In the wake of group violence, the challenges of individual and social healing, reconciliation, and building sustainable communities are complex and urgent. Without such processes, cycles of revenge, despair, and rage persist – leaving the door open for the profiteers of chaos, fear, and violence.
PsySR’s Program on Peacebuilding and Reconciliation works to create and support dialogues and shared projects that deepen awareness of these realities and implement best practices for supporting community healing efforts.Read More»
The program’s coordinator is Jancis Long and she can be reached at jancislong2004@yahoo.com.
Program Projects
PsySR’s Program on Peacebuilding and Reconciliation engages in activism, advocacy, research, and educational projects. Project descriptions are available HERE, and we encourage members to participate in these efforts.
Join the Program Listserv
One of the valuable benefits of PsySR membership is the opportunity to join any of our program email listservs. Becoming a member of a program listserv enables you to (1) receive regular updates on program activities, projects, and related opportunities, (2) engage in topical discussions and learn from fellow members who share your interests, and (3) participate in planning and carrying out projects.
If you are a PsySR member, you can join the Program on Peacebuilding and Reconciliation listserv by signing up online HERE(if you don’t have a Google Groups account, you’ll be asked to create one — this is easy to do with any email address, and please include your first and last name as well).
PsySR Peacebuilding and Reconciliation Program Sends Recommendations to White House Gun Violence Task Force
In the midst of great sadness over the Newtown shootings and the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in the United States, PsySR’s Peacebuilding and Reconciliation Program has provided the White House’s gun violence task force with three specific recommendations. Read The Letter »
PsySR Sponsors Restorative Justice Learning Events
Restorative Circles are a restorative practice developed in the favelas of Brazil by Dominic Barter and his associates. A Restorative Circle is a community process for supporting those in conflict. It brings together the three parties to a conflict–those who have acted, those directly impacted and the wider community–within a chosen systemic context, to dialogue as equals. This PsySR project aims to support the development and spread of Restorative Circles (and restorative practices more broadly) in communities interested in having restorative options for engaging with conflict and “doing justice.” Join PsySR October 12-16, 2011, in Champaign, Illinois for a five-day learning event with Dominic Barter. Learn More »
PsySR Statement Calls for End to Siege of Gaza
In advance of the direct peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Washington in early September, PsySR has issued a statement calling on the Government of Israel to end the siege of Gaza and urging health and mental health professionals to join our call. Read The Statement »
PsySR Member Perspectives
Within each of its program areas, PsySR is working to develop a series of brief essays from our members in which they provide their own informed perspectives on key issues. The Program on Peacebuilding and Reconciliation is pleased to offer a PsySR Member Perspectives from coordinator Paula Green on “Elements in the Process of Reconciliation”.
Program Resources
PsySR’s Program on Peacebuilding and Reconciliation offers a range of resources developed by PsySR and its members, including educational and advocacy materials. These resources are available HERE.
Links to Learn More
PsySR’s Program on Peacebuilding and Reconciliation is developing a comprehensive listing of valuable links and resources for people working in this area or wishing to learn more about it. Our preliminary list can be found HERE, and we welcome recommendations of materials to be added. Please also refer to our Humanitarian Aid page for additional links and resources.
Trauma, Recovery and Resilience
Human beings are remarkably resilient in the face of adversity. Yet human actions are often the cause of many of the most common and most severe traumatic reactions, as seen in child abuse, gender-based violence, torture, slavery, forced displacement, and war. All take a profound toll on psychological well-being, ranging from individual reactions–including depression, acute stress reactions, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other anxiety disorders—to the disruption of crucial support networks within communities. Read More »
A Graduate Level Curriculum For Trauma Intervention and Conflict Resolution
This Graduate Level Curriculum for trauma intervention and conflict resolution in ethnopolitical warfare was prepared by a joint task force of the American and Canadian Psychological Associations. PsySR served as the secretariat for this important project.