Emergency Earthquake Response in Mexico

In June, a team of US-based professionals visited IsraAID's program in Cuernavaca in the State of Morelos, Mexico, to provide vital training for the community in mental health and psychosocial support. The Koret Foundation supports the deployment of professionals from the San Francisco Bay Area to IsraAID's humanitarian programs around the world.

Danielle, a psychiatry resident at Stanford University, and mindfulness practitioner Elias, co-founder of The Field Consulting, worked with teachers, psychologists, parents and administrators in schools affected by last year’s earthquake. They focused on integrating self-care and mindfulness into both education and community life. In communities which were hit hard by last year's earthquake, and in schools which saw their buildings destroyed, strenghtening the capacity of the teachers, staff, and leadership, to support their students and colleagues is vital.

Danielle said:

"My focus with IsraAID has been on improving community capacity development in Mexico. This has involved working with local partners such a teachers, school psychologists, as well as government adminstrators on mental health education, making a maximum impact in the community, in order to provide expertise to carry on to fellow local workers and continued use in the community after my departure. We have been leading workshops on integrating self-care and mindfulness into their personal lives as well as in the school system. Additionally, I provided specific capacity building skills to the IsraAID teams including workshops for the staff, how to build resilience, treatment of PTSD for first responders, staff trainings, and more. It has been very inspiring."

Elias said: 

"In Mexico, we introduced evidence-based practices and methodologies of mindfulness education with the purpose of highlighting the necessity of self-care and mental health training in education and community life. It is clear from the responses in these workshops that mindfulness education is a rising priority and will continue to be a conversation among these psychologists and the board of education.

It has been an honor to serve these communities and share that they are cared for from around the world."

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