With the kids gathered, they're asked if they want to meet someone. Yes, they did, came the response. The door opened. The faces of the children glowed. They smiled. And in came Bice, the tail-wagging therapist.
By E. EDUARDO CASTILLO, Associated Press BOYARKA, Ukraine — Bice is an American pit bull terrier with an important and sensitive job in Ukraine — comforting children traumatized by Russia's war.
"Who has a dog?," she asked and several hands raised at once while the space filled with shouts of"Me, me, me!". They come together at the Center for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation, a state-operated community center where people can get help coping with traumatic experiences after Russia's invasion in February. Staffers provide regular psychological therapy for anyone who has been affected in any way by the war.
Now it focuses on people affected by the war. These days, when some areas are without power after the Russian attacks to Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the two-story building is one of the few places with light and heating. This is the first time that Sliepova has worked with a dog as part of her therapies. But, she said,"I read a lot of literature that working with dogs, with four-legged rehabilitators, helps children reduce stress, increase stress resistance, and reduce anxiety."She observed how some children are scared of loud noises, like when someone closes a window or when they hear the sound of a jet. Some drop to the floor or start asking whether there's a bomb shelter close.
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