ProjectNative-speaker psychosocial support provided by a Ukrainian psychologist aimed at preventing mental illness among refugees from Ukraine

Target group

The project targets Ukrainian refugee children and women in the state of Brandenburg, who are experiencing psychological distress due to experiences in connection with the war in Ukraine.

Project implementation

The native-speaking psychologist works three days a week at the KommMit-PSZ locations in Fürstenwalde, Frankfurt (Oder) and Potsdam in particular. Additionally, appointments can be arranged in Berlin for Ukrainian clients from other regions of Brandenburg. Alongside face-to-face counselling sessions, the project provides telephone and online counselling services. 

The following measures are offered: Individual case counselling, family counselling, crisis talks and collaborative processes with social workers and other psychologists. Integral to the project's implementation strategy is a close cooperation with various specialist migration services in the state of Brandenburg, including specialist counselling services (Fachberatungsdienste, FBDs), migration counselling services for adult immigrants (Migrationsberatungen für erwachsene Zuwanderer, MBEs), youth migration services (Jugendmigrationsdienste, JMDs) and other counselling centres.

Client-related reports are prepared and active cooperation with the employees of these services is pursued. The acceptance and implementation of appropriate services heavily rely on the affected people's level of experience and the intercultural competence of their supporters. Having native-language counselling provided by a psychologist with both cultural and specialised knowledge significantly facilitated the transfer of suitable coping strategies and fosters an understanding of the respective disorder. The necessary trust and empathic rapport in the therapeutic relationship can be more effectively established by native-speaking psychosocial specialists.