Transforming Trauma: Healing Ourselves, Healing Our World Kathy Revtyak, LCSW Kathy Braun, SSSF Andy Uribe-Sanders, RN, WHNP-BC Arlene Woelfel, SSSF, LCSW Mano y Corazón Binational Conference of Multicultural Health Care Solutions, El Paso, Texas, September 27-28, 2013

1. Transforming Trauma:
Healing Ourselves, Healing Our World
Kathy Revtyak, LCSW
Kathy Braun, SSSF
Andy Uribe-Sanders, RN, WHNP-BC
Arlene Woelfel, SSSF, LCSW

2. An Introduction

3. CAPACITAR
Mind-body-spirit wellness, practiced
preventatively and to transform trauma
Complements traditional mental health
and health treatment
Based on ancient Eastern traditions
combined with modern, Western
knowledge from health and mental
health fields.
Builds on inherent wisdom of the
individual
Promotes body literacy
Grassroots, popular education model
provides accessible, replicable tools

4. Colombia
Honduras
CAPACITAR is an international network
of solidarity and empowerment.
Capacitar is a Spanish word meaning to empower,
to encourage, to bring each other to life.
National University Rwanda

5. CAPACITAR began in 1988 as a response to war, disasters and
trauma in solidarity with the people of Nicaragua.
Simple wellness practices were taught to help grassroots people deal
with the poverty, addiction, violence and traumatic stress of their lives.
Nicaragua

6. Capacitar collaborates with groups in 35 countries
in the Americas, Africa, Europe, the Middle East & Asia.

7. WHAT WE TEACH
Capacitar offers simple effective
wellness skills such as:
• Body movement
• Acupressure for pain & stress
• Fingerholds for emotions
• Breathwork & visualization
• Emotional Freedom Tapping.
Northern Ireland: Trauma Counselors
USA: Domestic Violence Rwanda: HIV/Trauma
El Paso Detention Camp: Workshop for Detainees

8. CAPACITAR PROGRAMS
• Multicultural Wellness Education
• Trauma Healing & Transformation
• Healing Ourselves, Healing Our World Workshops
• Capacitar for Children, Schools, Teachers & Families
• Living in Wellness Programs for Caregivers, Families
& Persons with HIV/AIDS, Cancer or Addiction
• Retreats & Team Leadership Development.
IrelandSwaziland El Salvador

9. POPULAR EDUCATION vs THERAPY
Capacitar’s popular education approach
complements community mental health and
therapeutic programs. We give people simple
tools that they can use for themselves, their
families and communities. Capacitar methods
have been adapted for use in many cultures
and countries.
Nigeria: HIV/AIDS Groups
Haiti: Church Health Clinic

10. Capacitar’s Approach to Trauma Healing
Cognitive Brain: functions as the seat
of thought, images, language, logic and
memory.
Emotional Brain: (the inner brain—
limbic and reptilian brains) is the seat of
emotional responses, autonomic systems,
automatic physiological responses of the
systems of the body.
To heal trauma, stress or depression it is
necessary to work with the emotional
brain via the body, instead of only using
therapies that impact the cognitive brain.
—Dr. David Servan Schreiber, The Instinct to Heal

11. The Instinct to Heal
www.instincttoheal.org
www.heartmath.com
CHAOS—With stress,
anxiety and depression, the
rhythm of the heart is chaotic
or irregular.
COHERENCE—with
practices that promote
wellbeing, compassion and
respect, the rhythm of the
heart has a coherent pattern.

12. With Acupressure and Bodywork: there are changes in the emotional brain
with lessening of activity in the areas of pain and fear. —David Servan Schreiber
The Instinct to Heal

13. THE IMMUNE SYSTEM & STRESS
Positive emotions stimulate the
development of “killer cells” of the
immune system which are the primary
line of defense of the organism.
Stress, anxiety and depression inhibit
their growth and development. The
photo shows killer cells attacking a
cancer cell.
Capacitar practices promote health
and wellbeing enhancing the immune
system response.
Servan Schreiber, The Instinct to Heal

14. Capacitar Works with
Heart/Brain Coherence
Energy practices awaken the
natural instinct to heal promoting
balance and wellbeing:
Tai Chi, Pal Dan Gum
Fingerholds
Emotional Freedom Tapping
Acupressure
Visualization & Breathwork
Massage and Bodywork
Buddha’s Brain, Hanson, Mendius
Heart Math Institute

15. TRAUMATIC STRESS & COMPASSION FATIGUE:
• PTSD: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
• Vicarious Trauma, Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Trauma
• CTSD: Continuing Traumatic Stress Disorder
Byumba, Rwanda:
Refugee Camp
JRS Workshop Goma,
Refugee Camp, Congo DRC
Los Angeles Diocese:
Restorative Justice
Chaplains’ Retreat

16. Capacitar en la Frontera
works to bring healing to
people affected by violence,
poverty, and trauma on the
US/Mexico border and
to encourage bi-national
support and solidarity
among people of Texas,
New Mexico and Mexico.
Juarez, Mexico

17. Outreach of Capacitar en la Frontera
 Pilot Programs:
1. El Paso Detention Center
2. Department of Juvenile Probation (in collaboration with CSNSF)
3. In development—Detention Centers of El Paso Co. Sheriff’s
Department
 On-Going Initiatives, Projects and Presence
1. Non-profit agencies (women’s centers, homeless shelters,
emergency services for children)
2. Schools (EPCC, school districts)
3. Faith-based entities
4. Grassroots organizations (including human rights efforts)

18. Outreach in El Paso Detention Center offers Spiritual
Counseling services integrated with Capacitar practices for
detainees impacted by violence and trauma.

