The Third Mental Health Forum “Supporting Those Who Support Everyone”: The Potential and Well-being of Mental Health Workers was held in Kyiv. The event was organized within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program initiated by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska.
“For the first time in our country, mental health support stands alongside responses to other urgent challenges of war. For the first time, the service is so close to everyone: in the office of a family doctor who has undergone appropriate training from the WHO, in hundreds of mental health centers and resilience centers, in veteran spaces, cultural and art institutions. Today, we saw in numbers that there were even more of them in all regions, ”, — said Olena Zelenska.
The forum became a platform for professional discussion, exchange of experience and development of new solutions that will contribute to the further development of the mental health system. The event brought together representatives of the government, various sectors and communities, service providers, people with their own experience, scientists, international organizations, UN agencies, employers and emergency response partners — everyone who shapes the mental health support system today.
This year’s event focused on those who help others every day. The focus was on the well-being, professional growth and potential of mental health professionals working in all sectors — from government structures to local communities. Workers in this field, like doctors, constantly face high levels of stress, emotional exhaustion, and professional challenges – a problem that has been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic and full-scale war.
As part of the program, 638 medical workers from five cities in the region underwent sessions using the WHO’s scientifically based methodology – the “Self-Help Plus” intervention and the illustrated guide “Important Skills in Times of Stress”. These tools help to effectively cope with stress and prevent the development of mental disorders, regardless of the diagnosis.
