recovery Team is a group of nationally and internationally certified Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Master Practitioners and Trainers experienced in working with victims of trauma, using ground-breaking techniques that provide profound and lasting relief from trauma and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).

The techniques the team employs have been shown to be the most effective solution to treating PTSD in war zones, and following the 9-11 events in the US. Research is being started in the US following clinical use after 9-11, where NLP techniques relieved PTSD symptoms over 80% of the time in two to four hours. The next best results were with Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), the best of the researched methods. It was effective 32% of the time and took four to nine months (Frank Bourke, Ph.D. & Richard F. Liotta, Ph.D.).

NLP stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming, the study of excellence in a range of areas including therapy, personal change, communication and education. While NLP is still considered by many in New Zealand to be new and alternative, it is well established in other parts of the world, particularly in Europe where it is part of University programmes and national health services.

“Our mission is about helping people heal themselves so they in turn can begin rebuilding their communities” says Rachel Papaconstantinou, whose brainchild the project is.

Donations can be made online at www.traumarecoveryteam.org.nz.

ENDS