Story told by Project Coordinator, Ira Sukhova, therapy programme in Korostyshiv in June 2015:

Dima is 9 years old, but he behaves like an adult. After the hostilities started in Luhansk region, his family moved to Sverdlovsk, and then in April 2015 they came to Korostyshiv. During the second therapy session, Dima was very tense and anxious. He was trembling, kept talking and did not let anyone else talk. He told us that he saw how his father killed a man. This event traumatized him; he started having intrusive memories and nightmares. His emotional stance worsened when his father was killed and Dima did not know what to feel – to love or to hate his father.

However, Dima was courageously fighting against his dreadful memories. After some time he stopped trembling. Dima learned to hug people and let others hug him. During one therapy, the trainer offered: “Maybe someone could help you? How about a Superman?” Dima liked the idea and started drawing. He drew his own father, a man he loved and considered a superman. Now, he could forgive his father and trust him again

10 years old Maryna comes from Vuhlehirsk, Donetsk Oblast (province). She does not have a father, he left several years ago. One day mother and daughter have experienced terrible bombardments bringing to the hospital a heavily injured neighbour. The girl could not fall asleep the whole night and her mother was groaning in her sleep. The next morning, Maryna’s mother’s legs were paralyzed.The bombardments went on. Maryna looked after her mother for a few days until she recovered. The same day, the family went to Kyiv, then to Odesa.

After the events of these terrible days the girl couldn’t fall asleep because every night she heard the missiles exploding in her memories. She often shuddered at the noises in public buses. Mother and daughter couldn’t say a word to each other about this painful experience. After taking part in the “Helping hand” therapy sessions in Odesa, Maryna could sleep better, she was no longer afraid of loud sounds and they could talk with her mother without fear about what they have experienced, how they love each other and how they miss their destroyed house.

 Lyubov Loriashvili, trainer and supervisor of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project:

“I think everyone in Ukraine has to learn this program – school teachers, kindergarten educators, parents, volunteers. If the children do not get assistance now, in future, the state will have to spend a lot of money for their treatment and therapy, work with their future kids and families. Therefore, I am convinced that everyone, everyone in our country needs to learn this program”.

Snizhana Volokh, training participant, practicing psychologist:

“Each training day was intense. We learned different techniques to work with memories surrounding traumatizing events. We tried all of the techniques on ourselves working with images and visions. We were trying to understand that we could control them in our imagination. Every participant also got a chance to try out the role of the trainer. At the moment, we are full of emotions and new knowledge which will soon be used in our further work with children”.