We recently completed our latest cohort of the Healing and Resilience after Trauma (HaRT) Cebu program with survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence (GBV). HaRT Cebu is a 12‑week, mindfulness-based, trauma‑informed group mental health intervention. Each session follows a consistent structure combining mindfulness practices, guided breathing, yoga poses, and facilitated group discussions. The sessions explore three core themes: safety in the body, radical self-love, and healthy relationships. The program is intentionally designed as a low‑tech intervention approach that can be facilitated by non-mental health specialists, addressing significant gaps in mental health care access for survivors across the region and globally.
Participants in the latest HaRT Cebu cohort have reported feeling emotionally lighter, greater relaxation, and enhanced capacity to rest after joining the program. Additionally, participants demonstrated increased capacity to implement skills and practices learned during the program, including breathing exercises and drawing attention to the present moment. For instance, participants shared: “I learned that the breathing exercises help release my negative feelings and heaviness that I feel” and “I find the breathing activities helpful because they taught me how to let go, through the breath.” Additionally, participants have noted the importance of an emotionally safe environment in which they can open up about their experiences with their peers and a skilled, trauma-informed facilitator. One participant stated:
“One thing I learned that was helpful to me was to share my experiences. Sometimes I am not able to share with others and nobody understands me, but when I share in HaRT, there is someone who listens to me and I am able to express my emotions.”
The completion of this latest cohort reflects our commitment to delivering accessible, contextualized mental health care for survivors. Through sustained program delivery and evidence‑driven adaptation, we continue to expand the availability of survivor‑centered mental health programming across the region. We look forward to launching the next cohort of the HaRT Cebu program as a core part of our community-based, survivor-informed mental health services.
