The Healing Hidden Wounds

Coordinator, Mitzi Perdue

Note: Please email Mitzi before calling.
This website is currently under construction but you can track the updates below. Thank You!

Support for a Rape Victim

Episode 1

Episode 2

Description

This YouTube Channel will use social media to help Ukrainians who are enduring war-related mental health issues. We are creating 15-minute episodes in which we present a five-minute summary of an individual’s experience that led to his or her mental health issues, then a brief description of the symptoms they are dealing with, and then advice from mental health professionals for individuals enduring similar symptoms.

Courtesy of the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Study Center (PPSC), we have access to 65 psychotherapists who are willing to donate time to this effort. We also have access to an almost unlimited number of individuals in Ukraine who are enduring mental health issues such as panic attacks, sleeplessness, or depression. Police woman Irina Pryanishnikova, from the Ukrainian Police knows these individuals as part of her work in documenting war crimes.

We are currently creating proof-of-concept videos, in which victims of rape or torture or loss of a loved one, talk with specialists in this country, and then the mental health care provider gives generic advice of the sort that has helped their clients. While this not a perfect approach, it can provide individuals with tools that they might not be aware of, and it can communicate that they are not alone and that there are people who care.

In many cases, the individuals whose cases would be highlighted are ones I have already been have interviewed for my columns. To see, come to https://mitziperdue.com/articles-by-mitzi/. Not incidentally, the individuals I’ve talked with as a journalist have all wanted to have their stories known. Some have told me that having others know what the invaders did to them, gives their suffering meaning. The want people to know.

Possible Episodes

What follows is the kind of material Irina and I already have. The cases below are from stories published by the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents the Washington Examiner, and Town Hall.
Trauma

Case One: Trauma

Darya Bondarenko is 14 years old. Four days after the Russian invasion, a column or Russian soldiers raked the car that she and her father, grandfather, and stepmother were in with machine guns. Her father died instantly, she was shot in the hip, and her stepmother bled to death in front of her eyes in the next few minutes. Bondarenko speaks with a flat, emotionless voice. She wants to tell her story and she came to the police station when she heard that there was an American journalist there. Listening to her, as a non-professional, it was clear that this young woman needed help but people familiar with her case said that she wasn’t receiving any.

Source: https://foreignpress.org/news/counseling-not-in-ukraine-not-now

Prisoner Exchange

Case Two: Survivor Guilt

The Russians took Vladislav Orani 18, and his brother prisoner when they were out getting water. He spent six weeks in captivity in Belarus and then was freed in a prisoner exchange. His older brother as taken to Russia, and he and his mother have no idea what’s happened to him or if he’s even alive.

Source: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/jan/26/unsanctioned-prisoner-exchanges-putin-created-cult/

Soldier

Case Three: Depression

One of Galina’s sons was randomly shot to death, almost for sport, as she sees it. Her other son is permanently injured and has already endured 18 operations. She has crying jags and knows no peace. She also knows that everyone in her town of Bucha has suffered. She can’t understand how people would just come in and kill Ukrainians. She keeps his bullet-ridden car in her driveway. It has possibly 50 bullet holes, and police, who examined the car said that there were three different kinds of guns used, including a machine gun. She does have a garden that brings her some solace, but she keeps reliving how she felt living in her cold, unheated cellar with no light and the space no larger than a single mattress and the Russians occupying her home.

Source: https://townhall.com/columnists/mitzi-perdue/2023/09/16/what-its-like-to-live-under-russian-occupation-n2628367

Future Episodes

Members of the PPSC are prepared to give their professional advice on:
  • Acute Stress Reaction
  • Adjustment to Amputation
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Burnout, Police, De-miners, Medical Professionals or People Who See Terrible Tragedies Every Day.
  • Burnout, Caretaker
  • Child Development Disorder
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Cognitive Disorders
  • Community and Cultural Disintegration Stress
  • Complex PTSD
  • Depersonalization, Derealization
  • Depression
  • Difficulty in Parenting Traumatized Children
  • Dissociative Disorders
  • Domestic Violence and Abuse Trauma
  • Grief and Bereavement Disorder
  • Hallucinatory Experinces, Illusions or Delusions
  • Impulse Control Disorders
  • Moral Injury
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Panic Disorder
  • Personality Disorders (exacerbated by living in a war zone)
  • PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
  • Recovery from Rape, particularly war-related rape
  • Secondary Traumatization
  • Sexual Dysfunction
  • Sleep Disorder
  • Somatic Symptom Disorder
  • Substance Abuse Disorder
  • Surviving Sexual Trafficking

