War and Psychotherapy – Latvian social & rehabilitation camp for Ukrainian colleagues

May 25, 2015

The Latvian National Awarding Organisation (LPA) organised a social and rehabilitation camp for Ukrainian colleagues in 2015. Please have a look at the power point presentation providing more information about this activity.

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WAR AND PSYCHOTHERAPY

During the heightened events of the war zone in Ukraine ukrainian psychotherapists working as volunteers. Such intensive work conditions as victims as well as assisting affects not only the physical, but also mental health. Latvian Psychotherapy Association organized two summer camps for psycho-emotional rehabilitation of Ukrainian psychotherapists who have more than a year worked intensively hostilities in the region. The aim of the camp was to help the Ukrainian psychotherapists rework the traumatic experience, reduce burnout syndrome risks, and restore healthy physical and psycho-emotional condition to be able to return to their land to continue volunteering.

The project idea was developed in collaboration with the Latvian Psychotherapy Association and Parliament Deputies working group for cooperation with the Ukrainian parliament. Most funding for the camp conduct gave the Ministry of Health
Working in individual supervisions with colleagues through Skype it had concluded that many of them located on the border of burnout because without volunteering with victims of warfare, also perform their direct responsibilities in the workplace. However, only to face with colleagues in person, here in Latvia, where the environment and the atmosphere is so different from the situation in Ukraine, it was possible to see how many of the professionals themselves are extremely traumatized. It is important to be aware of, as well as professional resources are not inexhaustible. Some of them work to burn the border, but to recover a situation where around the shoot and the number of victims is increasing, it is very difficult, and sometimes impossible. This type of project, the rehabilitation, which includes both the recovery measures and support and education are provided to professionals on the merits colleague – a colleague, is unique in the history of psychotherapy as a whole.

To help restore the physical and mental resources of Ukrainian colleagues this summer were created two camps psycho-emotional rehabilitation, during which the Ukrainian colleagues had the opportunity to listen to lectures on current topics and participate in professional support classes – group and individual supervisions, as well as receive other rehabilitation measures. Both group and individual supervisions driving attracted various psychotherapy specialists from Latvian, which allows colleagues to receive the widest support and expanding their opportunities for future work. Seminars led by experienced and professional direction different Latvian Association of psychotherapists Psychotherapy – psychodynamic and existential psychotherapists, family therapists and psychoorganic analysis and psychodrama specialists and psychiatrists.