Child labour trafficking is a pressing global issue with severe public health implications, particularly in terms of the significant psychological harm it inflicts, leading to trauma. Survivors endure severe psychological violence, including isolation, threats, and deprivation of necessities, leading to various mental health issues such as depression, suicidal ideation, exhaustion, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and self-harm.

Statistics show that South Asia, particularly India, has one of the highest numbers of trafficking victims, wherein risk factors such as poverty, the COVID-19 pandemic, discrimination based on the class and caste system, and inadequate access to essential services make it a multidimensional issue. The commonplace “raid and rescue” operations emphasise family reintegration through the repatriation of survivors to their native states. However, this approach prevents opportunities for fostering resilience, which is especially crucial since survivors of child labour trafficking are mostly vulnerable populations who face numerous adversities before, during, and after they have been trafficked. Whilst elucidating the potential benefits of resilience-based approaches, the paper also discusses the limitations of viewing resilience as a simple capacity. Instead, it asserts that resilience is a complex process involving multiple interacting systems. Accordingly, this paper argues for resilience-based interventions over traditional mental health and trauma-informed approaches and strongly recommends collaborations with universities, holistic healthcare, education, and justice systems to provide comprehensive support for trafficked adolescents. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualise the psychological trauma and resilience of domestically trafficked adolescents by reviewing existing post-trafficking interventions, recommending adaptations and highlighting limitations while promoting interdisciplinary efforts to address the challenges of this egregious and lucrative crime that affects millions.

This paper addresses the themes of trauma, loss of childhood, and resilience in a developmental context.

This paper introduces the concept of psychosomalgia as a feature of psychosocial trauma—a wound in the self that occurs as a result of protracted exposure to adversity in the environment. At surface level, presenting as unfulfilled psychosocial developmental needs. However, it expresses itself as a chronic disturbance in the nervous system - inconspicuous or otherwise - that undermines the human will to actualise self-authenticity and cultivate psychosocial resourcefulness to live fulfillingly (Maduro, 2024).

In psychosocial developmental theory ((Erikson, 1958), willpower, or "will" for short, is an adaptive virtue that emerges in early childhood, typically between the ages of 2 and 4, to foster autonomy. When these developmental needs are not met, the maladaptive trait of compulsion can develop, becoming ingrained in neurobiology. This condition creates neurobiological signatures that lead to chronic shame, self-doubt, and psychosomalgia, which permeate the survivor's body, mind, and spirit.

The term psychosomalgia combines "psycho-" (mind) and "soma" (body) with "algia," derived from the Greek word for pain, to refer to chronic pain that undermines overall well-being. The dimensions of well-being considered here include somatic, psychological, emotional, actional, relational, and spiritual health. This paper argues that opioid addiction functions to alleviate this suffering. By definition, opioids are potent pain relievers, and addiction is a chronic condition characterized by a compulsive drive to seek pleasure or relief from pain, even when it leads to harmful consequences.

Hence, the global opioid crisis, which currently claims the lives of approximately 600,000 people annually, reflects the extance of this multidimensional suffering in ordinary life. It presents an urgent opportunity for Neuropsychosocial Therapy, which aims to foster well-being through somatic harmony, psychological integrity, emotional attunement, relational satisfaction, and self-authenticity.

Given the current crises in the world right now, it is important to create space for our collective grief, trauma, and maybe, hope. It’s even more crucial to look at these emotions and concepts from a decolonized lens, creating empathetic approach especially for the oppressed communities in the Global South (majority world). In this paper/presentation, I would focus on the significance of decolonization and then further look at these concepts through that lens, based on my reflections of working on the ground in conflict-regions like Kashmir, Myanmar and across the Global South. I will share insights, challenges, learnings and recommendations from my 14 years of practice; and how we as a field need to bridge gap between research and praxis. There’s much to unlearn and do justice to what’s happening in many parts of the world; whose voice is not counted in major policy spaces

Human rights have become a critical global concern. According to UNHCR estimates, at the end of 2023, 117.3 million people were forcibly displaced due to persecution, violence, human rights violations, conflict, and events that seriously disrupted public order. UNHCR projected that forced displacement would continue to rise, and by the end of April, the number was expected to exceed 120 million. This crisis continues to grow, with a significant portion of those affected being children. And war is often not followed by peace but by trauma—trauma that is not just a reaction to violence but an ongoing experience of it, as if one is reliving those moments repeatedly. In her novel The Vegetarian, Nobel Laureate Han Kang writes, “The feeling that she had never really lived in this world caught her by surprise. It was a fact. She had never lived. Even as a child, as far back as she could remember, she had done nothing but endure.” These words resonate with countless individuals worldwide who are enduring cruelty at this very moment. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” Kailash Satyarthi, reflecting on his work rescuing children from slavery says, “When it comes to human rights, every single minute matters.” These words call mental health professionals to action—to recognize the urgency with which we must approach human rights in our work. Every moment in which an individual, especially a child, is denied basic rights, matters. In my paper presentation, I will highlight the importance of advocacy especially in working with individuals impacted by war, trauma, and violence. I will share from my experiences as a therapist in India and a doctoral trainee in the U.S. working with refugee populations and discuss future directions.