Project Pamoja Kenya Report
For two weeks in the summer of 2024, Conexa collaborated with the Systemic Family Therapy Association of Kenya and Peace Together to do Project Pamoja Kenya (Pamoja meaning "together"). Modeled after the success of the previous year in Uganda, Conexa raised money through the generous support of so many to not only host another EFT Externship, but engage even more with the communities of Nairobi, Kenya, in advancing systemic approaches to mental health in communities.
In Kenya, relational violence affects almost half of the population.
Kenya is largely a communal society, meaning relational violence and couples distress effects more than just immediate family and children, it hurts the entire community.
In our Kenyan communities, relational violence manifests in various forms, but the most common ones are 1) intimate partner violence, and 2) violence against children/child maltreatment. Increased rates of dysfunctional couple and family dynamics has led to a crisis in relationships with many individuals, couples, and families experiencing increased rates of trauma, depression, and anxiety alongside, many divorces and separations. Put together, these skyrocketing breakdowns in family relationships have left many stakeholders such as, mental health professionals and community leaders overwhelmed with the burden of care
Introduction
Dr. Mark Maxwell
Executive Director
The primary mission of Conexa is to make systemic mental and relational health services more accessible and affordable, especially in communities facing multiple challenges such as economic, geographic, and cultural challenges along with histories of trauma. In the efforts of systemic change, Conexa approaches these challenges on multiple fronts that include making training to mental health professionals more accessible and affordable, helping those professionals connect with their communities through the development of relationships with communities leaders, raising awareness and delivering psychoeducation to community leaders, and engaging in prevention and promotion of relational and mental health in communities.
In East Africa, Conexa has endeavored to accomplish these goals in collaboration with professional therapists from the West that practice Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy, a powerful systemic therapy modality that can be effective in addressing relational issues that lead to a number of problems, including intimate partner violence (IPV). In 2023, after successfully completing Project Uganda, Conexa formed an Advisory Board for East Africa comprised of mental health professionals from various countries in East Africa such as Uganda and Kenya and supported by professionals from the United States in order to continue to advance the Conexa mission. Conexa abides by the principle that community change be driven by members of the community who know their community best. It is from this space that true collaboration can lead to a mutually respectful and productive environment for learning and growth for all parties as well as guard against cultural insensitivities or the historical trauma of colonization. In 2024, the Conexa East Africa Advisory Board and its director, Dr. Ronald Asiimwe, launched Project Pamoja Kenya to advance the goals through an Immersion program in Kenya, training professional in Nairobi and outlying areas and building a community in Emotionally Focused Therapy along with engaging in with community leaders to advance the work of systemic models to address critical mental and relational health issues facing Kenyan communities.
An Immersion Program is the most ambitious of projects Conexa engages in. It involves recruiting professionals to travel to a foreign destination to engage and collaborate with professionals and community leaders to accomplish Conexa’s goals. At the same time, Conexa seeks to train and develop these professional volunteers in the work of cultural collaboration and empower them to return home as innovators in the mental health industry, exploring ways to accomplish these same goals in their own local communities of need. The immersion program in Project Pamoja Kenya accomplished this specifically through two weeks comprised of professional trainings (such as the EFT Externship) community engagement programs (such as a couple therapy workshop for community leaders) and cultural exchanges (such as the self-of-therapist workshop with local universities) where immersion volunteers can engage in dialogue with local professionals to learn and understand the community.
An immersion program to East Africa faces numerous financial challenges. Not only is travel and stay for two weeks expensive (and fairly impractical) for any Westerner, the trainings and activities themselves can be fairly expensive for any participant in Kenya, especially given differences in currency and income. An EFT Externship can cost over $1000 in the United States. With trainer fees and association fees on top of travel fees and location fees, such trainings have been virtually impossible to afford for the average clinician or professional association. For these purposes, Conexa engages in a rigorous fundraising program to bring costs down for both the Kenyan as well as the immersion volunteer. All the money raised through these programs go toward the significant operational costs of events and activities, scholarships to assist Kenyans in attending, and helping the immersion participant reduce the cost of the trip. The fundraising programs are also designed to assist the immersion participant in community and support and engagement, raising awareness of the need to their own local communities.
