SUMMER SCHOOL: TRAUMA-INFORMED ART PRACTICES
From June 18 to 22, 2024, the Summer School on Trauma-Informed Art Practices was held at the Kyiv School of Economics, initiated by Art Therapy Force.
Russian aggression in 2014, followed by a full-scale invasion in 2022, has resulted in widespread trauma amongst much of the Ukrainian population. Conservative figures estimate that 20% of the population have experienced trauma, although the actual numbers may be much higher. In the face of this challenge, we created the Art Therapy Force project, as we believe there is a need to find new ways to respond to this community-wide trauma and the structures that have provoked it – many of which pre-date the actual invasion.
The arts, culture and educational sectors have been instrumental in this search for new methods to respond to the trauma of war and there are numerous examples of excellent, field-defining, work taking place. The goal of the summer school was to develop and advance understanding of the role that the arts, creative sectors and education can play in responding to trauma. It does this by engaging critically with the idea of trauma-informed practice, which we believe can provide the holistic framework needed to bring greater direction, focus and impact to current trauma-engaged work.
Therefore, we focused on trauma-informed practices to better understand how effective this method is in responding to trauma and to create a network of trauma-informed educators, artists, practitioners, psychologists and culture and health specialists that can advocate and push forwards this approach in their specialist areas, and increase the capacity to respond to trauma.
The Summer School adopted an interactive workshop style process led by our facilitator Revaz Tateishvili. The program included lectures from Ukrainian and British experts, seminar discussions, practical workshops, field trips and keynotes. The primary focus was on facilitated discussions and hands-on activities. Twenty-five participants attended the school.
The program began with a panel discussion titled “Responding to War Trauma through Artistic Practices,” featuring Christopher Bailey, Henry Redwood, Veronika Skliarova, and Darren Abrahams. They talked about different ways to address trauma in art. The next day, participants shared their expectations for the school and ttended lectures like “Where it all begins: Art, Communication and Trauma” (Prof Nigel Osborne) and “Trauma-informed approaches in theory and practice” (Dr Angela Kennedy).
Subsequent sessions, including Natalia Kryvda’s talk on “Surviving Collective Trauma through Culture” and Darren Abrahams’ presentation on “The body, trauma, and regulation: Theory and Practice,” deepened our understanding of trauma’s effects and effective response strategies. Other discussions covered identity, memory, art, activism, and emancipation (Anton Liagusha, Beronika Skliarova, Henry Redwood). Darren Abrahams’ workshops allowed participants to engage firsthand in trauma-informed art practices based on his community-focused methods.
Field research focused on collective trauma, memory, and commemorative practices. Led by Anton Liagusha and students from the “Memory Studies and Public History” program at the Kyiv School of Economics, we explored exhibits featuring destroyed Russian military equipment and the Wall of Remembrance for Ukraine’s fallen at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery. These displays honor Ukrainian military personnel who lost their lives defending the country during the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Participants also visited the “Out of the Shadows” exhibition by the War Childhood Museum at the Taras Shevchenko National Museum. This exhibit showcased personal items and stories from children and teenagers, offering insights into their wartime experiences. A tour of the exhibition and a discussion with the team paved the way for exploring practical issues related to implementing art projects on war themes, retraumatization, and the psychological safety of the team.
During the school, a roundtable discussion addressed the implementation of trauma-informed practice in policy: participants shared experiences and discussed existing challenges.
The final day of the school focused on the ethics and legal aspects of art therapy (Valeria Polska), innovative technologies for diagnosing trauma and mental health (Serhiy Danilov), and concluded with a summary and outlining the next steps for future work in this field.
As a result of the Summer School, we plan to create and publish methodological materials on the main aspects and prospects of trauma-informed practices in Ukraine. Stay tuned for updates!
Speakers
Christopher Bailey is the Head of the Arts and Health Department at the World Health Organization, the founder of the Healing Arts Initiative, which researches the impact of art on health and brings together scientists from around the world. He is also the co-founder of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab.
The lab focuses on researching the evidence base for the health benefits of art, establishing a global network of research centers to study effective practices and the fundamental science behind how art can enhance physical, mental, and social well-being.
Anton Liahusha is the Dean of the Faculty of Master’s Social and Humanitarian Studies at the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE).
He holds a PhD in History and is a researcher at The New School University Consortium (New York). He has taught courses at George Mason University. An expert in public history, historical narratology, and media communications, he has experience in implementing international projects in the humanities.
Angela Kennedy is a consultant clinical psychologist who comes from senior leadership roles in the NHS and Integrated Care System. She has been at the forefront of developing Trauma Informed Approaches in the UK and immersed in system change and compassionate leadership developments.
Angela has worked in Mental Health since 1990 and works to evolve and adapt our processes to actively support the needs of people with trauma and adversity through healthy work based cultures, systems and leadership. She has set up and run a growing network for TI ambassadors across the UK, delivered programmes of change and research and has been on the board of trauma charities.
Henry Redwood is a lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London. His work examines how communities are formed through, and as a result of, war, with a specific interest in the role that law, archives, and aesthetics play in this process.
Henry has received several research council grants to support this work (ESRC and AHRC), and he has been widely published, including a monograph with Cambridge in 2021 titled “Archival Politics of International Courts”. Henry regularly collaborates with practitioners as part of his research and engagement, including the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Opera Circus, BlkBrd Collective, and Mark Neville. He has co-produced several public exhibitions and artworks, including “Undiscernible” (2019) and “The Notebook” (2020) with Vladimir Miladinović.
Darren Abrahams is a singer, coach, trauma therapist and trainer working internationally to support changemaking leaders navigate crises while prioritising wellbeing.
