title: Teaching council in Sri Lanka: a post disaster, culturally sensitive and spiritual model of group process.
abstract: In response to the December 26, 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia, a method of treating trauma with group therapy, called Council, was introduced to Sri Lankan para-professionals working for Sarvodaya, a local non-governmental organization, by American psychotherapists associated with Heart Circle Sangha, a Zen Buddhist temple in New Jersey. Working together, Americans and Sri Lankans incorporated meditation, mindfulness and culturally congruent spiritual ritual that made the group process acceptable and healing to the survivors who were Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu and Christian.
authors.affiliation: Heart Circle Sangha, Ridgewood, NJ 07450, USA. joanhoeberichts@gmail.com
authors.forename: Joan Hogetsu
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hoeberichts
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008016:Life Change Events; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012066:Relief Work / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D055871:Tidal Waves; D014481:United States