Projects Around The Globe

  • Kathmandu, Nepal

    LCI continues to work in collaboration with Art to Healing and Chhori providing training, supervision follow up and after care to many anti-trafficking organizations in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal.

  • India

    Now that the pandemic is over, LCI will continue taking our ISEA training program (based on our completed pilot program in Nepal) to anti-trafficking organizations in India.

  • South India

    LCI has offerred trainings and support to NGO staff, village leaders and women since 2009. We will be presenting a ISEA Women’s Empowerment Training in 2023-2024.

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Completed & Sustainable Projects

Kathmandu, Nepal

In January 2020 Lotus Circle International and Art to Healing (www.arttohealing.org), founded by Atira Tan, completed the first ever “Somatic Experiencing® and Counseling fundamentals for Sexual Abuse, Exploitation and Trafficking” certificate program in Kathmandu, Nepal. This 3 Module program was attened by 25 women counselors from 14 anti-sex trafficking NGO’s from Kathmandu, Sindulpalchok and Pokhara. Our partner organization was Chhori, (www.chhori.org) headed up by Hira Dahal who is our local coordinator. Many participants were organization leaders, psychosocial counselors, and social workers who work closely with survivors of trafficking in shelter homes and drop in centers. 60% were also survivors of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Many are also survivors of sexual abuse. Endorsed by Somatic Experiencing International, (www.traumahealing.org ), this was the first ever Somatic Experiencing® Program for sex trafficking, sexual abuse, and exploitation.

A participant and translator, Anuradha Acharya, shares how important this program has been for her in a recent interview:

“This training is really helpful for us as psychosocial counselors not to get secondary trauma from the client. I know because I used to work with clients, but I had to stop because I experienced secondary trauma. I find Somatic Experiencing® very useful to save ourselves, to take care of ourselves.”

Trauma Training for Trafficking Shelter in Bihar, India

September 2014:  Invited by Free The Slaves (FTS), Beth Nielsen (USA), Lotus Circle International founder and trauma therapist, and Dr. Sahar Bhaloo (Mumbai, India), psychologist and global mental health consultant, offered staff and residents of the Purnarnawa shelter two weeks of cutting edge clinical training, consultation, program development, and treatment in somatically-based psychotherapeutic work to facilitate trauma healing and empowerment. Residents were experiencing severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress were in need of skilled psychotherapy support for trauma recovery.  FTS and the staff themselves recognized the critical need to recruit a qualified mental health counselor for the recovery home, but no one had been willing to come to live in this remote area. This project was aimed at providing in-depth training to the case worker as well as other shelter staff, in trauma-healing skills which helped the girls suffering with symptoms of post traumatic stress (PTSD), as well as the staff experiencing vicarious traumatization.

Women’s Empowerment Project in Tamil Nadu, India

LCI South India Women’s Empowerment Project began in response to a plea for help from Anbu Moris, Auroville Village Action Group (AVAG) coordinator, after a sharp increase in suicides by women members of the local self help groups they organize. Anbu reported that 12 suicides had occurred among women in the local villages in the past year, typically by hanging, poison or self-immolation with kerosene. In addition to suicidal ideation, severe depression, anxiety and a variety of somatic symptoms were being reported by many of the women. Oppression, abuse and disempowerment were rampant amongst the women. LCI organized and made the following trips providing somatic trauma training to staff and village leaders, as well as supervision and treatment sessions.

February 2009: Six-person LCI team led by Neth Nielsen worked with Auroville Village Action Group for 3 weeks

September 2009: Follow up care trip by Beth Nielsen for one month with AVAG

September 2010: Two-person team visited AVAG for 3 weeks (Beth Nielsen and Dr. Lucia Dei Roncalli)

In September 2010 AVAG staff reported that in the last year the suicide rate amongst the women’s self help groups had dropped to zero due to LCI’s help!