A typical day at WFN varies. Typically, I start my day around 9 AM where I get on a motorcycle (Uber system adjacent) and head to the Kathmandu office. I will meet with the team and head towards my office where I will settle in and plan work for the day and the upcoming week with fellow staff. Because I am working on a larger project of designing a 3-month long training workshop that is based in psychology, I will work on the research and design aspect with the staff members and the President. Throughout the day, I am also journaling observations and reflecting on the cultural dynamics that shape people’s experience of trauma and healing from trauma.

My work in the community thus far has introduced me to several new fields or topics that I find interesting. Working in the organization, I have developed an interest towards the psychology of trauma. I am interested in trauma-informed care in cross-cultural contexts and how one can adapt psychological support where resources are limited. I am also gaining an interest in community psychology and how larger group-based support networks serve as informal therapeutic care. Concepts within the psychology of trauma, such as coping and resilience are also of interest to me.

At first, I was eager to learn about every part of the organization, from SSBU to educational aid. Now, I have narrowed my focus to the mental health dimensions of the work. My work has narrowed now to focus more on how to support survivors’ emotional and mental well-being within their cultural frameworks, and how psychology can be integrated within grassroots community support. This has deepened my interest in studying clinical psychology through a global lens. 

Here is a picture of the view outside my window at the office: