Introduction

Why have we written this series?

The war in Ukraine has resulted in horrendous atrocities, but as is often the case in times of disaster, it has also resulted in significant acts of solidarity and support across the world. In the UK, the government has set up a scheme to support families to host Ukrainian refugees (this BBC article summarises the basic details - https://www.bbc.com/news/60735121). These acts of generosity and kindness will be lifelines for many who have experienced trauma and have been displaced. We applaud and encourage this. But also, as psychologists with specialist knowledge of trauma, we are aware that hosting someone who has left their home under such difficult conditions can be difficult. It can be hard to know how to support someone who has been through something we have not experienced, how to open our homes to strangers and also how to look after ourselves at the same time. Our aim is to support hosts to  explore the emotional and psychological implications of this undertaking and feel empowered in this role. We are currently creating a series of LinkedIn articles, each focusing on a different psychological/emotional consideration. These will provide basic information about the impacts of trauma, how to support refugees who may be staying with you, and how to support yourselves as hosts.

Note: if you are planning to open your home to refugees, please do so through a registered charity so the experience is as safe as possible for everyone. The BBC article linked above also contains links to charities who are supporting the coordination of this process.

Why is this important?

We believe that in order for hosts to feel fully equipped to welcome refugees into their homes, it is important to provide information about the psychological impact of having to flee your home as well as practical information about how to provide support. The experience of being displaced by war is inherently traumatic and involves multiple losses: loved ones, home, possessions, pets, job/career, security of citizenship in the country you are residing in, independence, identity, social status, routine and many more. Many refugees will have had recent life-threatening experiences that may have resulted in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The impacts of complex grief and PTSD can be extensive and debilitating, including: nightmares and flashbacks (re-experiencing a traumatic moment as if it were happening again in the here-and-now) a persistent feeling of current threat even when you are safe, feeling jumpy and easily startled, irritability and anger, depression, numbness and dissociative experiences (feeling zoned out, cut off or losing consciousness).

Of course, not all refugees will be experiencing all of these impacts. We do not intend to share this information to put anyone off, but to fully equip hosts to know what they might expect and how best to manage it. Furthermore, the experience of sharing your personal space with strangers for months or potentially years, will take an emotional toll of its own. Put even the most amicable of humans in shared accommodation for a prolonged period of time and it is likely that at least minor conflicts or misunderstanding will occur. It is likely that hosts might experience a multitude of conflicting emotions during this time, such as pride, guilt, resentment, anger, happiness, compassion. Hosts are also vulnerable to vicarious trauma (the psychological impact of being exposed to the trauma that someone else has experienced), so it is important to be aware of the signs of this and how to support yourself when providing support to others.

Want to know more?

We want to help make the experience as smooth and as positive as it can be! So what next? Our intention is for each post to include some basic information on the topic, tips for supporting refugees, and tips for looking after yourself as a host. If there is a lot of interest we may also do some webinars and/or Q&A sessions further down the line. Here are some ideas for topics we had:

  • Understanding the basics of PTSD and how to offer basic support (including thinking ahead about potential triggers)

  • Understanding compound loss and complex grief

  • Understanding vicarious trauma

  • Expressing empathy and support in moments when it is difficult to know what to say

  • Boundaries

  • Physical safety considerations

  • How to create psychological safety in your home

  • Power dynamics

  • Creating community connections

Please share this article and leave a comment to tell us if you’d like to learn more about this. If you have specific questions, or topics you’d like to know more about, tell us about those in the comments and we can try to create content to meet your needs.

Dr Natalie Isaia & Dr Nicola Griffiths