Ukrainian psychiatrists train in Australia to combat war-induced trauma

Amidst a deepening mental health crisis in Ukraine, psychiatrists are traveling thousands of kilometers to Armidale, New South Wales, seeking new strategies to support a nation grappling with the psychological toll of war. An estimated 15 million people in Ukraine need psychological support, according to the International Rescue Committee, with the ongoing conflict inflicting widespread trauma and "moral injuries" on civilians and soldiers alike.

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The whole territory of Ukraine is suffering from war so we cannot divide civilians who are not facing war and military soldiers that are serving in [the] army.

Dr. Antonina Pushko, a psychiatrist from Ivano-Frankivsk, is among a group of Ukrainian mental health specialists participating in a government-funded program in Australia. She highlighted the pervasive nature of the crisis, stating that "the whole territory of Ukraine is suffering from war," making it impossible to separate civilians from military personnel when assessing mental health needs. She noted the high number of "moral injuries" among civilians, as most have family members serving in the army.

In Armidale, a designated refugee settlement area, local clinicians are accustomed to treating patients who have experienced significant trauma. The region has welcomed refugees from Iraq, Syria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 2018, many of whom have escaped harrowing war crimes. Additionally, mental health specialists in the New England region often treat patients for trauma related to natural disasters like drought, fires, and floods, experiences many locals share.

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[The] number of the moral injuries among the civilians is very high because mostly everyone from the civilians has a family member who is serving in the army.

Dr. Pushko described the challenges of providing care in Ukraine, where even basic elements of psychotherapy, like establishing a "safe place," are difficult to maintain amidst constant air alarms and the "pathological normalization" of unsafe conditions. The training in Armidale aims to equip Ukrainian specialists with approaches to care that can foster trust between providers and clients, addressing complex issues such as intergenerational trauma and the psychological impact on soldiers held in captivity.

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It is a pathological normalisation. We don't have a safe place … this is a basic thing for psychotherapy to provide a safe place.