The following is a report of the various activities and events of Project Pamoja Kenya and their social impact.
Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy Externship
A Four Day Training that changes lives
Background of Project Pamoja:
In July 2023, a team of 10 Kenyan therapists traveled to Kampala, Uganda, to attend the first-ever EFT externship facilitated by Conexa East Africa. Most of these professionals were members and leaders of local mental associations in Kenya, such as the Systemic Family Therapy Association (SFTA) Kenya and Peace Together. Inspired by their experiences at this training, they partnered with Conexa East Africa to form the “Pamoja” team (meaning “Together” in Swahili) and host the EFT training in Nairobi, Kenya. The four-day EFCT training was held at Sarova Panafric Hotel in Nairobi between June 24th to 27th 2024. The training was led by a team of 14 multicultural EFT experts, including EFT therapists, supervisors, and trainers from five different countries namely, the United States of America, South Africa, Canada, Spain, and Uganda.
Dr. Ronald Asiimwe
Director Conexa East Africa
Goal of the Training:
Kenya is one of the few African countries where family therapy training is rapidly expanding. However, despite having graduate programs in marriage and family therapy, there remains a gap in the availability of highly effective relational therapies, such as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), for Kenyan mental health professionals. In Kenya’s largely patriarchal society, intimate relationships are often strained by factors such as intergenerational trauma, financial challenges, intimate partner violence (IPV), infidelity, alcohol abuse, HIV/Aids, among others. Given the inherently collectivistic cultural value systems in Kenya, relational health and couple therapies such as EFCT are well-suited to address the unique cultural and contextual issues faced by individuals in intimate relationships. Therefore, the main goal of this EFT training was to support Kenyan mental health professionals to gain valuable and advanced experiential and practical counseling skills to work with couples and families who are grappling with various mental and relational health challenges. Second, the training was meant to equip leaders in the mental health profession in Kenya with skills to mentor and guide other emerging leaders who aspire to work with couples and families in Kenya.
Participants: We extended invitations to mental health practitioners and students across the East African region. A total of 122 participants attended the externship training, with Kenya (N= 106), the host nation having the majority of the participants. Participants from other countries in East Africa included those from Ethiopia (n= 4) and Uganda (N= 4). Additionally, participants from outside the East African region included professionals from Botswana (1), Ukraine (1), the USA (2), the Netherlands (2), South Sudan (1) and Nicaragua (1). Most of these attendees were living and practicing in Kenya at the time of the training.
​Location: Sarova Panafric Hotel
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Financial: Conexa discounted registration to 20,000 in Kenyan schillings (apx $150 USD) and offered various scholarships ranging from full to student (150,000 KES) totaling $2100 USD. Conexa also covered the meals and registration for all volunteers.
Testimonies:
Several participants referred to the training experience using words such as “powerful, “timely,” and “game changing.” One participant stated, “honestly, I loved it. I really did.” Another stated, “I came into this not only to learn to help other people but also to help myself; it helped me to learn how best I can better my own relationship so that I am able to help other people.” Professionals also appreciated the power of EFT to foster emotional accessing and processing, as one participant described, “it will help me to slow down in my own therapy process” and “it will help me tap into the client’s emotions.”
Participant Rehema Nyambura stated that, “having experienced the EFT externship, I gained invaluable and practical information that helped in overcoming a 7-month conflict of a couple I was assisting, profoundly altering my practice. Through de-escalation EFCT revealed the deep-seated emotional patterns and attachment disorders that underpinned the couples ongoing conflict; helping them navigate their complex emotional landscapes, I was able to guide them in accessing and expressing their vulnerable emotions rather than reverting to defensive or confrontational behaviors. The externship emphasized the significance of fostering emotional safety and connection between partners, allowing for genuine empathy and understanding. As a result, my ability to help other couples resolve their disputes has greatly improved. I now expertly use EFT techniques to help clients identify their couple dance, increase awareness of their negative cycles, reprocess underlying emotions, and create stable attachment ties, ultimately leading to durable and satisfying relationships. This training not only improved my therapy, it also reinforced the transforming power of treating emotional needs in couples therapy."
