This blog is moving to our new website

Hi everyone

Exciting news!

We're creating a new website that will focus all our work in the one place.

It will contain auuthoritative information drawn from our books and on-going research, and regular blog posts on a range of topics.

Together with friends, colleagues and those who comment on our ideas:

• We seek to understand the root causes of the complex problems facing humanity
• We aim to develop strategies for creating a positive future for people and planet

 In future, all our blog posts will be published on our new site.

Please visit us soon, and

• Bookmark the site (URL  www.humansolutionsnow.com)
• Click the RSS symbol, top right, to be kept informed as the site develops
• Click the Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn buttons to spread the word

Best wishes

Malcolm and Christine

Facebook and the Samaritans team up

Trauma often leads to suicidal feelings. So ways of preventing suicide may also provide a first step towards therapy and trauma healing for desperate individuals.

30 million people in the UK, that’s half the population, are now registered with Facebook. And people often share intimate things on Facebook that they are unwilling or unable to share directly with friends and family. Last Christmas a British woman told over 1,000 Facebook friends that she had taken an overdose. But no-one raised the alarm until the next day.

Now, Facebook and the UK charity Samaritans have joined forces to prevent similar tragedies in future.  For many years, Samaritans have provided confidential non-judgemental emotional support for those in distress or despair, including those contemplating suicide. This new initiative enables Facebook users to report concerns about their friends’ status updates and wall posts to the Facebook Help Centre, who will put Samaritans counsellors in touch with the distressed person. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to work out how to do this. If you know, perhaps you could leave a comment here.

This link-up shows the potential power for good of social networks. Let’s hope Facebook expands this initiative to other countries.

Thanks to the Guardian newspaper for this story.

World's disasters bring a new degree of trauma to victims

On 26 February, the Sunday Age in Melbourne, Australia published an article by Karen Kissane on the above topic. It expresses well the impact of trauma due to natural disasters, climate change and war. I heartily recommend it as background to the messages of hope that I usually post.

Hope for the Sahel: The Great Green Wall

Ten thousand years ago, following the last ice age, North Africa was a well-populated land of savannah, woodlands, and wetlands. Then, over the next few millennia, the climate dried across a belt of latitudes circling the globe from Africa through the Middle East to East Asia and even to the Americas. This drying created most of the great deserts of the world that we know today, including the Sahara, Negev, Arabian, Thar and Gobi.

This desertification hit existing agricultural societies hard. Just as today we see refugees fleeing drought-stricken areas, our ancestors would have been faced with the choice of dying of hunger and thirst, or moving to new land. But unoccupied lands were scarce as the productivity of the land declined throughout this huge area. In order to survive, some hitherto peaceful peoples became aggressive, brutal nomadic invaders, forcing those living around oases and along rivers to raise armies to defend themselves. As this relentless process continued generation after generation, so civilization as we know it was born. Out of the trauma experienced by peaceful, cooperative, egalitarian farming cultures emerged the violent, warlike, hierarchical, male dominated states of Egypt and Mesopotamia. We still live with their legacy today.

In her classic book, The Chalice and the Blade, Riane Eisler characterised this process as the transition from partnership to dominator cultures. We tell the story of this transition in far more detail in our book, Hope for Humanity. There, we draw on many sources, including research on climate change, archaeology and anthropology, and books on the subject such as James DeMeo’s Saharasia, and Steve Taylor’s The Fall, as well as the work of Riane Eisler. (click the links on the right for further information)

For the last few decades, the Sahara has been on the march again, this time southwards into the nations of the Sahel - a region wracked by poverty and conflict. The reasons for this desertification are complex. They include decades of drought, population growth, the impact of misguided agricultural developments, and the breakdown of the traditional symbiotic relationship between farmers and nomadic herders - peoples who, over centuries, had developed a deep understanding of how to live sustainably and peacefully in this fragile region. Climate change due to global warming may also be a factor, but the extent of its influence is not yet clear.

What of the future? Are we about to see a repeat of the traumas of prehistory? Will further climate change bring more hunger and conflict to the peoples of the Sahel, or will the better rains of recent years continue? Computer models of global climate disagree on the answer. Some predict reduced rainfall for the region, while others predict an increase. (See UNEP report ClimateChangeSahelCombine.pdf) The reasons for these different predictions was investigated by Alessandra Giannini. She concluded that there will be drying if the effects of ocean warming dominate the climate, but there could be increased rainfall if regional land effects are stronger.

It is well-known that forests can increase rainfall across large regions by holding moisture in the landscape, and stimulating the formation of rain-bearing clouds. So one of the best ways to try to push the sahelian climate in the right direction is to plant trees. Enter the Great Green Wall project. The idea of planting a belt of trees across Africa to halt the advancing desert was first put forward in the 1980’s. But it was only recently that the idea received official approval and promises of international funding of up to $3bn under the UN’s Convention to Combat Desertification.