19. A Pilot Program in collaboration with the
Department of Homeland Security.
1 ½ years completed;
2 volunteer Chaplains, trained in Capacitar practices;
 4- week cycles.

20. DHS Detention Project
 Goals:
 To improve the health and
general well-being of detainees
 To improve the mental health and
capacity of detainees to cope and
to transform their situation
 To provide wellness skills for
stress and trauma that detainees
will be able to use in their current
situation and their future lives
 Objectives:
 Detainees participating in the 4-
week program will be able to
share best practices within the
detainee population and, in the
future, within their families and
communities.
 Through regular use of the
practices on a daily basis,
detainees will lessen symptoms
related to stress, anxiety and
depressions.

21. Personal Outcomes: self-reported change before and after program

22. Personal Outcomes: self-reported change
before and after program

23. Qualitative Outcomes
One woman, “Laura,” had lost custody of her
children and was awaiting deportation, but
with Capacitar tools she could take off her
mask and live with peace and inner
freedom.
Other participants reported that the practices
helped alleviate headaches, insomnia and
nightmares.
Other Outcome Measures

24. Work in the
Colonias
Efforts to support
wellness and trauma-
healing through biweekly
groups
Led by Sisters Kathy Braun
and Elsa Canan, SSSF,
participants practice Tai Chi
and Holds

25. Outreach in Cd. Juarez
Ongoing, weekly Capacitar practice
groups support individuals and
families who come together through
schools, grassroots & non-profit
organizations, and parishes.
Capacitar has been training
professionals, grassroots leaders,
and committed community members
in Capacitar practices since 2008.
Led by Hma. Maria Antonia
Aranda, IHM, participants
discuss theory and practice
Holds, Pal Dan Gum and the
Leadership Dance.

26. Support to Human
Rights Workers &
Groups in Cd. Juarez
In the wake of the ongoing
violence in northern Mexico,
Capacitar en la Frontera has
been offering trainings for
human rights workers, and the
agencies and communities
they serve.
Capacitar practices include
techniques that benefit all
sectors of the community and
that promote self-care and
wellness for the caregiver.

27. Care for the Caregiver
We know that those who accompany survivors of trauma have the
possibility of developing Compassion Fatigue or Secondary Trauma.
Capacitar trainings teach caregivers techniques that promote wellness
and support them in establishing safe boundaries.
Pat Cane, PhD, Capacitar
Foundress and Director
provides a training focused on
self-care to human rights
workers in Cd. Juarez.

28. Tasters
Half-day workshops are
provided to community
groups, systems and
agencies to develop
leadership.
Many groups are
interested in self-care
practices for their staff
and volunteers.
Led by Andrea Uribe, RN,
and Kathy Revtyak, LCSW,
participants at a Tepeyac
taster practice Pal Dan Gum
and the Leadership Dance.

29. Building a
Binational
Leadership Team
and Expanding a
Growing Network
Solidarity**Empowerment**Wellness**Healing&TransformingTrauma

30. Tai Chi
Warm Up
Rocking
Circle of Light
Globe of Light
Shower of Light
The Wise Person
Push-Pull
Flying through the
Air
Passing Clouds
Namaste

31. Finger Holds
To Manage Strong Emotions

32. Accupressure Points
for Traumatic Stress
Depression:
Crown of Head
Forehead between
eyebrows
Base of Skull at Sides
of Head
Anxiety and Crisis:
Outer Wrist
Top of Shoulders
Sore Spot
Point Beneath Nose

33. Related Resources
 David Servan Schrieber, MD, The Instinct to Heal
 John Travis, MD, WellnessWorkbook,
 Daniel Goleman, PhD, Emotional Intelligence
, Daniel Amen, MD Heal Your Brain, Heal Your Life
 For information about EFT, see work of Gary Flynt, PhD,
Emotional Freedom Technique
 Peter Levine, PhD, Waking the Tiger,
 Judith Orloff, MD, Emotional Freedom

34. Contact Us
Capacitar en la Frontera
Capacitar.frontera@gmail.com
Capacitar International
www.capacitar.org
Multicultural Wellness
Education Training,
2012-2014
Initiates
November 10-11 in El Paso
January 23-24 in Cd. Juarez