Conversely, like any other therapeutic modality introduced into a new cultural setting, participants reflected on some anticipated challenges of using EFT in their own culture. A common challenge highlighted revolved around the difficulties in accessing and expressing emotions, as well as the lack of emotional literacy in Kenyan culture. One participant expressed these concerns this way: “emotions are not easily acceptable, when someone shows emotions, it's seen as scary; we aren't taught how to manage or handle emotions.” This challenge was highlighted both during the four-day training and during interviews. Despite this challenge, some professionals saw it as an opportunity to challenge the status quo and innovate. Recognizing that emotions are universal, participants highlighted that a key to the successful implementation of EFT in Kenya would be “figuring out unique ways in which Kenyans, especially men show emotions and how to normalize, rather than shame that emotional expression.”
Future follow up: The next steps for continued development in EFCT practice in Kenya will be to conduct level two (Core skills training) and establish support mechanisms (like EFT communities in North America) where professionals in Kenya can learn and grow alongside each other in the model. Further, ongoing research efforts to understand how/whether EFCT is relatable to Kenyan couples and family’s needs to be conducted with the EFCT model.
Pastors Couple Workshop
Helping community leaders learn about healthy relationships
Rebecca Clark, LMFT
We set out to provide a therapeutic learning experience for pastor-couples to care for their own relationship and provide experiential training for pastor couples to care for the couples of their community in their care.
Dr. Cheryl Dueck Smith
Rationale:
In this predominantly Christian culture, couples turn first to pastoral care rather than therapists for support with their relationships. Pastors have limited tools for marital counseling. Pastors have nowhere to turn for care for their own relationship as they are put on such a pedestal by their communities.
Participants: A total of 36 couples were registered for this couple focused workshop. (originally capped numbers at 30 couples, but demand/ interest reflects need.). Additionally a few individuals attended to gain insight on how to lead this workshop. Conexa therapist helpers provided experiential therapeutic support to maximize experience for those attending without their spouses.
Location: Convent International Hotel
Scholarships: Registration prices were lowered to encourage participation, especially from pastor couples in more rural settings, with Conexa covering the difference.
Participant learning outcomes:
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Discovered how emotions are part of God’s creation (thru informal lecture);
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Explored with each other how gender, culture, and religion shape emotional expression;
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Recognized negative cycles of interaction and underlying emotions that drive disconnection; (informal lecture and one-to-one couples conversations with therapeutic support)
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Experienced heart-to-heart conversations with one’s spouse that lead to more abundant emotional connection (informal lecture and one-to-one couples conversations with therapeutic support).
We conducted the program from 2 PM to 8 PM, including a 30-minute break and a dinner that followed. This workshop focused on the science of attachment through a Christian perspective, emphasizing emotion and sacred relationship bonds. Couples participated in brief teachings and structured, therapeutic one-on-one conversations, where they identified key elements of secure connection, recognized common barriers to abundant intimacy, and learned to communicate effectively using the A.R.E model—Accessible, Responsive, and Engaged, as exemplified by Christ as we showed in our presentation.
Testimonials: (from Participants)
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from Dr. M. “..a wonderful moment of being equipped....connecting with my husband during the pastors' [training]. You did a wonderful job . I love how you simplified the psychological and EFT concepts to a layman's language. I enjoyed your integration of the scriptures and EFT concepts. The group discussion questions were helps for self reflection and connection. ..”
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Another participant: “I have known my wife for 26 years and tonight we are starting a new journey together. I feel like I am knowing her more deeply and we can share at a new level…”
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Another participant: “ I hear a couple sharing new things after 46 years of marriage, another after 26 years, and we are at 6 years. This conversation tonight has helped us go deep and understand what is below our conflicts… very encouraged and grateful..”
“…the training and learning were practiced in a safe environment where each couple and partner felt safe… as a Professional Marriage and Family Therapist and Trainer, I am looking forward to using these teachings, especially with pastors to help them integrate biblical teachings and concepts from Systemic Family Theories ….I hope and pray that you will find time to come back so that we can together with those who attended the first training, do a full two-day training program so that they can use it in their Churches… You may have noticed how open and receptive our people in Kenya are to knowledge and self-awareness. We need to help them learn how to practice this knowledge in a safe environment where they can easily discuss, disclose, discover, discard, and disseminate (i.e., my five Ds) this practical transformative intervention. ..” Dr. Amos Keya Alumada (MAMFT, PhDMFT) Participant, professor, pastor
Sex Therapy Workshop
How to “EFT” Sex Therapy Behavioral Interventions for clinicians
We collaborated with the Kenya Association of Marriage and Family Therapy to provide an additional learning experience for therapists in the integration of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and sex therapy and further enhance clinician skills in building secure attachment relationships.
