After arriving in New York as refugees from Ukraine, Iolanta realized that her daughter, Ilana, was not talking. Like many children who experience war, Ilana was traumatized from witnessing the bombings that took place in her hometown, and she needed help. That’s when our Jewish Community Services team stepped in, offering support through an innovative therapy called Hibuki.
Meet Iolanta and Ilana
Iolanta and Ilana fled their home in Ukraine to escape the violence of war. Living near the border, they experienced the constant fear of explosions and sound of sirens, which deeply affected Ilana. Ilana developed a stutter, stopped interacting with other children, and had trouble connecting to her new community. That’s when we introduced her to Hibuki Therapy, which provided her with a unique and comforting way to express her emotions and begin healing from the trauma she experienced.
A Link To Comprehensive Care
Hibuki Therapy is an innovative and compassionate therapeutic approach designed to help children impacted by trauma. Developed in Israel, Hibuki, which means “My Hug” in Hebrew, uses a stuffed toy dog as a tool for emotional healing. Each aspect of the toy offers comfort and care – from its ability to hug to its reflective eyes that help children see their own emotions – providing children with a safe space to understand and express their feelings. Children are encouraged to identify the needs of and care for Hibuki, which allows them to identify and communicate their emotions and learn how to care for themselves.
Welcoming Support from “Gav Gav”
Once Iolanta and Ilana were admitted into the Hibuki Therapy Program, they were introduced to their Hibuki pet, which Ilana named “Gav Gav” (Woof Woof in Russian). With Gav Gav’s support, Ilana started identifying her feelings and expressing her needs. By becoming Gav Gav’s caretaker and looking out for his needs, Ilana developed a sense of control, counteracting the feelings of powerlessness that often accompany trauma.
Jewish Board social workers trained in Hibuki therapy facilitated Ilana’s therapy sessions and provided essential guidance and support as she worked through her emotions with Gav Gav. They also collaborated closely with Iolanta as Ilana’s care plan developed, sharing the joy as Ilana progressed toward healing.
Fostering Healing and Remarkable Growth
The support from Illana’s social worker and Hibuki gave her the tools she needed to process her trauma, feel empowered, and move along the path toward emotional healing. She has found comfort in her cuddly stuffed toy dog and made remarkable progress in her emotional and social development. Her stuttering has significantly improved, allowing her to communicate more confidently and clearly. And, as she worked through her emotions by caring for Gav Gav, Ilana also became more open and comfortable around others, building new friendships and engaging with her teachers and peers in a positive way.
We’re proud of Ilana and look forward to helping her continue building on her progress. We’re also proud of our dedicated staff for rising to the challenge and learning how to implement Hibuki Therapy, Ilana’s mother, Iolanta, our community partners, like Hebrew Public Charter School, who have welcomed us and worked with us to train their staff and bring this innovative form of care to their students, our funders like UJA-Federation of NYC, and the dozens of refugee children and their families who trusted us to help them in their care.
Our Continued Support
Learn more about our services within the Jewish community and how we’re combining mental and behavioral health services with spirituality.
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