Dear John, In war, not all wounds are visible. When Ukrainian psychologist Inna Chapko made the difficult decision to flee her home after the Russian invasion of her country, she found herself on a train full of anxious, exhausted and terrified people. In the cramped carriage, she put her skills to use and improvised a game based on stress relief techniques to help calm the scared and tired children. As they started to calm down, parents joined in too. Before long, the sound of cries was replaced with the rhythmic rumbling of the train. Soon after settling in the safety of Warsaw, Poland, Inna decided to use her expertise to help other Ukrainians who have also suffered the trauma of displacement. She now works at one of Poland’s six 🔵Blue Dot hubs, which are support centres for refugees established by UNHCR, and UNICEF (the UN Children’s Fund). These hubs offer mental health services in addition to social support, legal aid, administrative support and provide referrals to specialised services. The 🔵Blue Dot hubs even have special areas designed for children to play and relax. By working at Warsaw’s 🔵Blue Dot hub, Inna is giving people the time to talk about their experiences and take the crucial first step towards healing. Inna said: “There is a time to be strong and brave, and a time to settle, relax and accept the need to process the negative thinking, emotions, and memories into something neutral, or even positive.”
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