What We Do
We plan to adapt to Ukrainian wartime realities and implement a comprehensive PTSD treatment program based on virtual reality technologies.
The project includes:
- training 20 certified specialists — psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and clinical psychologists;
- conducting a pilot VR therapy program for 80 patients diagnosed with PTSD;
- establishing 5 psychological support offices within communities across the Kyiv region.
The aim is to make high-tech psychotherapy accessible to those who need it most today.
Why VR Therapy Works
Since the late 1990s, VR exposure therapy has been used in the United States, where studies involving Vietnam War veterans recorded up to a 45% reduction in PTSD symptoms. Given the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war and the sharp increase in trauma-related disorders, this approach is becoming particularly relevant.
Within our project, VR therapy will be adapted to the Ukrainian context and based on the most scientifically validated methodologies:
- trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)
- prolonged exposure (PE)
The country’s first standardized therapist training program and VR-based PTSD treatment protocol are being introduced.
Initial Results
The first six-week pilot phase demonstrated significant improvements in the condition of service members, including:
- reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms,
- decreased intensity of flashbacks and nightmares,
- reduced suicidal ideation.
Participants noted that VR therapy enables faster processing of traumatic experiences and helps restore a sense of control.
Additional Project Initiatives
- development of a chatbot for patient–therapist communication and automated recommendations;
- organization of an international conference in Brno to exchange experience with European experts;
- enhancement of the training course “VR Therapy for PTSD Treatment”.
Our Plans
The NGO “Kyivshchyna — That’s Us” aims to expand the project to frontline regions and communities experiencing the highest psychological burden.
Future plans also include advocating for the integration of VR therapy into the state system of post-war rehabilitation and aligning programs with the practices of the Visegrad Group countries.
Project Partners
- VR Mentality — a team specializing in the creation of VR content for PTSD therapy;
- Bogomolets National Medical University — training and certification of specialists;
- Kyiv Regional psychiatric and narcological medical association — clinical base for working with pilot groups;
- Experts from Czechia and Slovakia — adaptation of training materials, effectiveness assessment, and dissemination of best practices across the Visegrad countries.