Guest Lecture on Trauma-Focused Approach
28.5.2025
Guest lecture on the topic of trauma-focused approach: exchange of experience and new horizons of psychosocial support at LTSNU.
On May 27, 2025, a guest lecture was held at Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University for teachers and students of the Departments of Psychology and Social Pedagogy of the Educational and Research Institute of Pedagogy and Psychology. The event was organized within the framework of the international humanitarian project “Multi-sectoral humanitarian aid and resilience building”, funded by the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Germany (GFFO) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The project was implemented by the international charitable organization Malteser International (Cologne, Germany), in Ukraine by the Mental Health Service NGO.
The invited lecturer was Oksana Reviakina, a psychologist, trauma therapist, psychotherapist in the methods of systemic family therapy, EMDR, coordinator of the Mental Health Center and the Mobile Brigade of the Mental Health Service NGO in Kyiv. During the lecture, the specialist revealed an extremely relevant topic: “Trauma-focused approach in the provision of psychosocial services”.
The focus of the event was the EMDR method (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), which is recognized worldwide as one of the most effective approaches to working with the consequences of psychological trauma. This method is based on bilateral brain stimulation (through eye movements, sounds or touch), which helps activate the natural mechanisms of information processing in the human brain.
The founder of the method is Dr. Francine Shapiro (USA), who in the late 1980s drew attention to how eye movements affect the reduction of emotional tension associated with traumatic memories. Since then, EMDR has developed significantly and is used not only to treat PTSD, but also in working with phobias, anxiety, grief, panic attacks, etc.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially recognized EMDR as one of the first-choice methods for working with trauma, along with cognitive behavioral therapy. This scientifically sound and deeply humane approach is gradually gaining popularity in Ukraine, especially in times of war, when traumatic experiences affect a large number of citizens, including children, military personnel, and displaced persons.
During the lecture, the participants not only got acquainted with the theoretical aspects of the method, but also discussed practical examples, shared their own impressions, and asked about the specifics of using EMDR techniques in working with children, families of veterans, and people who have experienced loss or evacuation.
Such meetings are a unique opportunity for the scientific and pedagogical community of Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University to stay abreast of the latest global practices in the field of mental health, improve their professional level, and receive practical tools for working in the face of modern challenges.
We thank the lecturer and organizers for a meaningful and useful event, as well as international partners for their comprehensive support and contribution to the development of the humanitarian sphere in Ukraine.
Together we work for the restoration and sustainability of our society!
Anton NAZMIEV, Assistant Professor of the Psychology Department, Doctor of Philosophy,
Head of the Center for Psychological Restoration and Adaptation of LTSNU
