About CVT:

The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to provide trauma rehabilitative services to survivors of gross human rights abuses, including torture, and works toward a future in which gross human rights violations ceases to exist and its victims have hope for a new life. We are headquartered in Minnesota, USA with offices in Africa and the Middle East. We work locally, nationally and internationally through programs that provide trauma rehabilitative services, conduct technical assistance and capacity building to human rights activists, civil society organizations, and local service providers around the world who can prevent and treat gross human rights abuses, and advocate for human rights and an end to gross human rights violations.

About the Position:

We encourage female applicants to apply

To provide psychosocial support services in CVT’s Erbil center and in partner organization facilities as required. The Psychosocial Counselor (PSC) will work as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide rehabilitation through individual and group sessions and workshops to those suffering from the psychological and physical effects of torture and war trauma. The key goals of treatment are to; stabilize severe symptoms, address suicidal ideation or self-harm, improve functional ability, increase awareness of the link between trauma and psychological symptoms, improve management of specific symptoms such as sleep disturbances, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, dissociative symptoms, general feelings of stress and pain, improve social connections and participation in day-to-day activities. In addition, improve feelings of hope, improve social cohesion and improve body awareness. In addition to providing rehabilitation services in the CVT center, the psychotherapist will be expected to support the training of other healthcare professionals, collaborate with partner organizations in the region to implement clinical services in their centers, and advocate on behalf of CVT.

This position will include participating in significant training and capacity building activities so as to develop unique treatment skills required to address the needs of survivors of psychological trauma, emotional stress, and conflict. The psychotherapist counsellor will be expected to invest time and energy into learning and developing skills. The PSC will also be responsible for demonstrating improved clinical skills and in conducting psychosocial treatment services at a high-quality. PSCs will be guided and supervised in their daily activities by a foreign Psychotherapist Trainer to provide psychological support, rehabilitation, provide training to other health professionals and advocate on behalf of CVT. The PSC will also have support and supervision from additional experienced physiotherapists, as well as psychotherapists and counselors.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

The PSC’s primary responsibilities to collaborate with partner organization to strengthen and deliver clinical treatment services and develop community awareness, understanding and engagement relating to the rehabilitation needs of individuals who have experienced war trauma and/or torture including:

• Assist with developing referral systems and encourage collaboration between local groups and leaders, local and international NGOs, and government ministries.
• Attend interagency meetings to improve service delivery to our client groups and access opportunities to forward CVT’s work.
• Attend interagency meetings to improve service delivery to our client groups and access opportunities to forward CVT’s work.
• Collaborate with staff in partner organizations to strengthen and deliver clinical treatment services:

• Participate in meetings with partner organizations related to strengthening and deliver clinical treatment services
• Deliver clinical service in collaboration with staff of partner organization and within the partner organization’s centers
• Providing comprehensive psycho-social support to survivors of war trauma and torture who have sought assistance by completing an initial screening and intake assessment; individual and group treatment plans; case management including timely referral, follow-up, and advocacy if necessary; home visits; and follow-up assessments.
• Determine appropriate treatment techniques for war trauma and torture survivors based on solid clinical reasoning.  Interventions could include education, exercise therapy and manual therapy in the context of group work or within individual sessions.
• Use own cultural knowledge and closely consult with clients to ensure the cultural appropriateness of all interventions.
• Support needs assessments with communities to ensure interventions match the psychosocial support and social cohesion needs of community groups.
• Take responsibility for maintaining professional development by keeping up to date with evidence-based practice for managing CVT clients.
• Carrying out individual or family counseling sessions with clients affected by war trauma or torture.
• Facilitating of group counseling processes, including selection of group members, planning the group process, and group facilitation.
• Assist in the daily clinical operations to ensure clients are given appointments in a timely manner, group work activities and room designation is scheduled and coordinated fairly, equipment is shared and organized appropriately and other CVT client procedures are followed.
• Ensuring that all required documentation is competed in a timely and professional manner.
• Ensuring that all work with clients is confidential and that ethical practices are observed at all times.
• Ensure the cleanliness of treatment spaces and equipment used with clients as well as maintaining a clean, professional appearance.
• Is proactive and participatory in developing the psychotherapy service and in helping support/orientate colleagues.
• Attend all regularly scheduled trainings and meetings necessary for professional development and team coordination and upon request.
• When necessary to accommodate programmatic needs, work after hours or on weekend days when requested.
• Adherence to all relevant CVT policies and procedures with respect to child protection, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies, including COVID-19 protocols.

