TRT Program: “I Managed to Look at Fear Differently”
This summer, HUT provided a second year of the Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) program for children aged 8-17. “Sometimes it's hard for me to talk, but I take small steps to face my fears,” said one young Ukrainian in the program. “I make my own steps.”
TRT is a key way to support children ‘making their own steps’ to process and recover from the ongoing trauma of the Russian war. They have now been living with the war for almost three years of their young lives. Not only is it invaluable to support the most vulnerable populations during ongoing trauma, studies show that early intervention can have a significant impact in treating PTSD. HUT partners with the Ukrainian NGO All-Ukrainian Public Center <Volunteers> to deliver the program, and together we reached 645 children this summer.
TRT sessions provide children with mindfulness techniques, art therapy, and other trauma management skills. The evidence-based program was developed by the nonprofit Children and War Foundation. Though it can be challenging to discuss fears and trauma, one young participant shared, “I feel truly heard here,” a sentiment that was echoed by several others.
An overwhelming 99% of this year’s participants reported that TRT helped them, with the remaining 1% reporting that it was “partly” useful. Based on the Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-8), which screens for PTSD risk, the children also consistently reported reductions in intrusive thoughts and avoidance between the start and end of the program.
The data validates this important progress, and the children’s words testify to its deeply personal impact. "I've realized that I am brave and smart. I've gained new knowledge that helps me,” said one child. “These classes are important to me, and we feel good and comfortable here.”
“We worked hard on ourselves. We learned how to help ourselves and how to take the first steps towards self-development,” said another. Most importantly, “we started to believe in ourselves.”
TRT provides children with vital tools to cope with the psychological impacts of trauma, and HUT is grateful for the generous support from donors that enables this program. TRT makes a profound difference in these children's lives by helping them to live lives free from fear. Through the program, one child said, “I managed to look at fear differently.”
As another child said, “Today's events have affected us greatly, but now we know how to help ourselves.”
