In June the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy sessions took place in Truskavets. They were organized for a group of teenagers who moved to this town with their parents from Luhansk, Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. The instructors of the program – Olha Palamarchuk and Maryna Rudneva – worked with the group. Thanks to the warm atmosphere created by the instructors, their professionalism and caring hearts, the participants learned to cope with their emotions, as well as with PTSD symptoms caused by the war against Ukraine. They also worked through and overcame the effects of their traumatic events and also learned special techniques on how to help themselves to deal with stress, intrusive memories and fears.

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In June the team of newly trained instructors held “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy sessions in Truskavets for internally displaced parents who, during the war, were forced to leave the Luhansk, Donetsk, and Kharkiv regions with their children. It is always painful and difficult for everyone to leave or lose loved ones, and homes, hear alarm sirens and explosions, see destroyed houses, and all the horrors of war… And the self-help techniques that the participants learned during the therapy course came in handy, added inner peace and self-confidence, and faith in the future! We express our gratitude to the instructors of the program – Anzhela Karas and Iryna Pylypenko – for their committed work and care.

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On June 24-26, the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” training was held in Dnipro. 29 participants attended the training. It was conducted by the experienced psychologists of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project – Iryna Sukhova and Nataliya Podolyak.

“Now there are a lot of people in Dnipro who are looking for shelter from war,” says Iryna Sukhova. – And I am happy to see that the city also has many volunteers and volunteer organizations that help IDPs. So, in the building where our training was taking place, on the ground floor volunteers from the charity foundation “I am Mariupol” were distributing humanitarian aid to those who needed it, and on the fourth floor we were teaching specialists how to treat psychological trauma. Among the participants of the event there were volunteers from our foundation “HOPE worldwide Ukraine”, as well as volunteers from charity foundations “For the Future of Ukraine”, “East-SOS”, and “Person in trouble”. And I am very happy to see such cooperation between organizations and people in general. I was also impressed how diligently the participants were trying to speak Ukrainian. Slowly, with mistakes, but they were talking. And this strengthened the feeling of unity, because together we will overcome everything. Together towards the victory!”

The event was held in cooperation with the charity foundation “For the Future of Ukraine”. We express our gratitude to Olena Luchko for organizational work!

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On June 17-19, the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” training was held in Pylypets village in Zakarpattia region. The training was conducted by experienced trainers of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project – Iryna Sukhova and Tetyana Oboyanska. “This is a very beautiful place in Zakarpattia region: picturesque mountains, clean rivers, lush greenery,” says Iryna Sukhova. – And now many IDPs live here. They also were present among the 16 participants of our training. For example, Serhiy is a grandfather who is raising two grandchildren alone. His wife died, the house was destroyed. He is now a mother and a father to his two grandsons. A true friend and mentor. Another participant is Svitlana. She is also a grandmother of two children. Her granddaughter has a serious illness, and they struggle every day not only with despair and fear because of the war, but also with the disease… These two participants came to the training to learn how to be “good parents” during these terrible times. And that evokes great respect.”

It is interesting that for many participants this was the first training in their lives. Despite this, it has become useful, practical and effective for absolutely everyone. Here are some reviews from our participants.

Svitlana Shapovalova: “The information was useful and easy to understand. I will use it with my children. Thank you for all the knowledge I received!”

Serhiy Mitskevych: “Extremely important and relevant topic. I will use it in the family circle for my children and grandchildren. Many sincere thanks to the organizers and specialists of the event. You provided a huge resource of knowledge that we need to raise our children”.

Iryna Makarenko: “I am a two-time IDP, so the topic of the training was relevant to me personally. The most useful was the calming technique – I had never been able to do this before. I will conduct therapy sessions for my students and children in our Orphanage. Thank you for the high professional level of the trainers!”

Halyna Kremin: “The whole set of techniques and methods was useful, I worked through my nightmare. I will practice it at the educational institution where I work and, if possible, at the summer camp in Volovets. And I have restored the internal balance a little and enriched my resources. I am very grateful!”

Iryna Nosenko: “It was useful to work with my memories and dreams, as well as with sound and smell techniques. It was important to hear the reasoning behind what avoidance and arousal are. I liked “I-affirmation” technique. Thank you very much for the “gadget” of knowledge. I received valuable skills and abilities”.

Natalia Bed: “The topic was relevant because I was able to work out my personal questions and problems that are relevant right now. Practical exercises were the most useful because everyone could be involved in the work “here and now” with his/he own memories and trauma”.

