iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Seems to be the trend across Europe unfortunately.

Reposted by Dr Dafni Katsampa

David Mehler @neuroccino.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

German conservatives set to dominate the government are sadly heading towards a policy that defies all odds for better mental health of refugees, pushing to block family reunions of recognised refugees.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Read the full paper and share your thoughts. Let’s cultivate online discussion & push for better policies. /10 #Refugees #MentalHealth #FamilyReunification #MigrationPolicy #HumanRights

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Huge thanks to #HelenBamberFoundation & #FreedomFromTorture @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social for supporting this research. And above all, to the participants who bravely shared their stories. /9

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Refugee policies must reflect human realities, not just bureaucratic processes. Family separation is not just a legal issue—it’s a mental health crisis. /8

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

In Greece, we need: ⚖ Quicker asylum & reunification processes 🩺 Better mental health services for refugees 💼 Work permits & financial support—so men can provide without exploitation 🚫 Challenging stereotypes—single male refugees ≠ threat. Their stories matter. /7

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

🌍 What about #Greece? These findings aren’t just relevant to the UK. Greece remains a major refugee entry point, where slow #asylum processes prolong separations & increase distress. /6

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

What needs to change? ✅ Faster family reunification—delays worsen mental health outcomes. ✅ Trauma-informed mental health support—tailored to the realities of separation. ✅ Policy shifts to recognise gendered impacts—acknowledging the unique struggles of male refugees. /5

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

📌 Key Findings: > Severe mental health impact—depression, suicidality, emotional numbness. > Pressure to provide—masculinity & fatherhood ideals intensify distress. > Systemic barriers—racism & hostile asylum policies make it worse. /4

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Many described guilt, helplessness, & powerlessness—trapped between protecting their families from afar & navigating racism, discrimination, and economic hardship in the host country. /3

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

We interviewed refugee men in the UK & found severe emotional distress, loneliness, and identity struggles, worsened by prolonged uncertainty & restrictive immigration policies. /2

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Forced family separation is a huge but overlooked issue in #refugee mental health. Male refugees are often the first to migrate, leaving loved ones behind. The psychological toll is profound. /1

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

#psychology folks. Are there any insurance providers to cover remote work with UK-based clients for HPCP registered clinicians who have moved abroad? 😅 please comment if you are aware

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Has anyone watched #Stateless on Netflix? What an incredible series about the harms of detention centres and current immigration policies. It’s a tough but essential watch.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

The key message we hope this review communicates is that housing isn’t just a shelter—it shapes mental health, especially for people who have experienced trauma. Policy changes need to happen to improve asylum seekers health. #MentalHealth #AsylumSeekers #HumanRights #PolicyChange

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

What can you do as a clinician if you are supporting asylum seekers? > Screen for housing-related stress in asylum seekers > Advocate for better housing & social support > Offer psychosocial interventions, not just psychiatric treatment > Address isolation through community programmes

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

What needs to change? 🚨 End detention-based housing—it's a mental health crisis. 🏡 Prioritise private/community housing over collective housing 🤝 Support mental health interventions tailored to asylum seekers' needs ⚖️ Ensure safe, humane housing policies for vulnerable asylum seekers

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Why this happens? 🚫 Lack of autonomy: Strict rules, no privacy, forced cohabitation 😨 Feeling unsafe: Asylum seekers face violence, threats & exploitation in camps 👥 Lack of support: Social isolation worsens depression & PTSD 🙏 Coping mechanisms: Faith, hope, & peer support help, but aren’t enough

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

💡 Safer, private housing = better mental health. > Stable, clean housing with autonomy reduces PTSD & depression > Moving from collective to private housing ➡️ significant mental health relief

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

⚠️ Detention is the worst for mental health. > Self-harm higher rates in off-shore detention vs. community housing > "Detention violence": physical, racial, psychological, & child-targeted abuse

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Key findings: Poor living conditions = worse mental health. > Overcrowding, noise, poor hygiene leads to increased stress, anxiety, depression > Shared housing harms mental health, esp. for single men & families > Children in detention have alarmingly high rates of PTSD, depression, & self-harm

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

This systematic review included 21 studies across 9 countries on housing & mental health impacts 🔍 🏡 Housing types examined: - Private housing (best for mental health) - Community housing (better alternative) - Collective/shared housing (high stress) - Detention centers (higher self-harm rates)

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Why this review matters 💡 - Asylum seekers experience high levels of PTSD, depression, & anxiety. - Not all housing is equal—some types exacerbate mental health issues, while others can be protective. - Understanding the link between housing & mental health can inform policy & practice.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

🏠 Housing is a major post-migration stressor, but its impact on asylum seekers' mental health hasn't been recently systematically studied—until now. This study aimed to fill that gap and identify current evidence published between 2017-2023.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

