UKRAINIAN AND EUROPEAN PSYCHOTHERAPY ALLIANCE NINTH SYMPOSIUM
"ANGER, HUMOUR, CONNECTION AND LOVE"
Save the date:
Friday November 14th 2025
These four elements of human experience are all so important for Ukrainians to pay attention to as they cope with the full-scale war, which has lasted for almost four years.
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Our Ninth Symposium, organised by the Ukrainian and European Psychotherapy Alliance, will focus on the theme “Anger, Humour, Connection and Love.” These four elements of human experience are all so important for Ukrainians to pay attention to as they cope with the full-scale war, which has lasted for almost four years.
We will begin with a whole group session of Narrative Systemic Therapy conducted by two Systemic Family Therapists from Ukraine – Olena Stupak and Olena Dobrodniak. We will all have the opportunity to share our experiences of anger, humour, connection and love and a reflecting team will respond. This will be a powerful and moving beginning to our Symposium.
Our speakers for the Ninth Symposium, who are all giving their time and expertise freely, are:
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Professor Mirjana Mavrak from Sarajevo, exploring the importance of humour during times of war.
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Oleh Gukovsky and Anatoly Gargaun, two Ukrainian Psychotherapists who are currently serving their country at Ground Zero on the frontline of the war in Ukraine. We are incredibly privileged that they will speak to the Symposium about their experiences.
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Lyudmyla Kolisnyk from Aarhus University, Denmark, and Vibeke Lubanski from the Danish Psychotherapy Association, who are conducting research based on the retreats which EAP is organising for Ukrainian Psychotherapists.
There will be small group discussions, and a Round Table for questions to all the speakers at the end of the Symposium.
We cordially invite all European Psychotherapists to join with Ukrainian Psychotherapists in this Ninth Symposium on Friday November 14th. These Symposia are one part of EAP’s support for Ukraine during the full-scale war.
The idea of the Symposia has proved to be visionary and highly successful, with more than 1,000 Psychotherapists registering for each of the Symposiums we have held so far. The feedback has been incredibly positive, and it seems that the Symposia are helping to strengthen Ukrainian Psychotherapist’s resilience. It is vital for our Ukrainian colleagues to have the opportunity to be connected with, and in relationship with, colleagues from other European countries as they face their challenging lives in the present and prepare for their future. We welcome you to join us!
| UUAP AND EAP ALLIANCE
In October 2022, at the invitation of the then President of EAP Patricia Hunt FRSA, senior members of the Executive of the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP) started to meet regularly with senior members of the Ukrainian Umbrella Association of Psychotherapy (UUAP). The aim was, and still is, to provide support to Ukrainian Psychotherapists in this terrible time of war. When EAP asked “What help can we give you?”, the answer was “Please help us to organise Symposiums for Ukrainian Psychotherapists to support them in their work during the war”.
Board members of the Alliance
| SCHEDULE: 9th SYMPOSIUM
PLEASE NOTE: all times given here are Central European Time (CET).
FIRST SESSION
9.30am - 12.00 noon CET
9.15am
Introduction to the technical details of the Symposium.
9.30am
Openin Addresses.
Patricia Hunt FRSA, Chair of the Ukrainian and European Psychotherapy Alliance, Former President of the European Association for Psychotherapy.
Professor Anastasia Sklyaruk, Ukrainian Umbrella Association of Psychotherapy.
10.00am
Whole Symposium Thematic Group Sharing Experiences of Anger, Humour, Connection and Love.
Conducted by Olena Stupak (Head of the Psychodrama Section of the UUAP) and Olena Dobrodnyak (systemic family psychotherapist, training therapist, supervisor of the SFT section of the UUAP).
The Thematic Large Group will be conducted using the method of Reflecting Team. This method was created by Tom Anderson. According to this approach the group of therapists or colleagues watches the main discussion, and then openly shares their own feelings and warm non-judging reflections concerning what moved them in the discussion. The Reflecting Team will be the members of the Ukrainian and European Psychotherapy Alliance. The aim is to enrich the perspective of the Group, to create thespace for new senses and possibilities, and to focus on the main resonant themes of Anger, Humour, Connection and Love.
12.00 noon
Coffee break.
SECOND SESSION
12.15pm - 1.15pm CET
12.15pm
“Humour as Life Support in Difficult Circumstances.”
Professor Mirjana Mavrak, Sarajevo.
12.55pm
“Love, Death, Psycho-Mobiles and Dogs.”
Oleh Hukovsky, Military Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist, Captain of Ukrainian Military Forces.
1.15pm
Lunch break.
THIRD SESSION
1.40pm - 4.00pm CET
1.40pm
"Emotions Empowering the Warrior (and not only)."
Anatoly Gargaun, MD. Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist, Lieutenant of Medical Service of Military Forces of Ukraine.
Anatoly Gargaun is currently in such dangerous circumstances that he may be able to be present at the Symposium or may speak via a pre-recorded video. We thank Anatoly for his courage to speak whilst in danger.
2.00pm
“Retreat-Based Practice: Resource Components and their Impact of the Psycho-emotional wellbeing of Ukrainian Psychotherapists and Psychologists in the Context of the Ongoing War.”
Vibeke Lubanski (European Room for Listening) and Lyudmyla Kolisnyk (PhD, counseling psychologist).
2.30pm
Small Group Discussions.
3.00pm
Round Table of all Speakers.
Moderators: Larysa Didkovska and Eugenijus Laurinaitis.
4.00pm
Close of the Symposium.
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Alliance of Ukrainian and European Psychotherapists
Ukrainian And European Psychotherapy Alliance Eighth Symposium
“In Search ff Truth and Humanity in Our Time”
CONTACTS
If you have any questions, please contact us:
Technical manager Martin Vitkus
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Call us from the European Union or if you want to speak English: 00 370 686 96520 (Martin)
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Call us from Ukraine or if you want to speak Ukrainian: 00 380 977 667526 (Roksolana)