Develop the community’s awareness, understanding and engagement with the issues relating to mental health, war trauma, and torture

• Assist in planning and implementing community mental health, war trauma and torture awareness and education campaigns and programs.
• Sensitize, problem solve, dialogue, and mediate with the wider population about the issues of the war, torture, trauma and traumatized people in order to raise understanding, develop coping strategies and encourage those who need psycho-social services to approach CVT.
• Ensure all activities are adapted for the unique needs of diverse social, religious and ethnic groups.

Make the CVT services known and accessible to people whose psycho-social functioning has been impaired by their experiences of torture and war trauma

• Identify children, teenagers, men, and women whose psycho-social functioning may have been affected by war related experiences and encourage them to approach CVT for support.
• Develop the referral systems and encourage collaboration between local groups and leaders, CBOs, local and international NGOs, and government ministries.
• Ensure that the reporting and documentation of these processes is completed, and minutes of meetings are filed.

Train partner organizations, role players and community members in basic trauma and mental health issues.

• Participate in meetings and activities with partner organizations to identify training needs and establish training plans
• Assist in designing, planning, implementing and facilitating external training programs for partner organizations, community members and government/ministry staff on trauma and mental health issues in order to develop a more supportive environment for people whose psycho-social functioning has been affected by experiences of torture and war trauma.
• Contribute to completing the documentation and reporting of external training.

Promote Self-care through Support and Supervision

• Attend regular support, debriefing, case conferences, and/or supervision meetings to ensure information and skill-sharing.
• Attend trainings provided by CVT and other agencies as directed.
• Implement Clinician recommendations and training in day-to-day clinical work.
• Provide feedback on training and supervision.
• Request support from Psychotherapist/Trainer and peers as needed.
• Submit files to the Psychotherapist/Trainer for regular review and support.
• Set objectives for each week and month which contribute to achieving the objectives of the site. Plan the activities required to achieve these objectives.
• Submit weekly and monthly statistics form and reports.
• Set and follow through on a personal self-care schedule, raise self-care or vicarious trauma issues regularly with supervisors to allow for ongoing support and management of self-care and potential vicarious trauma.
• Recognize and seek support when needed from internal and/or external resources to address concerns of any workplace stress, signs of burnout and/or vicarious traumatization in an expedient manner.

The psychosocial counselor’s primary responsibilities working as a multidisciplinary team member include:

• Case manage clients’ interdisciplinary care through regular communication with CVT and partner organizations Physiotherapists, Psychotherapist/Trainers and Social Workers to best identify clients’ on-going needs.
• Consistently communicate prior to and throughout client sessions with other disciplines to supply and receive relevant information about the background and progress of clients as well as refer those who require other specific medical attention.
• Provide and attend internal trainings to orient new staff, staff from partner organizations and provide on-going interdisciplinary understanding and discussion.
• Recognize and respect boundaries between disciplines and establish regular communication mechanisms to address client urgent and/or on-going concerns

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum BA degree in Psychology or Counseling or similar.
• At least 2 years of relevant experience.
• Oral and written communication skills in at least one of these languages; Kurdish (Sorani or Kurmanji) or Arabic. Competence in English and Turkmani languages is beneficial.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office (Email, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook).
• Ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Strong desire to invest time and energy to develop new skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with people from different ethnicities, religions and backgrounds
• Strong organizational and analytical skills.
• Good communication and problem-solving skills.
• Not afraid to work in somewhat challenging areas.
• Ability to demonstrate self-reflection and willingness to develop personally and professionally.
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Able to travel frequently in Kurdistan and Federal Iraq
• Able to prioritize work tasks and manage schedule
• Able to complete written and electronic documentation.

Work Environment:

• Clinic and office environment
• Time spent on computer is approximately 40%
• Remote working from home when required
• Frequent travel by road, including on difficult conditions, for up to 4 hours per journey
• Regular overnight and multi-day/week visits to other project sites

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to sit; stand; walk, climb stairs; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies, up to 20 pounds. It may also require physical assistance to clients requiring movement support in the course of receiving services. Travel to/from program sites may involve difficult road conditions and/or checkpoints that result in extended journeys of up to 4 hours per day.

Travel:

Ability to travel to sites outside of Erbil, possibly including areas in the federal Iraq, depending on project development and security conditions.

How To Apply

Interested candidates must submit an updated CV with a Cover Letter to: iraq_hr@cvt.org

Please put “Psychosocial Counselor” in the Subject line.

Application deadline:  September 16^th, 2021.

Only short-listed applicants will be invited to interview