always be listening global initiative
alwaysbelisteningglobal.com
is a global nonprofit in the United States, 501(c)(3), founded by Executive Director, Dr. Marilee Ruebsamen, Ph.D., in 2014, dedicated to providing mentoring for psychologists and other mental health professionals in the US and globally, assist with support, provision of training and direct services, facilitate linkages, assist in grant writing, to enrich psychosocial and psychiatric services for forcibly displaced war/armed conflict affected children at key border crossing points, in refugee camps and where supportive groups gather, such as schools and churches, (sometimes in homes, community and medical centers near active conflict zones in regions where armed forces have recently returned from active duty, as in Ukraine, our most recent country of service).
As conflicts continue to erupt, forcibly displaced, unaccompanied children and youth are fleeing for their lives at geopolitically unstable border regions in an attempt to find neutral, compassionate safe space- unfortunately, as more "Traveling Children' (per the UN) pour frantically into unknown pathways each month, injured, ill, starving, confused, and frightened, BEREAVED, often children of war, children of begotry and hate, cast out of homes and villages, these routes have filled with every kind of exploitive organization - traffickers,recruiters of child soldiers, abductors for every conceivable motive, . and the desperate children - who likely do not understand any language but their own, fall prey to these individuals -many many kids disappear, never to be seen again . .
see our amazing indigenous workers in twelve diverse locations at alwaysbelisteningglobal.com
All of our designated Country Directors have been employed in humanitarian capacities within their countries for over a year, some receiving a modest salary from ngos, many are volunteering. We aspire to provide funding for their additional humanitarian work with our project.
A primary goal is training indigenous psychologists and mental health workers to administer a brief, well-validated psychological measure of wellbeing to newly arriving, extremely traumatized, often injured, children and youth. Questions are read to them - no reading or writing is required - pertaining to their direct, lived, recent experiences of war, questions regarding their manner of coping, and questions regarding their remaining PTSD symptoms -- in order to create accurate, strategic psychological profiles for each child who has recently experienced war trauma. From these rich profiles, we propose that the children can be accurately grouped for appropriate treatment with others who have experienced similar war terror, coped in a similar manner, and are suffering similar post traumatic symptoms.
We also provide support for select, specific projects in which our Country Directors are already engaged, support and partner with new projects they propose, strengthening areas that enhance assistance and protection, extending their work by co-writing and acquiring grants; sharing resources and partnering with agencies that enhance the viability, impact, and sustainability of the humanitarian work. The focus of these is psychosocial and psychological treatment, and it often includes reducing gender based harassment and violence against both genders,, but especially against girls and women.
We invite you to see more about our work at our website, alwaysbelisteningglobal.com.
We are grateful for inspiration and support for the concept of cultivated awareness and closest possible and continually fine-tuned listening to the direct needs of terrorized children of war of various developmental stages, and for unwavering emotional support as we instigated and continue this project --
From the inception of this project - and for its inspiration, our continued thanks,to our persistent partners, --
Contemplative pastor and friend, the Rev. Erik Swanson, M. Div., for teaching and embodying deep, cultivated awareness and acute listening for the voice of the sacred in every human being, and the supportive congregation of Westhope Pres, Saratoga, CA,
and to Dr. Jess Ghannam, Ph.D., Dept of Global Health Services, UCSF, for his longstanding, heroic, reparative psychological work at the ravaged border of Gaza for the children of Palestine - as well as comparable projects in many other places - and we thank him for generously encouraging and advising us among the host of critical activities which demand his time.
You, who are on the road Must have a code
That you can live by.
And so -- Become Yourself
Because the past Is just a good-bye
Teach your children well
Your father's hell did slowly go by
And feed them on your Dreams
The one they pick The one you'll know by
Don't you ever ask them why
If they told you you would cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you.
And you of tender years Can't know the fears
That your elders grew by
And so please help them with your youth
They seek the truth before they can die
Teach your parents well.
The children's hell will slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick The one you'll know by
Don't you ever ask them why -
If they told you you would cry
So just look at them and sigh And know they love you.
Teach Your Children, Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Released, 19
That you can live by.
And so -- Become Yourself
Because the past Is just a good-bye
Teach your children well
Your father's hell did slowly go by
And feed them on your Dreams
The one they pick The one you'll know by
Don't you ever ask them why
If they told you you would cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you.
And you of tender years Can't know the fears
That your elders grew by
And so please help them with your youth
They seek the truth before they can die
Teach your parents well.
The children's hell will slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick The one you'll know by
Don't you ever ask them why -
If they told you you would cry
So just look at them and sigh And know they love you.
Teach Your Children, Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Released, 19