The International Organisation for Migration Vilnius Office  (IOM Lithuania) is organising a training for 50 mental health professionals from Ukraine on 1-2 July.

"This is the third time we are organising a similar training. They are aimed at psychologists and psychiatrists working in Ukraine and providing psychological support to bereaved persons. What Ukrainians are going through now is extremely painful and many of them need professional help to cope with their emotions and move on with their lives," says Eitvydas Bingelis, Head of IOM Lithuania.

The training for psychologists will take place over two days and will focus on how to help people who are going through a difficult bereavement. "We will talk about how to help people who are going through incomplete bereavements, for example, when a loved one has gone missing and the person is left in limbo. It is much more difficult to survive and come to terms with such an 'incomplete loss'," says Mantas Jeršovas, psychologist at IOM Lithuania.

The training for psychologists from Ukraine will be given by Jana Javakhishvili, professor of psychology and psychotherapist from Ilia State University in Tbilisi. Since 1995, Javakhishvili has been working with people who have been traumatised by military conflicts.

Since October, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Emotional Support Line for Ukrainians has been operating in Lithuania. Ukrainians in Lithuania can call 370 800 00 474. Calls are free of charge.  The line is open from 10 am to 8 pm every day and counselling is available in Ukrainian and Russian. IOM Lithuania also provides free psychological counselling for Ukrainian applicants.

In addition, IOM Lithuania cooperates with institutions and centres where psychological counselling is provided in order to ensure that as many Ukrainians as possible in Lithuania receive the help they need.