Community intervention during ongoing political violence: What is possible? What works?

Many Zimbabweans live under continuous threat of present and future danger. This, together with past experiences of torture and organized violence, has caused significant harm to many people and communities. The Tree of Life aims to bring healing to Zimbabwe's communities, to reconnect people, and to help them reclaim a sense of community. We compare the impact of two interventions, the Tree of Life trauma healing workshop (TOL) and a Psycho-education and Coping Skills workshop (PACS), on the emotional health and community connectedness of 139 torture survivors living in situations of continuous traumatic stress. Two months following intervention, participants in both interventions showed significant reduction in psychological distress and significant increase in community engagement. The positive impacts associated with these interventions are ascribed to nonspecific factors such as the creation of a safe space for discussion of personal trauma and community problems, skillful facilitation that encourages the shared construction and reconstruction of trauma narratives, as well as the identification and use of personal and community coping resources. We conclude that it is possible and desirable to implement healing interventions under conditions of ongoing political violence. Such interventions do contribute to healthier people and communities, and may facilitate lasting peace and security. © 2013 American Psychological Association.