Presenter: Mariana Martinez Vieyra, Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture (VAST)
Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Description
Group therapy can be used to treat mental health problems and promote psychosocial support. In this webinar, Mariana Martinez Vieyra, Provincial Refugee Mental Health Coordinator at Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture (VAST), discusses the practices, mechanisms and benefits of group therapy programs designed for refugees and torture survivors and accessed by Syrian refugees.
Join this webinar to explore and discuss the mental health needs, challenges and benefits of group therapy, as they apply to Syrian refugees, as Mariana discusses VAST's model of group therapy and shares her experience as a trauma counsellor leading groups for refugees.
Relevant links & resources related to this webinar
- Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture (VAST)
- BC Provincial Refugee Mental health Toll Free Line: 1-866-393-3133
- VAST Vulnerability Screening Tool and Group Manual on ISSBC website
Presenter's biography
Mariana Martinez Vieyra is a graduate of the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina and the UBC Counseling Psychology masters degree program. She has 25 years of experience working with survivors of political violence and torture both in Canada and in Latin America.
Raised and educated during the Argentinean dictatorship Mariana recognized the impact of torture on individuals, relationships and families, thus becoming very aware of the crucial role that community- building and social justice play in the healing process. When she moved to Vancouver 13 years ago she joined the Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture (VAST). Mariana sees her work as a trauma counsellor as a way to raise her voice against torture, resist social injustice and fight for clients' human rights as well as their psychosocial well-being. For the last 13 years at VAST, Mariana has seen clients both individually and in groups and was VAST 's group therapy program coordinator and clinical supervisor. In December 2015 when the province of British Columbia launched the Refugee Readiness Project Mariana was appointed BC’s provincial refugee mental health coordinator.
