On June 4, 2025, the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” hosted another art therapy session for 5th-grade students from Poltava Lyceum No. 17 “Intellect.” This time, the focus was on developing emotional resilience, the ability to express feelings, and finding inner strength during challenging life circumstances. The central theme of the workshop was the art therapy technique “My Superpower”, which not only captured the children's interest but also enabled them to discover their uniqueness, individual potential, and personal resources to overcome difficulties.
Lesia Klevaka, PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, and Acting Head of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, conducted the session.
The workshop began with psychogymnastic exercises accompanied by calm, harmonious music. Thanks to physical activity and relaxation techniques, participants were able to release muscle and emotional tension, relieve inner anxiety, and prepare for further creative interaction. This approach helped foster a sense of safety and trust in oneself and others, creating an accepting atmosphere in which children could freely express their emotions.
Special attention was given during the session to the topic of constructively expressing negative emotions, such as fear, anger, anxiety, or irritation. Using playful and nonverbal techniques, the children learned to recognise their emotional states, name them, and find safe ways to express their emotions. This component is especially relevant today, as Ukrainian children are often exposed to high levels of stress, which they may not be able to process on their own. Thus, this direction of work is a crucial step in preventing psycho-emotional disorders and developing emotional regulation skills.
The centrepiece of the session was the creative art therapy activity, “My Superpower”, conducted in a team game format. Children, working in small groups, were given an exciting task: to create their superhero using LEGO bricks. During the process, participants imagined what abilities the hero could possess and what kind of “superpower” they would share with others: the power of kindness, friendship, endurance, helping others, overcoming fears, or being brave and determined. While discussing these qualities, children reflected on what is truly valuable in life and the traits that help them overcome difficulties, support others, and stay strong themselves.
The psychologists leading the session emphasised that the “My Superpower” exercise performs several vital functions: it develops imagination, stimulates creative thinking, builds teamwork and negotiation skills, and fosters awareness of one’s positive qualities. Children begin to understand that they have the power to influence their lives and surroundings, even at a young age. This exercise promotes higher self-esteem, a positive and coherent self-image, and greater belief in one's capabilities, which is vitally important for maintaining mental health during childhood.
In addition, through creating superheroes, participants learned to respect each team member’s individuality, listen to and hear one another, share ideas, and support each other’s initiatives. This type of interaction encourages social development, nurtures tolerance and openness, and fosters the building of trusting relationships within a group.
At the end of the workshop, the children presented their superheroes, spoke about their abilities, and discussed how these traits could benefit them in everyday life. This final stage sparked genuine enthusiasm, mutual support, positive feedback, and a sense of pride in their achievements. All the children left the session with positive emotions, new insights about themselves, and a fulfilling experience of creative self-expression.
Art therapy workshops at Poltava Polytechnic are part of a broader mental health support program for children affected by the war, social changes, and loss. The goal of these activities is to support emotional well-being, increase self-awareness, master self-soothing techniques, and restore inner resources. In this context, art therapy serves as an effective tool not only for psychological support but also for nurturing personal strength, resilience, and faith in one’s abilities.
The event demonstrated that art, play, and communication can serve as powerful platforms for healing, development, and unity. Each session is a step toward deeper self-understanding, strengthening the child’s inner world, and laying a solid emotional foundation for their future.
This session marked another meaningful step in the implementation of the Erasmus+ KA220-ADU TRUST project – Trauma of refugees in Europe: An approach through art therapy as a solidarity program for Ukraine war victims (Grant No. 2024-BE01-KA220-ADU-000257527). The project is co-funded by the EU and led by the Centre Neuro Psychiatrique St-Martin from Belgium, in partnership with the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” (Ukraine), Greek Carers Network EPIONI (Greece), Fondazione Don Luigi Di Liegro (Italy), Lekama Foundation (Luxembourg), EuroPlural Project (Portugal).
Additionally, Poltava Polytechnic is currently conducting a series of art therapy sessions as part of the TRUST project. These sessions have included symbolic activities such as designing personal coats of arms to represent inner values, sources of strength and hope; associative drawing exercises; the “Relationships” activity aimed at reflecting on personal connections with loved ones, community, and country; discussions around “What does mental health mean to me?”; neurographic drawing; and immersion in body-oriented therapy where movement, dance, and physical expression become key tools for emotional release and recovery, worked with metaphorical associative cards, practiced associative reflection of thoughts on paper and explored the symbolism of the elements of nature and their direct impact on the human psyche and emotional state, plunged into music and daram therapy and took part in a unique art therapy session on neurography titled “My Tree of Life”, worked with metaphorical cards and the Nossrat Pezeshkian psychotherapeutic model, сreated drawings depicting a personal “Tree of Power”.
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