Our Work
The Pillars of our Philosophy
- Program sustainability
- Local partnerships and empowerment
- Collaborating with western medical and complementary healing practitioners with a diversity of clinical backgrounds, as well as a wide variety of organizational sponsors and partners
- Honoring indigenous cultures and traditions, including the healing power of plants and mother earth
We are here to support trauma recovery and building resilience in the world, locally, nationally and internationally. We do this by learning from local people, while we offer what we know about trauma healing so they can be most effective at supporting trauma recovery in their own communities and create sustainable programs, whether that be:
- Response to local disasters, nationally or internationally, or
- Established community clinics that work with a wide variety of ongoing needs
The work we do is about partnering with local people, and organizations, wherever we are, and supporting them in meeting the trauma recovery needs they see as being necessary. We go where we are invited and welcomed, and do not intrude where we are not.
Domestic Programs
Disaster Relief & Community Service Clinics
Our work in the United States focuses on responding to disasters, when possible, supporting local practitioners in their disaster relief efforts and building a network of community service clinics to serve vulnerable populations long-term.
International Programs
Disaster Relief & Capacity Building Programs
Our international programs focus on training practitioners around the world in the use of acupuncture as a trauma-reduction tool. We target areas that may have high levels of trauma as a result of war, poverty, natural disasters, social inequality or environmental devastation.
Where We Work
Mouse over the red markers to explore some of our past and current relief efforts and training programs.
See AWB’s Work in Action
The video below profiles AWB’s trauma healing and disaster relief work in Puerto Rico. AWB sent three teams to the island in 2017 and 2018 to provide treatments in underserved communities hit hard by Hurricane Maria. AWB continues to offer field training and collaboration with local acupuncturists and community groups to create ongoing mobile clinics for trauma reduction. The FEMA Voluntary Agency has worked closely with AWB to make this possible, as have AWB volunteers and donors. Visit our YouTube Channel for all AWB Videos.