Psychotherapist / trainer - nairobi at Center for Victims of Torture (CVT)

Job Description

Vacancy Announcement: Psychotherapist / Trainer – Nairobi

Position Summary: The Center for Victims of Torture is seeking a Psychotherapist/Trainer to work with a program in Nairobi Kenya to address the mental health needs of urban refugees who have suffered torture and war trauma.

As part of an interdisciplinary team, the Psychotherapist/Trainer will oversee psychological interventions, including individual and group therapy with adults and children who are survivors of torture and war trauma.

This position also will provide training and supervision to a team of psychosocial counselors and provide training and support to help other organizations better meet the needs of torture and war trauma survivors.

This position will report administratively to the Operations Coordinator and clinically to the International Services Clinical Advisor.

Duration: One year renewable agreement

Post status: National, open only to Kenyans.

Start date: Immediately

We are seeking candidates with a graduate degree in psychology, counseling, clinical social work or related field.

Qualified candidates will have four years of experience providing individual and group psychotherapy to trauma survivors and three years of experience supervising mental health professionals and paraprofessionals.

Essential functions include [but are not limited to]:

• Clinical supervision: Conduct on-going clinical supervision, mentoring, and modeling to psychosocial counselors, which includes providing individual and group clinical supervision, including case discussions, co-therapy, live supervision, and self-care components. Assist in developing supervision systems as well as strengthen interdisciplinary clinical practices.
• Training: Design and carryout training programs for counselors. Continually assess development needs and adapt training and coaching accordingly. Build capacity of staff members to design and conduct trainings.
• Clinical Management & Psychotherapy: Oversee and coordinate mental health assessment and interventions for refugee communities, and serve as a co-therapist with counselors in individual, family, and group settings to model assessment and treatment methods that are both culturally relevant and empirically supported.
• Clinical Program Development: Co-develop, pilot and implement program rehabilitation components that enhance the existing services to better meet the needs of survivors. Help develop manuals and other resources for effective Training and provision of services.
• Community Assessment: Mentor counselors to complete needs assessments in order to identify target populations and program sites, and to determine appropriate mental health interventions for people who have been tortured or traumatized by war.
• Reporting:Write and submit regular reports regarding clinical and training activities.
• Leadership: In partnership with Operations Coordinator, provide on-site leadership for staff. Participate in regular leadership meetings with Nairobi leadership staff.
• Community Collaboration and Capacity-building: Provide training and coordination with other organizations to promote trauma-informed network development and to better address the needs of survivors of torture and gross human rights violations.
• Program Evaluation: In collaboration with country team and headquarters staff, participate in the design and implementation of program and project evaluation.
• Perform other duties as assigned in the implementation of program activities.

Required Qualifications and Experience.

• Master degree in Clinical Psychology, Advanced degree in Clinical Psychology or equivalent required.
• At least 5-10 years in field experience within a Humanitarian NGO/Agency in the same or similar position.
• Extensive experience providing psychotherapy to children, adults, families, and groups.
• Experience in providing Psychological Frist Aid (PFA) in emergency/crisis settings
• Understanding of and experience implementing culturally appropriate mental health interventions, including individual, group and community-based approaches for people who have suffered torture and trauma.
• Understanding of and experience developing curriculum and providing training for mental health professionals using interactive methodologies. Experience providing training and sensitization on the effects of trauma and war.
• Experience working as part of an interdisciplinary/multi-disciplinary team desirable.
• Fluency in English required. Knowledge of other relevant languages spoken in East Africa,
• Experience working in East Africa and the region strongly preferred.
• Experience supervising staff required. Experience supervising mental health counselors preferred.
• Skilled at carrying out needs assessment and program evaluations.
• Demonstrated flexibility to adapt to changing program requirements, client needs, and political climate.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word and Excel)
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communications skills
• Excellent skills in organization, attention to detail and time management (including the ability to meet deadlines) Interest in or commitment to human rights

Work Environment:

• Urban work environment.
• Ability to travel to a variety of locations within Nairobi, including the slums.

DISCLAIMER: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.