15km wide, and stretching 8000 km from the Horn of Africa in the east to the coast of Senegal in the west, the Great Green Wall will pass through 11 of the poorest countries in the world: Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sudan. As well as planting drought-tolerant trees and shrubs, the project will create water retention ponds, new agricultural production systems and other economic activities, and social infrastructure. Besides stopping desertification and erosion it will protect water sources such as the shrinking Lake Chad, and restore or create biodiversity. It will bring economic development to local communities, helping to stem the tide of youth emigration, and providing them with energy resources, fruit, vegetables and other foods. And perhaps most importantly, it will foster political stability through cooperation at all levels from the international to the community. If it is to succeed, good science and technology are not enough. The project must also gain the support and involvement of local communities. The fact that this has been recognised at the highest levels at the outset augurs well.

This project brings hope to a huge region of fragile and degraded ecosystems, poverty and conflict. It offers hope of a transition to sustainability rather than the trauma of war, starvation, and displacement. It demonstrates how the challenge of climate change may be met in ways that foster the evolution of a new partnership society and an era of prosperity, peace and equality.

The Australian Canary

I try to bring messages of hope in this blog. But there are times when hope is hard to find.

A friend of mine calls Australia the canary of climate change. Just as dying canaries once gave miners warning of dangerous gas levels in coal mines, so Australia is giving the world warning of what we can expect as climate change continues. Australia has always been a land of flood, drought and fire, but recent events, beamed to TVs around the world, have been creating new records. These are consistent with predictions made by climate scientists for many years that extreme weather events will become more frequent as the planet warms. So, following a decade of drought, Australia has experienced unprecedented flooding over areas larger than France and Germany combined, one of the biggest and most powerful cyclones (hurricanes) ever seen, and devastating bush fires.

In rebuilding after these natural disasters, we might expect the government to look for ways to reduce the risk of similar events in future. Certainly, they are looking at protecting more infrastructure and communities from devastating damage. But the link to climate change and the need to reduce global carbon emissions seems to have been missed. In looking for ways to cut the budget to pay for reconstruction, the government targeted support for solar power, which has the potential to reduce carbon emissions. It took one or two far-sighted independent members of the Parliament, and the Greens to force a change in this short-sighted policy.

In just the last week, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced a plan to introduce a carbon pricing scheme within 18 months, but so far she has failed to make the connection with extreme weather events. The government’s intention is not to take a lead in the world, but simply to make sure Australia isn’t left behind in the shift to a low carbon economy. In this regard, the decision reflects comments by Professor Ross Garnaut, author of an influential government  report on climate change. He recently called for Australia to stop being a drag on the rest of the world.

This modest step has created a political furore. Even before any of the details have been thrashed out, the opposition party has sworn to fight this new ‘tax’ every inch of the way, and to repeal it when they get back into power. It seems that conservative forces in rich nations around the world are intent on burying their heads ever deeper in the sand, and continue to place priority on short-term economic growth and the demands of large corporations, rather than on long-term sustainability and the needs of the community.

In a wider context, Australia has traditionally been a major food exporter, but production has been severely affected - first by the years of drought, and now by the destruction of bumper crops by floods and hurricane winds. It seems Australia may even become a net food importer. Meanwhile, the price of food is skyrocketing worldwide following crop failures in Russia, China and elsewhere, combined with surging demand for food as incomes rise, particularly in China. It only needs one more major crop failure to wipe out stocks of some basic commodities, and turn the fear of shortages into reality. Already, millions more have been pushed into absolute poverty, and the rising price of bread has been an important factor in the unrest in North Africa and the Middle East.

Australia is not alone in its failure to come to grips with climate change. The USA is at least as resistant, and the UK is often marked more by rhetoric than achievement. Why is it that governments often seem so short sighted? There are many reasons. Democratic governments are hamstrung by the electoral cycle, unable to do anything for the long-term that would be unpopular with an electorate that is hooked on the hip-pocket and consumerism. Often, too, they are heavily influenced by big corporations which bankroll their election campaigns, fund huge numbers of lobbyists, control the flow of information through media ownership, and foster the addiction to consumerism through advertising. Corporations focus almost exclusively on their share price, and short-term returns to shareholders - not to mention huge salaries and bonuses for directors. To them the long term may be no more than 5 years. Underpinned by unquestioned belief in the free-market, these factors create a powerful barrier to visionary action.

