In this episode of Heartbeat of Humanity, Communications Officer Jesper Guhle interviews MHPSS specialists Cátia Matos and Guleed Dualeh about the first regional MHPSS trainings conducted by the Red Cross Red Crescent MHPSS Hub. These two trainings, one in Kenya and one in Paraguay, mark a paradigm shift for the MHPSS Hub and Cátia and Guleed explains the challenges but also the major advantages of conducting MHPSS trainings regionally.
In this episode of Heartbeat of Humanity, through four interviews, Communications Officer Jesper Guhle explores the MHPSS programmes and services provided by Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies across the African region. Interviewees: Serah Kalumbilo, Zambia Red Cross SocietyErnest P. Nyame Annan, Ghana Red Cross SocietyOmar Sheikh Mohamud, Somali Red Crescent SocietyNathalie Nyamukeba, ICRCIn the podcast, a Community of Practice for Red Cross Red Crescent MHPSS focal points...
In this episode we will talk about the Sport Coach+ initiative implemented in a partnership between the MHPSS Hub and the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF). The initiative aims to create trauma informed and healing centered sports environments for young athletes between the ages of 10 and 24 with a focus on those with a background of displacement. The first phase of the initiative focused on youth affected by forced displacement within and out of Ukraine and it was implemented across ten Europe...
This episode of Heartbeat of Humanity is the fourth and last episode in a mini-series about the mental health of children and young adults in the contexts of emergencies or conflict with child and adolescent psychiatrist Brett McDermott. In this episode, MHPSS Adviser Arz Stephan talks to Brett about who among children and adolescents - or people in general - need further support following a natural hazard. Brett is an Australian child and adolescent psychiatrist. He is head of Ta...
In this episode of Heartbeat of Humanity, MHPSS Adviser Arz Stephan talks to Brett McDermott about how parents and caregivers can help children get through the first year after a natural hazard. Brett is an Australian child and adolescent psychiatrist. He is head of Tasmania’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and professor at the University of Tasmania. Brett has led several post-disaster programs in Australia to better support young people experiencing the trauma of floods, c...
In this episode of Heartbeat of Humanity, MHPSS Adviser Arz Stephan talks to Brett McDermott about how parents and teachers can help children after a natural hazard. Brett is an Australian child and adolescent psychiatrist. He is head of Tasmania’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and professor at the University of Tasmania. Brett has led several post-disaster programs in Australia to better support young people experiencing the trauma of floods, cyclones, bushfires and storms...
In this episode of Heartbeat of Humanity, MHPSS Adviser Arz Stephan talks to Brett McDermott about mental health, natural hazards and children. Brett is an Australian child and adolescent psychiatrist. He is head of Tasmania’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and professor at the University of Tasmania. Brett has led several post-disaster programs in Australia to better support young people experiencing the trauma of floods, cyclones, bushfires and storms. His approach has inf...
In this episode of Heartbeat of Humanity, Monia Aebersold and Kristofer Vernmark explains the concept and the benefits of digital MHPSS and present the digital MHPSS toolkit availble on the MHPSS Hub website. Monia is the MHPSS Project Manager in charge of psychosocial support services at the Swiss Red Cross with 20 years of experience in the field of displacement and migration. She holds a Master degree in Social Work and Social Development and she is Head of the Sui SRK App project, a digit...
In this third and final episode in a podcast series about ‘feeling responsible for the safety of colleagues in a shrinking humanitarian space’ MHPSS Hub, Senior Communication Officer, Villads Zahle interviews Team Lead for the Technical Unit at the MHPSS Hub, Sarah Harrison. Almost 300 aid workers were killed in 2024 – the largest number in history. Additionally, more than 220 were wounded and more than 90 kidnapped. These dire numbers reflect a shrinking humanitarian space. A situation worse...
In this second of three episodes in a series about ‘feeling responsible for the safety of colleagues in a shrinking humanitarian space’ MHPSS Hub, Senior Communication Officer, Villads Zahle interviews former Communication Team lead for a large humanitarian INGO, Iben de Neergaard. Almost 300 aid workers were killed in 2024 – the largest number in history. Additionally, more than 220 were wounded and more than 90 kidnapped. These dire numbers reflect a shrinking humanitarian space. A si...
