Conducting a lecture-training

Psychologists of the Department of General Scientific, Social and Behavioral Disciplines of the Odesa Institute of PJSC “Higher Educational Institution ‘Interregional Academy of Personnel Management’” continue the implementation of the socio-psychological project “Art in Psychology, Psychology in Art”.
The project was launched in March 2022 — at the beginning of the full-scale war — with the first lecture-training session, which generated genuine interest among teachers, students, and practitioners from different cities of Ukraine. The uniqueness of the approach lies in combining theoretical knowledge from art studies with practical psychological tools for working with traumatic experiences aimed at supporting individuals’ psychological well-being.
On March 31, 2026, the ninth training session within the project took place, dedicated to exploring the possibilities of art therapy and its modern approaches, in particular fairy tale therapy, storytelling, and neurographic drawing.
In the first part of the training, art therapist, PhD/MKA, Head of the Odesa Regional Resource Center for Inclusive Education Support of the Municipal Higher Education Institution “Odesa Academy of Continuing Education of the Odesa Regional Council,” Olena Balbuza conducted an original art therapy exercise using the image of a rose. Participants had the opportunity to express their feelings, share emotions, and, through creativity, reflect on their own life stories.
In the second part of the training, Doctor of Philosophy, Associate Professor, psychologist, and Head of the Department, Alla Nerubasska, together with the participants, immersed themselves in the symbolic world of art through fairy-tale images of birds. The central element of the practical work was neurographic drawing of the Firebird — a symbol of strength, warmth, and inner resources.
During the practical session, each participant created their own image of the Firebird as a symbol of support, inspiration, and life energy. Participants explored the influence of colors on emotional states and learned to find internal resources even in difficult periods of life.
As a result of participation in the training, all participants received certificates of professional development under the program “Psycho-emotional Stability in Wartime” with a duration of 6 hours (0.2 ECTS credits).
We sincerely thank all participants of the training for their activity, openness to new knowledge, meaningful interaction, and commitment to developing psychological culture and maintaining mental health. Your participation is an important contribution to building a community of mutual support, professional growth, and humanistic values.
Art therapy is a gentle path to self-discovery. It does not require special artistic skills — only openness to feel, see, and accept one’s own emotions.
We invite everyone interested to join the next training within the project “Art in Psychology, Psychology in Art,” which is planned to take place in October 2026.