A second barrier comes in the form of psychological defence mechanisms. Many people are simply too caught up in the challenges of career, family, status, leisure and consumption to find space to consider issues that will affect their children and grandchildren in 20 or 50 years time. Many, too, are affected by traumas of which they may not even be aware that originated in infancy, or even with their parents or grandparents. As a result, they may suffer from relationship and family problems, or anxiety, depression, phobias, denial and other psychological defence mechanisms that prevent them from facing up to the reality of a future that is too terrifying to face. These limitations apply as much to government and corporate leaders as to members of the general public. Such denial amongst individuals creates a collective denial in which whole communities and nations ignore the disasters headed their way.

Given this gloomy picture, it’s sometimes hard to see the signs of hope. And yet Australia is home to many seeds of hope too.
•    Australia’s natural disasters stimulated an outpouring of generosity. Strangers helped each other through the hardest times. People came as volunteers to help clean-up. Donations poured in. These actions will do much to limit the trauma, and will create enduring community bonds and spirit that will outlast the events.
•    Australia currently has a minority government dependent on the support of a few independents and Green party members. The result is a more open, flexible and creative process that is undoubtedly producing some good decisions.
•    New forms of political action are emerging to support important values and long-term goals. Examples include GetUp! in Australia and Avaaz internationally. They are using the power of public opinion and thousands of small donations to influence governments on key issues. Similar methods are being used by many traditional campaigning organisations, including Friends of the Earth and Amnesty International.
•    Organisations and individuals are using the internet to wrest control of information from the media corporations, and challenge government secrecy, as shown by the publicity given to wikileaks. 
•    The web and cell phones are also being used to coordinate more direct actions against government and corporate policies, and to undermine the power of dictatorial regimes. In the UK, UK Uncut is campaigning against the government’s stringent budget cuts, and tax-avoiding corporations. Similar tactics are being used to coordinate public protests across North Africa and the Middle East.
•    Some corporations are recognising the reality of climate change, and are adopting forward-looking strategies that will give them a competitive advantage in the emerging low-carbon economy.

Earthing brings new hope

We’re excited. We recently became aware of the practice of earthing and its potential to improve our health and well-being. More research needs to be done, but it’s possible that earthing may be able to prevent, and even possibly cure, trauma.

When we walk barefoot on the Earth, we are in electrical contact with it. Electrons flow into our bodies to equalise the electrical potentials, thus automatically neutralising harmful free radicals and balancing other systems. But modern lifestyles insulate us from direct contact with the ground. We wear shoes all the time, mostly live in houses that isolate us electrically from the earth, sleep in wooden beds, and walk on insulating carpets. As a result, we become electrically unbalanced.

Earthing involves reconnecting ourselves to the Earth’s supply of electrons. There are several ways this can be done, but - apart from going barefoot - they all involve skin contact with a conducting pad or sheet of some kind. This is connected to the earth through a metal rod pushed into the ground, or via the earth circuit of the building’s wiring. A bed sheet with silver threads allows us to be earthed while asleep, and a pad under the desk can earth us through our bare feet while we work. More localised earthing to treat specific injuries or problems can be achieved with patches or bands attached to the body.

This sounds so simple, it’s hard to believe it can have any significant effect. But research to date and extensive experience shows that it does. Users report better sleep, less pain, reduced symptoms of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and MS, and less stress, tension and anxiety. Wounds heal faster, and top athletes recover more rapidly from the stress of competition or intense training.

In particular, earthing has been shown to normalise the daily cycle of the stress hormone cortisol. Chronic elevation of cortisol levels is one of the effects of trauma, raising the intriguing possibility that earthing might reduce trauma symptoms. If used on a regular basis, it might increase resilience to potentially traumatic experiences. If applied after such an event, it might reduce or prevent the development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As there is an association between trauma and some other mental disorders, including anxiety, depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Bipolar Disorder, we believe earthing might help sufferers of these conditions too. It’s certainly worth researching.

In our book, Hope for Humanity, we argue that almost everyone is affected by trauma to some extent. Our resulting behavioural and psychological patterns create powerful barriers to ending war, violence, poverty, social breakdown and environmental destruction. One of the greatest challenges facing us is how to heal so many people - clearly one-on-one therapy is not possible for more than a tiny fraction of humanity. So wouldn’t it be wonderful if something as simple as earthing could make a big difference?

Christine is finding that earthing herself as much as possible is helping her express her unique self. She is experimenting with a new trauma therapy that focuses on the interaction between the energy systems of the Earth and the human body. What better therapist to use for such a huge challenge than the Earth herself? She envisages a time when connection with the Earth will help us all to heal, and to find our own unique contributions to healing humanity. We are in the process of creating a website on which more information will be available shortly. 

