In April and May, “Children and War: Teaching Recovery Techniques” online psychological support groups for children from Kramatorsk were conducted within the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project. The groups were facilitated by trainers Yana Serhieieva and Serhii Serhieiev.

The participants were children living in the reality of war, constant anxiety, and uncertainty. For many of them, simply having the opportunity to meet regularly online, see familiar faces, experience support, and feel safe became an important part of their emotional recovery.

For many children in frontline Kramatorsk, the online format has become more than an alternative to in-person meetings — it has been the only safe way to receive regular psychological support. Amid the constant threat of shelling, air raid alerts, and security restrictions, our online groups help ensure continued access to professional assistance and support children’s emotional well-being. Rather than a temporary solution, the online format has become a necessary condition that allows children in a frontline community to receive ongoing psychological support despite the challenging security situation.

During the sessions, children learned to better understand their emotions and cope with anxiety, fear, and worry. Participants were introduced to self-regulation techniques, breathing exercises, safe-place practices, strategies for working through fears, and methods for restoring emotional balance.

The trainers noted that with each session, the children became more open, confident, and engaged in communication. Those who were initially hesitant to speak or afraid of making mistakes gradually began to trust the group more, take initiative, and share their personal experiences.

Particularly meaningful were the moments when children began using the techniques not only during the sessions but also in their everyday lives. One participant learned to independently use the “square breathing” technique when experiencing strong anxiety. Another child started practicing the “safe place” exercise together with their grandmother at home to help manage difficult emotions and regain a sense of calm.

These small steps are incredibly important, as they gradually help children restore a sense of safety, trust, and inner resilience even under difficult life circumstances.

We sincerely thank the trainers for their attentiveness, compassion, and support, as well as every child for their trust, courage, and willingness to embrace the path toward healing and recovery.

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In May, the “Children and War: Teaching Recovery Techniques” psychological support groups for teenagers were held in Kamianets-Podilskyi. The groups were facilitated by trainers Tetiana Hordii and Tetiana Khameliuk within the framework of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project.

The participants were children and teenagers from Melitopol who were forced to leave their homes because of the war. For many of them, these meetings became not only an opportunity to learn how to better cope with fear and anxiety, but also a space where they could experience support, acceptance, and a sense of safety.

Each group had its own unique character, yet similar changes could be observed in all of them. Teenagers who initially kept their distance or hid their feelings behind humor or reserve gradually learned to talk about their emotions, trust one another, and share meaningful experiences. Within the safe environment of the group, they found support, opened up to sincere communication, and increasingly became a source of support for others. Particularly valuable were the conversations about their experiences of war, the loss of home, and fears that had previously been difficult to discuss even with close family members.

During the sessions, participants learned self-regulation techniques, worked through their fears, practiced recognizing their emotions, and explored their inner resources for recovery and resilience. For many teenagers, exercises focused on creating a sense of safety, developing empowering thoughts, and managing anxiety proved especially meaningful.

By the end of the program, a warm atmosphere of trust and acceptance had developed among the participants. The final meetings were filled with hugs, words of gratitude, and hopes to meet again in the future.

We sincerely thank the trainers for their compassionate and professional work, as well as every child and teenager for their trust, courage, and willingness to walk this path of healing and recovery together.

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Recently, another warm and deeply meaningful “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” has been conducted. The training was led by trainers of our project, Iryna Sukhova and Tetiana Oboianska for the “VAV Better Future” Charity Foundation.

For many years, CF “VAV Better Future” and our Foundation have been united by fruitful cooperation, joint work with children and families, and a shared desire to make psychological support accessible to those living in the reality of war.

We are sincerely grateful to the team of “VAV Better Future” for their dedicated implementation of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” program, for their ongoing support of specialists, and for their care for young Ukrainians who today especially need safe spaces, support, and recovery.

This was already the third training group this year. Specialists from different regions of Ukraine joined the program, including participants from the Poltava, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

During the training, participants studied recovery techniques, methods for working with children’s groups, and ways to support children experiencing anxiety, fear, and emotional exhaustion. At the same time, restoring the participants’ own emotional resources became equally important, as working with people requires great inner strength — especially during these difficult wartime conditions.

The warm atmosphere of communication, mutual support, breathtaking views of the Dniester and Smotrych river confluence, delicious food, and gentle spa experiences created a space where participants could not only learn, but also pause, recharge, and feel cared for.

We are grateful to continue this cooperation and to work together so that even more children in Ukraine can receive the psychological support they need and the opportunity to gradually recover, even during wartime.

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