THE APPLICABILITY OF CREATIVE MOVEMENT THERAPIES IN THE HEALING PROCESS OF TORTURE VICTIMS IN A CONFLICT SCENARIO IN MANIPUR, INDIA Centre for Organisation Research & Education Human to Humane Transcultural Centre for Torture and Trauma Creative Movement Therapy Association of India CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

From Marian Chace to “Human to Humane”: Interactive workshop on creative movement therapy in rehabilitating female torture survivors in a conflict setting, Manipur, India “The body does not lie” Martha Graham CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

“Displaced populations” Images are transient today Many populations have experienced displacement historically, and more than once Indigenous and tribal populations are vulnerable We forget the past so easily The body remembers too CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

In a living context of… Violent armed conflicts Frequent involuntary displacements in history Affecting many ethnicities and cultures, many minds The body is a real vehicle to healing as individuals and together For the body does not lie! CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

Manipur on the Indo-Myanmar border area CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

Report of DMT Two groups, one of children and one of adult women survivors of torture, were conducted from 2010 – 2013 7 children (Range = 5-15 years, Mean = 10.35 years) 23 women (Range = 33-69 years, Mean = 48.86 years) All clients experienced trauma 4 weeks before the programme. Torture definition used as in Tokyo Declaration (1975), World Medical Association. CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

Torture is defined as the deliberate, systematic or wanton infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons acting alone or on the orders of any authority, to force another person to yield information, to make a confession, or for any other reason. CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

The treatment programmes identical in content and duration Appropriate written prior consent A consultant clinical psychologist supervised. Two dance movement therapists, two junior clinical psychologists, one psychological counselor, one traditional healer and one medical doctor conducted Among both the groups, only one was male and excluded from the results CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

HTQ (Cambodian original version) was used to evaluate traumatic experience Self-reporting Trauma Screening Questionnaire (DSM-IV) assessed PTSD for adults Scheeringa et al (1995) recommend altered criteria for PTSD used for children. CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

Post-therapy assessment Two follow-up clinics were conducted after six months and one year to assess results of the treatment Additional assessment psychometric tools for anxiety and depression were used to evaluate clients who had no PTSD CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

results Prevalence of PTSD among the children (N = 16, one male excluded) was 47% Among the adult women, prevalence was much lower (N = 23) at 13% Among girl children, 60% showed normal to moderate anxiety and 33% had mild to moderate depression Anxiety and depression levels were much lower among the adults (less than 10%) CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

results Qualitative evaluation of clients in the follow up clinics revealed marked improvement of symptoms Subjective feeling of being refreshed, relieved, ability to share feelings and emotions with others including family members, reduction in feelings of anger, able to cry, relaxed and having pain “washed away” CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

lessons Non-verbal communication using creative media accelerated coping of traumatic memories Providing a sense of security in in-situ treatment environment Outdoor activities found useful Creative and movement therapy as cross – cultural media is suitable for multicultural context CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016

Thank you! CORE - H2H Manipur INDIA 2016