Darren is co-founder of The Human Hive, a social enterprise with the ambition to train 8 million regenerative ChangeMakers by 2030. He is on the steering team of The Complete Freedom of Truth, an international youth-led project developing global youth citizenship through culture and the arts, and serves as a trainer and Wellbeing Adviser for Musicians Without Borders, where he trains musicians to use music for peacebuilding. Darren is co-founder of the One World Orchestra, an inter-cultural ensemble of musicians based in the UK, exploring the idea of ‘Home’ through music. Additionally, he co-presents the Conscious Creative Leadership podcast with Nadine Benjamin MBE, discussing leadership in the 21st Century. Darren is an expert at helping people feel safe while bringing communities together for healing.
Nigel Osborne is a composer, art therapist, and expert in using music and art to support children traumatized by war. He developed his method during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995) and later applied it in the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Middle East, East Africa, Southwest Asia, and India.
He was also been awarded the Freedom Prize of the Peace Institute, Sarajevo, for his work for Bosnian children during the siege of the city. Osborne has worked actively in human rights initiatives, Workers’ Defence Committee in Poland (1970–1989), Citizens’ Forum and the Jazz Section with Václav Havel in former Czechoslovakia (1987–1989), for Syrian refugee support organisations. During the genocide Osborne worked directly for the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina. From 2012 until 2014, Osborne served as co-chair of the Global Agenda Committee for Arts in Society for the World Economic Forum.
Nataliia Kryvda is the Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, a Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, and a Professor at the Department of Ukrainian Philosophy and Culture at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
Nataliia specializes in the history of culture, the history of mythology, issues of identity, and cultural memory. She serves as the Academic Director of the MBA program at the Edinburgh Business School. Since 2014, she has volunteered as the chief expert of the “Culture” group for the Reanimation Package of Reforms.
Revaz Tateishvili is the co-coordinator of the HUB Public Initiatives project and the founder of the social business “HOSTI”. He has been a trainer for the international network Teodor Heuss Kolleg since 2015.
He is interested in synergies in the field of social entrepreneurship education, collaborations for the development of businesses and NGOs in Eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donetsk region, networking and meaningful partnerships, and creating development strategies for organizations and cities.
Valeria Polska is an art therapist and resilience trainer for organizations and communities. She is a member of the American Art Therapy Association and the All-Ukrainian Art Therapy Association.
Serhii Danylov is the co-founder of Anima, the founder and CEO of Beehiveor Academy and R&D Labs, PhD, and a neurobiologist with 20 years of lecturing and research experience at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. He is an associate professor at the Dobrobut Academy and a lecturer at KMBS.
He studies oculomotor behavior and attention processes in mental disorders and learning processes using computer vision tools, neuromarketing research, and brain functional asymmetries.
The summer school was organized by the NGO “ART DOT” in partnership with and financially supported by the Kyiv School of Economics, King’s College London, and Opera Circus.
This project became possible thanks to the collaboration and support of Professor Nigel Osborne, The Human Hive, Innovation for Wellbeing, Christopher Bailey, Tina Ellen Lee and the British Council.
The National Psychological Association is the informational partner.
Participants' Feedback
Yevheniia Marchuk
First of all, the school sessions became a form of healing for me, as I had no strength to live at that time. By the last meetings, I could already feel how much they were helping. My strength is gradually returning: I use the practices or recall the strong people from the school and realize I must keep moving forward.
Secondly, I finished writing a children’s opera incorporating music therapy techniques, and I hope it will be staged next season.
Thirdly, my approach to organizing music events for vulnerable populations has changed. I’ve become more courageous in communication and act more decisively.
Fourthly, I now have followers in the field of music therapy—people who took part in the events and decided to dedicate themselves to this work. So we continue to make music and bring healing!
Natalia Shapovalova
This was a wonderful opportunity to expand my knowledge about the trauma-informed approach through art and to be inspired by the practical experiences of others. The program was interesting and rich, featuring incredible lecturers who were fully with us the entire time, allowing for direct communication even outside of lectures. I would like to commend the organization and the team that worked on this project. As always with Art Therapy Force, it was a relevant and timely project that meets, and perhaps even shapes, the demand/changes/reforms/dialogue/discussion. Thank you for the opportunity to participate and learn.
Seila Fernández Arconada
This summer school was very meaningful to me, it gave me not only tools to further develop but also personal exchanges that builded upon a more informed trauma learning. As artist researcher working from practice, it is important to have words and perspectives from other disciplines to articulate and share, thanks for the opportunity.
Olena Karadzhi
It was a really interesting and thought-provoking experience, with speakers who truly and sincerely want to contribute to our society’s development. We owe them a huge thanks for that.
Yuliia Porplenko
I’m grateful for organizing the summer school, grateful for the opportunity to learn and be among wonderful and interesting people.
Anastasiia Komlikova
I sincerely thank the organizers for the rich and engaging program, powerful speakers, and highly valuable experience!
The Summer School helped me, as the leader of a large concert ensemble, to develop new directions in our work—especially mental health support programs using Ukrainian folklore for both adults and children.
Maryna Sava
The school helped me better understand what I want professionally. I managed to uncover personal inner resources that I later directed toward my work with clients. I especially appreciated all the body-based techniques—they are the first thing to turn to during challenging times.
Olha Hryshchuk
Right after the training, we conducted a workshop for managers and representatives of Administrative Services Centers (CNAPs) in the Zhytomyr region. We continue sharing much of the knowledge from the training with others. The resilience model presented by Darren turned out to be incredibly useful—I use it all the time. I also frequently draw on (especially in educational work) the information shared by Nataliia Kryvda.
At our NGO, Alliance for Resilience, we developed a training course to support veterans, in which we also plan to include elements of the trauma-informed approach. Overall, I gained many personal insights and met some incredible people. For all of that, I’m deeply grateful.
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