Almost all the participants of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy sessions have one thing in common – everyone has been traumatized by war in one way or another. But groups are always different. There was a 15-year-old boy Vladyslav from Khmelnytsky in one of the therapy groups at the children camp. He engaged in activities actively, quickly got to know everyone, listened to their stories, tried to carefully ask questions. However, almost until the end of the therapy course he kept saying that he had no traumatic memories and participated only out of curiosity and a desire to learn healing techniques for the future.

When the group worked on fears, one girl said that she was afraid to return to Kherson, where she saw how her house was flooded. Then Vladyslav said that he understood the girl, because he was also afraid to return to the village to his grandmother. And without hesitating he told his story:

“In summer, I always went to my grandmother’s village, where I had my best friend, Anton. We had fun and every day was interesting and exciting. Two years ago, we went to the pond, caught some fish, we were so happy. After fishing, we were walking through the forest, talking, and suddenly we heard a sound. It was loud and seemed to be approaching us. Everything happened very quickly, maybe in a couple of seconds… I looked around and saw that a tree was falling on us. Anton somehow pushed me off the path, and the tree fell right on him…
He died on the spot. I was very scared, as if I were paralyzed. Then I started to pull him out and saw that he was not breathing, and his whole head was covered in blood. It was terrifying, I ran down the road and screamed, calling for help. He was buried, and I can no longer go to the village, I have never been there since that incident.”

Vladyslav covered his face with his hands and cried. He explained that after that incident he often has the same dream of a tree falling on Anton. And when he wakes up, he often sees his friend before his eyes and smells blood and hears the sound of a tree falling. Two years have passed, but it seems to the boy that it happened yesterday. He stopped going to the forest and fishing.

Continuing the sessions, the trainers stimulated the group to talk about useful and useless avoidance. They also asked Vladyslav what techniques he could use in such cases. The boy shared that he already uses breathing, listening and smelling exercises and carries an aromatic oil with him. He noted that techniques helped him relieve tension, so he plans to keep using them in the future. At the next session he brought a completed task on overcoming fear. He decided that he needed to resume his to trips to the village, step by step. On each step, he wrote what he had to do and drew Anton as his superhero with wings who would help him in everything.

On the photo, group therapy sessions “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” conducted in March-April 2024 in Lyceum #93 in Kyiv by the trainers of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project, Alevtyna Hurska and Maryna Pavlus.

We are grateful to our partner, Canada-Ukraine Foundation, for the financial support.

Photo album on Facebook

To work with groups of adults during the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy sessions is always more difficult than with children. At least one or two participants have a skeptical attitude towards the program. In one such group for adults who came from the Kharkiv region, participants opened up gradually, were mostly passive, but took turns talking about themselves and practicing exercises. Nataliya was different, she did not want to talk about herself. At the first meeting she made it clear that the techniques offered by the trainers would not help her cope with her problem. When the trainers encouraged her to share, she replied that she would listen to others, and if she wanted to, she would then tell her story. Only at the fourth meeting was the woman able to talk about what happened to her. She immediately said that she did not believe in the effectiveness of the techniques and considered it all just playing. But every time she listened to the feedback of other participants and only then decided to try the techniques herself.

Nataliya told that since the beginning of the war, her village was occupied for some time, and then it was under intense shelling. Now her house is destroyed, there is no home to return to. And even these terrible events were overshadowed by the horror of what happened to her daughter. Nataliya remembers that bombings were very frequent, but the residents of the house learned to run outside for water between attacks. It was relatively quiet that day, her daughter said she would go get water as it was safer on that day. Nataliya was afraid to let her go, asked her to stay, but her daughter assured her that she would be careful. She said that explosions have not been heard for a long time, so everything will be fine. She was gone for about 20 minutes. Nataliya began to worry, until suddenly she heard the whistle of a rocket and an explosion very close to them. The woman ran out onto the balcony, saw her daughter lying on the street, many people around, and then an ambulance, a hospital, a disability…

At first, Nataliya thought that her daughter was dead, but then it turned out that she was injured by a rocket part. The woman realizes that disability is for life, thus it is difficult for her to accept what happened. She thinks every day how they should live on, how her daughter should learn to live with the trauma. After the sessions Nataliya began to practice the “Safe Place” technique and noticed that her anxiety decreased. She also really enjoyed using the exercise of strong positive self-affirmations. The woman started using it every time she noticed the appearance of negative thoughts. She also managed to perform the technique of choosing an imaginary assistant, who would help to cope with negative memories. However, Nataliya transformed this exercise. She didn’t imagine a superhero or a helper for herself, but thought of herself as a superhero for her daughter. At the last meeting, when everyone shared their impressions, Nataliya said that she felt better, became more emotionally stable, and almost accepted the situation with her daughter. They are now planning to prepare for prosthetics.

