A community centre near Kyiv — which was initially established to give psychological support to people affected by the Chernobyl disaster — now helps children experiencing trauma from Russia's invasion.
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Bice waited in a hallway outside what looked like a school classroom — complete with paintings and books — as a dozen children sat around a table listening to psychologist Oksana Sliepova. The seven girls and nine boys — ranging from a two-year-old boy to an 18-year-old woman — look at first like schoolchildren in class.
It now focuses on people affected by the war. These days, when some areas are without power after Russian attacks to Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the two-storey building is one of the few places with light and heating. It was as if nothing else mattered at that moment, as if there were nothing to worry about — like, say, a war ravaging their country."I read a lot of literature that working with dogs, with four-legged rehabilitators, helps children reduce stress, increase stress resistance, and reduce anxiety," she said.She observed how some children were scared of loud noises, like when someone closes a window or when they hear the sound of a jet.
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