In this first of three episodes in a series about 'feeling responsible for the safety of colleagues in a shrinking humanitarian space' MHPSS Hub, Senior Communication Officer, Villads Zahle interviews Danish Red Cross, Senior Security Adviser, Sabina Brimson. Almost 300 aid workers were killed in 2024 – the largest number in history. Additionally, more than 220 were wounded and more than 90 kidnapped. These dire numbers reflect a shrinking humanitarian space. A situation worsening...
In this third and final episode of our miniseries on Ambiguous Loss, we dig deep with Roubina Tahmazian from ICRC into the critical yet often overlooked topic of children’s wellbeing in the context of families of the missing. Too often, the needs and emotional wellbeing of children are sidelined as families grapple with the uncertainty and challenges of missing loved ones, with no or very limited support from the surrounding. Roubina Tahmazian, clinical psychologist and MHPSS delegate f...
In this second episode in a three part miniseries about ambiguous loss, MHPSS Technical Advisor Arz Stefan talks to Dr. Maureen Mooney about operationalising ambiguous loss in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. Dr. Maureen Mooney is a clinical psychologist. She worked in the French Red Cross and the ICRC supporting the Restoring Family Links programme and psychosocial integration.
In this first episode in a three part miniseries about ambiguous loss, Red Cross Red Crescent Movement Hub MHPSS Technical Advisor Arz Stephan engages in a thought-provoking interview with Dr. Pauline Boss, an esteemed research therapist and author. Dr. Boss is widely recognized as a pioneering figure in the field of ambiguous loss, a concept she introduced to describe the unique and often unresolved experienced when a loved one is missing, physically absent but emotionally present, or vice v...
In this episode of Heartbeat of Humanity, MHPSS Technical Advisor Shona Whitton talks with Associate Professor Emmanual Raju from the University of Copenhagen about the role of memory in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and recovery and how memories of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami influenced DRR work in India. This is the final episode in a four-part series of Heartbeat of Humanity reflecting on the impacts of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis. Resources mentioned in the pod...
In this episode, MHPSS Technical Advisor Shona Whitton talks with Professor Emeritus Mike Wessells from Columbia University about developments in MHPSS programming and practice following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunamis, including the development of the IASC Guidelines on MHPSS in Emergency Settings. This is the third episode in a four-part series of Heartbeat of Humanity reflecting on the impacts of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis. Resources mentioned in the podcast: ...
This is the second episode in a four-part series of Heartbeat of Humanity reflecting on the impacts of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis. In this episode, MHPSS Technical Advisor Shona Whitton talks with Ananda Galappatti, co-founder and co-Director of MHPSS.net about the impact of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami on MHPSS work in Sri Lanka and the legacy of this work on global MHPSS practice. Resources mentioned in the podcast: IASC Guidelines on MHPSS in Emergenc...
This is the first episode in a four-part series of Heartbeat of Humanity reflecting on the impacts of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis. In this episode, MHPSS Technical Advisor Shona Whitton talks with Dr Dewindra Widiamurti, Regional Health Program Delegate with the Finnish Red Cross, about her experiences working in Aceh Province with Pelang Merah Indonesia (Indonesian Red Cross) after the 2004 tsunami, her reflections on MHPSS practice at the time, and how this w...
In this episode of Heartbeat of Humanity, Ahlem Cheffi, PS Centre MHPSS technical advisor for the MENA region talks to Nisreen Qawas, MHPSS director for the Palestinian Red Crescent and Rim Alsakkaf, Psychosocial Support and Protection manager at the Yemeni Red Crescent about Caring for staff and volunteers when the workplace is a warzone.
In this episode of Heartbeat of Humanity, Ahlem Cheffi, PS Centre MHPSS technical advisor for the MENA region explains the concept of supportive supervision. Supportive supervision is a safe, supportive, confidential and collaborative relationship between a supervisor and supervisee, and/or supervisees where supervisees can voice their difficulties, discuss challenges and be recognized for their successes, receive constructive feedback and emotional support, and build their technical sk...
Jesper Guhle
Excellent podcast about mental health and psychosocial support!