The Third Stage of the Grant Project “Rehabilitation of War-Affected Individuals with PTSD Symptoms Using VR Technologies” Has Started
From September 1 to October 17, 2025, the third stage of the grant initiative “Rehabilitation of War-Affected Individuals with PTSD Symptoms Using VR Technologies” will take place. This stage represents a significant step forward in implementing modern methods of psychological support in Ukraine.
During the program’s refinement, one of the key conclusions was the importance of updating therapeutic scenarios and adapting them to patients’ needs in order to increase treatment effectiveness. In parallel, the training of doctors who will work with the VR method continues. The training modules developed for them will serve as the foundation for the practical application of these technologies.
The training program incorporates the experience of international partners, including experts from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where VR approaches have already proven their effectiveness.
In Ukraine, psychotherapists, clinical psychologists, rehabilitation specialists.
The third stage consists of four educational blocks:
- introduction to the principles of VR therapy;
- PTSD diagnostics within trauma-focused CBT;
- practical workshops on the rehabilitation of military personnel;
- integration of knowledge into clinical practice.
The training will be conducted by lecturers and specialists at Bogomolets National Medical University in cooperation with the Kyiv Regional Mental Health Center. Thanks to partnerships with foreign experts, the training is delivered in a blended format — both online and offline.
As a result of this stage, a mobile team of twenty Ukrainian specialists will be formed to work with pilot groups of patients.
This project is a symbol of recovery: it demonstrates that even during wartime, it is possible to build a new system of support, making psychological assistance more accessible, modern, and effective.
The project is implemented with the support of the Visegrad Fund and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.
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The Third Stage of the Project “Rehabilitation of War-Affected Individuals with PTSD Symptoms Using VR Technologies” Successfully Completed
In September–October 2025, together with the NGO “Kyivshchyna – That’s Us”, the third stage of the grant project “Rehabilitation of War-Affected Individuals with PTSD Symptoms Using VR Technologies” was successfully implemented.
The main goal of this stage was to continue the training of specialists and to integrate innovative VR technologies into the psychological support system for veterans and individuals affected by the war.
The training sessions were conducted by lecturers and experts from the Institute of Mental Health of O.O. Bohomolets National Medical University.
As a result of the training and workshops, a mobile team of 20 therapists and psychologists was formed. These professionals are now prepared to work with pilot patient groups in the Kyiv region in the next phases of the project.
During the workshops, doctors practiced the use of VR headsets, maintaining digital treatment records in virtual offices, and adapting therapeutic scenarios to the individual needs of patients. The safe therapy approach ensures careful control of the number of triggers so that immersion in the VR environment remains both effective and comfortable.
A significant highlight of the stage was the public testing of VR headsets at the “Shoulder to Shoulder with Veterans” forum organized by the Kyiv Regional Military Administration under the initiative of its head Mykola Kalashnyk. Veterans who took part in the demonstration confirmed the realism and therapeutic potential of the technology.
In parallel, the installation of seven VR therapy rooms began in communities across the Kyiv region. These facilities will serve as the foundation for further project expansion and the development of a national rehabilitation system.
The project is implemented with the support of the International Visegrad Fund and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea
