Trauma Healing Module with Asbury Theological Seminary

On May 22-26, 2023, UETS, in cooperation with Asbury Theological Seminary, conducted a 5-day module on Trauma Healing for UETS psychology students and some invited participants in Lviv, Western Ukraine. 

Overall, 34 students from Ukrainian towns/cities such as Kyiv, Lviv, Poltava, Donetsk, Volyn, Kirovohrad, Dnipro, and Odesa attended this modular session. 

The Trauma Healing module has made an immense contribution to the development of the UETS psychology department and the preparation of Christian counselors and psychologists, particularly of those currently involved in psychology programs at UETS.

The importance of such educational programs that integrate psychology and theology cannot be overstated at this time in Ukraine when more and more war-torn people are coming to church in search of God and His comfort. In this light, it is important that church ministers are fully prepared to provide people with both psychological and spiritual support.

During the study sessions, participants gained valuable knowledge and skills on how to provide psychological support to people with war-related trauma. They dived deeply into the topic of advanced counseling skills that are essential when working with trauma, learned about spiritual practices that are helpful in the trauma context, explored the specifics of narrative trauma therapy, and contemplated on the importance of proper self-care for helpers.

Here’s what some of the module participants say about the experience they had at the sessions. 

Dmytro Nekrasov, Hostomel, The Rock of Salvation Church, Head of Rehabilitation Center, 4th-year UETS student of Practical Psychology Program:

“I am very thankful to UETS and Asbury Seminary for providing me with such an opportunity to participate in this program. It’s been of great support for me. I’ve been equipped with many instruments that I will be further using in my ministry. And a very important thing that I’m taking from this module is that if I don’t accept support from others and if I don’t engage in self-care, then eventually, I won’t be able to effectively serve others. I am very grateful to God, UETS, and of course, Asbury Seminary, who came here to serve us and support us in such a difficult time. I am very thankful for that healing effect that this module has had on my own heart and for that healing that I see is happening for others here.”

Olha Ilchyshyna, Kyiv, God’s Tabernacle With People Church, 3rd-year UETS student of Practical Psychology Program, currently relocated to Norway due to the war:

“When coming for this Trauma Healing module, my point of particular interest was to learn instruments that will be helpful for working with the military. I myself used to serve on the frontline as a volunteer and military doctor for three years, and I myself experienced PTSD after returning from the frontline. Now I am staying in touch with other military men and women, and at this point, I want to learn as much as I can on this topic to be able to help them in the future. And this module has been very useful for me in this respect.I am very thankful to Asbury Seminary for the very fact that they’ve come here to Ukraine to support us. Them showing compassion and empathy to us has been very important to me. I am very thankful to them that they’ve opened their hearts to us.”

UETS staff and faculty members, along with all module participants, express immense gratitude to God and to Asbury Seminary, in particular to Dr. Gregg A. Okesson, Dr. Janet B. Dean, Dr. Anthony J. Headley, and Dr. Marcus Kilian for coming to Ukraine and sharing their hearts as well as valuable knowledge and skills, which will be further employed by program participants to bring God’s love and healing to the Ukrainian people. At the same time, we are very thankful for the healing effect that the genuine support, love, and care displayed by Asbury Seminary has had on the module participants themselves. We thank God for our friends from Asbury Seminary and pray for many blessings in their lives.