PTSD Awareness: Trauma-focused Therapy Offers Lifeline For Ukrainian Children Affected By War 

Trauma Therapy For Ukrainian Children And Teenagers
Spread the love

As a clinical psychologist and the director of training at Lifeline for Kids, a nonprofit center for childhood trauma at UMass Chan Medical School, Zlatina Kostova has been involved in a project since March 2022 that provides trauma therapy for Ukrainian children and families affected by the war.

This initiative, called “Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Ukraine”, is a collaborative effort between German researchers and several organizations. In her role, she offers online training and consultation to Ukrainian therapists who are working directly with Ukraine’s PTSD-affected children.

Writing for the UK news outlet The Conversation, Kostova said her experience has underscored the immense importance of intervening directly during ongoing trauma and at an early stage in a person’s life to facilitate the healing process.

In the initial stages of the war, her primary responsibility was to educate therapists about this specialized form of treatment, enabling them to provide counseling to children and their families who had been impacted by the conflict.

Given that these children were still exposed to an ongoing threat in Ukraine, it was crucial to help them differentiate between real dangers and triggers that reminded them of their traumatic experiences.

Therapists taught relaxation techniques to help children manage the stress triggered by sirens or the need to relocate to a safer location. Furthermore, a team of international trainers addressed secondary trauma experienced by mental health care providers.

Preliminary outcomes of the project indicate that over 130 clinicians have received training in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, and they have gathered data from more than 140 children and caregivers. The therapists have expressed high levels of satisfaction with the training they received.

The young population who experiences complex childhood trauma in war develops a distinct brain structure and chemistry, compared to their non-traumatized peers. Research demonstrates that this trauma also affects their bodies. Prolonged stress exposure in PTSD triggers the continuous activation of the stress response system, which involves neural connections associated with fear, anxiety, and impulsive reactions.

Even in the absence of a real threat, the fight-flight-freeze response, located in the amygdala—the primitive, survival-oriented part of the brain—remains perpetually active. Simple stimuli, such as a change in facial expression, can activate the fear circuits.

The chronic stress response leads to the release of cortisol and adrenaline,hormones that can have cascading effects on bodily systems, immune suppression, and alterations in normal responses to the environment. Additionally, brain regions involved in problem-solving, learning, and memory are less developed in children who have experienced trauma.

The trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy aimed at treating trauma in Ukraine’s children helps them to understand how past trauma affects their thoughts and behavior. Using storytelling and trauma narration techniques, children express their experiences through words, art, or music.

Therapists guide them in identifying distorted thoughts and reframing their perspectives, reducing symptoms like hyper-vigilance and intrusive thoughts. By incorporating trauma into their life stories, children discover resilience and inner strength.

Therapy typically involves 8-25 sessions based on the complexity of symptoms. The presence of a supportive caregiver is crucial, and sharing the child’s narrative with them allows for validation and acknowledgment of the child’s bravery.

Recent studies have consistently shown the effectiveness of this form of therapy in treating trauma in Ukraine’s war children and young adults aged 3-21 years. Not only does it reduce risks of co-morbid mental health disorders like depression, it also empowers children to transform their narratives from stories of brokenness to heroic tales.

Moreover, the benefits of therapy in the healing journey are enduring, further enhanced by the presence of a safe, nurturing, and predictable caregiver. Standing at the edge of the PTSD Awareness Month, it does us well to remember that children possess inherent psychological resilience and, with appropriate treatment and support from caregivers and professionals, they can heal and flourish.

In this regard, Kostova even quoted a sixteen-year-old girl availing trauma therapy for Ukrainian children in the program. The teenager had said: “This therapy has completely changed my life for better. I now wake up everyday without having this weight of shame and depression hanging on me. I can finally live my life without feeling like I’m going to break down at any second.”


