💔 Losing trust is one of the most painful effects children face after deportation or living under occupation. They fear adults, remain silent, and retreat into their inner worlds.

Our psychologists use a variety of methods to help these children. One of the most effective is fairy tale therapy, which helps children:

📖 process difficult emotions through stories,
🤝 learn to trust fairy tale characters and then adults,
💛 open up to people again.

Eight-year-old Darynka (name changed) spent nearly two years in occupation. When she arrived at our center, she was extremely withdrawn, silent, and scared. She clung to her mother but barely spoke to her. After two months of therapy, Darynka began sharing the fairy tales she heard during sessions with her mom. It was a breakthrough moment, as she felt safe enough to share her thoughts with the person she trusted most.

Today, Darynka has been attending our center for four months. During this time, she has:

✅ found a safe space in the world of stories,
✅ rebuilt her connection with her mom,
✅ gradually opened up and learned to trust the world again.

Most importantly, she has become more open and friendly.

We deeply thank everyone who supports us in helping children regain the most precious thing—trust in the world and their loved ones.

💬 Do you trust people? What would it take for you to restore trust? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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This project was created by Save Ukraine with funding from the Children’s Resilience Fund: Providing Capacity Building and Funding to Ukrainian Civil Society Organizations. The program is implemented by Crown Agents in Ukraine and Integrity Action. The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of Integrity Action or Crown Agents in Ukraine.