Success Healing Trauma in Kosovo – Status

Healing the Wounds of War continues to thrive and expand its reach within Kosovar society. The CMBM local faculty members, led by Drs. Afrim Blyta and Jusuf Ulaj, continue to consult with physicians, nurses, teachers and other health professionals within the community mental health system. The teachers in Suhareka continue to provide mind-body groups for their students, as well as training for other local organizations.

The CMBM model is now sought after by schools, local NGOs and government agencies, including the national police force. In this region where people have suffered greatly, and where there exists enormous stigma related to mental health issues, the CMBM program is recognized as a most effective, non-stigmatizing approach to reach people who suffer from depression, anxiety and symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

Current Status of HWW Kosovo

  • Winter 2005: The Community Mental Health Center of Gjakova, Kosovo completes a very successful mind-body program in two local schools, as requests come from additional schools in their region.
  • April 2006: The Kosovar faculty team receives funding from the Swiss Red Cross to provide mind-body training for family physicians in the Peja region.
  • Ongoing: All 10 CMBM Kosovar faculty members provide monthly consultation and supervision to the CMBM program graduates of all seven Community Mental Health Centers as they implement the program in their communities.
  • Ongoing: Grupi Psikosocial, the teachers group in Suhareka, continues to lead mind-body groups for students in their high school. They have also received requests to train teachers in the Klina/Peja region of Kosovo and to collaborate with another local NGO in work with former political prisoners. Their work has subsequently been funded by the Open Society.

Helpful Documents:

Dr. James Gordon's Kosovo Journal (PDF 75 KB)

Read article in Koha Ditore (Kosovo newspaper) (translated) (PDF 13 KB)

CMBM Research: "Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Postwar Kosovo High Sschool Students Using Mind-Body Skills Groups" (PDF 293 KB)

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Personally for me this meeting opened my eyes and brought me back to a reality that exists. Expression of my feelings, I spoke freely, I haven't done this before. My group leader helped me to express them, too. This training, especially, Part II helped me a lot.

- Psychosocial counselor, Mental Health Centre, Peje, Kosovo