On Monday, October 16, the Feldman Ecopark Centre of Psychosocial Rehabilitation together with the organization “Family Circle in Kharkiv and Kharkiv oblast” held the first occupation with families of the lost ATO participants. About 60 people – mothers, widows and children of the lost soldiers from different districts of the Kharkiv region visited Ecopark.
“The first lesson, as well as in other rehabilitation programmes, had fact-finding character. The participants got acquainted with the Ecopark and its opportunities for rehabilitation as well as with animals of the Centre: the therapy dogs that are taking part in the programme of canine-assisted therapy, the therapy horses involved in equine-assisted therapy. For conducting further lessons it’s essential to get used to them, to learn not to fear and come into contact— the head of the Centre’s medical service Inna Vashkite told. – It’s just the first step in our cooperation. It is very important to conduct the work oriented to strengthening and family unification, to maintaining the spirit of people endured the tragedy, their emotional stabilization, acquiring new impressions. This is an opportunity to diversify the life of people faced a great grief, to help them to outwear this sorrow and cope with it”.
According to Diana Shtrygol, the volunteer “Family Circle in Kharkiv and Kharkiv oblast” , this organization emerged in 2014 in Kiev and unites the psychologists and psychotherapists providing assistance to the families of the lost ATO participants. The division of the organization works in Kharkiv. “I see a big resource in support of such people in Feldman Ecopark: the nature in its complex psychotherapeutic influence as well as the care accompanying everywhere. These people are starving for care. The communication with animals is also important: often such people make contact with them easier, than with other people. Especially children have loved this place. I hope we will continue cooperation” — Diana Shtrygol emphasized.
It should be noted that the Centre of Psychosocial Rehabilitation works in Feldman Ecopark since 2013. Since 2014 it helps ATO veterans, their families and the IDPs from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