Childhood trauma, mental health and family support

Hope for the future lies in reducing the impact of trauma on society. Te best way to do that in the long term is to reduce the number of traumatised children. This can be done either by cutting their exposure to potentially traumatic experiences, or by increasing their resilience to cope with such events. Both are aided by good parenting in a stable, loving family environment. Sadly, many families are under pressure and children suffer from the stresses of poverty, neglect and maltreatment, or have parents with poor parenting skills or mental health problems. What can society do to help?

There are several issues here. Parenting skills are seldom taught in schools, and training is not required for this most important of jobs. The majority of us were brought up in much the same way that our parents were raised, and go on to raise our own children this way too, regardless of whether or not it is good. This ignorance is compounded by the stresses of modern life and increasing mental ill-health.

Modern urban societies have fragmented the extended family, and emphasise the privacy of the individual and nuclear family. This often leads to isolation, and resentment of official intervention, particularly where the authorities have the power to remove children to foster homes. As a result, government support programmes may be resisted and treated with suspicion. Such programmes also are frequently split amongst various problem areas such as financial assistance, housing, employment, and child welfare.

These issues and solutions to them are discussed further in our book Hope for Humanity.   The most effective programmes integrate assistance with finance, housing, employment, mental and physical health, parenting, child welfare and other challenges. At best, a home visitor seeks to become a friend and mentor of the family, and draws upon resources of government, local charities and community organisations. To succeed, it is vital that this support person not become associated with regulatory and policing functions.

This approach is exemplified by the UK charity Family Action. Working with tens of thousands of disadvantaged and socially isolated children and families, they provide practical, emotional, financial and educational support. They tackle some of the most complex and difficult issues facing families, including domestic abuse, mental health, learning disabilities and severe financial hardship. By working with the whole family, they help them become safer, stronger and more optimistic about their future.

A particular focus of Family Action is parents with mental health problems as reflected in a recent blog by their head of policy and campaigns, Rhian Beynon. Children in such families are at increased risk of poverty and being taken into care, and are twice as likely as others to experience a psychiatric disorder. Thus, caring for children’s mental health starts with integrated support for their parents. Family Action works with parents in their homes to create a lifestyle that stabilises their condition. This often includes assistance to find suitable accommodation and claim social security benefits to which they are entitled. It may also include working with the parents to improve their relationship with their children, support their learning, and set boundaries and routines for them. Parents are encouraged to get involved in their communities, and to start training, find work, or become a volunteer.

Unfortunately, such services are often seen as too expensive, particularly in this era of savage cost-cutting by the UK government. This leaves the families struggling without support, at the mercy of an unsympathetic and inadequate welfare system. Family Action cites the cost of support services as £4000 (US$6500) per family. This may sound a lot, but what is the cost of the alternative - lifetime care for more people with mental health problems, and more violence, crime, addiction and other behavioural consequences of trauma?

The Homies and the Popz

Here’s a truly delightful, heartwarming story of hope for humanity.

Compton is a city of 100,000 on the south side of Los Angeles. It’s one of the most dangerous places in the US - a world of gangsters, drive-by shootings, homelessness and street kids. And it’s also home to the Compton Cricket Club, aka the Homies and the Popz.

When founder Ted Hayes was first invited to play cricket, he asked “What’s cricket?” Film producer Katy Haber replied “It’s the same as baseball but instead of running around in circles, you run up and down.” Inspired by the experience, Ted Hayes formed a team of homeless men, training in alleyways with rubbish bins as stumps. Later, he took a recruiting drive to local schools and ran cricket workshops. So alien was the sport that one kid told his friends his brother was playing grasshopper!

That was 14 years ago. Now the Homies and the Popz brings together former gangsters, homeless men and street kids who see cricket as a model for a purposeful and law-abiding life. It’s the only all American-born cricket team in the world, playing in the Los Angeles amateur league and exhibition matches. They’ve toured England 3 times, and are currently on their first visit to Australia.

According to Hayes “The aim of playing cricket is to teach people how to respect themselves and respect authority so they stop killing each other.” And the Homies’ mission is to:
1.    Curb the negative effects of gang activities amongst the youth of Compton.
2.    Addressing homelessness in the inner city through the principles of ethics and cricket.
3.    Encourage and promote civility, good and productive citizenship.

But Ted Hayes has even bigger ambitions. “We’d like to go to places of conflict and teach the idea through cricket that we can learn civility. We can disagree and compete to win, but let’s not kill each other. The world is big enough for us all to live in peace and have fun competing while making ourselves better human beings.”

Hope for an end to female genital mutilation?

Female genital mutilation (FGM) involves the partial or total removal of the external genitalia, and partial stitching closed of the opening. Usually carried out by traditional practitioners without anaesthetic in unhygienic conditions, the pain in this most-sensitive part of the body is almost unimaginable.

