“We teach them to release traumatic emotions”: how psychologists of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation help children to survive the consequences of war

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation provides systematic assistance to children from vulnerable social categories: boys and girls who have experienced trauma and shocks due to the war. Psychological support for children is also one of the key areas of the Foundation’s work. For this purpose, qualified psychologists have developed a number of programmes and methods for children’s rehabilitation. All of them are implemented during the Blogger Camp by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation.

“In our work, we rely on teaching children healing techniques. It is about working through traumatic experiences and finding resources to live with them. For this purpose, we use art therapy sessions – drawing, working with sand, working with play dough, writing stories. We also organise psychological games for children,” says Olha, a psychologist at the Foundation.

Psychosocial rehabilitation is of particular importance – it is communication with peers and interaction in groups that takes place during the Blogger Camp sessions organised by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. This activity allows children to understand that they are not alone in their experiences. Psychologists emphasise that in the process of restoring the emotional state of children at the Camp, the key focus is also on working with the body. Movement and relaxation exercises help to reduce tension and overcome the stress caused by the war.

“We do a lot of very bodily exercises with the children, it is through the body that we can release those very traumatic emotions that are stuck in our bodies”, explains Lyudmila, a psychologist at the Foundation.

An important part of the psychologists’ work is to teach children how to overcome stress and cope with anxiety on their own. To this end, the psychologists of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation have developed a unique psychological self-help guide called Time to Take Care of Yourself. This practical guide contains exercises and tips for children to help them restore emotional balance in a playful way and gradually gain confidence in the future.

To download the guide, please follow the link: https://civilvoicesmuseum.org/editor_uploads/44010

Thanks to the “Rinat Akhmetov to Children. Peaceful Summer” project, almost 5,000 children from all over the country have been able to relax, recover and undergo psychological rehabilitation. In total, over 5 million children in Ukraine have received support under the Rinat Akhmetov to Children project over 20 years. “Rinat Akhmetov to Children. Help that gives tomorrow!”