Crises and widespread uncertainty have become a real challenge for a significant part of humanity, especially for us Armenians, considering the post-war situation, numerous losses, and the forced displacement from Artsakh. In an ever-changing reality, maintaining mental health has become a serious issue for many. The “7 Paths” project, launched within the framework of the Menq & Moonq humanitarian program, aims to support people in crisis, helping them maintain their mental well-being and stability.
The project includes a free interactive self-care workbook called “7 Paths” and a podcast series with ten episodes of the same name. The workbook was authored by clinical psychologist Nare Grigoryan, who has extensive experience working with people living in border regions and those displaced from Artsakh. Its seven sections correspond to the seven areas of life that are most affected by stressful situations: “I Breathe”, “I Am Present”, “My Body”, “My Life Now”, “Calmness/Safety”, “Another Person”, “I Exist”.
Nare Grigoryan explains that while working on “7 Paths” she aimed to present complex psychological topics in the simplest and most accessible way:
“We didn’t overload the material with terminology, making it more inclusive for different layers of our society. I also recommend listening to our podcast discussions in parallel, as they will help approach the topic more deeply.”
Each section of the workbook includes psychological exercises, questions, and space for personal notes about one’s current emotional state. The interactive workbook helps people manage their mental health, differentiate between problems they can control and global issues beyond their influence, and ultimately reduce stress and anxiety.
The workbook’s editor, clinical psychologist Anna Evdokimova, believes that the simple exercises included in the guide will lead to significant improvements in a short time:
“We selected easy and practical techniques that help stabilize emotions during stressful moments. These exercises are accessible to everyone and have proven to be quite effective.”
Each topic in the workbook is thoroughly discussed in the “7 Paths” podcast episodes, complementing the guide. The discussions are led by Narek Amirkhanyan, founder and host of the re:arrange podcast. He emphasizes the importance of such conversations, especially now, when a large part of society is experiencing post-war crises: “The goal of this podcast is to support those going through difficult life phases, helping them overcome crises, focus on the present, and find new paths forward.”
The “7 Paths” podcast is available on our YouTube channel, and the interactive self-care workbook can be downloaded for free here: https://shorturl.at/WFtel.
The Menq & Moonq program is financed by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) in partnership with Sign of Hope (SoH). The project is implemented by the Development Principles NGO.