Sotheary Yim is an accomplished psychologist, psychotherapist, organizational coach, and peacebuilder. Over the past 17 years, Sotheary’s engagement with people and their unique stories has inspired her work. As a psychologist raised and living in Cambodia, she has focused her efforts in trauma, healing, and reconciliation with the survivors of Khmer Rouge and its aftermath. Her work in this area has also involved a specific focus on Gender-Based Violence. Sotheary is also the author of a number of publications, including Understanding Trauma in Cambodia, Past and the Present of Forced Marriage Survivors; Experience toward Healing, and a Trauma-informed Project Planning guidebook.

Being brought up traditionally as a girl and a woman, she is most passionate about her work to address gender bias and discrimination and to advocate for equality. Her strong views, commitment, and actions have inspired other younger women to be the fullest of themselves regardless of gender.

Sotheary received her master’s degree in clinical psychology and counseling in 2010. She has completed a number of international training programs on Human Rights and Peace in the Post-conflict countries; Transitional Justice in the context of post-conflict countries; Psychotraumatology and Trauma Treatment and EMDR. Sotheary has been certified as a Peace and Conflict Consultant by the Akademie für Konflikt Transformation in the Forum Civil Peace Service in Germany. Sotheary’s recent Peacebuilding work has focused on training national facilitators across a variety of countries doing creative dialogue and intergenerational dialogues as tools for social change.

Aware of the stresses and the mental and physical exhaustion associated with working in the field of development, and the need for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), Sotheary has also focused on Staff and Self-care and Leadership Coaching. She calls for mental health and mental care as one component of inclusive development because it is for sustainability and it is for human rights.