In 2019, Maria Gorshkova, a psychologist and ICDP trainer in the city of Vinnitsa, in Ukraine, went on a visit to Turkey, upon an invitation to conduct an introductory seminar about the ICDP programme, at the university in Istanbul. The seminar generated considerable interest in ICDP, and as a result, a professor from Ankara, who attended the seminar, joined Maria’s efforts to establish ICDP in Turkey. They collaborated together on organizing an ICDP training workshop in Ankara, in June 2020. However, the workshop had to be cancelled due to the difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In 2021, Maria moved from Ukraine to live in Antalya, where she established cooperation with Dr. Ali Babaoğlu Jungian Psychodrama Sociodrama and Public Mental Health Institute. Through this association she intends to run ICDP courses for Russian and Turkish speaking families and caregivers. During the year, she worked on translating the ICDP materials into Turkish and prepared ICDP leaflets and other material.
In 2022, the focus of Maria’s work was on helping Ukrainian refugee families and children, which she undertook through tireless voluntary work. The ICDP Foundation provided a small grant to help with the ICDP training of caregivers in charge of 400 children who found refuge in Turkey, after leaving Ukraine under very difficult circumstances. Maria is keeping in contact with the network of Ukrainian trainers and facilitators who are still living in Ukraine, but also with those who are now abroad, in Poland, Norway, as well other countries.