Methodological Guidelines Have Been Developed for the “Peer-to-Peer” Counselor Training Program to Support Veterans
At the Veteran Mental Health Center of Excellence of the Institute of Psychiatry, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, under the leadership of the Director of the Institute, Professor I.Y. Pinchuk, the development of methodological guidelines for teaching the certification program “Peer-to-Peer Counselor Training” has been successfully completed.
The guidelines were created in response to the urgent need to implement structured, evidence-based, and at the same time practice-oriented training programs for counselors capable of providing primary psychological support to veterans and their family members based on the principles of equality, mutual trust, and shared experience.
The program is aimed at training individuals who have their own military service experience, maintain close interaction with the veteran community, and are involved in mental health support activities at the community level.
The knowledge and practical skills acquired within the program enable participants to:
- build effective and safe communication with veterans and their family members;
- increase engagement in receiving psychological support;
- reduce social isolation and feelings of loneliness;
- facilitate adaptation and recovery through the formation of trusting and supportive relationships.
The methodological guidelines define the content, structure, teaching logic, and approaches to evaluating the program’s effectiveness, combining evidence-based mental health practices with the practical experience of the veteran community.
The development was carried out within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program “Ти як?”, with the support of the Mental Health Coordination Center of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, and in cooperation with international partners, including the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego).
