Kyiv’s community psychological support center is partnering with international charity organizations to “restore and rehabilitate war-torn minds” in Ukraine, reported Kyiv Post on April 25. Among those assisting is Dr. Darlyne Nemeth, Clinical, Medical & Neuropsychologist, Founder of The Neuropsychology Center of Louisiana, and Secretary General of the World Council for Psychotherapy.

According to the Post, “With long-term, active combat operations taking their toll on the psyche of Ukraine’s military, leaving lasting imprints on their mental health, the International Society of Psychologists is actively working to help Ukrainians with mental health problems as a result of Russian aggression. These problems with mental health have not spared the civilians of Ukraine – who are under constant pressure from the tragic events of the war.”

Dr. Nemeth explained, “Our first workshop was on dealing with fear. Dr. Kuransky presented a wonderful exercise using stress management via balloons, and I followed with a Double Bind exercise showing how two feelings can occur at the same time. When acknowledged, they can be processed and resolved. The feelings that I used were being afraid and being brave. That workshop was very successful according to those who attended,” she said.

According to the Post, “The psychological support center has been operating in Kyiv for about ten months, with experts from all over the world providing counseling to those seeking support. Since beginning, 403 people have passed through the center, where they go through a course until ten individual sessions. Mostly, they are refugees from Mariupol, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and cities of the Kyiv region,” reported the Post.

“We’re providing temporary relief and coping strategies to those who are under intense duress,” said Dr. Nemeth. “I am sure that many people from Louisiana are attempting to help the Ukrainian people; however, I have specifically been asked to participate in the planning and execution of these workshops. Dr. Judy has asked that her students be involved, and I have asked my clinical and research assistant, Cody Capps, B.S., from LSU, to participate as well. There are only four psychologists on site to help thousands of people, so anything we can do via Zoom will help,” she said.

“The next workshop will be focused on women with cancer who have been in considerable pain,” said Dr. Nemeth. “I am working with Dr. Judy Kuriansky at Columbia University and her students to assist Dr. Alexander Zharkov with the
workshop. My presentation will be on a variation of the Tapping Exercise that was used in our Katrina 10 Workshops. We are still formulating the entire workshop, so
the results will be finalized in the next two weeks.”