On the photo, group therapy sessions “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” conducted in March-April 2024 in Kotyurzhyntsi village, Khmelnytskyi region by the trainers of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project, Olha Traichun and Nataliya Skrylnykova.

We are grateful to our partner, Canada-Ukraine Foundation, for the financial support.

Photo album on Facebook

On April 15-19, 2024, another group of psychologists, teachers and volunteers, consisting of 60 people, participated in the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” online training. The psychologists of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project, Iryna Sukhova and Olena Bozhor, trained the participants. After the training, the inspired participants moved on to the next stage of their participation in our project – to organize and conduct group therapy sessions within the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” program. All participants will receive comprehensive support from the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project and supervision from the experienced trainers.

We sincerely thank everyone for their interest and activity in education and wish them fruitful work with the children of Ukraine.

Special thanks for cooperation to our old friends and partners – CO “HOPE worldwide Canada”!

Photo album on Facebook

In the spring, the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project in cooperation with the CF “SOS: Headquarters of Civil Defense” in Kamianets-Podilskyi conducted several “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” group therapy sessions for the elderly (60 years and older). The participants of the groups learned to recognize their psychological traumas, overcome the symptoms and collected internal resources to start looking in the future with hope. During their long lives, these people have accumulated a lot of pain, but also a lot of wisdom. The sessions were a kind of exchange – the trainers taught the participants recovery techniques, and the participants thoughts the trainers. In total, 42 persons took part in group sessions.

Comment from one of the participants: “I’ve been given many gifts throughout my life, and I was not limited in attention, but this gift… it’s from my childhood. I never had anything like this. Thank you for taking me back into my childhood!”

On the photo, group therapy sessions are conducted by Svitlana Huminska and Zhanna Tyatkova, trainers of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” program.

The sessions were held with the support of our partner HOPE worldwide Zurich.

Photo album on Facebook

“Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy sessions for children in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region were completed at the end of March 2024.

The trainers of the program Khrystyna Kypryanova and Leyla Kravchenko worked with the children. “Today we held a festive final “Children and War. TRT” therapy session, held within HOPE worldwide Ukraine project”, – shared Khrystyna Kypryanova. – The children are very satisfied, they have learned how to cope with their fears and anxieties, have become more open and now know how to take care of themselves and their loved ones. The most valuable thing was to see their sincere, positive emotions and smiles.”

The trainers thanked the parents of the participants for their trust, and the Kramatorsk Volunteer Center for the pleasant cooperation.

Photo album on Facebook

On March 04-06, 2024, a three-day “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” training program took place in Poltava. 25 participants, school psychologists, teachers, social pedagogues, shared that healing and recovery techniques are exactly the kind of psychological tool that is now very much needed in schools with many children from IDP families. In addition, due to war events in the country, local children are also often frightened, alarmed, and apathetic. Therefore, teachers and psychologists should know how to help children. Trainers who already have practical experience with the program also joined the training. They shared their experiences and details of working with children and their parents with the group.

The training was conducted by the psychologists of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project – Iryna Sukhova and Tetyana Oboyanska. The event was held in cooperation with the Ostrogradsky Poltava Academy of Continuing Education and with the financial support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation.

Feedback from participants.

Halyna Druzhynina: “Thank you very much for the resources, positivity, inspiration, for the opportunity to make sure that “I can!” For invaluable tools of working with children, for helping us and our children to feel happy”.

Svitlana Selvestrova: “It was very cool to be in a circle of like-minded people, to get such invaluable experience, this box of self-help techniques. I want to thank the trainers and organizers for the opportunity to switch, to recall that I also have a sense of humor and remember how to laugh, and enjoy the opportunity to learn something new (this feeling cannot be compared with anything)”.

Inna Bertash: “I am grateful the organizers and trainers of CF “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” the effective balance of knowledge that I will use for myself and people around me. The techniques and methods are super effective (I tried it on myself)!”

Vitaliya Yarosh: “Thank you, Iryna and Tetyana for effective healing and recovery techniques and tools. The training was interesting and intense. I will practice the knowledge I have gained with children and adults. After all, with many techniques, one can manage emotions and own condition! Thank you for your professionalism! ”

Alina Zenchenko: “I am thankful to the trainers of our project for intense, theoretically and practically meaningful training, positively colored, warm, atmospheric. I take with me th knowledge and experience, which, I hope, I will convey to children and adults. Thank you!”

Photo album on Facebook

On March 04, 2024, the new trainers of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” program in Poltava received th ecertificates. The psychologists of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project Iryna Sukhova and Tetyana Oboyanska handed in the certificates.

“In autumn last lyear, we had a training for a group of trainers in cooperation with Korolenko Poltava Pedagogical University, – shares Iryna Sukhova. – Finally, we certified those of them who successfully underwent the practical stage of the project and worked fruitfully with groups of children and adults. We talked in a warm atmosphere in the premises of the university, noted the peculiarities of the work of each of the groups and the relevance of the program.”

