Conflict, Peace and Mental Health : Addressing the Consequences of Conflict and Trauma in Northern Ireland

Conflict poses considerable challenges for services that support communities, and in particular those affected by violence. This book describes the work undertaken in Omagh against the background of the most recent period of violent conflict in Ireland, and specifically it draws upon the work following the Omagh bombing. The bombing came just four months after the Northern Ireland peace agreement, known formally as the Belfast Agreement of 1998, and more informally as the Good Friday Agreement. The book describes the impact of the bomb and the early responses. Local trade unions, employers and the business community played key roles at times, particularly in underlining the need for solidarity and in identifying themselves with the desire for peace. The book looks at the outcome of needs-assessments undertaken following the Omagh bombing. The efforts to understand the mental health and related impact of the violence associated with the Troubles in Northern Ireland over the period 1969 to 2015 are focused in detail. The later efforts to build services for the benefit of the wider population are described, drawing upon the lessons gained in responding to the Omagh bombing. The developments in therapy, in training and education, and in research and advocacy are described with reference to the work of the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation (NICTT). The book draws together key conclusions about the approaches that could be taken to address mental health and well-being as an essential component of a peace-building project. What are the human consequences of conflict and what are the appropriate service responses? This book seeks to provide an answer to these important questions, drawing on over twenty-five years of work by the author in Northern Ireland and elsewhere. Focusing on the work undertaken following the Omagh bombing, the book describes how needs were assessed and understood, how evidence-based services were put in place, and the training and education programmes that were developed to assist first those communities affected by the bombing and later the wider population affected by the years of conflict. The author places the mental-health needs of affected communities at the heart of the political and peace processes that follow. This is a practical book and will be of particular interest to those planning for and responding to conflict-related disasters, policy makers, service commissioners and providers, politicians, civil servants and peace makers. Cover; Conflict, Peace And Mental Health; Contents; List Of Figures And Tables ; List Of Abbreviations And Glossary ; Acknowledgements ; Timeline ; Introduction; 1 The Omagh Bombing And The Communityâ#x80;#x99;s Response; 2 The Omagh Community Trauma And Recovery Team; 3 Assessing The Mental Health Impact Of The Omagh Bombing; 4 The Mental Health Impact Of The Troubles, 1969â#x80;#x93;1999; 5 The Mental Health Impact Of The Troubles, 2000â#x80;#x93;2015; 6 The Northern Ireland Centre For Trauma And Transformation: A Comprehensive Trauma Centre 7 The Development Of A Trauma-focused Therapy Programme8 Trauma-focused Skills Training For Practitioners; 9 Research, Advocacy And Policy Support; 10 Planning For And Responding To The Mental Health Impact Of Conflict; Postscript: The Rupture Of Loss And Trauma; Bibliography David Bolton. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Mode Of Access: World Wide Web. Front matter Dedication Contents List of figures and tables List of abbreviations and glossary Acknowledgements Timeline Introduction The Omagh bombing and the community’s response The Omagh Community Trauma and Recovery Team Assessing the mental health impact of the Omagh bombing The mental health impact of the Troubles, 1969–1999 The mental health impact of the Troubles, 2000–2015 The Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation: a comprehensive trauma centre The development of a trauma-focused therapy programme Trauma-focused skills training for practitioners Research, advocacy and policy support Planning for and responding to the mental health impact of conflict Postscript: the rupture of loss and trauma Bibliography Index