Spread the love
  • Oops! You Did It Again – Research Predicts If Impulsivity Is Pathological

    The study found that when a person’s emotions run high,…

  • Your Life’s Clock Tick Faster When You’re Stressed

    A study used one such clock named ‘GrimAge’ to ask:…

  • Experience Of Childhood Trauma Linked To Adult Neurological Conditions: Study

    Spread the loveMental Health News – Study found that adults…

  • People Who Play Together, Stay Together, Study Reveals

    Spread the loveScience News – Play provides young individuals with…

  • Adverse Effects Of Superstitions On Mental Health In India

    Adverse Effects Of Superstitions On Mental Health In India

    Superstitious beliefs and practices along with health-seeking behavior, cultural diversity,…

  • 43% Employees In Private Sector Suffer From Mental Health Issues At Workplace

    43% Employees In Private Sector Suffer From Mental Health Issues At Workplace

    A study by Assocham Trade Association has revealed that around…

  • Abnormal Brain Changes Associated With Bipolar Disorder: Study

    The findings showed that the cortex (the Brain’s outermost layer)…

  • Mental Health Affects Work Performance

    Mental Health Affects Work Performance

    Young employee Tarun Sharma shared how his pre-existing mental health…

  • Power Naps Can Improve Cognitive Performance, Researchers Say

    Power Naps Can Improve Cognitive Performance, Researchers Say

    A pilot study conducted by the Patna branch All-India Institute…

  • Poor Sleep Can Make You Feel Older Than You Are: Study

    The study found a significant association between poor sleep in…

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Prevent Major Depression In Older Adults With Insomnia

    The study has found that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-I) prevented major…

  • Women With PCOS Are Prone To Depression And Anxiety

    Women With PCOS Are Prone To Depression And Anxiety

    PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is the most common, complex hormone…

  • Anger, Emotional Upset, And Heavy Physical Exertion Can Trigger Stroke

    The study also concluded that there was no increase with…

  • Are Women Less Competitive Than Men? Study Casts Doubt On The Theory

    new study suggests that women exhibit their competitiveness differently.

  • Mohali Cafe Amalgamates Delicious Food With Mental Well-Being

    Psychology graduate Angel D’ Souza has recently launched ‘Your Sugar…

  • Exercise Can Alleviate Symptoms Of Anxiety, Study Reveals

    Study found that both moderate and strenuous exercise can lower…

  • Obsession With “Good Looks” Impacts The Mental Health Of Today’s Generation

    Around 0.7%-2.4% of the general population in India is suffering…

  • Listening To Favorite Music On Repeat Improves Brain Plasticity: Study

    Listening to personally meaningful music on repeat induces beneficial brain…

  • Eating Disorders Go Painfully Unnoticed In India

    Manisha Shekhawat shared her experience of suffering from an eating…

  • Pandemic Blues Hits 14% Adolescents In India

    According to a UNICEF report, around 14% of adolescents (15-24…

  • Higher Risk Of Mental Health Problems Among City Dwellers In India

    Higher Risk Of Mental Health Problems Among City Dwellers In India

    City dwellers in India are at a 40% higher risk…

  • Anxiety Cues Found In Brain Despite Safe Environment, Study Reveals

    Anxiety has on the brain and how brain regions interact…

  • Drinking Coffee And Tea May Lower Risk Of Stroke And Dementia: Study

    Coffee or tea consumption and lower risk of stroke and…

  • Parental Depression Is Associated With Worse Childhood Mental Health: Study

    Children living with a parent who has depression tend to…

  • Mumbai Psychiatrist Helping Mentally Ill People Left To Wander In Streets

    Psychiatrist Dr. Bharat Vatwani treats mentally ill people left to…

  • Providing Social Support To Others Can Improve Your Health: Study

    Providing Social Support To Others Can Improve Your Health: Study

    The new study found that providing social support to your…

  • PhD Students In India At Risk Of Depressive Disorders: Study

    A study conducted among students in Kerala revealed that 68%…