Small Steps Toward Great Resilience

War destroys more than just cities. It settles inside a person — in trembling hands, sudden fear, and sleepless nights filled with nightmares. Adults may try to explain and endure it. But how can children cope? 

This is where TRT — Teaching Recovery Techniques — comes in. It is a process of taking small steps that bring back a sense of safety. Simple exercises, developed by experts at Oxford University and the Swedish National Centre for Disaster Psychology, help children recognize their emotions, reduce anxiety, and learn to sleep more peacefully. 

This summer, 205 children across different Ukrainian cities had the opportunity to participate in the TRT program. Imagine: hundreds of meetings and dozens of psychologists who, together with the 15 groups of children, drew, breathed, practiced mindfulness, talked about fears — and, most importantly, listened to one another. 

The results are more than numbers. Yes, 82% of children completed all five sessions, and 99% said TRT was useful. But even more valuable are their words: 

“Thank you for the techniques. I learned new exercises that will be useful during times of anxiety,” one child wrote. 

In these words lies the beginning of recovery. TRT does not erase pain with a magic wand. It teaches that even in the darkest times, one can take a small step that brings hope. 

For us, this program shows that healing is possible with access to effective, evidence-based methods. For children, it is a chance to feel they are not alone and to learn methods that will support their health throughout their lives. These small steps instill the resilience that sustains a nation.