4 Accordingly, a small clinical study of the effectiveness of a single counselling session on patients with psychological disorders due to torture was undertaken7. The therapy approach developed is described briefly below: 1. Introductory phase 2. Explanatory phase 3. 4. Explanation of the “Talking method “ as a means of treatment; Explain to the client the importance of recording some of the important aspects of the interview and get his or her permission. Recap on past assessments; Exploring reactions to trauma; Exploring current problems; Consequences of current problems. Working phase Working on the priority problems; Working on other problems. End phase Summarising the session; Reviewing the session. The aim of the first 2 phases is to acquaint the client with the findings from the assessments done previously, to link current symptoms to the past experience of violence, and to further link the symptoms to current difficulties. This is largely a process of what might be termed “psycho-education”. During the third phase, the counsellor continues to link the patient’s symptoms with torture methods and their after-effects. The major aim is to identify the current problems being faced by the client, to work out with the client the priority problems, and to select one problem for solution. The solution of the problem is worked out with the client, using the client’s solution wherever possible, but it was found that frequently the counsellor had to take a very active role in helping to generate solutions. Here, it is important to stress that, for many survivors, their problem-solving ability is so poor or blunted, that they are unable to find solutions to their problem, and, in fact, it is the impaired problemsolving that often forms the basis for seeking assistance. The end phase involves a summary of the whole session, thus ensuring that the client clearly understood all the assessment issues; that the problem chosen for action was the one that the client actually wished to work on; and that the solution is clearly understood by the client. This session was then followed by further sessions at 3months, 6months, and 1year. At follow up, the same format was used, and a brief assessment of the patient was made. The sample that was chosen was older than most of Amani’s clients, and reported more experience of torture: this was expected since the study was selecting for a group with severe disorders and impact torture. Thus, the study was selecting a clinically significant group. Earlier Zimbabwean work8 had suggested a general tendency for Common mental Disorders [CMD] to improve over time, with the additional observation that there was slight tendency for severe cases - those with SRQ-20 scores of 10 or more - not to so improve. Thus, the selection of a group with severe disorders meant that it was 7 8 significant improvement in patients with psychological disorder merely as a consequence of detection and very brief intervention. Here see Reeler, A.P., & Mbape,P. (1998), A pilot study of a brief form of psychotherapy for survivors of torture: The Single Therapeutic Interview, TORTURE, 8, 120-126, See Patel, V., Todd, C., Winston, M., Gwanzura, F., Simunyu, E., Acuda, W., & Mann, A. (1998), Outcome of common mental disorders in Harare, Zimbabwe, BRIT.J.PSYCHIAT., 172, 53-57. AMANI TRUST: Psycho-Social assistance to Survivors of the Liberation War. A report on Mashonaland Central Province, Zimbabwe.