Raising the Roof on Our Mental Health Project in Somaliland 3

As exciting at this new phase of our project is, I still look back fondly at what has already been achieved. Over 5 years ago, when Salah invited me to come to Somaliland (I had never even heard of this unrecognized state) to explore possibilities to provide mental health services, neither of us had any idea what would come next.

Renting a large home that became our clinic, we treated many patients and started a training program. We have now graduated 2 classes of therapists trained to practice dialectical behavioral therapy. Our first cohort also completed training from the Center for Mind Body Medicine. We have offered several skills training classes of DBT that have been very well received, have taught seminars at the local hospitals on mental health related issues, and have done outreach clinics in remote villages and at refugee camps. This is the work that inspires us and keeps us passionate about this project.

To those of you who have generously helped us so far with your donations, heartfelt thanks! As we look ahead to the next phase of our project, raising the roof on our permanent new home, we continue to look for financial support from caring people around the world. Please help spread the word through friends and through social media, if you’re connected that way.

Gratefully yours,

Dale Armstrong, MD

(The picture is of me in a very remote village doing an outreach clinic.)