In a significant milestone for mental health and post-conflict recovery in Ethiopia, Hasset Psychotherapy and Training Center has successfully completed the first phase of its Integrative Group Trauma Therapy program, reaching 1,831 young people engaged in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) across the country over the past two months.
Solomon Abebe - ECP-R | Master PPT Trainer (WAPP) | EMDR & Trauma-Informed Therapist | OPD-Certified Psychotherapist | PIPA Trainer | Hypnotherapist | Researcher
Led by Solomon Abebe, a European Register of ECP Holders (ECP-R) and WAPP Certified Positive Psychotherapy (PPT) International Practitioner, the project focused on youth in Addis Ababa, Oromia, Tigray Region, and Central Ethiopia. Solomon brings a wealth of international experience, having worked extensively as a PPT International Trainer in Poland, Belarus, India, and Kenya. He has also provided trauma therapy to thousands of war survivors through both individual and group-based interventions. “This project represents more than therapy—it is a step toward national healing and an effective strategy for breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma,ˮ said Solomon. “Our approach emphasized group-based formats to foster collective resilience, solidarity, and peer support among those who have experienced shared trauma.ˮ
Solomon also emphasized that trauma intervention is serving as a pathway to improving job creation, job sustainability, and overall job quality—enabling participants to reclaim agency over their work and lives.
The program involved more than 20 Ethiopian co-practitioners, forming a strong interdisciplinary team that facilitated sessions for a wide array of participants, including war survivors, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and returnees, individuals living with disabilities, as well as SME owners and employees.
Hasset Psychotherapy and Training Center Team
The intervention integrated multiple trauma-informed strategies, including group therapy sessions, peer support circles, psychoeducation workshops, and skills-based training for managing trauma and stress. These activities were designed to ensure that all participants received support grounded in compassion, clinical expertise, and cultural sensitivity.
“By integrating emotional support with practical coping tools, participants were not only able to process trauma but also rebuild their sense of purpose and take ownership of both their personal and professional lives,ˮ Solomon added.
The project is fully funded by PETCO Ethiopia and implemented under the Enabling Young Women and Men to Find Dignified and Fulfilling Work (EYWM) initiative. It reflects the growing recognition that mental health is a foundational component of sustainable social and economic recovery in post-conflict settings.
Hassetʼs integrative and community-based model is now being recognized as a potential blueprint for future interventions across the region—merging psychological healing with development objectives to support vulnerable and under-served populations impacted by trauma.
Wednesday 30th of April 2025
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Hasset Psychotherapy and Training Center Team
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