Episode 70 The Power of Story and Faith: Islamic Trauma Healing in Practice

On this episode they dive into the origins, structure, and impact of Islamic Trauma Healing—a community-driven, lay-led mental health intervention designed for Muslim communities, particularly Afghans and Somalis who have experienced significant trauma. Joining host Raj Sundar are Mohammed Haroon, an Afghan mental health counselor and research coordinator, and Jake Bentley, a clinical psychologist from the University of Washington. They explore the barriers many Muslim refugees face with Western mental health services, how Islamic Trauma Healing uniquely integrates faith, community narratives, and evidence-based trauma care, and what sessions look like in practice. They discuss the training process for community leaders, the intervention’s positive effects—both academically and through personal testimonials—and address how culturally contextualized models like this can help reduce stigma and foster healing. Finally, they consider possibilities for broader dissemination and adaptation of the model to other communities.

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