Sarah Cook, LCSW
Participants: A total of 75 clinicians working in Kenya attended the workshop.
Location: Methodist Guest House, Nairobi
Financial: The cost for the workshop was approximately $2000, covering the venue and catering. Conexa took in $1080 in registration fees from participants.
The workshop ran from 8am to 4pm. Teaching was supported through various formats including powerpoint presentation, an experiential self-of-therapist exercise, viewing video segments of a real life couple in therapy, small table discussions led by EFT facilitators, and a lively “pop quiz” on sex research that created lots of laughs and engagement. EFT facilitators encouraged discussions in their clinician groups around Kenyan culture and sex and how to utilize sex therapy interventions in a culturally relevant way.
Testimonies:
Numerous participants named that talking about sex in Kenyan culture is considered taboo and so appreciated being able to talk about sex from an emotional and attachment framework.
“In books, when I read about treating sexual dysfunctions, the interventions would never work here. So I appreciated that the interventions that you shared were culturally accessible. ” -LMFT participant
Attachment Injury Workshop
Helping Kenyan students understand trauma and atttachment
We set out to provide an overview of the Attachment Injury Repair Model based on experienced trauma, to help individuals overcome significant breaches of trust or emotional wounds that have damaged their bond with others. By understanding these steps, the participants can assist individuals in rebuilding trust, increase emotional safety, and strengthen their attachments.
Dr. Mary Hinson
Participants: Over 80 graduate students and faculty/clinicians attended the workshop.
Location: Pan Africa Christian University, Nairobi
Financial: There were no registration fees and the venue was provided by the University.
The Attachment Injury Repair Model (AIRM) workshop, a component of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), took place in the early afternoon, running from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM. The session was thoughtfully designed to engage participants through a variety of learning methods, ensuring a comprehensive and interactive experience.
As attendees settled in, the facilitators began with a PowerPoint presentation, providing a visual framework for the key concepts of AIRM. This was followed by a video segment, which helped illustrate the high need to understand what happens when it seems individuals hesitate in the process.
To encourage active participation and peer learning, the workshop incorporated a think-pair-share exercise. This allowed participants to reflect individually on the material, discuss their thoughts with a partner, and then share insights with the larger group, fostering a collaborative learning environment.
Throughout the workshop, EFT facilitators were present to guide small group discussions. Their expertise ensured that participants could explore the nuances of AIRM in a supportive setting, asking questions and sharing experiences relevant to their practice.
The session concluded with a dynamic Q&A segment. This final portion provided an invaluable opportunity for attendees to seek clarification, delve deeper into specific aspects of AIRM, and benefit from the collective wisdom of both the facilitators and fellow participants.
​Testimonies:
Participants were deeply grateful for the experience and noting that the traumas experienced are often unnamed.
“This really feels like I have to move slower for my client to really get it, but then I too get to see how they go deeper but it will be growth for both of us. ” -LMFT student
Self of Therapist Workshop
Helping students understand the process of their own work
Jeff Scott, LMFT
We enjoyed the opportunity to help future MFT clinicians and students as well as local professionals understand the importance of exploring ourselves and our own internal processes in order to provide better care to others.
Dr. Ronald Asiimwe
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Location: United States International University, Nairobi
Participants: Over 80 graduate students and faculty/clinicians attended the workshop.
Financial: There were no registration fees and the venue was provided by the University.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is one of the therapeutic approaches that emphasizes the importance of the self-of-the-therapist (SOT) in the therapeutic experience. Self-of-the-therapist is broadly defined as experiences from the therapist’s family of origin and or historical life events that are believed to have an impact on the process of therapy (Timm & Blow, 1999). These experiences include but are not limited to; growing up in neglectful/abusive/violent home environments, experiencing divorce/separation, relational injustices e.g., marital affairs, experiencing trauma from war and organized violence, growing in a single-parent home, having a parent/significant other struggling with addictive disorders e.g., SUDs, experiencing oppressive family values/structures (e.g., families that shame or promote gendered expressions of emotions among others.
