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War's Invisible Wounds Healed Through Art and Animals
24 Feb
Summary
- Forest Glade offers unique trauma rehabilitation for soldiers.
- Activities include tango, yoga, archery, and medieval combat.
- The center has three weeks to treat soldiers before return.
Forest Glade, an unusual mental health rehabilitation hospital, offers a unique sanctuary for soldiers returning from war. This facility, originally built in 1974, now treats Ukrainian soldiers experiencing symptoms of stress disorders, depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Set in a pine forest, Forest Glade combines medical, psychological, physical, and social support. Soldiers participate in activities such as dancing tango, practicing yoga, climbing walls, playing music, tending gardens, and caring for ponies.
Other therapeutic activities include archery and staged medieval combat, known as 'buhurt'. These methods help soldiers express aggression in a controlled environment and reclaim attention from intrusive memories.
The hospital provides a temporary respite, with each soldier typically staying for three weeks before returning to the front lines. This short timeframe presents a significant challenge in addressing cumulative trauma, a reality understood by both staff and patients.
Excursions to karting tracks, ski slopes, and climbing walls are organized as controlled re-entry into environments demanding focus. These activities help soldiers learn to concentrate on what they can change, offering an island of safety from the brutality of war.