About 3m women still suffer this horrific trauma in Africa every year, and there may be as many as 20,000 girls under 15 at risk in the UK, with more in other European countries. There are estimated to be 140m women who have endured this ritual. Many girls die from the procedure, and complications can leave the girl crippled. Childbirth is made difficult, thus traumatising the infant as well as the mother.

Most common in Africa, FGM is regarded as part of many traditional cultures. Despite being illegal in most countries, women continue to inflict it on their daughters because they will be marginalised if they do not. Further, as ‘uncut’ women their daughters would be unable to marry, and treated as unclean - unable even to cook, or pass a drink of water to someone.

But there are deeper historical reasons for the custom based in male domination. In many cultures, women’s sexuality is regarded as dangerous, as reflected in arranged marriages before puberty, isolation of women from men other than the husband, and wearing of the burka. FGM ensures that the girl will be a virgin at marriage, and reduces the risk of adultery by removing any possibility of sexual pleasure. It is thus used by men to create societies in which women are inferior, and objects that they  own.

Village women have commonly ignored efforts by outside NGOs, often from overseas, to persuade them to give up the practice. They think: “Why should we stop? It’s our culture. Who are you to pressure us?” Now, since 2008, a new approach has been adopted in the 12 worst-affected countries. African women are talking to African communities in the local context, opening non-judgmental dialogues through repeated visits. This work is being supported by cultural ambassadors touring the villages. One such is Sister Fa, a hip-hop star from Senegal who is on a tour called “Education against Mutilation”. She believes music is the way to reach people in Africa, particularly the young. She was cut herself, and her home town has now stopped the practice.

Since the project started, 6,000 villages in 6 countries have abandoned FGM, and more do so all the time. Overall, the gains look small so far, but the movement is growing. In Ethiopia, the prevalence has fallen from 80% to 74%; in Kenya from 32% to 27%; and in Egypt from 97% to 91%. The project aims to wipe out the practice within a generation.

Mary R Mugyeni and Safina Kwekwe Tsungu - female African parliamentarians - have called for a similar approach that is community-based, working with civil society, traditional chiefs and religious leaders, youth movements, health personnel, teachers and local government.

A key to success is persuading men that it is ok to marry an uncut girl. As the coordinator of the UN Project noted, “Believe me, the female genital mutilation would stop tomorrow if the men wanted it to.” Another key is to remove religious endorsement. In Mauritania, for example, a fatwa pronounced in January 2010 and signed by 34 Islamic scholars called for FGM to be banned and asserted that it is by no means a religious requirement.

For the first time, there seems to be a realistic hope that this barbaric practice may be on its way out.

For more information see:
Our book Hope for Humanity, p234-8.
McVeigh, T.  Africa shows signs of winning war against female genital mutilation The Observer newspaper, 6 February 2011
Blog by Mary R Mugyeni and Safina Kwekwe Tsungu We need a more robust effort to eradicate female genital mutilation posted 5 November 2010.

Conservation Therapy for Drug Addicts

Addiction is both a common cause and a frequent consequence of psychological trauma. It affects not only the users of illegal drugs, but also many users of alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, pain killers, anti-depressants, sugar and other foods. It extends to problem gamblers, and all those consumers who indulge in ‘retail therapy.’ One of the most important ways we can bring hope to humanity is by working to reduce addiction.

Connection with nature can be a powerful healing experience. UK charity Phoenix Futures makes creative use of this to bring hope to many of the drug addicts that it helps kick their habits. The aim of their Conservation Therapy Programme is to help users of their service rediscover themselves through contact with nature. Away from traditional therapeutic settings, ‘the outdoors’ creates a powerful environment which builds self esteem and confidence. Participation in this programme has led to a 28% increase in retention rates in residential rehabilitation programmes, and 53% make a full recovery. An important additional benefit is that it benefits local communities and the conservation of specific areas of countryside.

In a new initiative reported by the Guardian newspaper, Phoenix Futures encourages those who have beaten addiction with the their help to plant a tree in an area owned by the Woodland Trust as part of a larger rehabilitation project. John Crane, their alcohol treatment practitioner said:

Recovery is a journey from ruin to resurrection – it's about growth and renewal and unlocking potential. People who go through recovery remark about being reborn, and a tree growing is a great symbol of recovery and a great metaphor for growth. It was essential for me that service users plant the trees themselves because my intention is that the forest should be a powerful experience for everybody who goes there – this makes recovering a location as well as a word.

Phoenix Future’s chief executive, Karen Biggs, adds:

I want the forest to become a place where people can come throughout the year and bring their families. It shows the growth and strength of people going through the recovery journey and is a living symbol of individual and collective achievement – a beautiful symbol on the landscape.

