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

Our Approach

Heal Ukraine Trauma brings unique value – we focus on areas of urgent need, build collaborative partnerships, and lead expert project teams. 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

  • We are working to create sustainable models that empower Ukrainian therapists and meet the growing demand for effective, scalable mental health interventions. 

  • In 2023, Heal Ukraine Trauma (HUT) 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. 

    Building on this momentum, 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. 

  • Program under development. 

    This program aims to adapt the TRT program manual and evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed adaptations for children with disabilities in Ukraine. Currently, there is no provision in the TRT manual and associated learning materials for children with disabilities. There are around 700,000 children with disabilities in Ukraine and over 40 million children with disabilities living in war zones globally. Children with disabilities are particularly impacted by war and were an underserved population before the conflict in Ukraine. Together with our partners at Children & War and the Yarmachenko Institute of Special Education and Psychology of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, we will pilot the adapted program among a group of 60 children. 

  • 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. 

  • Group Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Training: Heal Ukraine Trauma has developed Ukraine’s first KAP training program and the world’s first group PAT program for veterans. With 11 million people projected to need psychosocial support in Ukraine, scalable solutions that maximize resources and go beyond the traditional 1-to-1 patient-provider model are essential. The group KAP model leverages ketamine’s effectiveness and legal status in Ukraine to deliver immediate, impactful care. This approach not only addresses current needs but also establishes a framework for future psychedelic-assisted group therapy, should other psychedelic medicines become legally available in Ukraine. The pilot successfully trained 8 Ukrainian therapists in Kyiv, who have now transitioned into supervised practice. In 2025, the program will scale to train an additional 48 therapists. Learn more here.  

  • 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.

Mental Health Services Provision

  • We partner with Ukrainian organizations to provide effective mental health services that are localized and serve the communities that need them most.  

  • Currently, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is only available in private clinics in Ukraine, making it financially out of reach for many veterans who need it most. HUT is working to bridge this gap, exploring ways to support veterans in accessing this essential treatment. 

    Beyond direct access, HUT is also advocating for KAP to be recognized as a standard therapy for severe conditions like treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. By supporting legalization and policy efforts, we aim to integrate KAP into state-run medical institutions, ensuring that more veterans can receive life-changing care within the public healthcare system. 

  • Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) is an evidence-based program that helps children in conflict and disaster areas process traumatic stress. TRT addresses the early stages of trauma, preventing mental health issues from intensifying. It was developed by the nonprofit Children & War and has been actively used in Ukraine since 2014.  In 2023, Heal Ukraine Trauma partnered with the “All Ukrainian NGO <Volunteers>” to deliver the program to 648 children. The 6-week, two-hour sessions teach mind-body techniques to help with stress management and trauma processing. Children who participated reported that the program was useful (91%) and showed improvement on standard mental health assessments at the end of the program. 

  • HUT recognizes the immense mental health toll that the war in Ukraine has placed on military families. To address this critical need, HUT launched a Support Group for Military Family Members in 2025. This trauma-informed program offers a safe, welcoming space for participants to learn tools and skills to manage stress, build resilience, and foster a sense of community. 

Public Education and Advocacy

  • We advocate for innovative, evidence-based treatments that enable Ukrainian veterans and their families to receive the most effective mental health care.  

  • In 2023, Heal Ukraine Trauma (HUT) 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. 

    The HUT team remains actively engaged in psychedelic education, legalization, and advocacy, representing Ukraine at conferences worldwide. 

Our Partners