Healing the Wounds of War Successes

Through the Healing the Wounds of War (HWW) program, CMBM has improved the lives of hundreds of healthcare professionals living in areas touched by conflict, terrorism or natural disaster, including: Bosnia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Israel, Gaza, and within the United States.

The HWW program includes a model comprised of scientifically-validated mind-body techniques (including meditation, guided imagery, and biofeedback); self-expression exercises (including writing, drawings and movement); and a powerful and effective model of group support.

Through a three-phased program, which entails the mind-body training of local leaders in mental health, health, education and religion and the selection of a future faculty from local participants who continue to train their peers and communities in the HWW model, CMBM disseminates a sustainable approach that can be interwoven into existing governmental and non-governmental structures and facilitates the promotion of psychological health and well-being.

In Kosovo, the CMBM approach is now central to the entire region-wide community mental health system (serving 2 million people), and is being taught by local psychiatrists and psychologists to medical students, residents and graduate students. It is also being integrated in school and community based programs.

In Israel, CMBM has established strong partnerships with leading trauma organizations:

  • Israeli Ministry of Education
  • Israel Center for Psychotrauma
  • Natal
  • Ben Gurion University
  • Hadassah University Hospital

In Gaza, CMBM has established strong partnerships with leading Palestinian governmental and non-governmental organizations:

  • Palestinian Ministry of Health
  • Gaza Community Mental Health Programme
  • United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
  • UNICEF
  • Red Crescent
  • Palestinian Center for Democracy
  • Gaza Community Training and Crisis Management Center

The CMBM model has also been widely and successfully used with people suffering from cancer and other chronic illnesses, with troubled and traumatized children, and with medical school faculty and their students.

The clinical efficacy of the CMBM program with traumatized children has been repeatedly demonstrated. In a pilot study in which high school teachers in the Suhareka region of Kosovo used the CMBM model, levels of posttraumatic stress disorder in high school students were reduced from an average of 88% to 38% in only six weeks (read research published in Journal of Traumatic Stress, April 2004). Participants have also reported the following documented effects of CMBM trainings, including: the alleviation of their own stress and trauma; decreases in anxiety and depression; increased optimism; decreased anger; and increased capacity to help others.

Helpful Documents:

Healing the Wounds of War Overview (PDF 238 KB)

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On the first day of this training program I was very embarrassed and shy. I felt loneliness. But today I am both happy and sad. Happy because I learned many things and these things affect my professional and personal life. Sad because the training program will end today.

- Anonymous, Psychologist