At the request of the Belgorod Diocese, the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission organized the first visit of volunteer psychologists to the Rozhdestvensky camp, where children and teenagers from the shelled areas of the Belgorod region come. The borderlands, shelling, distance learning, the regular lack of electricity and communications — all this leaves its mark on the psyche of children. The task of psychologists is to help them survive the traumatic experience of losing loved ones, teach them how to cope with stress, and communicate with their peers.
"In 2025, we conducted an online course for Orthodox psychologists on the basics of working with those who returned from the front and their loved ones. Over 1,000 professional psychologists from different regions of the country have been trained. When Metropolitan John of Belgorod approached us with a proposal to organize a joint project on psychological support for children, we sent out an appeal to all those who had completed the training and selected 15 Orthodox volunteer psychologists with experience working with children," commented Deacon Igor Kulikov, director of the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission.
The first shift was successfully held in July, and 80 children and teenagers who permanently live in the area of shelling took part in it. Psychologists from the Kirov region, Chuvashia and Belarus worked with them. They conducted classes on developing communication skills, socialization, team building, and taught how to cope with anxiety and worries.
The second shift will take place from August 10-19 and will be organized for children whose parents died in a special military operation. The task of psychologists is to help them survive this traumatic experience.
At the end of August, a shift for military veterans will also be organized at the rehabilitation center at one of the monasteries of the Belgorod diocese. The purpose of this program is the rehabilitation and socialization of fighters who have returned from the front line to civilian life.