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During 3 months of full-scale war against Ukraine, more than 900 children and 600 adults have learned to cope with the traumatic psychological consequences of war thanks to the methodology “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques”. Also, more than 600 trainers have been trained and started using these effective techniques, developed by Norwegian and British scientists, while working with internally displaced people and refugees all over Ukraine and abroad. The project is implemented by the “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation with the support of American and Canadian partners, HOPE worldwide and HOPE worldwide Canada.

The methodology “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” is an effective tool of psychological self-help for people with traumatic consequences of war, natural disasters, and other cataclysms. It works well with both children and adults, as it is a result of the combined years of direct experience of working with child survivors of war and disaster.

The methodology was developed in 1998 by professionals from the Institute of Psychiatry in London, UK, and the Center for Crisis Psychology in Bergen, Norway, and has been used after earthquakes in Iran, India, Chile, and China, the tsunami in South East Asia in 2000, as well as war conflicts in Africa, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine. The manual “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” has been translated and adapted by experts from the Ukrainian Institute of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Lviv, Ukraine). Since 2015, it has been successfully used to teach trainers and to conduct therapy courses in Ukraine within the framework of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project, implemented by “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation.

“When the whole countries and communities are affected, it is often a priority to provide assistance for large numbers of people as quickly as possible, – says Volodymyr Yermakov, President of the “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation. – Our aim is to do just that. The manual “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” is designed to teach children and adults a set of practical way skills and techniques which are helpful in coping with the psychological effects of disastrous events. This is not a treatment manual; yet the program is designed to prevent the need of children with war trauma for a professional treatment later. It has been proved that children who have learned and practiced these self-help and relaxation techniques will be less likely to need specialist treatment in the future. Nevertheless, some will still need further help”.

To become a trainer in the methodology “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” one doesn’t need to have a psychological education. Teachers, youth workers, pedagogues, psychologists, counsellors, community leaders, volunteers, and other childcare professionals can take a 3-day training and become program trainers who can conduct therapy session with groups. This innovative methodology promotes the development of special skills in children and adults for reducing the psychological after-effects of trauma through self-help, relaxation and healing techniques in the face of intense war-related stress. In addition, it is designed to reduce anxiety and prevent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other complications in the future.

“From the beginning of the project in May 2015 and till February 2022, 636 people mostly from the eastern regions of Ukraine have been trained in the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” program, – says the Project’s chief psychologist Iryna Sukhova. – However, after russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine, many of our trainers have been affected by the war and forced to leave their homes. We had to teach new trainers urgently, as the demand for psychological help increased a lot. Luckily, our partners and donors have supported us in this effort, and in three months (March-May) we were able to train more than 600 new trainers who immediately started working with children and their parents. The effectiveness of the therapy is impressive – children become less anxious, they sleep better, their nightmares, obsessive thoughts and panic attacks lose intensity or disappear, and they more often start to feel safe”.

The team of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project of the “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation intends to continue its work as long as there are people who need psychological help. With extensive experience in dealing with war trauma, the Project team is ready to share experience and expertise, in particular, to contribute to the creation of the National Program of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support.

The project continues to work in summer – the plan is to teach new trainers and conduct therapy sessions for children and adults. During July-August, it is planned to conduct rehabilitation “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” programs in the summer camps of partner organizations.
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REFERENCE INFORMATION
International Charity Project “Helping Hand for Ukraine” exists since 2015. The Project aims to improve the socio-emotional and psychological state and wellbeing of children with war trauma and their families who witnessed and suffered from the war against Ukraine. The Project trains the trainers to work with the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” methodology; provides psychological assistance to children and their parents with war trauma, teaching them skills of psychological self-regulation and self-assistance and techniques of relaxation; fosters cooperation with state social services in order to ensure immediate attention from professionals to cases of mild and severe mental problems as well as constant aftercare and social support.

On June 16, a team member of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project of the “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation participated in the meeting of organizations and projects in the mental health area dedicated to the psychological health and psychosocial support during war times in Ukraine with the participation of the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska and Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Liashko.
Over 230 participants shared their own experience in the area of psychological services starting from 2014, and shared opinions and ideas on what steps should be taken so that the Initiative on Psychological Health and Psychosocial Support, presented by Olena Zelenska, would be sustainable and bring positive results.
We have also shared our own experience within the Project starting from 2015 and the achievements of the Project team after Feb 24, 2022, and until now.

We are open to cooperation and waiting for opportunities within the frames of the MOH Project Office announced by Viktor Liashko.

Gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed saepe cadendo – the drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often. We hope and trust that joint efforts of those who work in the area of psychological support for children and adults with war trauma will have a considerable positive synergetic influence on the psychological health of our nation.

We express our sincere gratitude to our reliable long-term partners, HOPE worldwide, HOPE worldwide Canada for their continuous support and cooperation.

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Sincere, responsive, interesting, warm, motivated to help others, dedicated to their work! This is about our coaches, who now during the war conduct group classes for children and adults under the program “Children and War. Teaching Recovering Techniques” in different parts of Ukraine. Iryna Fomina and Larysa Obodovska from Cherkasy, Lyudmyla Uspenska and Polishchuk Olena from Khmelnytsky, Lyudmyla Zyuman and Olga Pronyakina from Kremenchuk (Poltava region), Olga Pastushok and Lyudmyla Semencha from Nikopol (Dnipropetrovsk region), thank you for your courage and courage to work where pain, fears, losses. We wish you strength, inspiration, good results!

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Trainers of the program “Children and War. Teaching Recovering Techniques” Iryna Kokhanovska and Iryna Yoltukhivska work at the “Rokada” Charitable Foundation in Khmelnytsky. They love children very much. Thanks to their caring hearts and sincere work, over the past three months, more than 170 children have learned self-help techniques using the “Children and War” method. Girls, thank you, you are wonderful!

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From May 30 to June 3, two online trainings on the program “Children and War. Teaching Recovering Techniques” were held. 70 new specialists were trained by the project trainers – Natalia Podoliak, Iryna Sukhova, Olena Bozhor. Participants from Kyiv, Dnipro, Chernihiv, Sumy, Cherkasy, Odessa, Mykolayiv, Trostyanets (Sumy region), Kremenchuk (Poltava region), Kamyanets-Podilsky and Starokostiantyniv (Khmelnytsky region) and other cities of Ukraine united around a common goal – to help children and adults affected by the war. We wish everyone fruitful work and a peaceful sky above your head!

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We see in the photo happy children and adults who are being healed from the wounds of war. Almost a miracle. What’s the secret? How is this achieved? The personality of a psychological training coach is very important. As well as the personality of the teacher at school. The coach must be sensitive and attentive, deep and friendly to everyone. And it is very important when he/she enjoys its work. A happy teacher / coach and students are happy.
Creating a friendly atmosphere in the project, supporting young and experienced trainers of the program “Children and War. Teaching Recovering Techniques”, providing everything necessary, caring for the needs – the team of the project “Helping Hand for Ukraine” is doing everything to ensure that our psychologists have the mood and strength to work.

Feedback from project psychologists who recently received training in the program “Children and War” and in April-May 2022 conducted group classes for children and adults.

Mariana Kozosh (Gorokhiv, Volyn region): “We have completed the training “Children and War” with the group. There were many oral responses. All positive. One participant said she did not know how to live without our meetings now. People are asked to continue the meetings. It is so important for them to be listened to, accepted, understood”.

Olesya Kochkina (Rozhysche, Volyn region): “Thank you very much for your work! Very extensive and useful course, interesting and useful to work with children. The main thing is that we quickly see the results in children, their condition has improved, they have acquired new knowledge and skills, become more stable and confident; and we, the coaches, too!”

Diana Sport (Khmelnytsky): “Today I received a coach’s certificate. There is no limit to joy and pride. Hooray. The path was thorny and emotional, the range of emotions was different. It is really not easy to do now in the conditions of war. But we did it, we worked with children, parents and with ourselves as well. Thank you to the coaches for this opportunity. I wish everyone peace and tranquility”.

Maria Zamishchak (Drohobych, Lviv region): “Glory to Ukraine! Ms. Irina, we have finished working with adults. They are also satisfied. People are grateful that we brought them back to life – these are their words. They exchanged addresses, invited guests to Kyiv and Kharkiv. Thank you for your understanding, science, support, help. Thank you for being there and for being in this project”.

Marina Sokol (Gorokhiv, Volyn region): “Thank you for leading us through these difficult days of the war. I was very afraid to go where there is pain and uncertainty, I had not worked with someone else’s injury before. Thanks to my incredible co-coach Mariana, who was always there and helped to overcome my fears and doubts. Sorry, colleagues, I write a lot, but incredible emotions of joy are now filling my heart.
The joy of being able to go where it was scary, plus the joy of helping people, we pumped ourselves as professionals and did a good job. Happy to be a part of such an incredible project!”

Thank you for the provided photos of Yulia Zabara and Galina Shaida (Dnipro), Elina Panasenko and Sofia Berezka (Dnipro), Victoria Baranova, Tatiana Gurman and Nadezhda Gurman (Chernomorsk, Odesa region), Maria Ivchenko and Galina Gamal (Lviv).

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