The story of seven year old Dmytro

Case study on children's support groups

"Hysterics, tears and nerves are gone"

"I realized that I had to act..." Tetyana (name changed), the mother of 8-year-old Dmytro (name changed), tells her story. The boy attended a support group while abroad.
"When the war started, Dmytro was 7 years old. Of course, the information field and the horrors that were happening around him had a great impact on my son. At some point, I saw that the child seemed to have been replaced. My always calm, balanced boy began to get very nervous, to fall into hysterics and tears.
To change the situation and ease Dmytro's condition, we went abroad. That's how we ended up in the Netherlands. At first, we lived with other people, and the child did not even have his own space, toys, everything he was used to.
Later, Dmytro went to a Dutch school. Again, he had to adapt to the first grade, but in a new school, with a different language and different conditions. At that time, Dmytro and I were not in the best psychological condition. The search for housing, work, settling in a new place, uncertainty - it was very difficult mentally.
Dmytro became increasingly anxious, stressed, and aggressive. Anything could make him throw a tantrum, and it was hard for him to calm down. At that time, we desperately needed psychological support. I realized that something had to be done and started looking for ways to help my son.

So when I saw that Olga Tovpeko was recruiting support groups for children, I didn't hesitate for a second and signed up right away. Moreover, I have been following Olga on social media for many years. I even bought her book about anxiety in children, which helped us a lot.
I used to have support groups in my life. So I know very well how they work and influence people. In group sessions, where everyone comes with their pain, you feel very strong support. You realize that you are not alone, and this makes it much easier to go through difficult events.
When I suggested and explained to Dmitry what a support group was, he agreed to try it. After a few sessions, my son said: "Mom, I liked it. I'm going to do it". And after a while, I saw dramatic changes in my son's behavior.
Dmytro became more balanced, he began to monitor and explain his condition himself: "These are my emotions and feelings. I can cry. Wait, I need to think." The tantrums, tears and nerves went away. And then I felt that my decision to attend the group was the best one.
We were not taught to monitor our psychological state before. And this is very important. I think everyone needs it - both children and adults. Especially during the war."

How do I register my child in a support group?

If you feel that your child needs support, if you observe changes in their behavior, mood and emotional state, we recommend that you pay attention to support groups for children.
You can find the schedule and topics of the groups in the Support Groups for Children section. If you still have any questions, feel free to write to us by mail or in the direct mail of our Instagram profile, and we will be happy to help.