Duha Alqam is a physiotherapist who joined CVT Jordan in 2022, after working in a number of sectors where she specialized on work with children who have mental disabilities as well as refugees living in regional camps. She also worked with adults in hospital settings and with local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

Duha spoke to Grace Ogihara, CVT senior graphic designer, in Amman, and shared insights on the ways her physiotherapy work has been changed and enhanced by her work with clients.

Bringing Physiotherapy to Survivors in a Group Setting

Before joining CVT, Duha had not worked with survivors of torture. “I heard about CVT in 2016, and I thought it was exciting and would be a different experience to work with trauma survivors,” she said. “However, I didn’t pass the interview for CVT at first. After that I made a goal for myself to study and take on additional roles in order to have the experience to work for CVT. So I worked for another local NGO in the meantime.”

The strategy paid off, and when she reapplied to CVT, Duha was accepted and began working with the team. Today she provides assessment for clients, including looking carefully at their needs for physiotherapy as well as group or individual therapy and follow-up sessions. In addition, the team provides trauma resilience workshops and parenting workshops, which help clients integrate into their new communities and continue rebuilding their lives.

Duha said she enjoys the adult groups more than individual work, noting that this was the first time she worked in a group therapy context. She could definitely see the impacts. “When I finished the group, the clients told me their souls and minds were affected. My work before was just about the physical body,” she said. But it’s different here. “At CVT, we go deeply inside the clients and we understand their mental needs, social needs and their souls,” she said. “They told me, ‘You touched my soul, all my life, and changed my relationships with my families.’”

They told me, ‘You touched my soul, all my life, and changed my relationships with my families.’”

Duha Alqam, physiotherapist, CVT Jordan

Clients Learn about Pain and Trauma

Clients have told Duha how important it is to learn about pain and how trauma impacts their body as well as their mind. “For example, maybe a client feels several pains in the body,” Duha said. “They may have a hard time understanding the pain they’re feeling, but they can understand the effect of trauma on their body and pains and mental health.”

Through the sessions, sees clients become more aware of their bodies. Duha added, “Many clients went to doctors where they did different tests, and they are told there is no organic reason for their pain. But here at CVT, they learn and understand how trauma affects their body.”

Impacts on Clients’ Lives

“It is very important to me to help the clients as much as I can. Maybe it’s a minor change, but maybe it affects them completely,” Duha said. “One of my clients came to a follow-up session and told me ‘I always remember your voice. The CVT, the group members, they give me power to complete my life, to face the difficulties in my life.’”

I always remember your voice. The CVT, the group members, they give me power to complete my life, to face the difficulties in my life.”

Former client at CVT Jordan

Duha found this especially poignant because this client was a single mom with many kids; she was the caregiver, and she was very upset and afraid. Duha said, “She needed the empowerment and strength that we gave her. She forgot her body before coming to CVT. When she came to CVT, she remembered her body and her relationships with her daughters. That’s what gave her joy in life.”

Challenging Work Requires Good Self-Care

Duha acknowledged that this work is challenging, especially listening to experiences that are very difficult while working to understand and give empathy. She said, “CVT has helped me reflect on self-care, on the pains and feelings that I have.”

She found it is important to take care of herself, to do the things she loves, such as swimming and physical activity. “I started to swim once a week,” she said. “I know the difference I can make in clients’ lives, how I can affect them.” And her own self-care helps her to do just that.

In addition, Duha takes steps to learn more about these clients and conditions they experience, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “As a physical therapist, this is the first time I have dealt with mental health problems like PTSD. So my goal is to learn more about PTSD and how physiotherapy can help.”

Helping Clients See a Future for Themselves

One of the most important things to Duha is helping clients truly change. “We help give people a reason for life,” she said. “We help the clients see that there is a future for themselves and to understand their past. When they face difficulties, now they’re able to deal with them successfully.”

We help the clients see that there is a future for themselves and to understand their past. When they face difficulties, now they’re able to deal with them successfully.”

Duha Alqam

And Duha hopes that the work can expand and reach more people. “I hope everyone can take these services, everyone who has had trauma, not just conflict-related trauma, so people can learn how trauma affects their lives and bodies,” she said. “Our work affects the human souls and affects the lives of the people and community. It’s a very unique experience, I hope to complete the experience and dive deeply into these topics.”