Title: Newly Arrived Afghan Refugees

Presenters: Freshta Taeb; Rosalind Ghafar Rogers, PhD; and Nadia Hashimi, MD

Description: Part 1 of this two-part series will provide important background information about newly arrived Afghans, including a brief historical and cultural overview of Afghanistan, the events leading up to the U.S.-led evacuation, and the migration journey. Newly arrived Afghans’ experiences at “safe havens” and resettlement in the U.S. will then be discussed with an emphasis on challenges in resettlement and the complex mental health and psychosocial issues that result when trauma and daily stressors interact within the context of resettlement.

Part 2 of this series will provide more specific information on the mental health challenges faced by newly arrived Afghans and highlight culturally responsive counseling approaches and strategies for Afghan clients with mental health issues. Practical strategies to build rapport with Afghan clients and therapeutic dos and don’ts will be discussed, as well. Case studies or vignettes will be presented throughout the recorded session based on the presenters’ real-world experiences working with newly arrived Afghans.