Posted by Eda Spielman
For many years, I have had the fantasy of spending some time in another part of the world. I have wanted not to simply travel but to have some reason to be there or connection with the local culture and people. Last spring I decided to create a mini-sabbatical for myself to see if I could make something like this happen. Thank goodness for the support of colleagues, family, and friends and for the internet for its wealth of resources. I followed many leads and dreamed many possible scenarios and found my way to Salus World, a small mental health NGO based in Denver. Their mission: “healing hidden wounds; promoting social justice; alleviating human suffering.” Just a modest goal…but certainly caught my eye. They send volunteer mental health consultants to train local providers in developing psycho-social understanding and skills. I was particularly drawn to their focus on sustainability in using consultants to build local capacity rather than provide direct service.
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