Ukrainian psychologists spent two months in Latvia

The events on the East of Ukraine leave no one indifferent. Everyone is trying to make a contribution: someone goes to fight, someone becomes a volunteer and helps to shoe, to equip and to feed the army, someone brings food and medicine, supports the families of killed and the injured warriors. Psychologists are reclassifying to work with post-traumatic syndrome; they are to help military men and civilians to cope with the horrors of the war and to adjust to peaceful life. And the list of possible volunteer activities is endless. Ukraine has shown the world a fabulous, unrivaled example of the unity of the nation, when in a few weeks an army of volunteers helped the existing regular army not to break down. It was a great achievement and a miracle. But sometimes the volunteers need help and support as well.

In order to help Ukrainian psychologists to recover their physical and moral health a trip to the Latvian rehabilitation camp was organized. Two shifts (July and August) spent in the camp helped Ukrainian psychologists to gain strength for their further work.

On the 26th of August Olena Vyshniakova, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Latvia, had a meeting with the psychologists that were back from Latvia, in particular with: Olena Stupak, active member of Ukrainian Association of experts in the field of overcoming of traumatic events consequences, member of the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Union of Psychotherapists, a volunteer of Psychological Crisis Service, Nadya Golibievska, crisis psychologist, a volunteer of PCS, active member of Ukrainian Association of experts in the field of overcoming of traumatic events consequences and Vira Shevchenko, art therapist, coordinator of the PCS in Irpen Hospital, active member of Ukrainian Association of experts in the field of overcoming of traumatic events consequences.

Social activist and Olena Vyshniakova discussed further prospects for development of Latvian-Ukrainian projects, dealing with experience exchange between Psychologists and Rehabilitation specialists.

Ms. Vishnyakova told about the program of cooperation between Latvian and Ukrainian psychologists, which had started in August under the patronage of the Honorary Consulate. Within this program Latvian specialists would give seminars, trainings and master classes for their Ukrainian colleagues. The first one seminar had already took place in Chernihiv, in LatviArt Cultural Center under the Honorary Consulate. The Honorary Consul invited psychologists to participate in this program.

At parting, the Honorary Consul was presented with a commemorative gift and a Certificate of Gratitude.