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Article

An Ethnopsychiatric Approach to Healing Trauma in Involuntary Immigrants and Torture Victims: A Clinical Case

Pages 272-284
Published online: 28 Dec 2017
 
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When purposefully and repeatedly inflicted wounds remain invisible, they are even more devastating. A person who is tortured is annihilated to the point that personal, social, and cultural differences are no longer relevant. That is the goal of torture. This article describes psychotherapy with involuntary immigrants, some of them victims of torture, as part of the project “Invisible Wounds” in the Caritas Diocese of Rome. The project's goal is to recognize, welcome, heal, and offer these persons the opportunity to rediscover themselves as individuals who are entitled to fulfilling lives. A case example demonstrates the therapy process, from diagnosis through a comprehensive analysis of the treatment phases, according to transactional analysis constructs. The carefully constructed context, work groups, and social network in which this work is carried out is described.

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Simona Ciambellini

Cristina Caizzi is a Provisional Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (psychotherapy), an ITAA Regular Member, a psychologist, and a psychotherapist. She has a private practice in Rome and has worked with “Invisible Wounds” since 2005. She also works in the research group LARSI (Self and Identity Research and Analysis Lab) coordinated by Pio Scilligo in Rome. She is a member of the scientific board of the Italian Society of Transactional Analysis (SIAT). Cristina can be reached at Via Luciano Zuccoli, 47/a − 00137, Rome, Italy; e-mail: .
Simona Ciambellini is a Certified Transactional Analyst (psychotherapist), a psychologist, and a psychotherapist. She is in private practice in Rome and has worked with “Invisible Wounds” since 2005. She can be reached at Via Servigliano 30 − 00139, Rome, Italy; e-mail: .