Somatic healing finally started at The Sameer Project and we are very excited!
Support our somatic sessions:
chuffed.org/project/113327-r…
The incredible Ibrahim did five group session with different boys in our camps, and 17 individual sessions. The key method used for the individual sessions was the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) that is a mind-body approach within somatic practices and contemporary energy psychology that works with the nervous system through mainly tapping on specific points on the body while focusing on emotional experiences, to reduce stress and support emotional regulation. For the group sessions, Ibrahim followed Ashira Darwish’s somatic techniques that are rooted in Islamic cultural background.
As you can see in the video, the techniques used are not divorced from the cultural and religious roots in Gaza. During the somatic movements, the children repeat la ilaha ela Allah, meaning there is only one God. Additionally, Ibrahim uses the dehiyeh dance to help the boys release. Dehiyah is a traditional, celebratory Bedouin line dance often performed at weddings and festive occasions, characterized by rhythmic clapping, chanting, and a line formation. With the synchronized movement and clapping, you can see the joy in the boys faces. Many other techniques were used like sufi whirling, breathing and stillness.
Ibrahim is trained in Somatics and EFT, and is supervised by Ashira Darwish and Iman Boundaoui. The Sameer Project will work closely with Ibrahim to develop his skill set and train others so that more Palestinians in Gaza can heal through movement. Our team at Techmed will deal with any cases referred by Ibrahim who need extra mental health support.
Donate to the Refaat Alareer Campaign so we can do more somatic sessions:
chuffed.org/project/113327-r…
Other ways to donate include:
paypal.me/mahertali (Paypal option, please make sure to add a message saying "Camp")
account.venmo.com/u/Maher-Al… (Venmo option, please make sure to add a message saying "Camp")