Conducting psychological support groups online during the war in Ukraine

ABSTRACT

Since the full-scale Russian invasion on 24 February 2022, Ukrainians have experienced grief and uncertainty about the future. Many people feel psychologically exhausted and seek psychological help. However Ukrainian psychologists are also experiencing the trauma of the war. May they work with clients? The article reviews and reflects on my experience of conducting online person-centered support groups in wartime. Thirty-nine groups have now been held, starting two weeks after the full-scale invasion. In this article, I discuss the structure and course of these groups, and describe several difficult cases in detail. Based on my experience, I conclude that the most effective support is provided by the sincere interpersonal relationships between group members, which facilitators maintain. Shared traumatic reality of living in war conditions gives facilitators a deeper understanding of what participants feel. This is accepted by participants and increases the therapeutic effect of the group. I argue that, in war conditions, Carl Rogers' classical encounter group structure can benefit from more support.It is also helpful to offer psychological techniques, such as breathing, bodily practices, and focusing, as practical ways of coping with stressful events.

KEYWORDS:

• Person-centered approach
• encounter groups
• tolerance to uncertainty
• interpersonal relationships
• shared traumatic reality

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to our participants who have joined our groups during this time. It was a great responsibility to support people who have lost confidence in the future and are going through such hardships. We have learned a lot from you, our participants!

We are grateful to the NGO “Institute of Health Psychology” for organizing the professional support of the project and partners, and Akershus University Hospital, Oslo, Norway for financial support. It was invaluable. We would like to personally thank Knut Andersen, Head of the Complicated Grief Outpatient Department at the Akershus University Hospital, and our project curator, who has done everything possible to ensure that support groups continue for Ukrainians.

We also express our gratitude to Yulia Iorsh, our wonderful organizer and coordinator of the project “National Center for Psychological Assistance to People in Grief.” Your supervision support has been invaluable.

We thank the director of the NGO “Institute of Health Psychology” (Kyiv) Vladimir Voloshin, for organizing our team and providing training and comprehensive support.

Finally, I thank my co-facilitator for her optimism, tactfulness, and openness. Our professionalism has grown in interaction with each other.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.