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​The 2-hour SOT workshop was offered for free by the members of the Conexa team and was held at United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya. It brought together a diverse group of participants, including seasoned mental health professionals from Kenya and graduate students from USIU and other nearby institutions. We facilitated the session as two EFT therapists, Dr. Ronald Asiimwe from Uganda (currently living and practicing in Minnesota, USA) and Jeff Scott from Utah, USA. Through open discussions and reflective/experiential exercises, we guided participants in exploring their experiences and processing how these experiences manifest in their clinical work. They also offered recommendations and suggestions for addressing SOT issues within and outside the therapeutic context.
​Testimonies:
After the workshop, participants reported
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Gaining an increased sense of self-awareness, and understanding personal emotional triggers, biases, values, and beliefs, and how they influenced their interactions with clients they served.
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Better understanding of personal history. Participants at the workshop also developed a deeper understanding of how personal history impacts the therapeutic relationship.
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Enhanced Therapeutic Presence: Participants also reported that going through this workshop helped them to cultivate the ability to remain fully present and attuned to clients' emotional needs which they said will help them create safety in the therapy context. Integration of SOT into Clinical Work:
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Lastly, participants reported gaining more insights into how to integrate SOT principles in their therapy work with clients. There was also a recognition that SOT work is not a one day/event but a process and continuous journey.
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Islamic Health Board Presentation
Introducing EFT and Attachment theory to Islamic Community Leaders
I set out to introduce the concepts of attachment theory and help the Islamic community leaders understand the relationship between attachment, trauma, and mental health. I also worked to distinguish and educate participants on the difference between physical safety and emotional safety as it relates to attachment distress. This community like many others has not understood the idea of creating emotional safety and has traditionally prioritized physical safety.
Shenny Karmali, MSW
Participants: 23 volunteers comprised of professional psychologists, mental health consultants, and lay people who volunteer their time to support individuals, couples and families from this community who are experiencing various levels of distress.
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Location: The Council Office Boardroom, Parklands Jamatkhana ( Mosque ), Nairobi
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Financial: There were no registration fees and the venue was provided for.
The presentation took place on June 23, 2024 from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM. I used a combination of interactive activities, combined with videos, TED talks, and a PowerPoint presentation to help participants gain a better understanding of attachment across different cultures. I also encourage small role-plays among the participants. A very interactive discussion followed with lots of questions. Following the presentation, four professionals from this community group also attended the EFT Externship from June 24-27, as well as attending the specialty workshops that were offered the following week.
I was invited back to do additional presentations upon returning to Kenya and we now have a group dedicated to bringing more of this work into the Islamic communities.
Pamoja Kenya in visuals
Fiscal Report
The overall final cost of Project Pamoja Kenya from the final expense report was $120,320. This included (but was not limited to) the venue costs for all activities, scholarships, ground transportation and accommodations for both the immersion team as well as the ground team in Kenya, a safari for the immersion participants, meals and various marketing and printing costs for events. We also incurred expenses for hiring a fundraising coordinator and a financial planner. It should be noted that the coordinating team, Sarah Kinder Cook, Ronald Asiimwe and Mark Maxwell worked in a completely volunteer capacity.
After meeting financial goals that would insure that we would not run in debt (Project Uganda lost over $10,000), we were excited to be able to gift our volunteer Kenyan ground team $300 each as a thank you. Conexa will also cover the expenses of their future trainings. We were also able to pay our EFT trainers $3000 for their services. Normal trainer fees can run upwards of $10,000 in the United States, making the sacrifice in time and energy our trainers made significant, especially given they were completely volunteer for Project Uganda. We also want to note the time and energy they put in to promoting and fundraising for the event.
The final income from various sources for Project Pamoja Kenya was $134,353. These sources included a combination of open fundraising from immersion participants, training events hosted by Conexa, one-time grants and registration fees paid by participants.
Each immersion participant was charged $4000 to cover the cost of their trip along with money for operational costs. This did not include airfare which varied from person to person. With the assistance of Fundraising coordinator Rene Livingston, each participant was encouraged to engage their local community and fundraise the cost of their trip through Chuffed, an online fundraising platform. According to Chuffed, the team was able to raise $37,857. The majority of the participants were successful in raising the entirety of their cost or close to it, while some elected to pay for their own trip. Some participants brought family members and paid Conexa for their costs.
Along with the personal fundraising efforts, the team was encouraged to engage in “pay-it-forward” fundraising events by offering trainings or services. Among these, EFT Trainer Dr. Paul Guillory hosted two fundraisers “Trailblazing New EFT Ground: Beyond Context and Cultural Humility”, EFT Trainer Dr. Kathryn Rheems hosted a training on (title – working with Ketamine), and Sarah Kinder Cook hosted a training on how to conduct EFT intensives. In total, these events raised $8,500 while providing valuable training to therapists.
Conexa also received generous grants or gift donations. The International Community for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT) gifted $7000 for trainer fees and support. The Everence Foundation gifted $5000 in memory of Laurie Vogt, an EFT Therapist who passed away on April 24th, 2019. The Washington Baltimore Center for EFT gifted $5200. The Red Therapy Group of Tennessee gifted $580. The Arizona Community for EFT gifted $1075 for Uganda Core Skills. The Minnesota Center for EFT gifted $2500. The EFT Edmonton Community gifted $1180. Finally, Tim Tutt, CEO of Nightshift Development, Inc., gifted the generous amount of $40,000 from Schwab Charitable.
Finally, approximately $20,000 was raised through registration fees from the various events including the EFT Externship, the Couples Workshop, Sex Therapy Training and Core Skills Uganda.
With close to $14,000 raised above cost, Conexa is excited to re-invest this amount into future Conexa East Africa projects, including Core Skills in Kenya and possible immersion projects in Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. It should be noted that Conexa invested and will continue to invest money in grant research and writing to expand its income sources.
We are so grateful and offer our deepest thanks to everyone who gave money and contributed to this cause.
A look to the Future
After an incredibly successful project, we look to the future both in East Africa and beyond. The East Africa Advisory Board will continue to meet regularly and chart a course for continued social impact, developing one year, three year and five year goals. Some of the more immediate goals will center around the continued development of the EFT communities in Uganda and Kenya. At present, we are conducting monthly online gatherings entitled “Concepts and Community” where we present topics for dialogue and exploration related to the practice of EFT. We will be planning a follow up Core Skills in Kenya for the Externship participants. One of the primary long-term goals is to develop local EFT supervisors in East Africa, working to decrease their need on supervisors from other countries and develop their own style and identity as EFT practitioners.
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The Advisory Board will also discuss expansion. Conexa has been approached by professionals from both Ethiopia and Zimbabwe to help develop EFT communities in their country. Conexa would also like to explore different forms of immersion projects for Westerners to participate in given that two weeks is long and demanding. The Advisory Board will also discuss partnering with other systemic therapy associations and professionals to bring other systemic therapy trainings to professionals. Finally, the Board is exploring innovative ways to engage and educate community leaders and increase access to service both in urban and rural areas. Conexa seeks to accomplish this by assisting local clinicians in developing relationships with community leaders such as church pastors, priests, and imams and training those clinicians to do workshops within these communities where people seek help.
Ronald and Sarah with the Ethiopian participants.
The larger organization of Conexa also has needs and goals as it looks forward. With success comes greater demand and the possibility to expand the immersion program model to other countries. This demand, however, requires the expansion of funding, staffing and leadership. Conexa is seeking to obtain grant funding for projects that would allow a greater social impact but also compensation for directors, staff, and independent contractors. Conexa will have to develop a larger general fundraising campaign.
The larger organization is also exploring the development of University study abroad programs for the purpose of training and developing young clinicians in systemic therapy models and cultural collaborations. This meets Conexa’s goal to increase opportunities for clinicians of color, of different cultures, and from marginalized communities that may return to work in their own local communities of need. With that in mind, Conexa is also exploring innovative ways for private practices to engage in work that reaches low-income communities in their local areas.