“It Is Important to Him to Be Heard”: How Psychological Support Helped Yehor and His Mother

Seven-year-old Yehor and his mother, Svitlana, live in the settlement of Peresichne in the Kharkiv region. The boy is in the second grade and studies remotely. During most lessons, his mother stays nearby because he can find it difficult to focus on a task, put his thoughts into words, or manage his emotions.

“Online lessons are especially difficult. There are many children, and the teacher needs to hear each of them. Yehor does not always have enough time to finish what he wants to say. He also gets upset when someone completes a task faster than he does,” Svitlana says.

Recently, the family learned about an opportunity to receive psychological support from the NGO Responsible Citizens as part of the Berehynia project, which is aimed at supporting vulnerable people and families in frontline communities in Ukraine. Svitlana and Yehor now attend individual and group sessions with a psychologist.

For Yehor, the sessions have become a space where he is heard and given the opportunity to work at his own pace. He draws, communicates, learns to better understand his feelings, and interacts with other children.

“He liked that they listen to him here, that he gets a lot of attention, and that he can express himself. They let him finish his work instead of saying, ‘You can finish it at home.’ That is very important to him,” Svitlana says.

After just a few sessions, his mother noticed changes in her son. Previously, Yehor would get very upset if another child finished a task before he did. Now he focuses more on his own work, does not rush, and can calmly finish a task at his own pace.

“He has become more able to sit and concentrate. I am very happy because there are no more tears when someone finishes a task first,” his mother says.

Svitlana has also received support through the project. For her, the meetings with a psychologist have been an opportunity to better understand her son and learn how to support him in difficult situations. She has also had a space where she could talk about her own concerns and find answers to questions that arise in everyday life.

“I learned how to better support my child, how to communicate with him, and where to find my own strength. A child draws strength from me, so I also need to replenish mine. At the group meetings, I realized that we are not alone.”

Svitlana also finds a source of strength at home. Caring for plants helps her switch off, recover, and regain her energy.

“We have set up greenhouses, a vegetable garden, and a small garden. This is how we take our minds off the challenges of the war and recharge our energy.”

Today, Svitlana dreams of a safe future for her son — one in which he can fully attend school without air raid alerts and explosions. For now, the family continues to receive psychological support and is gradually learning to cope with everyday challenges.

Svitlana says that seeking help makes it possible to look at difficult situations from a different perspective and feel more confident in one’s own abilities.

“When you are left alone with your problems, it puts a lot of pressure on you. It is important to hear words of support and advice that you might not have thought of yourself. Specialists can help you look at your situation from a different perspective, and you realize that things are not as bad as they seemed. That is why this kind of support gives you the strength and confidence to move forward.”

The Berehynia project is implemented by the Consortium of the United Initiative for the Protection of Frontline Territories, comprising Corus International, the Ukrainian Public Health Foundation, the NGO League of Modern Women, and the NGO Responsible Citizens, with financial support from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund.