Ghana by Week’s End

Friday I step onto an airplane and head to NY to catch my flight to Accra, Ghana. I will then catch a flight on Starbow Airlines to Kumasi, my destination.

I will spend a week in Kumasi with two amazing organizations - Touch a Life and Connor’s Song. My role is mental health consultation for the children housed at the care facility.

In short, the children at the care facility have experienced significant trauma. First they have been traumatized by stifling poverty. Second, most of these children were traumatized by being sold into slavery. Third, they have been traumatized by slavery itself. Finally, they were rescued.

These children have had multiple transitions outside of their own control. They are well cared for and loved at the care facility, but they all carry a history of trauma.

Mental health care for many of these children is going to be a part of their healing and development. I will be working with an amazing Play Therapist and Art Therapist on site. Our plan is to assess the need of the children, assess the capacity of the context, and make recommendations for acute care as well as a model for long term care.

I will also be strategizing for ongoing connection between Touch A Life, Connor’s Song, and masters level Marriage and Family Therapy students. My great desire is to expose students to this opportunity and perhaps one or more will make it their mission to move to Ghana and work full time with these children.