185 SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE What is the process of healing and empowerment? The effect of torture, intimidation and fear, isolates and separates people, making them feel alone with their problems. One of the most important aspects of healing is breaking these patterns of isolation and rebuilding a sense of belonging. Thus, in the Tree of Life workshop, participants go through a process of reclaiming: • • • • Reclaiming personal power Telling personal stories and having them witnessed Reclaiming the body Bodywork – breathing, stretching, relaxing, dancing etc Reclaiming connections between nature and oneself Expanding the view of oneself – connecting with the natural system in which one lives Reclaiming the connection to the community Viewing oneself as part of a larger system – as individual trees in a diverse and interconnected forest community The study Study design With the anecdotal evidence of the Tree of Life process providing both healing and empowerment for the victims, it was then decided to assess the process in a pre and post design. All participants were assessed prior Selection of participants As indicated above, all potential candidates for the workshops were given an initial assessment by one of the trained facilitators. There were two sets of criteria for being selected: • • Positive history of the experience of organized violence and torture; Positive score on the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). The former was gained from an interview with the prospective candidate. This was not complex since the potential candidates were being chosen from amongst the activists known to the facilitators. Since there was appreciable risk in contacting known activists, the facilitators used their local networks or networks known to persons who themselves were well-known to the facilitators. The Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ20) is a widely used psychiatric screening instrument.18 The instrument has been widely used in Zimbabwe, both in general mental health settings as well as with survivors of organized violence and torture, and has been shown to have both validity and reliability.19 The instrument has been previously translated into Shona, and was administered in the form of an interview. Those who did not have a history of organized violence and torture, or who did not score above the cutting score on the SRQ20 (score in excess of seven out of 20) were mostly excluded from the workshop. One T O R T U R E Vol um e 19 , N um b er 3 , 2 00 9 This metaphoric framework has been seen to have considerable salience for the survivors, and it has been frequently observed that the participants begin to use the frame in their everyday lives. Certainly the diversity of the forest has strong evocations for the tolerance of diversity needed in democracy. This is a very important aspect of the reasons for the participants becoming activists. to attending the workshop, and were then re-assessed on follow-up, usually about three months after the workshop. Additionally, the workshops themselves were evaluated by the participants, using a standard questionnaire, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative items.