Iraq: Psychotherapist/Trainer

The Center for Victims of Torture is hiring Psychotherapist/Trainer in Kurdistan, Iraq to join a capacity-building project addressing the mental health needs of Iraqi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The Psychotherapist/Trainer will strengthen and support specialized psychological services provided at 2 locally-run torture treatment centers. The position focuses on supplementing local training initiatives and coaching staff members to deliver quality services. Activities include assessment, training, supervision, program development and implementation, outreach and community psychoeducation workshops.

Location: Kurdistan, Iraq

Duration: 1 year employment agreement

Start date: October 1, 2016

Reports to: Clinical Advisor for Mental Health

Post status: Unaccompanied

Organization:

The Center for Victims of Torture works toward a future in which torture ceases to exist and its victims have hope for a new life. We are an international nonprofit dedicated to healing survivors of torture. We provide direct care for those who have been tortured, train partners around the world who can prevent and treat torture, and advocate for human rights and an end to torture. We are headquartered in Minnesota with offices in Africa and the Middle East.

Responsibilities:

• Clinical supervision and training: Provide individual and group clinical supervision to local mental health providers using case discussions, live supervision, co-therapy, and supervision of supervisors. Support staff-care and self-car through supervision. Assist in developing supervision systems. Design and deliver training programs for counselors. Continually assess development needs of counselors and adapt training and coaching accordingly. The supervision may focus on a particular content area, such as working with children and families, working with SGVB survivors, or facilitating groups. Build capacity of staff members to design and conduct training. Strengthen interdisciplinary clinical practices.
• Assessment: Assess skills, systems and methods of mental health service delivery. Develop joint capacity building plans, including goals and implementation, in collaboration with staff of the partner centers.
• Community Collaboration and Capacity-building: Provide training and coordination with other organizations to promote trauma-informed network development and to better address the needs of survivors of torture and war atrocities.
• Psychoeducation: Assist in conducting psychoeducation workshops for hard-to-reach, marginalized and vulnerable communities.
• Reporting: Write and submit regular reports regarding clinical and training activities.
• Program Evaluation: Track and ensure program objectives are met. Participate in the implementation of program evaluation.

Qualifications:

Required education, experience, certificates, licenses or registrations

· Graduate degree in Psychology, Counseling, Clinical Social Work or Marriage and Family Therapy

· 4 years experience providing individual and group psychotherapy to trauma survivors

· 3 years experience supervising mental health professionals

Preferred education, experience, certificates, licenses or registrations

· Certification or licensure as a psychologist or psychotherapist

· 6 or more years experience providing individual and group psychotherapy

· Extensive experience providing psychotherapy to children, adolescents, families and SGBV survivors.

· 5 years experience supervising mental health professionals

· Experience working with interpreters

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)

· Fluency in English required. Fluency in Arabic and/or Kurdish preferred.

· Extensive experience working with locally-run NGO partner organizations and negotiating multiple relationships within and between organizations

· Understanding of and extensive experience implementing culturally appropriate mental health interventions, including individual, group and community-based approaches for people who have suffered torture and trauma.

· Understanding of and experience developing curricula and providing training for mental health counselors on counseling approaches, sensitization on the effects of trauma and war, and designing interventions.

· Experience supporting mental health professionals to maintain personal and professional well-being and to manage job stress and vicarious trauma.

· Awareness and sensitivity to cultural, political, social and economic contextual factors

· Cross cultural competence, flexibility, adaptability, diplomacy and self-sufficiency to work within a local partner organization.

· Skilled at carrying out program needs assessments and program development

· Skilled at working as a member of a team.

· Experience working in low and middle income countries. Experience working in the Middle East strongly preferred.

· Working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word and Excel)

· Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communications skills

· Excellent skills in organization, attention to detail and time management (including the ability to meet deadlines)

· Demonstrated flexibility to adapt to changing program requirements, client needs, and political climate

· Ability to travel by car between 5 – 15 hours/week.

· Interest in or commitment to human rights

Submit resume, cover letter and salary expectations to http://cvt.simplicant.com/