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The Group Guide
Connecting people to community
Client and Family Education
What to know about

Refugee and Asylum Seeker Trauma Groups

These groups address the psychological consequences of forced displacement, persecution, torture, war, and the added stressors of migration, resettlement, and the asylum process itself. Refugees and asylum seekers have some of the highest rates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety of any population, driven by pre-migration trauma, the dangers of the journey, the chronic uncertainty of asylum procedures, and adapting to a new country under legal precarity. What sets these groups apart is that the trauma is often ongoing, not only historical, so effective approaches account for current safety and present stressors, not just past processing.

Who it's for, and who it's not

A fit for those seeking culturally responsive, community-oriented support.
Acute crisis or psychosis needs individual care before or alongside group.
Without safe housing, safety planning comes before trauma work.

What it's for

Adults navigating the effects of persecution, war, torture, loss, and resettlement.
For PTSD, complex trauma, grief, acculturation stress, and isolation.
Some are country- or region-specific; others open to any refugee.
What to expect
1Community programs may be open; clinical groups run 8 to 16 sessions.
2Language-concordant or interpreter-assisted; cultural practices welcomed.
3Sessions address symptoms and the practical stressors of resettlement.

Group interventions are an effective, scalable foundation for refugee mental health.

A review found group interventions, especially with CBT or narrative exposure, improved PTSD, depression, and anxiety, proposing a stepped-care model.1
A meta-analysis of 18 trials found brief CBT-based interventions reduced PTSD and depression, with group delivery especially scalable.2
Making the most of it
Healing is collective. Group aligns with many cultures' traditions of community.
In your own language. Often the first place to speak of it with people who understand.
Lost community, rebuilt. The group offers connection where networks are thin.
Questions to ask before you join
1Is it offered in my language or with a trained interpreter?
2Is it peer support or a structured program (NET, CBT, PM+)?
3Does it also help with practical resettlement needs?

Ready to find a group?

Browse 2,000+ therapy and support groups in all 50 states.

Free to browse  ·  No account needed  ·  thegroupguide.com

In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7).

The Group Guide is a directory, not a clinic. This handout is general education, not medical or mental health advice. Listings are written by group leaders and are not endorsements. Confirm details, cost, and fit with any group you contact. Sources on page 2.

The Group Guide
Connecting people to community
Client and Family Education

Sources

Refugee and Asylum Seeker Trauma Groups · references keyed to the numbers on page 1.

1Due, C., Gartley, T., & Ziersch, A. A systematic review of psychological group interventions for adult refugees in resettlement countries: development of a stepped care approach to mental health treatment. Australian Psychologist (2024), 59(3), 167–184.

2Daniel, N. A., Liu, X., Thomas, E. T., et al. Brief CBT-based psychological interventions to improve mental health outcomes in refugee populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Psychotraumatology (2024), 15(1), Article 2389702.

In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7).

The Group Guide is a directory, not a clinic. This handout is general education, not medical or mental health advice. Listings are written by group leaders and are not endorsements. Confirm details, cost, and fit with any group you contact.