Our Work
Heal Ukraine Trauma is the first initiative of Heal Traumas International, Inc., a mental health 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2022.
Our goal is to help Ukrainian veterans and their families heal from the trauma of war so that they can live fulfilling, productive lives. We work with trauma experts and Ukrainian partners to scale existing evidence-based programs and pilot innovative solutions across our three integrated program areas:
1) Training and Capacity Building
2) Mental Health Service Provision
3) Public Education and Advocacy
We engage our global network to help us achieve maximum impact as we deliver localized, scalable, community-based care. Please reach out if you would like to collaborate with us!
Training and Capacity Building
Creating sustainable models that empower Ukrainian therapists and meet the growing demand for effective, scalable mental health interventions.
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Heal Ukraine Trauma has developed Ukraine’s first Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) training program and the world’s first group-based psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) model designed specifically for veterans. With an estimated 11 million people projected to need psychosocial support in Ukraine, scalable approaches that move beyond traditional one-to-one care are essential.
HUT’s Group KAP model leverages ketamine’s demonstrated effectiveness and legal status in Ukraine to deliver timely, high-impact care while maximizing limited clinical resources. Group-based treatment not only expands access for veterans but also reduces stigma and fosters peer connection and collective healing. This model also establishes a foundation for future group-based psychedelic therapies, should additional medicines become legally available in Ukraine.
Following a successful pilot in Kyiv that trained eight Ukrainian therapists, HUT expanded the program in 2025 by training an additional 16 psychiatrists and psychologists. All 24 HUT-trained clinicians are now providing Group KAP to Ukrainian veterans under structured, international clinical supervision.
In February 2026, HUT will launch Cohorts 4 and 5, training 16 additional Ukrainian clinicians and further expanding national capacity to deliver evidence-based, trauma-informed care for veterans across Ukraine. Learn more here.
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Heal Ukraine Trauma is providing support for an ongoing randomized controlled trial in Ukraine to assess the effectiveness of adding a parenting module to the Teaching Recovery Techniques program. The program partners for this study are Queen Mary University, Ternopil University, UNICEF, “All Ukrainian NGO Volunteers”, Children and War Foundation, and the Department of Education in Ternopil. The study will enroll 226 children and has so far screened 4,500 children ages 8-13 and found that 40% have above-threshold PTSD symptoms. Learn more here.
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In 2025, Heal Ukraine Trauma supported the introduction of 3MDR (Multi-modular Motion-assisted Memory Desensitization and Reconsolidation) — an innovative trauma therapy that combines virtual reality, movement, and psychotherapy to help veterans process traumatic memories safely and effectively. Implemented at the Lisova Polyana Mental Health and Rehabilitation Center under the guidance of Professor Eric Vermetten, one of the world’s leading experts in military psychiatry, 3MDR enables participants to walk on a treadmill while interacting with personalized VR imagery and engaging in guided dialogue with a therapist. In 2025–2026, the program will expand through structured training, clinical supervision, and data collection, strengthening Ukraine’s national capacity for evidence-based trauma care.
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Heal Ukraine Trauma partnered with Fluence, a leader in psychedelic therapy training, and the Ukrainian Psychedelic Research Association to make Fluence’s introductory course on psychedelic-assisted therapy available for free in Ukrainian for psychologists and medical doctors addressing war-related trauma. Read more about the initiative here.
Mental Health Service Provision
Partnering with Ukrainian organizations to provide effective, localized mental health services that serve the communities that need them most.
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Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) is an evidence-based program that helps children living in conflict and disaster settings process traumatic stress at an early stage, reducing the risk of more severe mental health challenges later in life. Developed by the nonprofit Children & War, TRT has been used in Ukraine since 2014.
In 2023, Heal Ukraine Trauma partnered with the All-Ukrainian NGO “Volunteers” to deliver TRT to 648 children. In 2024 and 2025, the program expanded significantly, bringing the total number of children reached to over 1,500 across multiple regions of Ukraine. Building on this success, HUT plans to continue scaling the program in 2026 to reach even more war-affected children.