🌍 In a world of ongoing conflicts, 117.3M+ people have been forcibly displaced (UNHCR, 2023). Asylum seekers, distinct from refugees, face higher mental health risks due to pre-, peri-, and post-migration stressors.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

The community keeps increasing :) stay in touch! x

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Reposted by Dr Dafni Katsampa

Rory O’Connor @roryoc.bsky.social · 25/12/2024

“How are you doing?” “Are you sure?” Someone somewhere may need to hear this today. *ask twice #MerryChristmas #HappyHanukkah #HappyHolidays Samaritans 116 123

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

#24 Bluets by Maggie Nelson What does blue has to do with depression? Is it depression? Or just an obsession with the colour blue? This book is a beautiful stream of thoughts, stories and emotions for those of us (or our clients) that have struggled with low mood & depression

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Her story is heartbreaking; she discusses the emotional abuse experienced from her mum, and the complex trauma bond and difficulty to acknowledge it. Beautifully written.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

#23 I'm Glad My Mom Died By Jennette McCurdy If you read one memoir this year, let it be this one. If you have clients struggling with eating, addiction, low self-worth, parental relationships; signpost them to this book, they may also find it inspiring.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

We need these books to break the stigma surrounding mental health (still in 2024), especially among psychologists, psychiatrists, doctors & so on. We are human beings, not human doings; we can experience difficulties too! An honest and authentic memoir on seeking help and taking the first step.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

#22 Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb Hopeful and reflective. Lori, a psychologist herself, takes the reader through a journey of self-discovery and healing, centring the value of therapy (when one is ready)

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Reading this book as a white woman (and clinician) was particularly thought-provoking about my role in activism, ideas on feminism, allyship and understanding different POVs, especially when working cross-culturally/cross-racially

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

#21 Manifesto: On Never Giving Up by Bernardine Evaristo Yet another brilliant memoir of an author I admire and follow. On black feminism and power, Evaristo leads by example and inspires women to never give up.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

The authors speaks of the challenges of asylum, resettlement and family separation, navigating his sexual, racial and cultural identity in the host country, engaging with natives and processing the traumas. Could not recommend more.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

#20 Asylum: A Memoir & Manifesto by Edafe Okporo Brilliant memoir on asylum-seeking as a gay man coming from Nigeria (where being gay is criminalised). Particularly informative for people supporting refugees and asylum seekers in western countries, or internally displaced people

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

CBT-informed, written in simple language with useful metaphors to talk about psychological concepts. It may be a good first step of self-reflection for clients who may struggle with anxiety, low mood and other mild/moderate difficulties.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

#19 Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? By Julie Smith You may know Dr Julie from TikTok with her engaging and brilliant informative videos. She has also written a book. Although I would not necessarily recommend to a clinician, I would highly recommend to someone starting their therapeutic journey

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Emotional, informative and reflective; Rory achieves to communicate well robust and up-to-date research evidence on suicidal ideation, suicide bereavement etc and guide the reader to actionable steps and approaches when someone is struggling

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

#18 When It Is Darkest: Why People Die by Suicide and What We Can Do to Prevent It by Rory O’ Connor Not only an excellent academic, but an engaging author too. All you need to know about suicide prevention can be found in this book.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Through lived experience of callers (people who've received help by Samaritans) and volunteers (those who actively listen and provide support to callers), you'll find out lots of examples and phrases someone to use and dispel myths around suicide and self-harm.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

This book can empower people to initiate difficult discussions when someone around them is in distress, and equip them with the skills to listen actively, ask open questions, adopt a non-judgemental style/tone, shy away from solution-focused approach and support others.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

#17 How to Listen: Tools for opening up conversations when it matters most by Katie Colombus Funded by Samaritans, UK leading charity on suicide prevention. I may be biased, as I've been trained by & worked for Samaritans in the past, but the listening model described here is a very valuable tool.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Caveat for this book - hold in mind that it is written from a white person who does not come from a global south culture and can feel somewhat quite westernised at times

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

#16 Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach If you find the concept of acceptance too abstract, this is a good book to form a deeper understanding on healing, self-compassion, self-discovery & freedom as informed by Buddhist practices

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

What I appreciate particularly in this book is the attention to the present moment, and the rationale of abandoning future worries and be present in life & with our loved ones

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

#15 Big Panda & Tiny Dragon By James Norbury Easy to read graphic novel with deep messages on how to navigate life, changes and relationships. Life is seem as a journey where it is okay to make mistakes and learn from them, reflect and improve.

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Dr Dafni Katsampa @dafnik.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

If you are or know a carer, friend or family member of someone with dementia, or a person with dementia, please suggest Wendy’s books (there is also a memoir). Hopefully it won’t be just informative but will give people strength and inspiration for life

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