As a group we do better: Twenty years of a Latin American Refugee Women's self-help group, based on a systemic bio-psycho-social approach.

The group was developed using a bio-psycho-social model, based on a systemic understanding of the problems affecting refugees in the resettlement country. Various treatments were offered to group members including counselling, physiotherapy and psychiatry interventions, as well as participating in the group itself. This approach not only facilitated healing from torture and trauma experiences, but also increased the women's levels of self confidence and assertiveness, and strengthened their social networks and understanding of the new country. A 'core' group of participants has maintained the structure and cohesion of the group, with the assistance of a worker. Over the years, the group has assisted more than 200 women.

 The group program included a series of educational and therapeutic modules, repeated…The themes of these modules included psycho-education about trauma and loss, stress management, women's health issues, pain management, craft work, social activities. During these modules, the development of the group process was encouraged, which included respecting individual spiritual beliefs, traditional treatment practices and cultural background.

 This group was one of the initial group interventions at STARTTS[1], and it was begun shortly after the inception of STARTTS. As the group has continued to be successful, group interventions have become an important component of STARTTS programs for survivors of torture and trauma, operating as an alternative, or as a complementary, treatment with individual counselling.