Trauma-Informed Art Practices

During the last months I have been participating in various training courses to get engaged in other worlds, other terminologies, discussions that are relevant to me and which has been very insightful for me during the last years.

However, the most impactful of all has been taking part in the training course “Trauma-Informed Art Practices” that took place in in June 2024 in Kyiv (Ukraine), organised by Art therapy Force and Kings College London.  

This course focused on learning and working together in/about methods that aim to restore psycho-emotional health through artistic practices reflecting from theory and practice about trauma and the power of art for the health of our communities. The course included a vast range of perspectives including knowledgeable speakers from psychology, art therapy, trauma-informed arts practices, artistic and cultural projects in Ukraine as well as other experts in the ethics and law of trauma informed work and the politics of memorialising trauma. 

This course/collective experience has been very enriching and a whole embodied learning I keep thinking about. During the time together, I managed to gain terminology from psychological expertise or situated knowledge in Ukraine that is precious in order to be aware and responsible while running such profound projects. As well as an important realisation of how these topics have been totally intertwined with my practice for years and that belief on the power of artistic practice that keeps me motivated and persistence in running such projects.

Trauma-informed Arts practices are “plural worlds” all together as it would always be different approaches depending on the specific groups and needs, however my conclusion is that we have to keep weaving and learning from each other.  

Thanks to all who made it happening particularly to Veronika, Henry, Darren, Oksana, Revaz and all the participants who managed something very unique: creating a collective "safe space" in times of war in Ukraine. Дякую! 

​Visual glimpses of this journey: photos by various authors including: Julia, Nelly, Lev...