The Mechanism of Trauma and Working with a Traumatized Society: Lectures by Olena Hrybalska

As part of the Educational Retreat Program “Art Therapy for Resilience and Healing,” Olena Hrybalska held two lectures focused on trauma and approaches to addressing it.

Olena Hrybalska is a Gestalt therapist and EMDR therapist in the process of certification. Her main expertise lies in depth psychotherapy and working with traumatic experiences.

I. Lecture: “The Mechanism of Trauma”
This foundational lecture offers an introduction to trauma work, addressing core concepts such as:

• The nature of psychological trauma and its distinction from shock trauma and developmental trauma;
• Factors contributing to trauma development;
• The five trauma response types (5F);
• Components, symptoms, and long-term effects of trauma.

II. Lecture: “Working with a Traumatized Society”
This follow-up lecture delves into topics including trauma intervention stages, various therapeutic approaches, the role of art therapy, and the importance of grieving, integration, and assimilation. It highlights how these processes contribute to post-traumatic growth and healing.

Both lectures are part of the “Art Therapy for Resilience and Healing” educational retreat program held in cooperation between Vitsche, Art Therapy Force and Sklad 2.0, which united to create a safe space for collective understanding of trauma and acquisition of new skills and healing practices for people with strong psychological consequences of war.

Educational retreat was carried out as part of the GIZ project, which is financed by the IB on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.