mental health services
Many survivors of torture and conflict-related trauma experience profound and long-lasting effects, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Appropriate mental health care and counseling can help address these conditions and aid the process of recovery.
ASTT’s mental health services include psychological assessment, individual and family psychotherapy, and group treatment. When counseling or psychological assessment is a part of a client’s personal wellness plan, he or she is referred to an in-house psychologist or clinical social worker. Therapeutic sessions with the ASTT clinician may continue over the course of several weeks, months, or years based on the individual client’s situation and needs.
The goal of these therapeutic sessions is for the client to experience progressively fewer and fewer trauma-related symptoms. Also important are related goals, as identified in the client’s personal wellness plan; these may include addressing medical needs, increasing hours of sleep, or taking steps to connect with the community.
In appropriate cases, psychologists will conduct a full psychological evaluation for use as expert asylum court testimony. In addition, ASTT psychologists also help clients deal with the often intense emotional stress that accompanies the process of seeking asylum