Building relationships during your student years is always about finding balance, growing up, and facing your first serious challenges. On the outside, the first-year students at one of Vinnytsia's vocational colleges, a boy and a girl, seemed like an ideal couple who got along great. However, during a group session with a psychologist, a completely different reality emerged.
When it came to communication, the girl honestly admitted: she was used to keeping her feelings and grievances quiet. The girl was afraid that frankness would provoke a conflict or offend her lover, so she simply agreed to what she did not like. For the guy, this was a real shock - he sincerely believed that there was absolute trust between them.
A step towards change: from group therapy to individual awareness
Realizing the existence of barriers, the couple decided to continue working with a psychologist individually. Together, they discovered the principles of assertive communication - learning to talk about their own needs and listen to their partner without accusations or defensive reactions.
- For her The main discovery was that caring for relationships did not require constantly stepping on one's throat with one's own feelings. For the first time, she felt that her pain and anxiety could be heard without judgment.
- For him An understanding emerged: a loved one may remain silent about difficulties not because of a lack of trust, but because of fear. The guy learned not only to speak himself, but also to listen, ask questions, and be sincerely interested in the girl's emotional state.
💬 "I realized that expressing your feelings doesn't mean arguing or offending. Sometimes that's where a real conversation starts.", — the girl shared during the final meeting.
Today, there are significantly fewer unspoken grievances between lovers. They no longer run away from difficult topics, but overcome them together. This case is a vivid example of how just a few meetings with a specialist help young people build healthy, ecological and strong relationships based on mutual respect.
About the project:
This story was made possible by a three-year project "Mind the Future"Its goal is to support the mental well-being and resilience of youth affected by war and internal displacement by increasing the effectiveness and accessibility of local mental health services.
- National performer: NGO "Social Initiatives for Occupational Health and Safety" (LHSI).
- Support: The International Business Agency of the Government of the Netherlands through the Ukraine Partnership Fund 2 (UPF2). The initiative is an important part of the broader recovery and reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.
#MindToFuture #LHSI #MentalSpace #PsychologicalSupport #Vinnytsia #YouthofUkraine #HealthyRelationships