The last word comes from Jaime Kinsella who is about to complete her recovery programme after being a drug user for 20 years:

It is truly inspirational. A tree is so symbolic. This is a really special day and it is a place I will return to with my children in the future.

Pakistan 6 months after the floods

Six months after the devastating floods that affected 20m people in Pakistan, the world has largely forgotten their plight. Attention has shifted to more recent events, such as the floods in Australia. But on the ground, the needs are still huge. As BBC News reported recently, countless numbers don’t even have tents, warm clothing or blankets to shield them from the cold winter weather. And UNICEF describes the situation in Sindh province as a malnutrition crisis of ‘epic proportions’, where one in five flood-affected children is malnourished.

It is hardly surprising that such massive destruction of lives, families, communities, infrastructure and livelihoods should lead to trauma. In particular, a new study by Save the Children reports that children of all ages are suffering profound psychological impacts due to the loss of reliability, cohesion and predictability. They found high levels of anxiety, depression and phobias in a sample of 60 children. To help them recover, SCF has set up 174 safe play areas in the worst-hit places, where children are supported through art therapy and group counselling as well as play activities. Seven of them tell their stories on Guardian online.

Recovery from natural disasters requires more than physical aid. It is essential to provide emotional and psychological help as well for individuals, families and whole communities so that they can heal their traumatic experiences and rebuild their lives.

Our Children, Our Future

If we want to help build a better world and a better life for our descendants, there is nothing more important than to provide a caring, nurturing, yet stimulating environment for our children from conception to adulthood. Possessions and affluence pale into insignificance by comparison with the need for a warm, peaceful, secure home with loving caregivers. Yet all too often, children are neglected or maltreated. In the words of Bruce Perry, millions of children in the USA are ‘literally incubated in terror.’ Many of these will grow up to be fearful, anxious and depressed. Others will become aggressive, violent and predatory. All of them will have their potential blighted. They will learn inappropriate ways of child rearing, and so pass on their dysfunctional patterns to their offspring.

Hope for the future lies in breaking this vicious cycle through conscious interventions. Research suggests that authoritarian policies that result in children being taken into care do not work. They do little to change the home situation, and child welfare workers become seen as police to be feared. Far more effective are approaches that provide integrated support and education to the caregiver, usually the mother. In this case, the welfare worker may become a trusted friend and advisor, who identifies problems the family faces and helps to find solutions. These may include issues such as accommodation, financial support, budgeting, an abusive relationship, physical and mental health, parenting training, and so on. The best of such programmes not only coordinate a range of local, state and national government services through a single local advisor, but also integrate them with local community groups and charities.

Sure Start is a successful programme established by the previous Labour government in the UK. It set up 3,500 centres in communities around the country, reaching out to hundreds of thousands of families and helping 2.7m children in need. In the words of columnist Polly Toynbee in The Guardian newspaper, these “life-enhancing places have become hubs for community activity: mothers creating a fount of local action.” Despite this success story, many of these centres and the services they provide are now at risk due to cutbacks in social services by the current Conservative-Liberal Democrat government, and a rising tide of need.

According to Toynbee, unemployment is leading to higher drug use, and more domestic violence, mental health crises and family breakdowns. The high profile media coverage given to the death of ‘Baby P’ resulted in a rise in children being referred to social services of over 25% last year with 17% more being put in care. “Add in the phenomenal, but largely unmentioned, cost of the rising number of profoundly mentally and physically disabled children … thanks to the heroic neonatal specialists in maternity units. Most of these extreme cases end up in care, costing hundreds of thousands in round-the-clock teams to look after them. Just a few can upend a children's services' budget.”

Faced with this financial crisis, the easiest things for agencies to cut are the long-term programmes which prevent more serious problems in the future. According to Toynbee, Sure Start centres “offer the earliest help to young children, identifying difficulties before it’s too late, a welcoming place to which families can turn. … (T)his is a heartbreaking destruction of a service that was starting to change children’s life chances.” What money remains is no longer ‘ringfenced’, so “early intervention to stop tomorrow’s crises is sucked away to cope with today’s emergencies … This is the way the social deficit grows, costing the next generation more … with a legacy of costly problems that could have been prevented with a little early spending …”

Wherever in the world we live, similar stories are probably being told. Let’s support local and national campaigns for effective child welfare programmes, thus bringing real Hope for Humanity in the long term.

An Update on Lessons from the Floods

A few days ago, I wrote about the lessons Australia and the world can learn from the recent floods. Most of the points I made for a strategy to reduce trauma from future natural disasters were supported in a subsequent current affairs programme on ABC TV. Now, the dozens of charities concerned with mental health in Australia have spoken out.

