CPHS Launches Fall 2025 Lecture Series with Bonnie Miller on Healing in Conflict Setting

Duhok, Kurdistan Region – On September 16, 2025, the Center for Peace and Human Security (CPHS) at the American University of Kurdistan (AUK) opened its Fall 2025 Lecture Series with a talk by Bonnie Miller, Professor of Social Work and Psychology, licensed psychotherapist, and Director of Action for Community Empowerment in Syria (ACES).

In her lecture, “Healing in the Aftermath: Psychological Support and Community Empowerment in Conflict and Displacement Settings,” Miller shared insights from her extensive work in northern Syria, Iraqi Kurdistan, Bosnia, and Kosovo. She emphasized how trauma impacts individuals and communities, and how culturally sensitive, trauma-informed approaches—such as stress management workshops, social-emotional learning, and positive parenting training—can foster resilience and long-term recovery.

The session drew more than 80 students and staff, and concluded with a Q&A on critical issues such as gender-based violence and social factors in conflict recovery. This event marked the first in the CPHS Fall 2025 Lecture Series, with monthly lectures planned throughout the academic year.