Mental Health

RefuSHE’s Mental Health Department is responsible for upholding and promoting evidence-based healing services for refugee girls and young women so that they can rebuild their lives and thrive. We believe that psychosocial recovery and emotional stability are the foundations upon which girls can rebuild their lives through education and vocational training. By conducting mental health assessments and psychoeducation, and approaching healing through a trauma-informed lens, RefuSHE ensures that the psychosocial needs of the women we serve are prioritized and met.

 
 

Talk Therapy

Due to their young age, early developmental stage, and lack of adult caregivers, unaccompanied refugees face a significant risk of developing mental health disorders from traumatic experiences before and during their flight. Many of the girls in our care are survivors of sexual assault and have experienced the violent loss of their family and community members. We offer both individualized and group therapy depending on a girl’s specific needs. 72% of the young women and girls who come to our campus have mental health issues that are likely to impede their learning. Talk therapy is a way for them to help process traumatic events, understand how these events may be influencing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and gain the tools needed to navigate their emotions.

83%

OF GIRLS IN OUR PROGRAM WHO USE TALK THERAPY SERVICES DEMONSTRATE A DECREASE IN PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS POST-TREATMENT

 
 

Arts & Movement Therapy

RefuSHE has a somatic healing space on campus where we host weekly trauma-informed yoga classes for both students and staff. Previously offered as a training workshop in partnership with The OMpowerment Project, yoga is now a regular part of our mental health offerings. Significant research demonstrates that movement-based therapies are an essential tool for healing, especially for those who may be uncomfortable with or unable to talk about their trauma. In future years, RefuSHE’s somatic healing offerings will expand to include dance therapy and drumming. Our courses in tailoring also provide therapeutic benefits through repetitive tactile movements.

 
 

The Science of Trauma

Providing young refugee women with an understanding of how trauma has impacted their lives is critical to their recovery. The Science of Trauma is a psychoeducation workshop specifically created for and tailored to RefuSHE’s community of refugee girls. It teaches young women about the basic neuroscience of trauma and how it impacts the mind and body. It also walks them through different resources for healing. The workshop demystifies trauma, normalizes the effects of traumatic experiences, and encourages girls to utilize the various healing resources at their disposal through RefuSHE’s holistic model.

90%

OF PARTICIPANTS ARE MORE COMFORTABLE DISCUSSING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AFTER COMPLETING THE SCIENCE OF TRAUMA WORKSHOP

 
 

Community & Staff Support

Our team works around the clock to ensure the refugee girls and young women on our campus feel safe and supported on their healing journeys. We encourage staff to take a proactive approach to their own self-care by participating in on- and off-site healing services, including yoga, personal counseling, and debriefing. RefuSHE also provides mental health support and resources to refugee women in Nairobi as part of our wider commitment to holistic community care.