Local Project Activities
Local art therapy meetings are an important part of Poltava Polytechnic’s practical contribution to TRUST. They connect creativity and conversation with attention to people’s experiences of prolonged war. Sessions explore emotions, safety, personal resources, family relationships, memories of home and mutual support.
Formats vary according to participants’ ages, circumstances and needs. Some focus on drawing and collage; others involve movement, music, stories, natural materials or collective artwork. This variety offers different ways of expressing experiences that can be difficult to put into words.
Support for Internally Displaced Persons
For people forced to leave home, important concerns include re-establishing everyday rhythms, finding support in unfamiliar surroundings and retaining connections with their own histories. TRUST meetings offer opportunities to be heard, meet others and participate in shared creative activity.
The university engages displaced students and people of different ages living in the dormitories of Poltava Oil and Gas Vocational College. Topics include “My Inner Fear”, “Transforming Thoughts in the Context of War”, “Music in Colour” and “My Safe Space”, alongside other practices exploring emotions and personal resources.
PsychoArt Student Activities
PsychoArt student meetings connect reflection on current emotions with creative images and self-care. They engage young people with different life experiences, including displaced students and those whose families have been directly affected by war.
Activities involve metaphorical cards, fairy-tale narratives, graphic and sensory practices, drawing and shared reflection. Sessions such as “My Inner Strength”, “A Key to Inner Balance” and “Harmony of Sensations” invite students to consider their needs, support networks and personal resources.
Creative Meetings for Children and Families
Children’s activities use age-appropriate play, stories, images of nature, colour and movement. Participants create a “Tree of Strength”, a “Bird of Our Dreams”, images of their own “Superpower”, drawings and collective compositions. Preschool activities connect creative work with interaction and attention to feelings.
A further strand involves mothers and children, including families raising children with disabilities. Adult sessions address family roles, fatigue, personal emotions and sources of support. Creative materials and symbolic images provide a starting point for exploring these issues together.
Activities for Older Adults
Work with older displaced adults pays particular attention to social contact, respect for life experience and participation in shared activities. Sessions explore personal rhythms, memories, sensations, creative choices and mutual support.
“Butterfly Wings”, “Friendly Support”, “Finding Your Rhythm” and “Chocolate Joy” illustrate the different formats used. They connect images, sensory experience, attention to the body and informal conversation, recognising participants’ need for a welcoming and predictable setting.
Artistic Practices and Cultural Resources
Activities at the Centre for Contemporary Art connect artistic and psychological approaches. Participants work with graphic materials, collage, colour, landscapes, natural and recycled materials. Individual pieces can become part of a shared composition in which each person’s contribution remains visible.
Ukrainian cultural heritage also enters the creative process through ornament, traditional imagery and craft practices that open conversations about home, memory and belonging. Movement and music activities extend opportunities for expression through rhythm, sound and embodied interaction.
Art Therapy Sessions and Reports
Integrating Art Therapy into Medical Practice
On 3 November 2025, Maryna Teslenko delivered a guest lecture on integrating art therapy into medical practice at the Poltava Regional Clinical Medical Cardiovascular Centre. The meeting involved rehabilitation and cardiology professionals alongside students studying physical and occupational therapy.
Participants discussed creative approaches within comprehensive medical and psychosocial support and opportunities for professional cooperation. The event extended TRUST engagement beyond the university and opened dialogue with specialists working with patients’ needs.
Art Therapy in Professional Medical Education
Guest lectures on integrating art therapy into medical practice took place in January 2026: at Poltava Basic Professional Medical College on 8 January and at Lebedyn Professional Medical College named after Professor M. I. Sytenko on 12 January. They explored creative approaches in preparing future healthcare professionals.
Discussion considered support for patients, attention to professionals’ own emotional well-being and opportunities to include art therapy tools in education. These exchanges broaden the project’s professional community and connect international work with Ukrainian educational institutions’ needs.
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Contacts and Project Information
TRUST develops through cooperation among partners, professionals, creative activity participants and organisations supporting people affected by war. Its official website brings together information about the consortium, educational resources and main results.
Questions about the international project can be addressed to its team by email. University publications present Poltava Polytechnic’s participation and local activities, while project social media provide further news, photographs and videos.
European Union Support