The TRT program is delivered in five weekly sessions, each lasting approximately two hours, and teaches practical mind-body techniques to support stress management, emotional regulation, and trauma processing. Program evaluations consistently show positive outcomes, with the majority of children reporting the program as helpful and demonstrating measurable improvement on standardized mental health assessments by the end of the course.
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Heal Ukraine Trauma has successfully completed three veteran treatment groups through its Group Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (G-KAP) program, an innovative and evidence-based approach to treating depression and PTSD among Ukrainian veterans. These groups are facilitated by Ukrainian psychologists and psychiatrists trained through HUT’s G-KAP Training Program and delivered under ongoing clinical supervision.
Ukraine faces a growing mental health crisis among its veterans. The Ministry of Veterans Affairs estimates that more than half of combat veterans experience symptoms of at least one mental health disorder, while many do not respond to conventional treatments. HUT developed the G-KAP model to provide a scalable, affordable, and effective option for veterans living with war-related trauma.
Currently, KAP is largely limited to private clinics in Ukraine, placing it out of reach for many veterans. HUT is working to close this gap by directly funding veteran treatment groups in partnership with leading rehabilitation centers and organizations such as United Humanitarian Front (UHF).
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Heal Ukraine Trauma recognizes the profound mental health toll the war has placed on military families. In 2025, HUT launched trauma-informed support groups to provide spouses and caregivers with practical tools for managing stress, building resilience, and connecting with others facing similar challenges.
To date, HUT has supported more than 50 women, with additional groups ongoing. Cohorts are intentionally designed for specific experiences, including spouses of active-duty service members, spouses of those missing in action or held in captivity, and parents whose children are serving in the military. This tailored approach strengthens trust, safety, and peer support.
In partnership with United Humanitarian Front (UHF), HUT continues to expand these groups to reach more military families navigating prolonged uncertainty and loss.
Public Education and Advocacy
Advocating for innovative, evidence-based treatments that enable Ukrainian veterans and their families to receive the most effective mental health care.
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In 2023, Heal Ukraine Trauma sponsored the first medical conference on Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) in Ukraine for the treatment of PTSD. Organized by the Ukrainian Psychedelics Research Association (UPRA) and hosted by the Forest Glade military rehabilitation hospital, this event featured international experts presenting scientific and clinical data on PAT. Veterans shared personal experiences, and the conference was viewed online by over 12,000 people. This landmark event sparked discussions about the potential legalization of PAT in Ukraine, increased awareness of PAT as a breakthrough therapy for trauma-related mental health conditions and led to a government roundtable to explore approval pathways. Working groups with key stakeholders were established to address the necessary requirements.
In September 2024, HUT, in collaboration with UPRA and the Forest Glade Centre for Mental Health and Rehabilitation, hosted a Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) Symposium in Kyiv. This groundbreaking event brought together key stakeholders to explore the science of ketamine, hear insights from professionals in the field, and discuss KAP projects currently being implemented in Ukraine. The symposium fostered the growth of a therapeutic community committed to advancing KAP as an effective mental health intervention. Events like this continue to pave the way for innovative therapies to address the mental health crisis affecting millions in Ukraine.
In May 2025, HUT hosted an open, educational event at Kyiv’s Veteran Hub, bringing together veterans, mental health practitioners, and professionals committed to healing the invisible wounds of war. At the center of the discussion was Group Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (G-KAP) as a treatment for severe PTSD. HUT team members Oksana Gryshchenko, Amy Goodrich, and Dr. Simon Ruffell presented the organization’s work, highlighting how G-KAP is being implemented in Ukraine to support veterans.
The HUT team remains actively engaged in psychedelic education, legalization, and advocacy, representing Ukraine at conferences worldwide.
Read more about HUT’s 2025 global participation here.
