The Curator’s Role and Personal Approach in Leading Support Groups for Addressing Students' Mental Disorders
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32405/2309-3935-2024-4(95)-30-37Keywords:
logotherapy, existential analyses, Viktor Frankl, education during war, psychological supportAbstract
Extended exposure to regions under martial law inevitably affects students’ mental health, often giving rise to varying degrees of personality disturbances. These disruptions reflect a broader psychological imbalance in the individual, even when intellectual capacities remain intact. Such changes can hinder interpersonal relationships and complicate social integration.
To address and alleviate these challenges while safeguarding mental well-being and cognitive abilities, it is advisable for school psychologists and teachers to employ group work methodologies as a standard practice. From our perspective, the most effective methods for managing and preventing psychotic and neurotic conditions include dereflection groups, meditation sessions, and grief recovery workshops.
When facilitating group sessions or training, the curator, moderator, or psychologist should maintain a keen focus on participants, actively listening to how they articulate their perspectives. It is essential to identify and address specifc attitudes that may require adjustment to promote healthier outlooks and interactions.
At the heart of any educational or developmental endeavor, perhaps the most signifcant factor, is the character of the curator, teacher, or mentor – anyone tasked with guiding others and instilling values. It is personality that shapes personality. Only someone who truly embodies the values necessary for fostering a strong, balanced individual equipped to navigate today’s challenges can effectively pass those values on. Even more powerfully, such a person can serve as a source of inspiration, igniting curiosity and encouraging others to pursue their own journey of discovery, piecing together their unique life mosaic from the treasures they uncover. Therefore, at the foundation of every educational, developmental, or therapeutic process lies the essence of relationships, and at the core of those relationships is the principle of personality.
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