In tense times, demand up for expat counseling

In tense times, demand up for expat counseling

David Kennedy, Contributor, Jakarta

A respected Asian newsmagazine recently featured a story claiming
that high profile Jakarta-based expatriates are being targeted by
a terrorist hit squad. The cover photo -- depicting Western
businessmen in the sights of a sharpshooter's gun -- had real
shock value.

A week later the same magazine followed up their story, this
time including the photograph of a blindfolded American hostage,
subsequently beheaded by his captors in Saudi Arabia.

That photo had more than shock value; it scared the wits out
of some people.

However, the flurry of recent press reports of "credible and
specific" information regarding terrorist plots -- one of which
turned out to be a disgruntled dentist terrorizing people by SMS
-- has succeeded in raising the overall fear levels of
expatriates living in the capital.

"Jackie," the wife of a senior official in an international
organization, has nightmares that her husband will be abducted
and murdered by terrorists.

"I must convince him to leave this place, he's a good man and
he doesn't deserve that," she said recently, seemingly convinced
the worst will happen.

Her distress illustrates the misgivings felt by many
expatriates who chose to live in Indonesia following the Bali and
JW Marriott Hotel bombings, despite continuing fears of terrorism
and political instability.

On the other hand, less than 1 percent of Indonesians polled
by the international election monitoring organization IFES felt
that fighting terrorism was an issue in the recently held
presidential election.

The country, according to psychologists, is perceived as a
dangerous country by expatriates. Many do not choose to come here
specifically, but rather accept a foreign posting for financial
and career reasons.

"The Bali bombing (in October 2002) changed the perception of
expatriates. It changed the way they feel, probably more than was
necessary," explained Annette Akred, a counselor at the
International Community Activity Center (ICAC), a non-profit
organization in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta.

"That was reinforced by last year's Marriott Hotel bombing and
other things that happened in the world. People's fears have been
heightened and they can escalate very quickly.

"After the recent events in Saudi Arabia, some of my clients
said they didn't know if it was a good idea to stay living
abroad. People have been really quite frightened."

Akred and her colleagues counseled victims and volunteer
workers after the Bali and the JW Marriott bombings. They
recently reorganized their services to focus solely on individual
counseling and orientation workshops in companies, scaling back
the larger community role the center had since its creation in
1975.

ICAC was originally set up by a group of concerned parents to
tackle drink and drug abuse among expatriate teenagers, and it
grew from there to provide a range of services.

Since 2001, demand for counseling has increased by almost 50
percent and 1,132 people, mainly expatriates, were counseled last
year.

While fear of terrorism is by no means the main cause of
emotional and lifestyle problems which lead people to seek
counseling, psychologists see it as a contributory factor which
can exacerbate exiting problems.

"It adds another level of stress to anything else that
families, couples or individuals may be dealing with," said
psychologist Jenny Piva.

"It might not be at the forefront of their minds but it's
always there; there's that uncertainty about what will happen."

Problems dealt with in counseling include "life transition
issues", such as when one spouse works more than previously and
the other is newly jobless or less active, substance abuse,
relationship problems, depression, anxiety and loneliness.

Many companies have held "Critical Instance Debriefings" in
the wake of terrorist attacks, but increasingly an anticipative
approach is being adopted to offset problems encountered by
employees.

As the only organization in the country legally entitled to
employ psychologists and counselors from overseas ICAC has found
itself well placed to provide tailor made programs for the
employees of companies and their families to help them better
adjust to life in Indonesia.

Jaspal Sidhu, a business consultant and board member of ICAC,
said that with Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) becoming the
norm among big firms in developed countries, companies here do
not want to be caught out in a crisis.

"I am advising them to take measures now to support their
staff because when something happens we get swamped with phone
calls," exclaimed Jaspal, adding that as yet the center only
employs two counselors but there are plans to expand.

Piva and Akred, both experienced Australian counselors, have
begun to run a "flying doctor" type service traveling out to
mining and oil operations in far flung regions at the request of
major companies such as oil giant UNOCAL which recently
contracted them to provide an Employee Assistance Program.

"The main aim is to enhance productivity of the employees
using cross-cultural training and orientation and other tailor
made services; it's mainly preventative and counseling is only
the last step," said Akred, also a qualified social worker with
experience in remote communities in Australia.

Information sessions, workshops, newsletter articles and
advice on dealing with culture shock are the main services
provided to companies; they are also offered by distance via e-
mail and phone.

"It's often hard for people to know where to get information
here and of course they find it difficult to take the first
step," said Akred, describing how culture shock can sometimes add
to emotional problems and lead to depression and isolation when
people lack experience in living abroad.

"For example for the first few months here it's normal to feel
tired. Just knowing it's normal can help; people may decide to
retreat a bit, take up yoga for instance," she explained.

"But if that continues, and if a person feels isolated and
starts to withdraw because they are finding their experience here
really difficult that's a warning sign and they need to do
something about it."

Getting help with personal problems without the whole town
knowing is an issue for clients according to Annette Akred who
describes the expatriate community as a "big kampung". Many
clients arrive by taxi and ICAC guarantees confidentiality and
often arranges counseling sessions in the evenings when people
are concerned about raising suspicions at work or home.

"When we first speak to someone we go through an assessment
process which means working with them to help them identify what
the issues are what might be the best approach, whether it's
counseling or something else," said Akred.

The profile of clients has begun to change in recent years
reflecting a new demographic in the expatriate community.

"It's no longer the traditional family who live with their
kids in Pondok Indah," said Akred, challenging the conservative
stereotype of expatriates living comfortably in the southern
suburbs of the city.

Today many of her clients are singles in their 20s and 30s
working for NGOs or international organizations. Many find it
particularly difficult to meet people and form meaningful
relationships in Jakarta.

For families, couples and singles alike, pressure from their
home country can further add to stress levels.

Indonesia, said Akred, suffers from particularly bad press
abroad which, coupled with an uncertain political situation, can
make relatives of Indonesian residents jittery.

"Families at home get worried and get stressed and that can
lead to an added strain on those that are here. In fact that's a
major pressure on people," added Piva.

Embassy travel advisories -- what one board member of ICAC
terms "ass covering" -- often put pressure on people who are
otherwise very happy living in Indonesia.

"It sounds worse outside of Indonesia then we all know the
reality is."

Helping people to sift between perceptions and reality is a
major part of the job of counselors and psychologists. But when
reports of "credible and specific" threats leave people wondering
where the next bomb will explode or whether there are
sharpshooters on the rooftops of the CBD, that job becomes
colossal.

"That pressure is another thing we need to deal with:
convincing people that they are fine and that their children are
not about to be bombed."

International Community Activity Center
ICAC House, Jl. Bona Vista Raya,
Lebak Bulus, Jakarta 12440
Tel: 021 758 16710
Counseling Direct line (Tel/Fax): 021 758 16704
E-mail: icaccounsel@cbn.net.id
www.icachouse.or.id