Psyche, Science, and Society

Nathaniel Raymond on the personal cost of humanitarian aid

May 28th, 2008

My dear friend and comrade in the struggle against torture, Nathaniel Raymond, was interviewed on American Public Media’s The Story today. He discussed the burnout he experienced after a decade of humanitarian relief in some of the world’s most desperate crisis areas: the tsunami, Ethiopia, Iraq, Biloxi MS after Hurricane Katrina. It is one of the most amazing interviews I have ever heard. Extremely intense and heartfelt. You can really feel Nathaniel struggling to figure out who he is and how he can be that person while still doing good in the world. It also is one of the most moving testimonials for the value of psychotherapy in helping one sort out one’s varied and conflicting wishes and desires in the struggle for self and personal responsibility.

Here is the program description:

Burning Out

Whenever disaster strikes — like the earthquake in China or the cyclone in Myanmar — aid workers head to the scene and are lauded for their long hours and unstinting devotion. For more than a decade, Nathaniel Raymond lived that life. But he didn’t realize the high personal cost of doing aid work non-stop. Now he’s trying to deal with the down side of doing good.

Nathaniel talks to Dick Gordon about what the work was like, and why he decided to take a desk job.

You can listen to the interview here.

Entry Filed under: Torture