Ukraine
Mothers and Storytelling at Home
CPI believes in the power of storytelling as a tool for healing, especially for children and families who have endured trauma.
After reading our Storytelling Manual, Sincere Heart requested a version specifically for mothers. The aim was to involve both mothers and children in storytelling sessions during their Recovery Camps, and then empower them to continue the practice at home, fostering emotional healing and deeper connections.
The Storytelling and Mothers Manual is an adaptation of our original manual, with a special focus on trauma recovery and creating a safe space. This manual was created to help mothers and children continue their storytelling journey in a safe, intimate space after attending Sincere Heart’s transformative 6-day Recovery Camp.
This partnership has yielded remarkable results. The Storytelling at Home technique, which emerged from our collaboration, has helped create an atmosphere of peace and trust in homes torn apart by the ongoing conflict and the absence of the father. It’s not just a technique—it’s a foundation for emotional healing that allows children and mothers to reconnect in loving, meaningful ways.
The positive effects have been profound: children are learning to express their emotions, feel heard, and grow stronger every day. Their mothers are becoming calmer, more resilient, and are filled with hope for a brighter future.
What Ukrainian Mothers Say about Storytelling at Home Guide
In interviews with mothers who tried the Storytelling at Home technique, they expressed their gratitude and shared the profound changes they’ve seen in their families. Here are some highlights from their experiences:
What Lessons Or Values Did You Hope Your Child Would Gain From Storytelling at Home?
Ukrainian mothers expressed deep praise and gratitude when Sincere Heart asked them to document the impact of the Storytelling at Home exercise.
I want to sincerely thank the Recovery Camp organizers and everyone involved in the Storytelling at Home technique. This experience has restored our emotional closeness and brought joy back into our home.
Thank you so much to everyone involved. This project truly works, and the positive changes in my son are proof of that. Your work is helping us build memories that will last a lifetime.
The Importance of Creating a Safe Space
The Emotional Toll War Has on Children, and How Play Helps
War inflicts trauma on children in numerous ways, often leaving deep emotional, psychological, and physical scars. Exposure to violence, displacement, loss of loved ones, and the constant fear of danger disrupts their sense of security and stability. Children may experience anxiety, depression, nightmares, and behavioral changes, struggling to process the chaos around them. The destruction of schools and communities also disrupts their education and social development, isolating them from normalcy. These traumatic experiences can have long-term impacts, affecting their emotional growth, ability to trust, and overall mental health well into adulthood.
Play Helps Heal Trauma
CPI’s storytelling program helps heal trauma by providing children with a safe and creative outlet to express their emotions and process difficult experiences. Through guided storytelling, children can share their stories, make sense of their feelings, and build resilience.
The program fosters emotional healing by encouraging self-expression, promoting understanding, and helping children regain a sense of control and identity. Storytelling also strengthens language and communication skills, allowing children to connect with others and feel heard, which is critical for restoring their emotional well-being after trauma.
Read about how CPI was launched in Jalozai Refugee Camp here
When Mother and Children Tell Stories at Home
When children retell stories or reinterpret them through other mediums like drawing, coloring, painting, or even dance, they experience a sense of empowerment and ownership over the narrative. This creative freedom allows them to alter the stories to their liking, whether by changing the plot, characters, or outcomes to suit their imagination and preferences.
Moreover, when children share their reimagined stories with their families or loved ones, these creations become unique personal gifts that bring immense joy and satisfaction.
Sharing their artistic interpretations (drawing) fosters a sense of connection and belonging within the family unit, as others appreciate and celebrate the child’s creativity and imagination.
From this perspective, storytelling can play a major role in family dynamics, even as each family determines how it best serves the family’s own needs.
CPI created a mini-Olympics to support children uprooted by regional violence, aiming to reintroduce play, creative activity, and the chance for positive communication.
The agenda for the week included storytelling, painting, traditional song and dance, sports, and fun games. This initiative was designed to help these children regain a sense of normalcy and joy through play and creative expression.
About Sincere Hearts, Ukraine
CPI teamed up with Sincere Hearts in 2023.
THEIR MISSION is to restore the mental and physical health of Ukrainians, which was lost as a result of the events related to the war in Ukraine
Sincere Hearts is a charitable non-profit started in 2014 when Russia first invaded Ukraine. They are a team of public activists, practical psychologists and psychotherapists who, since the first days of the Russian invasion, for 10 years in a row, have been implementing complex projects that help Ukrainians cope with the consequences of the war. SINCERE HEART'S GOAL: Implement projects that will help Ukrainians to restore their psychological health as soon as possible, to become a mentally healthy, strong nation. Only psychologically healthy children can become the basis of a strong nation in a free state. Every child in Ukraine is a child of war and needs attention and support Healthy parents are the basis for the growth of a happy child. Mental and physical health are equally important
