The day Russia’s full-scale invasion started, everything changed for fifteen-year-old Dima. As his father left for the front lines, he remembered what his father had said: “I’m going to do everything I can so that you can live a normal life.” Many Ukrainian youngsters, like Dima, are dealing with the sad fact that they are missing loved ones, especially fathers who have gone to fight in the war. These kids get together to exchange experiences and heal at a special camp in the Carpathian foothills of western Ukraine. In the peaceful splendour of Ukraine’s natural terrain, the kids go to therapy sessions and do art projects to deal with their trauma. They take comfort in the fact that they are all going through the same thing.
- How might group therapy help kids get over trauma?
- Why is this camp a safe place to heal emotionally?
- What Is the Emotional Cost of Being Away from Loved Ones During War?
- How might art therapy help kids get better?
- How does being normal help people heal from war trauma?
- How deeply does war affect kids in Ukraine?
- Why is it so important to connect with other kids?
How might group therapy help kids get over trauma?
Children who have lost or are missing parents because of the war come together to heal at a unique summer camp in the quiet Carpathian foothills of western Ukraine. The camp gives these young people a special chance to deal with their grief, meet others who have been through the same thing, and get emotional support through group therapy. The kids make friends that help them deal with their common trauma by realising they aren’t alone in their misery. Here is the link to our article on Ukraine Peacekeeping Begins.
Why is this camp a safe place to heal emotionally?
This groundbreaking camp provides Ukrainian children who are missing their parents with a secure and caring place to stay. The camp’s psychologists use a variety of therapeutic methods, such as art therapy and group talks, to assist the kids in talking about how they feel. The camp’s activities, which range from making art to group therapy, are meant to help the kids deal with their loss by showing them that their feelings are a sign of how much they loved the people they lost.
What Is the Emotional Cost of Being Away from Loved Ones During War?
The kids at the camp have a lot of emotional baggage. Some of them have fathers who are missing in action, while others don’t know if their parents are still alive. Some people have even seen or heard unsettling things about how their loved ones died. These things leave profound wounds, and the kids have a hard time dealing with not knowing what happened to their parents. The camp gives the kids the tools they need to deal with their loss and get their mental health back on track. It also helps them face their anxieties and doubts. Here is the link to our article on the Ukraine Peace Deal Threat.
How might art therapy help kids get better?
The kids do art therapy at the camp, which helps them express their thoughts through drawings and paintings. Kids typically draw pictures of good family times or hopeful pictures of getting back together with loved ones who are missing. They start to deal with the complicated feelings of dread, sadness, and longing through their art. Art becomes a wonderful way to heal, helping the kids get their pain out and connect with other kids who are going through the same thing.
How does being normal help people heal from war trauma?
The camp gives these kids an opportunity to feel normal again, in addition to the therapeutic activities. They may focus on pleasurable things like swimming, hiking, and volleyball in an area where air strikes and bombings are far away from their daily life. This break from the constant dread of war is a rare chance for kids who live in areas that are often hit by Russian missile attacks to relax. The camp is a safe place for kids to relax and do things that help them forget about their problems for a little while.
How deeply does war affect kids in Ukraine?
There is no way to measure how much the war has hurt Ukrainian kids’ feelings. Millions of kids have been hurt by the continuous war. Many of them have lost a parent or are always scared for their safety. The longer the battle goes on, the worse the mental effects get. Charities like Gen.Ukrainian do important work to give these kids the tools and assistance they need to get their mental health back on track. But because the issue is so big, a lot more needs to be done to help these young war victims heal and start over.
Why is it so important to connect with other kids?
At the end of camp, the Ukrainian children are sorry to say goodbye but also thankful for the time they spent together. Ilya, one child, is so emotional that he doesn’t want to leave. The camp is the first time many of the Ukrainian children have been allowed to meet other kids who have been through the same things. The kids’ sense of togetherness and understanding is really important. These ties, combined with the therapy and care they get, give them a little bit of hope for the future as they continue to heal from the trauma of war.
