It was a standard conference room. One big table in the middle, a pitcher of water, and paper cups. But the conversation around that table on a late afternoon in November was anything but “standard.”
“How is fighting different when it’s in your own country?” “How do you break through the stigma of seeking trauma therapy?
Representing some of the brightest minds from all over Ukraine, a team of psychologists and therapists gathered in an LFS conference room to learn how to better treat war-related injuries.
There was Oleksandr C.– the Chief Psychologist for the Ukrainian Veteran Foundation – a veteran himself. Tetiana R.– a Paramedic and Commander who evacuated civilians from several villages at the beginning of the invasion. Anastasiia K. coordinates state policy on helping veterans transition from military service to civilian life. The list goes on – a cadre of rising healthcare leaders invited to the United States as “Nelson Fellows” in honor of former Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson.
LFS was invited into their two-week travel agenda because of our Military Veterans Services Program and teams focusing on extensive peer support and advanced trauma therapies. With the help of an interpreter, LFS’s Paul Greenwell, AVP of Adult Behavioral Health and a veteran, plus Birgit Schlechte, EMDR Supervisor, engaged in a lively conversation with the Nelson Fellows.
“There are so many shared challenges in serving our respective military personnel. Stigma. Complex systems of care. Treating people and not just a diagnosis. Transitioning from military to civilian life. I was encouraged by their determination and focus on doing this work even while a war rages in their country,” says Paul.
Says Birgit, “The most impressive part of this for me was to put faces to the abstract concept of “the war in Ukraine.” I’m from Europe, so getting to meet them touched my heart. I just hope the two therapists among them are going to reach out to me. I want to help more.”
The Ukrainians were especially interested in the work LFS does with EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a specialized therapy that works exceptionally well treating those who’ve experienced trauma. LFS has 20 EMDR-trained therapists on staff, but it’s very time-consuming and difficult to train in Europe despite the need.
The meeting ended late, with Scooters Coffee, an exchange of contact information, warm hugs, and a group photo. “This was an important time,” said one. “D’akuju. Duzhe d’akuju.” (Thank you. Thank you very much.)
