Keva Bethell
Allen Institute of Research and Training, Bahamas
Title: Pediatric Emergency Medicine - Using a Supportive Community Group Process to Cope with the Trauma of Social Fragmentation and Promote Re-socialization in the Bahamas
Biography
Biography: Keva Bethell
Abstract
The Family: People helping people project is a supportive group process modality involving the sharing of personal stories, self-examination, refl ection and transformation using psychotherapeutic principles. Th e group process was developed to confront the prevailing social fragmentation in the Bahamas associated with or caused by the continuing eff ects of the countrywide crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and the fall-out due to the recent international fi nancial downturn. Facing community disintegration, high youth unemployment and burgeoning rates of violent crime and murder, many persons have been severely traumatized. Th is paper reviews the major themes presented in 776 group process sessions indicating the pervasive nature of the negativity of the shame process expressed in the high incidence of anger, violence, grief, relationship issues and abuse. Th is innovative project has been proven to enhance the re-socialization of many participants in the program.