Ukraine war: Women form support group for trauma

Lana Carling, a Ukrainian living in Chester, set up support after speaking to women who had fled the Russian invasion

A Ukrainian who set up a support group for women who had fled the country after the Russian invasion has said those seeking help were "on the edge of breakdown".

Lana Carline, who settled in Chester six years ago, said she had received calls from women who had come to the UK who were "full of tears and fears".

Group sessions have been held at Wesley Church Centre to help them.

One woman who attended said it helped her feel stable and connected.

Ms Carline said while she understood there was a "great need" to give women from Ukraine mental health support, there was a "language barrier".

"Unfortunately there was nothing available," she said. "We bumped into a brick wall."

"I began to think 'what can I do?'."

She said she was aware support sessions needed to be led by a professional psychologist who could speak Ukrainian.

Psychologist Ella Aemeno has been helping teach the women coping strategies

"Then our prayers were heard and Ella [Aemeno] arrived as a refugee with her little son," she said.

"As soon as I knew we had a psychologist who is qualified in trauma - she was absolutely perfect for the situation."

Refugee Lesia said: "Our life gives us questions, problems and we have to solve it. In this group I try to find some support and some special ways to solve it."

She said she wanted to say "a big, big thank you to the English people".

"You are amazing and we are happy to be here although the reason was terrible."

Lesia said she wanted to give a 'big, big thank you to the English people'

Katya, a 21-year-old student from Chernihiv region, said the sessions helped her feel stable with "a ground to stand on".

"To me it is very important to know I have a community of people who have the same experience as mine," she said.

"I feel anxious because I am at a distance from all the things that are happening in Ukraine right now."

Katya said the sessions had helped to given her a sense of stability

She added: "I can't stop rockets, I can't stop bombing by myself. Now I am so far away from my family and my home, I can help them from here. I feel safe but I am at a distance.

"To be with the Ukrainian community helps me stay involved."

Ms Aemeno said she was able to understand what the women were going through and help them with coping strategies.

"My job is to help them overcome that [trauma] and to teach them how to live with that," she added.

Ms Carling said "every single" woman who attended the sessions had lost someone or something in the war.

"Houses were the least," she said. "There are a few women who lost their husbands, whose kids were injured and in a coma.

"To deal with all that you have to be extremely strong and brave. You need to know how to overcome it."