Support group results for native defenders

The topic of long-distance relationships is relevant for all relatives who are waiting for their loved ones at home. Last week, the Center's specialists completed a series of support group meetings, which included mainly mothers of our defenders.

Psychological work with military families, especially mothers, is an important activity that requires special attention, as is work with the wives and children of our defenders. A mother is a person who loves unconditionally and above all else, who never gets tired of waiting and experiences a spectrum of strong and complex emotions.

During a support group for mothers of military personnel, anxiety, which is based on fear for the life and health of one's child, and which is completely justified, certainly comes to the fore. 

It is worth devoting time to anxiety, because it is the first to turn on when there are no objective reasons for worry, except perhaps uncertainty. Especially at those times and days when it does not immediately receive a plus sign or “everything is fine” on its message. At such moments, anxiety can be as powerful as a hurricane.

Therefore, in support groups, we spend a lot of time working with anxiety, ruminations, and other conditions that accompany participants.

 It is also important to highlight the issue of support at a distance and finding the right words for our defenders. Very often, mothers share that their children are changing - no longer talkative, more closed and reserved.

In such cases, we use education, explain to relatives that such changes are absolutely normal, and also help them choose words and ways of support to stay close, no matter how difficult it may seem.

 Based on the feedback from our participants, we have once again been convinced that support groups work very well precisely because everyone has a common topic to discuss and equally understands the context in which group dynamics and support develop.
And this is one of the most important factors in order to continue our work as leaders and mediators of the process.

The project was implemented in partnership with a socially responsible business.