When the war in Ukraine broke out two years ago, many of the war refugees who had moved to other countries hoped to be able to return to their homes sooner. But as the war has dragged on and many have lost their homes, Ukrainians are trying to make a life for themselves in other countries, including Lithuania, until it is safe. According to psychologists, migration in a war situation is extremely difficult, and living in a foreign country poses many integration challenges, and many Ukrainians are experiencing a lot of stress and anxiety due to the war in their home country. "As part of our research, we ask Ukrainians what challenges they face most often. The most important ones are financial stability (25%), language barrier (21%), accommodation (19%), but next to these, health services are also regularly mentioned, with 24% of Ukrainians citing it as one of their main needs. Given that Ukrainians need a wide range of health services, we decided to focus on psychological health. Our Migration Information Centre "MiCenter" has several different groups aimed at improving emotional health, including individual counselling, group support for adolescents, women and seniors, and canitherapy for children," says Eitvydas Bingelis Head of International Organisation for Migration Vilnius Office (IOM Lithuania).
Psychological health is just as important as physical health, especially for people fleeing the horrors of war or persecution. "We are seeing more and more Ukrainians seeking psychological help. While we had rather sporadic consultations when the war in Ukraine first started, now more and more people are coming. They have become more open, less afraid to seek help, and understand that their reactions are normal to an abnormal situation," says Mantas Jeršovas, a psychologist at IOM Lithuania. In the last two years, almost 600 people have attended psychological therapies,
One of the key points that the specialists always point out is that in a foreign country, people should not be alone, they should not isolate themselves from others, because when you are alone and closed off, emotional difficulties tend to deepen. "Group activities provide a space for people to retreat and take a break from what is troubling them, to meet new people, to see the commonalities of how others are dealing with similar difficulties, to make friends. To see that other people are experiencing the same or similar fears," says M. Jeršovas.

The horrors of war can be very frightening and hard to bear. A psychologist helps you to identify and cope with these feelings (despair, helplessness, guilt, anger). It helps the person to realise that it is not the one who feels nothing who is strong, but the one who is able to feel difficult feelings and to stand up to them without collapsing under them. The activities at MiCentre contribute to a person's ability to take a break, to recover, to feel togetherness and hope. And that helps us to live.
"I have been working with Ukrainian women for a year. I have noticed a strong feeling of loneliness, because it takes time to build and join a community. I often hear that Ukrainian women feel good spending time with Lithuanians, that they are trying to build a bond, but there is another side to this, where Lithuanians don't always know what to say when they are interacting with Ukrainians, or how to console the war refugees who have arrived. That is why I always tell Ukrainian women that it is very important not to be afraid to ask for help, whether in group sessions or individual counselling," says Giedrė Laniauskienė, the organiser of the women's self-help groups.
Another type of therapy at the MiCentre, which is particularly enjoyed by children, is Canitherapy - classes with dogs for children. According to canine therapist Joana Grygutis, during the canine therapy sessions, children have the opportunity to pet, brush, feed and perform tricks while interacting with the dog. All these activities not only stimulate motor development, but also provide a lot of sensory experience. In addition, children learn to observe and analyse the behaviour of their four-legged friend. Children learn to understand the reasons for a dog's behaviour and to respect its needs. Understanding that respect and empathy are beneficial because they make communication easier and more enjoyable, they draw their own conclusions: if it works for the dog, it will work for people, and the behaviour is likely to be transferable to other situations in life.  And for children, bonding and fitting in is very important, especially when it comes to integration in a foreign country.
In general, according to psychologists, Ukrainians who were forced to flee their country did not set out to live in another country, it was a decision imposed on them. However, when living longer, it is necessary to think about integration. In order to adapt more smoothly, it is necessary to learn the language. "The best way to do this is to make new friends with the locals. In my personal experience, this is the best and easiest way to learn a language. Even though I grew up in a Lithuanian family, I did not live in Lithuania, so the language was irregular, with a lot of foreign words. New friends and the opportunity to talk to them a lot and in different circumstances helped me to learn the subtleties of the language. Of course, living in a foreign country is not going to be easy, especially if you don't succeed in the job market, which you cannot do without the language. So it's a vicious circle.  On the other hand, a fresh start in a new country can bring not only challenges, but also opportunities that will help you turn your dreams into reality," says  J. Grygutis.
Inna Shulzhenko, a psychologist from Ukraine who works with a group of teenagers at MiCentre, agrees. She says that teenagers coming from Ukraine have to deal with many different challenges, not only have they had to deal with the war, but they have had to come to a strange country and have to re-adapt and build relationships, which are very difficult tasks to deal with. "To help them integrate, children need to interact with their peers, go to clubs, learn the language. They need to be busy and they need to get to know the culture and traditions," says I. Shulzhenko.
All MiCenter services for migrants are free, but registration is required.
Currently, almost 60,000 Ukrainians live in Lithuania