| SPEAKERS OF THE 7TH SYMPOSIUM
PhD, psychologist, gestalt therapist, trainer and supervisor
LARYSA DIDKOVSKA
Lecture "How Three Years of War have Changed Us (Results of Empirical Research of Ukrainian Psychotherapists)"
Results of Empirical Research of Ukrainian Psychotherapists - this study has been conducted for the UUAP and EAP Joint Symposia. It is a piece of empirical research, conducted just as the full-scale war in Ukraine is having a profound impact on Ukrainian Psychotherapists. A full account of the research will be presented for the first time, and discussed.
Larysa Didkovska, PhD, psychologist, gestalt therapist, trainer and supervisor. The member of the Ukrainian Umbrella Association of Psychotherapy (since 1996), Gestalt therapist with The European Certificate of Psychotherapy (since 2001), Head of the section of Gestalt-therapy of the UUAP (since 2002), the member of Ontario Association of Consultants, Counselors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists (since 2004), President of the Ukrainian Association of Gestalt-therapy (since 2006), Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, Ukrainian Free University (Munich, Germany) (since 2009), Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv , Ukraine (since 2010), the member of EAGT (since 2018)..
Psychotherapist working in Person-Centered and Experiential Approach
OLEKSANDR MIRONENKO
Lecture "Life and Survival in Times of Exhaustion, Grief and Loss of Hope"
This presentation is dedicated to the end of the 3rd year of full-scale war of Russia in Ukraine. The phases of war which correlate with E. Kubler-Ross curve. Two important human existential experiences – Resilience and Vitality (or taken together – Inner Strength) are discussed as the main pre-requisite for survival and life in the times of war, ambiguity and exhaustion. Humour as one of the best expressions and sources of Vitality.
Oleksandr Mironenko, psychotherapist working in Person-Centered and Experiential Approach. Member of the UUAP, EAP and WAPCEPS. Registrar of the National Awarding Organization of the UUAP. For more than 30 years worked as Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy for postgraduate training, Lviv National Medical University. Now is a lecturer of the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ukrainian Catholic University.
Licensed mental health counselor and expressive arts therapist
NATHALIE ROBELOT-TIMTCHENKO
Lecture "Renewed Hope in the Face of Burnout"
A combined workshop and lecture aimed at renewing hope and addressing burnout among those in the helping profession. This session offers an experiential journey through art, writing, and music-based directives, fostering introspection and resilience when hope feels elusive. Alongside this hands-on experience, the lecture will share the work of First Aid of the Soul, highlighting the vision and mission of offering support for the supporters. Participants will gain practical self-care tools and strategies to effectively support others, ensuring continued inspiration and resilience in their practice. This enriching experience underscores the critical role of hope in mental health for both practitioners and the communities they serve.
Nathalie Robelot-Timtchenko holds a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts the founding university for expressive arts therapies. She is a professional member of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association [IEATA] and the European Federation of Art Therapy [EFAT]. While most of her life was spent cross-culturally, the last eight years were in Kyiv, Ukraine. Ukraine is home for Nathalie.
Nathalie has over a decade of clinical experience working with groups, individuals, and families within a variety of settings as well as cultures. Nathalie’s expertise is in working with individuals facing challenges related to self-worth, acculturation, displacement, complex trauma, crisis, suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, family conflict, and interpersonal difficulties. Nathalie founded and directs First Aid of the Soul which offers free psychosocial and emotional support services to those being affected by Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Nathalie’s spouse is Ukrainian, and they both have many dear friends, family, and loved ones there now that are being tremendously affected by the recent atrocities from Russia's war against Ukraine.
PhD, psychologist, psychotherapist of national and international registries
VOLODYMYR KARIKASH
PhD, Associate Professor, psychologist, psychotherapist of national and international registries
LIUDMYLA MOSKALENKO
Lecture "Psychotherapy on the Path to Trans-culturalism in Times of War"
The unprecedented challenges faced by Ukrainian psychotherapists over three years of full-scale war have, on the one hand, led to the acquisition of new experiences and, on the other, raised questions about expanding the traditional perception of psychotherapy as a "cabinet profession" focused on the problems of an individual patient or their immediate environment.
