Themes by tag: psychological support

From November 9-13, the Voices of Children Foundation is hosting a Writing Residency in Ukraine’s Carpathians, bringing together young writers under the guidance of Ukrainian author Olha Rusina. Among the participants is 17-year-old Sofiia from Odesa, who plans to write a book honoring her father, a police officer who died during the war.

After russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, Sofiia was forced to flee to Moldova, where she encountered challenges, such as enforced russian language use and a school curriculum focused on russian literature. An avid reader, Sofiia even started a reading club for her peers in Moldova. This fall, she enrolled at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv’s Faculty of Journalism, where she connected with Rusina, who now mentors her as she begins work on her father’s story.

Alongside Sofiia, teens from cities including Kharkiv, Dnipro, and the Chernihiv region—many from military families or displaced by the war—will join the residency. Participants will work to process their experiences and turn trauma into resilience through creative expression. Set in a mountain retreat, the program will offer writing workshops, as well as individual and group counseling sessions with psychologists.

Journalists seeking to cover the residency can arrange access in advance, and may also speak with Sofiia in Lviv.

• children
• psychological support
• Ivano-Frankivsk
• Lviv

Hlib, 7, a boy from Sievierodonetsk in Luhansk Oblast—now under russian occupation—faced profound challenges after being displaced by the war. His father, serving in the military, remained behind as Hlib and his mother fled their hometown when the full-scale invasion began. After spending time in Europe, they returned to Ukraine and settled in Dnipro.

The impact of the war took a heavy toll on Hlib’s well-being. He became increasingly emotional, often crying uncontrollably, and struggled to focus, making traditional schooling impossible. His mother decided to have him study at home.

It was during a visit to the Voices of Children Charity Foundation that a psychologist suggested further examinations. As a result, Hlib was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a diagnosis that provided crucial insight into managing his behavior and improving his condition.

Journalists can arrange interviews with Hlib and his mother in Dnipro by appointment.

For reference: October is ADHD Awareness Month. Between 5-8% of children globally are affected by ADHD, which was declared the leading issue in child psychiatry in 2000.

• children
• psychological support
• Dnipro

Save Ukraine has established Hope and Healing Centers to offer essential support to children and families displaced by the ongoing war. These centers serve as safe spaces for children returning from russia and families evacuated from combat zones, providing a comprehensive range of services including temporary housing, humanitarian aid, legal assistance, and psychological rehabilitation. Each family is given a personalized program designed to help them recover from the trauma of war and adapt to their new circumstances.

Journalists are invited to visit and report on the work of the Hope and Healing Centers in the Kyiv region.

For reference: russia’s full-scale invasion has displaced and traumatized millions of Ukrainian children, with many forcibly taken to russia. Save Ukraine is a charitable organization dedicated to helping vulnerable families with children through three key initiatives: facilitating the return of children from occupied territories and russia, evacuating families from war zones, and providing rehabilitation and reintegration services within local communities.

• casualties
• children
• psychological support
• Kyiv

On October 13, Kyiv will host a gathering of veterans enrolled in the Veteran’s Hut program, an initiative aimed at preparing veterans and their families to serve as professional psychologists for other service members. The event will feature a tango therapy session and include the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Kyiv Region Security Police and the Veteran’s Hut NGO, solidifying joint efforts in educational, cultural, and social projects.

The event will bring together veterans from the program’s inaugural cohort, currently pursuing master’s degrees in psychology, along with new participants set to begin their training at the end of October. Leading the tango therapy session will be Yurii Kadyrov, who specializes in using dance as a rehabilitation tool to support the physical and emotional recovery of combatants and their families.

For context: The Veteran’s Hut project launched in spring 2024, offering psychological rehabilitation and university preparation for veterans. Designed by Psy.D. Oleksandr Tkachenko, a veteran of the russia-Ukraine war, the program aims to train veterans to work effectively with their peers. The first cohort comprised 20 participants, most of whom are now enrolled in the psychology program at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

Yurii Kadyrov, a Kyiv native, previously lived and ran a business in Crimea before the 2014 russian occupation forced him to abandon his home and livelihood on the peninsula. Today, he uses his experience and training to aid other veterans in their recovery journey.

The event is organized by the Kyiv Region Security Police.

• military
• psychological support
• Kyiv

As the war continues, thousands of Ukrainians are experiencing deep stress, anxiety, and trauma. To help address these challenges, as part of the Ministry of Social Policy’s project and First Lady Olena Zelenska’s “How Are You?” initiative, the charitable foundation “Save Ukraine” will open the first Resilience Center for IDPs from the Donetsk oblast and Kyiv residents on October 3.

Resilience Centers are an innovative model of social services designed to help Ukrainians overcome stress, recover from crisis events, and stay engaged in life. The centers provide counseling on social issues, training in psychological first aid and emotional recovery, mental health assessment, and more.

