Program for School Psychologists

Summary of the Program for School Psychologists in Kharkiv

"The Path of Recovery: Working with Children and Teens
Experiencing Grief and Loss"

From February to May, 2026, with the support of the nonprofit organization Cincinnati - Kharkiv Sister Cities Partnership USA, a training program for school psychologists "The Path of Recovery: Working with Children and Teens Experiencing Grief and Loss" was implemented.

The program included two offline sessions in the City of Kharkiv, four online sessions, and online consultations for program participants.  While working in the project, Kharkiv school psychologists provided support to 1,135 children and teens.  In addition to new knowledge and skills, Kharkiv school psychologists received booklets with methodological exercises, materials for art activities, and other necessary for the training materials.

Many participants noted that before starting the training, they felt insecure or avoided working with cases related to death, loss, or ambiguous loss, fearing they might harm the child or not having enough practical tools to provide support.

The final assessment showed a significant positive impact of the Program on the participants' professional development:

• Psychologists greatly expanded their professional toolkit.

• Learned new methods for individual and group work.

• Improved their crisis counseling skills.

• Deepened their understanding of the specifics of child and adolescent grieving.

• Enhanced their effectiveness in interacting with students, teachers, and parents.

• Gained confidence in running support groups for children who have experienced loss or other consequences of the war.

A particularly important outcome was that many psychologists, after completing the training, began actively taking on cases related to grief and loss for the first time.  This indicates not only an increase in professional competence but also an improvement in specialists' readiness to help children in the most difficult life circumstances.

The Critical importance of the Program in a Frontline City during the War

All participants without exception emphasized the extreme relevance and necessity of the Program under current conditions in the City of Kharkiv.  The war has significantly increased the number of children and teenagers facing

• the death of loved ones.

• forced displacement.

• destruction of homes.

• separation from family members.

• and other traumatic events.

Among the most important factors that determine the need for such programs, participants mentioned:

• an increase in the number of children experiencing loss.

• accumulation of war-related traumatic experiences.

• high levels of anxiety among children and adults.

• the breakdown of a basic sense of safety.

• increased risks of developing post-traumatic stress disorder.

• increased risk of other long-term consequences of psychological trauma.

According to the participants of the project, supporting children today is a strategic investment in the future of the City of Kharkiv and Ukraine.  Timely psychological intervention helps build resilience, maintain mental health, and prevent long-term negative effects of the war on the next generation.

Recommendations for the Further Development of the Program

During the final evaluation, participants of the project provided a number of recommendations for the further development and scaling of the Program:

• a need to increase the number of consultation hours.

• increase the number of in-person meetings.

• expand the range of work with parents.

• include Ukrainian research and consider local cases.

• increase the number of practical exercises.

• deepen the study of clinical cases to practice skills.

A special kind of recommendation became the request to develop highly needed response algorithms for complex crisis situations that school psychologists face in wartime.  The participants of the project noted that the current structure of the Program is well-balanced and effective and does not require major changes.

Conclusions

The program "Path to Recovery: Working with Children and Adolescents Experiencing Grief and Loss" has shown high effectiveness both in terms of the professional development of school psychologists and in directly supporting children and adolescents who received psychological help.

As a result of implementing the program, 12 school psychologists in the City of Kharkiv were trained.  All participants without exception noted an increase in their professional competence and readiness to work with situations involving grief, loss, and traumatic experiences.  One hundred percent of participants said they are ready to recommend the program to their colleagues.

Thanks to the use of new knowledge and skills by the project participants, 1,135 children and teenagers received psychological support.

The psychologists reported the following positive changes:

• in the emotional state of children.

• improvement in self-regulation skills.

• reduction in anxiety levels.

• increased ability to talk about difficult experiences.

• strengthening of social support among peers.

The program also helped build a professional network of mutual support among school psychologists in Kharkiv and laid the groundwork for the long-term development of a system of psychological assistance for children experiencing the effects of the war.  The results of the project prove that investing in training of school psychologists is one of the most effective ways to expand psychosocial support for kids during the war and in Ukraine's post-war recovery.

Gratitude to our Partners

I express my most sincere gratitude to the non-profit organization Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Partnership (CKSCP), the non-profit organization Fernside Center for Grieving Children (Cincinnati, Ohio), as well as the American school psychologist and consultant with over 40 years of experience, Ms. Mary Ann Buchino, for supporting the implementation of this extremely important program.

International partnership, expert support, and shared dedication to children's well-being have been key elements in the successful implementation of the program and its positive impact on the community of the frontline city of Kharkiv.

Oksana Krasnikova, Clinical Psychologist