It is proposed to recognize the limiting influence of the primary professional background (medical doctor, psychologist) on the formation of a psychotherapist’s professional identity in order to broaden their role by incorporating their worldview position as one of the acknowledged factors in psychotherapy. In turn, worldview self-identity is shaped by three primary social character types: collectivism, individualism, and a transcultural perspective. It is precisely the transcultural worldview of the psychotherapist that creates the opportunity to expand the self-identity of all participants in the process of healing and development.
Volodymir Karikash, PhD, psychologist, psychotherapist of national and international registries (UAP, EAP, WAPP). Director of the Ukrainian-German Center for Positive Psychotherapy (1997-2005), Head of the section of PPT of the UAP (since 2005), President of the Ukrainian Association of Positive Psychotherapy (2006 – 2021), co-founder and director of the Ukrainian Institute of Positive Psychotherapy (2006–2022), Editor-in-Chief of the Pozitum Ukraine magazine (since 2007), Honoured Member of World Association for Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy.
Liudmyla Moskalenko, PhD, Associate Professor; psychologist, psychotherapist of national and international registries (UAP, EAP, WAPP). President of the Ukrainian Association of Positive Psychotherapy. Chairman of the Council of the Ukrainian Institute of Positive Psychotherapy, member of the Executive Board of the World Association of Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy (WAPP).
MD, PhD, psychiatrist, psychodynamic psychotherapist, group analyst
EUGENIJUS LAURINAITIS
MD, PhD, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, teaching therapist and supervisor
ROMAN KECHUR
Large Therapy Group
Our Sixth Symposium included a Sociodrama which was powerful, healing and successful. Therefore, in our Seventh Symposium we have decided to hold a large therapy group for the participants to explore the impacts of war.
Prof. Eugenijus Laurinaitis, MD, PhD, psychiatrist, psychodynamic psychotherapist since 1977, group analyst since 1995, member of the Board of EAP since 1992, Chair of the Membership Committee of EAP 2001-2013, President of EAP 2013-2015, Secretary General of EAP 2017-2023. Founder and teacher of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy course of Vilnius University 1992 – 2022, teacher and supervisor of Group analysis training course of Vilnius University from 2001 till now. Teaching psychodynamic psychotherapy and group analysis internationally (Latvia, Estonia, Poland).
Roman Kechur, MD, PhD, Head of the Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy of the Ukrainian Catholic University, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, teaching therapist and supervisor of the Ukrainian Union of Psychotherapists and the European Confederation of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapies, Chairman of the Training Council and Secretariat of the Ukrainian Union of Psychotherapists. President of the Ukrainian Confederation of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapies, Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian Psychotherapeutic University.
Psychotherapist, consultant and advisor
PATRICIA HUNT FRSA
Chair and Moderator
Patricia Hunt FRSA is Former President of the European Association for Psychotherapy, Chair of the UUP and EAP Collaborative Group, and Chair of the Symposiums. In 2022 she was made a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts in recognition of her work as President of EAP, and in the Health and University Sectors in the UK. She is a World Council for Psychotherapy Board Member. Patricia was Head of Department for Psychotherapy and Counselling at the University of Nottingham UK. She founded a new Psychotherapy Department in the University of Ningbo, China, Nottingham University’s international campus. Former Vice Chair of the UK Council for Psychotherapy and International Officer. Patricia is a Psychotherapist, Consultant and Advisor.
Patricia Hunt FRSA is the Chair and Moderator of the Symposium.
Supervisor and Training analyst
OLEXANDER FILTS
Opening speech
Olexander Filts is President of the Ukrainian Umbrella Association of Psychotherapists (UUAP). He is Professor at the Lviv National Medical University, Head of the Department of Psychiatry and Postgraduate Psychotherapy, Honorary Sigmund Freud Professor at the University of Vienna, President of EAP in 2005-2007, Member of the Scientific Commission of the International Sigmund Freud Foundation, Supervisor and Training Analyst in Ukraine.
Olexander Filts will give an opening speech at the opening of the Symposium.
Head of the Psychodrama Section of the UUAP
OLENA STUPAK
Moderator
Olena Stupak, Registered Psychotherapist of the UAAP in the field of psychodrama, training therapist, supervisor of the UUAP. Head of the Psychodrama Section of the UUAP. Full member of the NGO "Ukrainian Association of Specialists in Overcoming the Consequences of Psychotraumatic Events".
She will moderate the final part of the Symposium - the Round table of all speakers.