Based on the MBTR-R and Co-Counseling Programs for Ukrainian refugee women, and Georgian IDP women, the training focused on supporting participants' (re-)integration into their communities and empowering them to move forward in life. The event focused on trauma-sensitive integration, a sense of belonging, and encouraging taking first steps toward integration.
On the first day, participants engaged in team-building activities, as well as sharing their needs, expectations, and wishes for the upcoming days. The evening concluded with a walking and talking exercise, encouraging participants to share recent positive experiences, challenges, and future ideas.
The second day included the Cuerpo Territorio (body-mapping exercise), guiding participants to identify personal and community strengths through body mapping. This practice helped to reflect on where participants find strengths and resources – both within themselves and in their broader communities. A role game helped to further look into available community resources for integration. To facilitate the transition from individual to communal perspectives, the next day we had a chain reactions exercise, incorporating the strengths participants had defined earlier. Both days included breathing and imagination exercises for trauma reduction, as well as yoga for mindfulness and self-regulation to wrap up the day.
The final day started with a relaxation and mindfulness session, providing participants with a moment to reflect on their journey within the project. Participants received envelopes containing their portraits and wishes from other participants, fostering a warm send-off.
As a result of the training and the whole project, participants noted improved sleep, reduced medication reliance, emotional stability, and enhanced life quality. A woman from Donetsk oblast expressed, "There is light I found here. I learned techniques to ecologically express my emotions, what to rely on, what not to rely on, and how to control my body and mind."