Publicizing the Site

  1. We’ll publicize it on all social media.
  2. We’ll send emails to all the major pro-Ukraine NGOs. Mitzi knows many of them personally.
  3. Mitzi can give the site a plug when she’s a guest on podcasts, which occur at a rate of several a week. https://mitziperdue.com/mitzi-on-podcasts/
  4. She can also give it a plug in the talks that she gives.
  5. There may be PR companies that care about Ukraine that will help spread the word.

Evaluation

Evaluating the success of this project will require a multifaceted approach:

Viewer Engagement

We will study comments, likes, shares, and overall engagement. The more people engage, the more likely they find the content helpful.

Viewer Retention

Viewer retention stats, that is, do they watch the content all the way through, will indicate if the content is engaging and valuable.

Subscriber Growth

We will monitor the growth of the channel. Is it growing steadily? If so, it’s a good indication that people are finding the content valuable.

Community Feedback

We can ask the audience for feedback. We can create polls or questionnaires asking if they found the video helpful, what they learned, or if they applied any techniques.

Partnership Opportunities

If other organizations or professionals reach out to collaborate, that’s a good indication that the work is recognized and valued. Several organizations have already done so, even before we’ve put the first show out.

Impact Stories

As time passes, we hope to be receiving personal stories about how the channel has helped individuals.

Site Traffic

We are creating a website to be linked with the channel, and we’ll monitor the traffic coming from YouTube as an additional way to measure engagement and interest. The website will include a media page to assemble press mentions in one place.

Project Timeline

November-December, 2023
November-December, 2023

Step 1: Done: Research and Planning

Conduct research on PTSD in Ukraine, including prevalence, common triggers, and available resources.

Identify the target audience and their specific needs.

Research existing YouTube channels and online resources related to PTSD to understand what’s already available and how the proposed channel can stand out.

Develop a content strategy outlining the topics, formats, and presentation style that will be most effective in addressing PTSD issues in Ukraine.

November-December, 2023
November-December, 2023

Step 2: Channel Setup (Duration)

Create the YouTube channel and customize the branding, including channel name, logo, banner, and description.

Set up social media accounts (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) to promote the channel and engage with the audience.

Plan the channel’s initial video content, ensuring it aligns with the established content strategy.

November-December, 2023
November-December, 2023

Step 3: Content Creation (Ongoing)

Start producing and uploading videos based on the content strategy. Ensure the content is engaging, informative, and supportive for people dealing with PTSD.

Create at least 10 episodes before uploading any.

January 2024
January 2024

Step 4: Uploading

Begin uploading videos at least one video every other week initially, and adjust the frequency based on audience feedback and resource availability.

Collaborate with mental health professionals and experts in the field to feature guest speakers or interviews.

February-December 2023
February-December 2023

Step 4: Community Engagement (Ongoing)

Respond to comments and engage with viewers to build a supportive community around the channel.

Encourage viewers to share their experiences and connect with each other.

Monitor feedback and adapt content based on audience preferences and needs.

Ongoing
Ongoing

Step 5: Outreach and Promotion

Collaborate with local mental health organizations, NGOs, and support groups to promote the channel and its resources.

Utilize social media and online forums to increase the channel’s visibility among the target audience.

Consider running targeted ads on YouTube and social media to reach a broader audience.

Quarterly
Quarterly

Step 6: Regular Evaluation and Improvement

Assess the channel’s performance regularly, using metrics like view count, watch time, and audience feedback.

Analyze which videos perform well and which topics need more attention.

(6-12 months)
(6-12 months)

Step 7: Expansion and Partnerships

Evaluate opportunities to expand the channel’s impact, such as creating translated versions for different languages spoken in Ukraine.

Seek partnerships with mental health organizations, government agencies, or corporate sponsors to increase resources and reach.

If the viewership becomes extensive, generate advertising revenue that can support the mission.

Ongoing
Ongoing

Step 8: Look for a professional to take over Mitzi’s role.

Mitzi commits to get the project started, but wants to have a younger professional take over whenever this is possible.