Supporting Adults During Wartime: Groups Where People Can Feel Heard

During war, not only children but also adults need support. Every day, many people live with anxiety, exhaustion, and the constant responsibility of caring for their families.

In Kyiv, a psychological support course has been recently held by trainers Olha Posternak and Tetiana Holovko as part of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project. Over the course of 7 therapy sessions, participants had the opportunity to speak openly about their emotions, experiences, and the challenges they face daily during wartime.

The group included 10 women, most of whom are raising children with special educational needs. For many of them, the everyday challenges of caring for their children are combined with the constant stress of war, air raid alarms, and emotional exhaustion.

The trainers shared that even air raid alerts did not stop the participants from attending the meetings. The women patiently waited for the danger to pass and hurried back to the sessions, worried they might be canceled. The final meeting even had to be held twice because air raid alarms lasted for several days in a row.

At the beginning of the program, many participants found it difficult to talk about their pain and experiences. But gradually, the group became a place of trust and openness. By the end of the meetings, the women were able not only to share their emotions, but also to speak about hope, dreams, and the wish to see their children happy in a peaceful future.

Support groups like these become spaces where adults can feel that they are not alone in their struggles. And when adults receive support, children around them gain more safety and stability too.

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Two “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” psychological support groups for children and teenagers have recently been completed in Kamianets-Podilskyi by trainers Zhanna Melnyk and Tetiana Kharkova.

Over the course of seven sessions, participants learned to better understand their emotions and work through anxiety, stress, and the effects of traumatic experiences caused by war. A total of 23 children and teenagers took part in the groups, many of whom continue to live under constant stress due to the war, while others have experienced evacuation, displacement, or the loss of their homes.

The trainers shared that the sessions helped children gradually open up, feel safer, and find words for emotions that had previously been difficult to express. For many participants, the group became a safe space where they could talk about fear, grief, and painful memories without judgment or pressure.

One of the participants, Anastasiia, was forced to leave her hometown Mykolaiv because of the war and now lives with her grandmother in Kamianets-Podilskyi. During the sessions, she often spoke about her home, her parents, and the pets she deeply misses. Over time, she discovered her own way of coping with emotions — she began writing a book about her experiences, memories, and dreams.

Another participant, Maksym, initially showed high levels of anxiety and avoided interaction with other children. Gradually, he became more engaged in the group activities and, by the end of the program, was able to say: “Before, the war was always in my head. Now I know how to push it out and make space for dreams again”.

Stories like these remind us how essential psychological support is for children and teenagers during wartime. Even a few safe and supportive meetings can become the beginning of healing, helping children regain trust, emotional stability, and a sense of hope.

Every contribution helps us organize new support groups, create safe spaces for children, and stay close to families exactly when they need it most.