In cooperation with Dr Anselm Crombach, Eva Schade, psychotherapist in training, offered a seven-day training programme to strengthen the psychotherapeutic skills of Burundian and Congolese psychologists in Bujumbura, Burundi.

Among others, the entire team of our partner organisation Psychologues sans Frontières Burundi, which is very experienced in trauma therapy, took part in this training. The training aimed to further strengthen the skills of local psychologists in dealing with symptoms of depressive illness, self-injurious behaviour, panic or aggression. Theoretical knowledge was imparted in lectures and discussions and applied in practice through group exercises and role plays. In the first week of training, the participants learned how to initiate behavioural changes through motivational interviewing.

In addition, they learned skills for successfully coping with emotionally upsetting situations, acute stress and patients’ states of tension. Through the additional training of cognitive restructuring techniques, the participants learned to identify negative thoughts and to change unfavourable mental structures together with the patients. In the second week of the training, the participants got to know the so-called CBASP therapy approach. This was developed specifically for the treatment of chronic depression. Especially patients with chronic depression due to abuse and neglect experiences in childhood benefit from this approach. Finally, resource activation was addressed so that the participants can recognise and support the patients’ existing positive skills and reinforce new positive coping skills.