CRISIS CENTER
Live Therapeutic Groups
In February 2022, we launched a Crisis Center that provided free psychological assistance to people affected by the war.
We restructured our work to focus on crisis response. Anyone in need could reach out to us simply by writing, “I need help,” and we would connect them with a psychologist, schedule a session, and determine the method of communication. Operating online allowed us to assist both those who had left Ukraine and those who remained.
In 2023, we resumed the operations of the Crisis Center and added five more psychologists to our crisis online counseling team. In total, we conducted over 200 consultations and several dozen live group sessions in Ukraine and European countries.
Spain
Germany
Belgium
Ukraine
Key Themes
The majority of those who reached out were women, and their primary concerns included:
Psychological State
Apathy, restlessness, loss of life purpose, lack of plans or goals, the sole desire to abandon everything and escape somewhere, feelings of confusion, helplessness, and depressive states.
Addictions
Alcohol, pharmaceutical, and other dependencies caused by prolonged stress.
Loss of Home
Physical loss of a home, refugee status, loss of security.
Intense Emotions
Anxiety and fear: of death, war, losing loved ones, loneliness; feelings of guilt, anger, and rage; nervous breakdowns and physical disorders; illnesses resulting from chronic and prolonged danger and stress.
Child-Related Challenges
Insomnia, tantrums, difficulty adapting to a new country, bullying at school, anger and depression, health problems.
Fear of the Future
Living without plans or hopes, loss of meaning and faith in anything good.
Relationship Issues
Crises, divorce, abuse and violence, loss of a husband, father, or relative; inability to maintain long-distance relationships; disability; severe conditions of loved ones.
Financial Difficulties
Loss of jobs and businesses, lack of income, inability to work or earn money due to trauma and constant relocation.
Support Groups
Over the course of two months, live meetings were held in Ukraine and European countries (Spain, Germany, Belgium) for women and teenagers. Using projective and art therapy techniques, our psychologists helped participants cope with challenging emotional states, regain a sense of control, and look to the future once again – to make plans and dream.
A special thank you to psychotherapist Liz Groot-Alberts from New Zealand and the community of this friendly country for supporting the activities of our Crisis Center during the war. Thanks to their support, many Ukrainians were able to receive much-needed free psychological assistance.
We also sincerely thank the Singaporean company Solve n+1, its founder and director Kenneth Heng, and the wonderful couple Seah Cheng and Elaine Tay. Their company and faith enabled us to expand the team of psychologists at the Crisis Center, conduct over 200 free consultations, organize group events in Ukraine, and facilitate therapeutic groups for Ukrainian refugees in Europe.
These individuals will forever remain part of our story about faith, bright pillars in dark times, and support without borders.