Already there has been almost a 40% increase in demand for mental health services as people struggle to come to terms with what the flood has done to their lives. Amongst children, the increase is nearer 50%. Some victims are already talking about suicide as they face their seemingly hopeless financial situation. A huge crisis in housing is looming as short-term accommodation with friends and family becomes stressful, and ends. There simply are not enough houses available for rent in what was already a tight housing market.

Bob Gilkes, of the mental health charity Lifeline, is quoted as saying: "If we don't address some of the psychosocial issues that will exhibit in the community over the next few months, they will have lasting effects in our society for generations to come. ...
That could be much more expensive than what it would cost to address the issues now. ... If you have families that become dysfunctional because of stress, depression, anxiety, anger, you have families break up. You generally see much more dependence on the welfare system and that can go on generationally."

Similar issues arise wherever in the world there are natural disasters, wars, genocide, and other collective traumas. Few countries have the resources to address them adequately. There will never be enough highly-trained psychologists and counsellors to meet the needs in disaster zones. What is needed is a long-term programme to train large numbers of community members in the symptoms of trauma to watch for, and simple ways of preventing and healing it. More general community-building activies are also essential for increasing mutual support and the resilience to cope. In these ways, we can bring hope to the victims of disaster, and simultaneously reduce the destructive effects of trauma on families, communities and nations.

Staying Home, Leaving Violence

Domestic violence is a huge issue in most countries. Australia is no exception. A report from the ABC tells the horrific stories of several women, and describes a new project in the state of New South Wales that is bringing them hope. "Staying Home, Leaving Violence" helps women and their children to stay safely in their homes rather than leave. Women's refuges are still seen as important, but those who go there risk becoming homeless. Workers on the project not only give advice and support, but also survey home security arrangements.  New locks may be fitted to doors and windows, and a lockable safety room organised. And the woman may be given a new mobile/cell phone, or a personal alarm button connected to the local police station. So far, the project seems to be highly successful.

The program is available as an audio download, or text transcript.

Lessons from the Floods

The last year has seen unprecedented flooding around the planet. Last July, the world watched in horror as Pakistan disappeared under a tide of brown water.  And in just the last couple of months we have seen devastation in Australia, Brazil, South Africa and Sri Lanka. These floods have killed thousands, destroyed millions of homes, wiped out livelihoods and vital food crops, and disrupted transport networks, power supplies, and industries. Untold millions are at risk of psychological trauma as they face their losses and try to rebuild their lives. Many are grieving the death of loved-ones, and the loss of their precious homes, possessions, livelihoods and communities. Many more are facing horrific memories of scenes they witnessed as people and animals were swept away, or buried in mudslides.

When we are faced with a life-threatening situation, our bodies prepare for ‘flight or fight’. Non-essential functions, such as digestion, shut down and energy is diverted to the major muscles. When we take action, this energy is discharged. If we are unable to act for some reason, the energy may remain trapped in the body. If left unprocessed and unhealed, trauma results, with long-term consequences for the affected individuals and their families, friends and communities.

The experience may resurface in debilitating flashbacks and nightmares; result in unreasonable fears and phobias; lead to depression and anxiety disorders; encourage alcoholism and other addictions; produce inappropriate outbursts of anger and aggression; or lead to physical disorders such as muscular tensions and suppression of the immune system. Behaviours flowing from trauma can devastate relationships and family life, affecting the lives of grandchildren as well as children.

This leaves us with several questions. What can the victims do to process and heal these experiences before they become trapped as trauma?  What can the community and government do to help them?  How can those who do suffer trauma be helped to heal? What lessons can we learn from the Australian floods about handling such crises in the future?

In Australia, when people left their homes ahead of the flood they often went to refuges where they were looked after. This forced inactivity was stressful, leading to anxiety, frustration, and occasional anger. Their state of mind often improved when they were able to return to their wrecked homes because at least they could do something to start the cleanup. By contrast, in poorer and less well organized nations, those who flee the floods often end up as refugees, struggling for very survival, but helpless to do anything but wait.

With a few notable exceptions, the floods in Australia were mostly slow-moving and predicted accurately so that the residents of many towns were able to build temporary levees and otherwise protect their properties. Communities pulled together in this task, individuals often working round the clock to protect the homes and businesses of strangers. The resulting sense of support and caring helped many to face what was to come with less distress, even when the defences were overtopped.

In a similar way, an army of volunteers turned out to help clean up once the flood peak passed. Many home-owners were emotionally overwhelmed by this generosity - a feeling which sometimes helped them release their pent-up grief and loss. Similarly, many volunteers said they couldn’t just stand by and watch events on TV, but had to do something to help. This suggests that perhaps they, too, were releasing pent-up emotional energy and preventing potential trauma that might have arisen due to empathy with the victims.

