Features of Psychosocial Support of Combatants’ Wives

Introduction.In those NATO countries the troops of which take part in foreign military operations the significant attention is paid to the psychological support of both military personnel and their families at all stages of the combat task (before deployment, during deployment, and after deployment) (Moelker et al., 2006).For example, Canadian troops have been supporting families for over 60 years.This program is governed by the Canadian Military Families' Convention, which recognizes the complexity of intercourse between healthy families and effective warriors, and underlines the moral obligation of the Canadian Armed Forces to those who are close to the militaries.The families of the regular army have the right to use all services and programs designed for families (Military Family Services, 2016).But the circumstances faced by militaries' families abroad differ from the situation in today's Ukraine.First of all, it should be noted that military events occur in the territory of their own state, where families live, and caused by the need to protect their own land.The military aggression of Russia caused the beginning of the antiterrorist operation in the East of Ukraine (here and after -ATO) in the spring of 2014 and caused the mass mobilization of the military-waged population, some of whom signed a contract after demobilization and remained in service.Since April 2018, after obtaining the status of an international armed conflict, the legal status of the ATO has been changed to the Joint Forces Operation (here and after -JFO) (Zakon Ukrainy, 2018).Secondly, military events on the territory of Ukraine have been going on for the fourth year in a row, and families of militaries who served on a contractual basis have been in a state of war for the fourth time already and have been experiencing constant emotional stress.Thirdly, constant unregulated media and social networks information about the events in hostilities area, about the loss of units, about the actions of the enemy contribute to an additional emotional stress.All these factors suggest the need for psychosocial support for the families of present militaries.The programs for working with families of military personnel in military formations are only at the initial stage of development in today's Ukraine.Civic organizations and volunteers are those who have accumulated experience in providing such assistance.As usually, support activities take place in a group format or individual counseling.Psychosocial support before, during, and after deployment includes three types of work: informational, social and psychological (Calvert et al., 2006).We suggest to take a look on the arrangements for psychosocial work with family members that occur after deployment in the form of study case.Purpose.The study is aimed at highlighting the approbation of the of psychosocial support of militaries' families' method, which take place jointly with the military formations of Ukraine.Methodology.The study was conducted within the framework of cooperation between the NGO "Public Movement for Empowering Women in Ukraine", the National Guard of Ukraine, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.The case consisted of 29 group meetings involving 280 women.Each meeting began from the acquaintance of the participants, the arrangement of the event purpose and structure.Each meeting consisted of three parts: 1. Informational.The representatives of the military unit answered socially concerned questions on women's worries, and also brought the information, currently relevant and useful to the family of a military officer.During this part, women also shared their experience on social issues solving.2. Psychological.This part was aimed at the psycho-emotional discharge of participants, so psychological work was carried out by means of the body-oriented technique.The principle of organization of group body-oriented therapy was used (Malkina-Pykh, 2007).Only women and psychologists (who were women as well) stayed to complete this part, while all men who were present in the first part have left the group. Individual consultations (conducted by request).Between the parts of the meeting participants had a possibility to communicate freely while savoring tea and sweets.This opportunity facilitated the exchange of contacts among participants and the identification of active women, who might be involved in the further thematic events.The psychological part of the psychosocial support was conducted in a group therapy form.This form was taken into account because of the analysis of experience with military families in other countries (Calvert et al., 2006), and because of understanding the value of group work.In a group the participant gets an opportunity not only to successfully interact with others, but also to achieve an internal comfort to use his/her potential to the full (Ormont, 1998).Didyk MHGC Proceedings -2018 https://www.mhgc21.org/ 25psycho-emotional states of the serviceman who are about to return home.Methods of body-oriented therapy are those psychotherapeutic tools which in this particular case confirmed their effectiveness by providing emotional discharge in both group work and exercises at home.The system of support for militaries' wives needs further improvement and specialization.

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