The team of our project congratulates the young trainers with good results at the beginning of their work with the program and wishes them further success.

Photo album on Facebook

From February 29 to March 2, 2024, the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” training took place in Khmelnytskyi. 24 participants from Khmelnytskyi and Khmelnytskyi region, as well as from Vinnytsia, studied the topic of the reasons and overcoming of PTSD, which residents of Ukraine experience during the war. Iryna Sukhova and Nataliya Podolyak, psychologists of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project, shared their knowledge and experience with the group. New specialists will conduct “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy sessions. They will teach the participants self-help techniques to overcome stress, fears, pain, losses, to ease own psycho-emotional state.

The training was conducted within the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project in cooperation with partners from CF “Rokada” (Khmelnytskyi) and with the financial support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation.

Feedback from participants.

Daria Tsechmeister: “Expectations from the training were met 100%. I plan to implement the program at the Vinnytsia Technical Vocational College in March-April this year. Thank you for setting hearts alight. Thanks to this many children are healed. With such opportunities, our nation has a great future”.

Liudmyla Bezditna: “The material is presented nicely, it is structured. I plan to implement the program in March in two communities of our region (not far from the city). The training was incredible, the examples were relevant. I am very grateful for the opportunity to participate in such training.”

Tetyana Halytska: “I really liked the training. We plan to conduct groups for students at the Khmelnytskyi National University, as well as, perhaps, another group online. The “Children and War. TRT” training was relevant for me, because I work with people on a psychological platform as a volunteer and I receive for such first aid. I also want to help my loved ones and teach them self-help exercises. Many thanks to the wonderful trainers for easy and clear presentation of the material.”

Maryna Sulimenko: “The training is incredible. I feel full and with growing wings. I plan to conduct groups at secondary school #12 in March-April this year. “Children and War. TRT” is a program that helps children and adults overcome their fears, traumas, and experiences not on paper, but in practice.”

Alla Verbolovych: “You have exceeded my expectations. I plan to implement the program in the nearest future at Lyceum #7 in Khmelnytskyi. Many thanks to the trainers and the organizing team for the fulfilling days, for the up-to-date material, sincerity and high professionalism.”

Photo album on Facebook

In the period from February 10 to 24, 2024, 120 children aged 8-13 from Kharkiv and Kharkiv region took part in the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy sessions, held at the “Litokryl” children’s camp in Irshava, Zakarpattia region.

“Litokryl” is an all-Ukrainian project of psycho-emotional support for children from the Rescue Now Foundation, which conducts charity camps. The purpose of the camps is to provide support to children who suffered due to the war in Ukraine.

The team of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project was happy to join this project in order to conduct the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy sessions for children as part of the camp program, as well as to provide individual psychological help to those who needed it.

During the therapy sessions, the children learned to overcome anxiety, fears and post-traumatic stress. In order for this support to become reliable and long-term for children, the camp program also included online meetings for parents. Talented, sensitive, supportive trainers of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project Svitlana Olfirenko, Bohdana Napleta, Viktoriya Tristan, Tetyana Drabych worked with the children.

We sincerely thank our partners for their cooperation!

Photo album on Facebook

The “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” training for new trainers took place on February 14-16, 2024 in Kyiv. It was organised in partnership with the Center for the Professional Development of Teachers in Kyiv and the Kyiv Teacher’s House. Iryna Sukhova, Nataliya Podolyak and Tetiana Oboyanska, trainers and psychologists of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project, trained 29 participants who will further conduct “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy groups for children and adults. The project team will help them with organizational and supervisory support. We are looking forward to an active and busy spring period and hope for positive results.

The training was held with the financial support of our partner, the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF).

Feedback from the participants.

Maria Shamina: “The highest score, 10 points for everything. I am inspired by this project, and hope to implement it in the near future. The “Children and War” program is very useful and timely, because children are the most vulnerable category of those in need of psychological assistance. It carefully and gently guides children from meeting to meeting, healing their souls and bodies”.

Olha Khoptyar: “The training, the material, the coffee breaks, the premises, the methodology, the atmosphere – I rate everything 10 points. I plan to organize 2 groups, gain experience, and put the knowledge into practice. The training is incredible! The organizers and trainers are wonderful and professional! Thank you very much for the valuable information, structure, and knowledge box.”

Yana Khyzhnyak: “The score is 10. I want to gather a group of teachers and then extend the program to children and parents. Thank you very much for the training, it is exactly what I wanted from such a program. Experienced trainers, wise organization!”

Oksana Yashchenko: “100 points out of 10 possible for everything. I would like to implement the program as soon as possible, that is, immediately. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to get trained in “Children and War” program. I would really like to see such programs become widespread and actively spread around the world. Thank you!”

Photo album on Facebook