UPDATES & NEWS

A Support Series for the International Assistance Community

Six sessions designed to help work through uncertainty, loss, and transition.

This month, OneAID is proud to announce a new support series launching in partnership with Somatic Experiencing International (SEI), a global leader in trauma-informed training. Running monthly from May through October 2026, the series brings together six sessions led by experienced somatic practitioners, professionals who leverage the mind-body connection to resolve stored tension and optimize emotional health. Several practitioners bring direct backgrounds in international assistance. The series will be provided at no cost to participants.

This series is for those who have lost their job, stepped into a new role – within or beyond the sector – or find those who find themselves somewhere in between and are still feeling the strain.

Since early 2025, when major disruptions began to affect the international assistance community, many organizations, including OneAID and a broad network of peers, have stepped up to support colleagues facing uncertainty, loss, and transition. Mental health services, coaching, and peer support have made a meaningful difference. This series builds on that work and offers a complementary approach.

At its core, this series focuses on something that often goes unaddressed: how our bodies respond to stress. Emotional responses are shaped not only by our thoughts, but also by how our body reacts to and tries to calm itself – often in ways we don’t consciously recognize. By working with those physiological processes rather than around them, participants can develop practical tools for navigating ongoing uncertainty.

Across the six sessions, participants will receive a guided introduction to how the body responds to sustained stress and disruption, and take part in practical, experiential sessions exploring responses such as anger, grief, loss, resentment, and moral injury. The series also offers tools to expand capacity, maintain stability, and sustain day-to-day functioning, alongside approaches to rebuilding agency, connection, and resilience.

How it works

Each session includes a combination of shared learning and small-group practice. Plenary segments introduce key principles about how stress and threat are processed in the brain and body. Breakout groups provide space to practice simple, practical techniques for internal settling and peer support.

The first two sessions focus on core concepts; later sessions respond to participants’ needs. Topics may include anger and frustration, grief and loss, withdrawal or numbness, and moral injury. The series will adapt as it goes, based on what participants are experiencing.

This is a space to engage actively, learn by doing, and connect with others navigating similar transitions.

Session dates

All sessions are virtual and will run from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm ET. Participants are encouraged to join the first two sessions to benefit from the core concepts, but all are welcome to join as many or as few as desired.

Dates: May 18 / June 29 / July 20 / August 17 / September 14 / October 19

Cost: Free

Registrants must use the email address connected with their Zoom account. Our goal is to protect your privacy – this is a requirement for security reasons. If you don’t have a Zoom account, you can create one for free at www.zoom.com