Nadiia* is a 10-year-old girl whose family left occupied Kupyansk, Ukraine, a year ago after witnessing brutal acts of violence against her family members and the destruction of their neighbour’s home by a rocket.
Due to the ongoing conflict, she has been suffering from severe anxiety. As a result, she has developed a sleep disorder, struggling to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. Loud noises, reminiscent of the shelling that affected her neighbourhood, continue to make her flinch in fear.
Natalia, a psychologist with the mobile mental health clinic in Kharkiv, describes her first encounter with Nadiia:
“My first encounter with Nadiia was during a group activity with a few other children this spring. I immediately noticed her over-excitability and shuddering at sharp, loud sounds. I spoke to her mother and suggested one-on-one sessions, and it didn’t take long for Nadiia to open up about her fears – her fear of explosions, darkness and violence, but also a deep fear of loss, mistakes, and loneliness.”
At first, sand therapy and the fortress art technique were introduced to Nadiia, and it was an instant success. She learned to build a protective fortress using kinetic sand while simultaneously creating a similar fortress in her mind.
From there, other techniques were employed, selected based on Nadiia’s needs and personality. This included teaching her the exhaling fear technique and using various forms of therapy, such as happiness and fairy-tale therapy. She was also taught breathing and relaxation exercises which Nadiia especially loved to do with music.
To support her mental health and well-being, Nadiia was given homework in the form of daily exercises. The psychologist also met with her mother, strengthening her ability to help her daughter recover.
“My work with Nadiia is not yet over, but after four one-on-one sessions, her progress has been encouraging. Her mother shares that she now sleeps through the night and feels more rested in the mornings. She is calmer, more grounded, and more optimistic about her future,” Natalia shares.
Thanks to support of donors and partners, SOS Children’s Villages has provided services to more than 385,000 people in Ukraine during over two years of war.
*Names changed to protect privacy.
