Author:
Mariia Kucova
The morning of this Monday started unusually for me. I stood near St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, shivering slightly from the cold wind, waiting for Oksana Pysarieva, the psychologist from the “Voices of Children” foundation. She had to conduct the final session of the pre-psychological support course for students of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy, located within the monastery grounds.
As we entered the gates, it seemed like the wind had calmed down a bit. But the weather still didn't permit us to hold the training outdoors as planned. Perhaps it was a sign from above.
The idea for the course emerged after discussions with the Academy's management. They approached us requesting real tools and practical insights into providing pre-psychological support. The Academy trains future priests, and there's an understanding that many people in difficult situations turn to the church for support,
Oksana shared.
Oksana shared.
The foundation regularly conducts training for professionals working with people, including children. However, the course for future priests was an entirely new experience for the "Voices of Children".
Supporting the Supporters: Where to Find Resources for Priests
Seminarians in dark cassocks gradually filled the auditorium. They were hard to distinguish at first, but as the session progressed, their eyes began to sparkle, and the smiles and banter of ordinary guys emerged from beneath their uniform attire. Although, perhaps, not so ordinary after all.
While waiting for all the participants to gather, Oksana unexpectedly asked about the tomatoes. During the last session, the guys had shown her a picture of rotten vegetables, already covered in mold.
So the tomatoes "dressed up" before the cold snap,
joked the psychologist.
joked the psychologist.
As the seminarians' faces brightened, it became clear that in just three meetings, Oksana not only managed to find common ground with them but also created her own meme.
The fourth and final session was dedicated to summarizing the previous material: understanding the essence of trauma, tools for its recognition and pre-psychological support, and ways of non-violent communication with those seeking help.
Another important issue raised during the course was self-resource restoration. After all, those who support others and encounter human suffering almost daily require significant strength and patience for this.
The overall strategy of the meetings is to learn to help others by learning to help ourselves, to hear others by listening to ourselves, and to become a support by understanding our own strengths and the ability to utilize them,
explained Oksana.
explained Oksana.
The psychologist introduced the seminarians to the resource-oriented stress-coping BASIC Ph model:
- belief — values and beliefs;
- affect — expression of emotions, including through books and music;
- social — social connections;
- imagination — use of imagination and creativity;
- cognitive — logical thinking;
- physical — physical activity.
To reinforce some components of this model, participants of the course were offered several exercises. The first one involved drawing their hand on a sheet of paper, and on each finger, they were asked to write three things: what they enjoy looking at, what they like listening to, what feels comforting to touch, what tastes best, and what smells the best.
You're a romantic, Ivan,
commented sitting next to him Oleksandr on what he had written.
commented sitting next to him Oleksandr on what he had written.
These two guys at the back desk often burst into laughter. I sat with them and asked about everything that interested me:
— Which year are you in?
— Fifth.
— When will you be ordained? After the sixth?
— Well, it can be done even now. Just need to find a wife…
The exercise that stirred up the most imagination was associating ourselves with different parts of a house and then standing in the corresponding order to create a real home. We even started rearranging desks and chairs for the best result.
— And what's missing now? Oksana asked.
— A person, replied one of the seminarians.
— And a cat! I added.
— Well, then I'll be the cat, said the psychologist, joining us.
— A person, replied one of the seminarians.
— And a cat! I added.
— Well, then I'll be the cat, said the psychologist, joining us.
Religion and Psychology: Is a Union Possible
At the end of the session, participants were asked to share their impressions of the course. The boys thanked Oksana for the opportunity to learn something new and useful tools they could use in specific situations. They said that the training exceeded their expectations and changed their attitude towards psychology.
I really enjoyed the course. I learned some techniques that can be applied both to myself and to others: how to behave in critical situations, how to reboot,
noted Nazar.
noted Nazar.
Afterward, Oksana and I grabbed some coffee and took a little walk together, discussing the significance of the pre-psychological support course for seminarians. In her opinion, psychologists and priests are somewhat similar in certain aspects.
We work with people and their experiences, essentially addressing the mental aftermath of war in Ukrainian society. By collaborating, we're building resilient support for Ukrainians,
asserts the psychologist.
asserts the psychologist.
Undoubtedly, Oksana is not alone in this belief, as the pre-psychological support course for seminarians will have a continuation. A similar group is already planned to be launched in September.
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