Speakers:

• Oksana Zholnovych, Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine; 
• Vadym Filashkin, Head of the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration; 
• Vasyl Mitko, Head of Nikolske Village Council, Mariupol District; 
• Oleksii Fedchenko, Head of the “Save Ukraine” Charitable Foundation; 
• Natalia Vorobiova, Head of Mariupol District State Administration;
• Olena Tokareva, Director of the Social Protection Department of the Donetsk Oblast State Administration.

Prior accreditation is required.

• casualties
• psychological support
• Kyiv

To help children and their parents cope with the psychological effects of the war, mobile teams of psychologists from the Voices of Children charity foundation travel to villages and small towns where there are no specialists, relevant institutions or reliable public transport. They organize individual and group psychological and psychosocial support for children and parents affected by the war (IDPs with destroyed homes and other losses).  

By prior arrangement, journalists can cover the group sessions and talk to the participants (children and their parents).

Coverage can focus on the work of the mobile psychological teams in the Kyiv region (on 30 September at the modular town for temporarily displaced persons in the village of Liubymivka), as well as in the Mykolaiv and Lviv oblasts.

Background: Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 102,000 children and parents have received various types of support. In Ukraine, the Voices of Children Foundation currently operates 13 centers and an online helpline providing free psychological support. Over 200 psychologists and psychotherapists are working to preserve the childhoods and smiles of Ukrainian children.

• children
• psychological support
• Kyiv
• Lviv
• Mykolaiv

A support center for military families, the “Hub for Families of Ukraine’s Defenders”, has opened in the Kyiv oblast. This space is designed to help military families facing emotional challenges, stress and difficulties caused by the war.

The center provides various forms of support and recreation for military families, including:

• Psychological counseling — individual and group sessions with experienced psychologists to help overcome emotional experiences related to war stress.
• Training and workshops — regular training sessions on topics related to psychological resilience, family relationships, children’s adjustment and other relevant issues.
• Art therapy — sessions of creative activities (drawing, modeling, music, etc.) to help reduce stress, restore inner harmony and find new ways of self-expression.
• Creative classes for children — special programmes for the youngest members of families to help them adapt to new realities and find support among their peers.
• Social integration – events that encourage social interaction and bring families together in an atmosphere of mutual support.

• psychological support
• Kyiv

On September 8, the “Beloved, I Live!” project will launch its fifth group of support classes in Zaporizhia. This initiative, dedicated to providing psychological assistance to women who have lost their husbands in the war, will welcome seven new participants.

The project was conceived in March 2023 when Yaryna Herashchenko, a social activist, was approached by a family friend grieving her military husband. The idea for “Beloved, I Live!” emerged from this interaction, with Herashchenko and her mother, a psychologist, coming together to offer support.

Participants in the program receive counseling and engage in various therapeutic activities such as archery, yoga, and Thai boxing. The initiative also includes off-site events. For example, on Khortytsia Island, participants wrote letters to their lost loved ones, crafted boats from these messages, and set them afloat on the Dnipro River. Additionally, they prepared and shared meals featuring their Beloveds’ favorite dishes. The women have also been involved in two photo projects: “In Memory of You,” which features images with memorabilia to tell the stories of their husbands, and “Beloved, I Live!,” a photo session designed to inspire renewal.

• dead
• military
• psychological support
• women
• Zaporizhzhia

On August 22, the “Voices Camp” will begin its fourth session in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region, offering a safe haven for children aged 10-16 who have been affected by the ongoing conflict. The camp specifically welcomes those from de-occupied and frontline areas, providing them with an environment where they can connect with peers, receive psychosocial support, and explore their talents and creativity. Over the course of two weeks, participants will have the opportunity to make new friends and begin to heal from the traumas of war.

Journalists interested in covering the camp and its activities can obtain more information through the foundation.

For context: This summer camp is organized by The Voices of Children Charitable Foundation, with financial backing from the Olena Zelenska Foundation. 

The camp’s mission is more critical than ever, as nearly half of Ukraine’s children—44%—are showing signs of potential post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a recent Future Index study.

• casualties
• children
• psychological support
• Uzhhorod

The BuhurtSich project is leveraging the medieval sport of buhurt to bolster the psychological well-being of Ukrainian military personnel. Buhurt, a team sport that simulates knightly combat in full armor or protective gear, has proven to be not only visually striking but also therapeutically beneficial, as evidenced by its impact in other countries.

In the U.S., many participants in buhurt have been former military members who credit the sport with helping them manage PTSD, overcome substance abuse, and even stave off suicidal tendencies. Beyond its physical demands, buhurt fosters a strong sense of community.

The BuhurtSich project has been active for over 10 months, attracting 171 participants to its training sessions. Among them, one veteran has even taken up blacksmithing to learn the craft of armor-making.

Journalists are invited to explore and report on this innovative initiative in Kyiv.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• psychological support
• Kyiv