This reaffirmation of the Aussie spirit of ‘mateship’ was truly heart-warming, and will do much to heal individuals and communities. It will also strengthen the sense of belonging, with far-reaching benefits for community life in the good times as well as the bad times ahead.

Australia, as a wealthy country, is also well-placed to provide counselling support to those affected - something that is often overlooked in the rush to provide food, water, shelter and other physical needs. This was recognised by the Australian campaigning organisation GetUp! which focused its fundraising appeal on providing trauma counselling for victims. It is not yet clear what psychological support the government will provide, but it is to be hoped that this will be a substantial component of its recovery strategy.

In Queensland, psychologists have warned teachers in the affected areas to watch out for children suffering mental distress. Dr Jane Shakespeare-Finch was quoted as saying  "Some will be scared, some will be feeling anxious, some will be feeling a little bit unsure about what's happening next. … With children in particular in the long-term, trauma can manifest itself in the body. So, for example, there might be unexplained headaches or stomach aches or aching legs or a sense of being dizzy. … Things that look like they are physical but they are actually the body remembering trauma. … A sense of safety is vital for children now that the disaster is over. Knowing what will happen next is a really important thing. … What happened for a lot of children in this flood is that it took away their view of the world being a predictable place, and we need to re-establish that idea of predictability and safety.”

Despite these positive outcomes, the floods will leave many people with a legacy of trauma. The stoic spirit of the Aussie battler, who gets on with cleaning up and rebuilding, who turns his or her back on the past, is admirable in many ways, but can result in traumatic memories being buried. Such memories may include the dangers survived, the loss of family or friends, horrendous scenes of devastation, the loss of treasured possessions and family mementos, and a home which will never be the same again. In some cases, people may even lose their sense of identity which was closely attached to their homes and possessions, or businesses. These people need on-going understanding and support from family, friends and community if they are to come through, just as war veterans do when they return from the trauma of combat.

As climate change continues, we will see more catastrophic floods and more potential for trauma to wreak havoc in the lives of individuals, families and communities. Hope for the future in vulnerable areas lies in minimizing the risks, particularly to people, and providing essential support. Some elements of a flood strategy include:

•    Improved flood forecasting and effective warning systems
•    Development of survival strategies, including identification of and publicity about safe refuges
•    Provision of well trained and equipped emergency services, based in local communities where appropriate
•    Training of military personnel in disaster relief work
•    Strengthening the bonds in local communities during the good times, so that they will pull together in adversity
•    Encouraging people to express emotions such as loss, grief and fear. Rather than stoic endurance, they should be encouraged to allow their tears to flow and their bodies to shake as they release potentially traumatic experiences
•    Increasing the number of people trained to identify trauma and facilitate its healing. These need not be psychologists, but can be ordinary, trusted members of local communities such as teachers and health workers.

Trauma can be transformed

Trauma is a two sided coin. One face is negative, dark, destructive. The other is positive, hopeful and transformative.

In most cases, trauma warps our personality, blights our health, stunts our development, and condemns us to living well below our potential. It brings aggression and violence into families, communities, nations, and the whole planet. And trauma begets trauma as victims become perpetrators, passing on their own trauma to their partners, children and communities. In this way, humanity has been trapped for several thousand years in a vicious cycle of violence and domination. In the words of Daryl Paulson and Stanley Krippner, the aftermath of trauma is often “anxiety that will not subside, depression that will not heal, or psychosomatic injuries that will not mend.”

But this is not the whole picture. Trauma can be the dark gateway through which we enter into a journey of personal and spiritual growth. As trauma therapist Peter Levine expressed it:

Trauma has the potential to be one of the most significant forces for psychological, social and spiritual awakening and evolution.

For most of us, transformation is a slow and arduous process requiring determined commitment, and the help of skilled therapists and spiritual teachers. But, for a surprising number, it comes unbidden as a sudden awakening following intense and prolonged turmoil in their lives. The trigger may be loss and grief when a loved-one dies. It may be a life-threatening illness, or an accident that leaves them severely disabled. It may be the crash of a business or the end of a promising career. But whatever the trigger, there comes a point at which the person lets go and accepts the loss at a deep level. At that moment, they experience a transformation of their ‘dark night of the soul’ into joy and bliss. And they awaken to a new meaning and purpose in life.

This transformative power of trauma is nowhere better documented than in Steve Taylor’s latest book “Out of the Darkness.”  This forms a perfect complement to our book, “Hope for Humanity.” We focused primarily on the impact of trauma on the world and actions we might take to reduce it. We included only a relatively brief discussion of its potential for spontaneous transformation.  Steve fills that gap by telling the stories of many people for whom life-shattering events became a blessing, and analyzing the factors that made them so.