Resources
Practical guides, tools, and reference materials to help individuals and communities rebuild strength, stability, and wellbeing in post-conflict environments. Grouped by what you need them for.
Foundations and guidance
Reference material for practitioners and organisations designing psychosocial support in crisis and post-conflict settings.
IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings
Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC)
Foundational global guidelines outlining minimum multi-sectoral actions to protect and improve mental health and psychosocial wellbeing during humanitarian emergencies.
Culture, Context and the Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing of Syrians
UNHCR
A detailed review for MHPSS staff working with Syrians affected by armed conflict, emphasising cultural factors, displacement experiences, and implications for psychosocial support.
mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide (mhGAP-HIG)
World Health Organization and UNHCR
A practical clinical tool for non-specialist health workers assessing and managing mental, neurological, and substance use conditions in humanitarian emergencies, including guidance on referral.
The Mental Health Manual (MHPSS Training Pack)
ABAAD – Resource Center for Gender Equality
A structured training package for MHPSS personnel working in emergency settings, covering core concepts, practical skills, and facilitation materials for workshops.
Training Guide: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies
MHPSS.net and global partners
A comprehensive training package addressing key concepts, facilitation methods, and practical tools for delivering MHPSS in emergency contexts.
Community-Based Approaches to MHPSS Programmes: A Guidance Note
Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC)
Companion guidance to the IASC Guidelines that reframes affected people as active participants in their own recovery, with practical advice on assessing, planning, and evaluating community-based MHPSS programmes.
Community-Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Humanitarian Settings: Operational Guidelines
UNICEF
Operational guidance built around a three-tiered framework for supporting children, families, and communities in humanitarian settings, adding a child and family dimension to programme design.
Manual on Community-Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies and Displacement
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
A comprehensive practitioner manual covering programme design, creative and community-based methods, and coordination when working with displaced and emergency-affected populations.
Training of Psychotherapists in Post-Conflict Regions: A Community Case Study in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Beckmann et al., Frontiers in Psychiatry
Describes a community-based approach to training psychotherapists in a post-conflict setting, highlighting curriculum design, supervision structures, and local capacity building.
Integrating MHPSS and Peacebuilding: A Mapping and Recommendations for Practitioners
IASC Reference Group on MHPSS in Emergency Settings
A global mapping of initiatives at the intersection of mental health, psychosocial support, and peacebuilding, with practical recommendations for practitioners working across these fields.
Integration of MHPSS in Post-War Transitional Justice: A Case Study of Sri Lanka’s 2016 Public Consultations
Salih et al.
Explores how mental health and psychosocial support considerations can be integrated into transitional justice processes, drawing on public consultations around reconciliation mechanisms in Sri Lanka.
Healing Minds, Building Peace: Why MHPSS Matters in Crises and Recovery
Interpeace
Argues for placing mental health and psychosocial support at the centre of peacebuilding, linking individual healing to social cohesion, trust, and long-term recovery from violence.
EQUIP: Ensuring Quality in Psychological Support
WHO and UNICEF
Free competency assessment tools and e-learning courses for training and supervising non-specialists who deliver psychological support to adults and children.
Steadying yourself and the people around you
Everyday stress-management and first-response material, written to be used without specialist training.
Psychological First Aid: Guide for Field Workers
World Health Organization
The globally endorsed guide to offering humane, practical support to people in acute distress, written for helpers without specialist training. Available in more than 30 languages.
Problem Management Plus (PM+): Individual Psychological Help for Adults Impaired by Distress
World Health Organization
A five-session, evidence-based intervention that trained lay helpers can deliver to adults affected by adversity, addressing practical problems and common signs of distress.
Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide
World Health Organization
A practical, illustrated guide of simple, proven stress-management strategies for people facing adversity. Designed to be accessible across cultures and education levels.
Taking Care of Yourself
UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia
A concise set of practical tips for managing stress during difficult times, covering grounding, routine, self-compassion, and emotional regulation.
Emergency Toolkit: Self Help Plus (SH+)
WHO and MHPSS.net
A group-based stress-management intervention for adults affected by adversity. Includes facilitator manuals, participant materials, and implementation guidance.
PFA for Complex Reactions: Panic
MHPSS Hub and Palestine Red Crescent Society
Six short videos depicting real-life crisis situations and demonstrating how professionals and community members can respond effectively to mental health needs during emergencies.
I Support My Friends: Resource Kit
UNICEF, WHO, Save the Children, and the MHPSS Collaborative
Trains children and adolescents to safely support a friend in distress using the Look–Listen–Link framework of psychological first aid, with a training manual, participant workbook, and implementation guidance.
Trauma-Focused ACT: Extra Bits
Russ Harris
Supplementary techniques and worksheets for practitioners using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with trauma-affected individuals.
Community-Based Psychosocial Support: Volunteer Manual
IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support
A plain-language manual for community volunteers covering stress, loss and grief, supportive communication, and psychological first aid in crisis-affected communities.
Running a circle or group
Facilitation material for the circle and dialogue processes used in the workshops.
Restorative Practices: Explained
International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP)
A clear introduction to the science of relationships, community connection, and restorative approaches for strengthening trust and communication.
Circle Way Guidelines
The Circle Way
Foundational principles that support safe, participatory, and trust-building circle processes across cultures.
Circle Process
Mediators Beyond Borders International
An introduction to using circle processes in conflict literacy, community dialogue, and collaborative problem-solving.
Essential Elements for Constructing the Circle
Kay Pranis
A practical outline of the core components, values, and structural elements needed to facilitate safe and meaningful circle dialogue.
Convening Circles in a Good Way
University of Victoria
Guidance for creating inclusive, culturally grounded circle environments that support trust, listening, and mutual respect.
Handbook for Facilitating Peacemaking Circles
European Forum for Restorative Justice
A comprehensive handbook covering philosophy, structure, and facilitation methods for peacemaking circles across communities.
Supporting Guardians of Unaccompanied Children: Guidelines for Listening Circles Facilitators
EASPD, GUIDE Project
Practical guidelines for designing and facilitating listening circles to support caregivers and guardians of vulnerable unaccompanied children.
The Art of Powerful Questions
SPARC BC
A practical guide for facilitators on crafting questions that deepen reflection, support dialogue, and strengthen group learning.
Fostering Dialogue Across Divides
Essential Partners
Structured methods to promote meaningful dialogue across polarised groups, supporting understanding and connection.
Designing Community-Based Dialogue (Micro-Course)
United States Institute of Peace
A free, self-paced micro-course on when community dialogue is an appropriate response to conflict, and how to design a dialogue process suited to your own context.
Suggest a resource
If you know of practical, evidence-informed resources that could support hope, healing, or resilience in post-conflict settings, we would be grateful to hear from you — guidelines, training materials, research, or community-based tools.
Send the title, link, and a short description, and we will review it for inclusion on this page.