According to the Physicians for Human Rights Organization, thousands of people, who suffer from torture and other forms of ill treatment, flee their country of origin and seek asylum in the United States.  Individuals may be persecuted for many reasons such as race, medical condition, gender, age, sexual orientation, being transgender and inter-sexed, religion, social group participation, nationality, and political opinion. 

     Commonly reported forms of abuse include being severely beaten; subjected to electric shock; suspended or restrained in painful positions for long periods; disfigured with acid; burned; submerged in water or asphyxiated by other means; sexually assaulted; subjected to mock executions; and forced to witness the torture and execution of others, including family members.  Documentation of torture and ill treatment, including physical and psychological trauma, is crucial in legal proceedings.  Thus, it is critical to employ mental health professionals who can conduct clinical evaluations of asylum seekers and assess the psychological and medical evidences of torture and ill treatment.  Psychological and emotional torture can result in symptoms such as depression, memory disturbances, difficulty with concentration, lack of energy, social withdrawal, insomnia, flashbacks, and phobias. Specific mental health disorders from which survivors of torture may suffer include Major Depression, Anxiety disorders, and Posttraumatic Stress.

     I work closely with victims and/or their attorneys in order sort through the victim's reporting and honor the individual’s process as the accounting is told.  I also work in tandem with human rights referral agencies advocating for the asylum seeker.  While it is important to gather the necessary evidence so it can be objectively presented, I also patiently respect the emotional process during the accounting.  Depending on cultural factors, level of acculturation, and language issues presented, testing may or may not be indicated.  I apply well established standards of psychological care during the clinical interview such that psychological evidence can be obtained.