“Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” summer therapy courses for children and parents have been completed in Chornomorsk, Khmelnytskyi, Chernivtsi, and Lviv. The program included a lot of discussions about fears.
Fears in childhood are a usual thing. Some children are afraid of darkness, others are afraid of snakes or spiders. But this summer, almost all participants of the therapy sessions mentioned their fear of war, fear of explosions or loud sounds of the warning sirens. They were talking about the loss of their homes and close friends, the death of a pet or even a close person. And these topics were relevant not only for the children, but also for their parents.
In spite of the sadness, pain, and fear, every participant had a desire to free themselves from these heavy emotions and to transform anxiety into inner peace and self-confidence. So, step by step, in the atmosphere of warmth, positivity and trust, while developing new self-help techniques, everyone achieved good results and gained personal victories!

The trainers of the groups for children and parents: Nadiya Hurman and Tetyana Hurman (Odesa region, Chornomorsk), Roman Bilogryvyi and Nataliya Kozak (Khmelnytskyi), Olga Yurtsenyuk, Nataliya Tsymbalyuk and Nadiya Perius (Chernivtsi), Nataliya Mudryk and Olena Petrushkevych (Lviv). We are grateful for their wonderful work and the photos provided.

Photo album on Facebook

On August 22-26, 2022 two “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” online trainings were held within the frames of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project. 80 new specialists have been trained. Almost all the participants have pedagogical or psychological education, as well as experience in working with children. They are teachers, educators, psychologists, social workers and volunteers from Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Odessa, Kherson, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Kropyvnytskyi, Kryvyi Rih, Rohatyn, Myropillya, Brovary and other cities and villages of Ukraine. Also there were some participants who temporary live abroad – in Germany, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, and Israel.

The trainings were conducted by the Project trainers and psychologists – Iryna Sukhova and Tetyana Oboyanska. Traditionally, the Project’s team has received a lot of grateful feedback. They hope that in the nearest future the new trainers will start using the acquired knowledge and skills to help children and their parents affected by the war against Ukraine to heal the war trauma.

Photo album on Facebook

During July, psychologists and volunteers, who were trained in “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” methodology within the framework of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project, have continued to conduct therapy sessions for children and their parents in Pereyaslav, Kropyvnytskyi, Chornomorsk, Lviv and other cities of Ukraine.

“Every day, while Ukrainian soldiers defend the freedom and independence of our country, our trainers keep helping families with war trauma,” says Iryna Sukhova, a chief psychologist and the head of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project. – Psychologists, social workers , teachers and other specialists from all over Ukraine work hard to balance the psycho-emotional state of children and their parents. They teach them self-regulation techniques, help to cope with difficult memories and thoughts, unbearable nightmares and fears. In times of war, such support is extremely important and necessary, because in such a way, our volunteers contribute to the preservation of the mental health of Ukrainians. The immediate results are shown already after the first therapy session – children and parents mention the improvement in their emotional state, and get additional motivation to continue attending the sessions”.

The photos are provided by the psychologists and volunteers of the project – Alyona Ivashchenko and Alina Bezukh (Pereyaslav, Kyiv region), Natalia Tsumareva and Maryna Sosnovska (Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad region), Lyudmila Moshnyagi and Yulia Kavun (Chornomorsk, Odesa region), Tetyana Melnyk and Nadia Lobas (Lviv).

Photo album on Facebook

On July 4-8, 2022 the trainers’ team of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project conducted a 5-day “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” online training. 40 new trainers took part in the training event. Inquisitive, creative and caring psychologists, volunteers and educators from different cities of Ukraine were learning from certified trainers Iryna Sukhova, Natalia Podolyak and Olena Bozhor.

After the training, the participants shared their impressions. They mentioned high quality, simplicity and availability of educational materials, professionalism of the trainers and effectiveness of the methodology. The participants also voiced their readiness to work in the framework of the project to preserve the psychological health of young Ukrainians and their parents.

We wish success to everyone and victory to Ukraine!

Photo album on Facebook

The “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” online training for psychologists of the Rokada Charity Foundation was held on July 4-8, as part of the project “Helping Hand for Ukraine”. The trainers – Iryna Sukhova and Natalia Podolyak – have worked with 32 participants, specialists who currently work in Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lutsk, Ternopil, Zhytomyr and many other towns and villages of Ukraine.
“Our project cooperates with the Rokada Foundation,” – says Iryna Sukhova. – And we are glad to see an active position of our partner, the desire to learn and increase the professionalism in order to help those who are in dire need because of the war against Ukraine”.

Photo album on Facebook

In June, Antonina Sorochynska and Yulia Nestor held a “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy course for children 7-9 years old who are internally displaced from Luhansk, Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. Therapy sessions were held in Truskavets as part of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project in cooperation with the “Voices of Children” charity organization. The children were actively involved and persistently practiced self-help techniques to overcome unpleasant memories, anxiety, fears, terrible sounds and images in their heads.

Photo album on Facebook

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.

Photo album on Facebook

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.

Photo album on Facebook

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!

Photo album on Facebook

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”.

Photo album on Facebook