Fostering resilience in higher education: exploring trauma-informed pedagogy through expressive writing practices

Amidst the adversity of conflict, the educational landscape is severely disrupted, causing students to face profound emotional and psychological challenges. Traumatic experiences jeopardise students' ability to succeed in their academic pursuits, regulate their emotions, and create meaningful social relationships. This paper delves into the transformative potential of expressive writing in a second language (L2) as a therapeutic tool for fostering resilience among Ukrainian English language students affected by the ongoing war. Pennebaker and Beall's (1986) Written Emotional Disclosure (WED) Paradigm and Carello's (2020) Principles of Trauma-Informed Teaching and Learning (TITL) are employed as frameworks to facilitate the intervention of expressive writing practices. Drawing on the exploratory research conducted with 30 Ukrainian university students, this study presents empirical insights into the impact of L2 expressive writing on emotional regulation and resilience. The study incorporated trauma-informed pedagogy principles to create a culturally-sensitive, compassionate learning environment for research participants. Intervention sessions featured various forms of expression, including poetry, reflective writing, narrative writing, free writing, and journaling, which also incorporated mindfulness exercises. Samples of the writing journals are presented to demonstrate students' progress and provide qualitative insights into how these practices have contributed to their resilience and coping strategies during times of conflict. Thematic analysis of participants' feedback revealed central themes of emotional management, resilience, gratitude, self-awareness, and personal growth. By providing empirical evidence and methodological insights tailored to the Ukrainian context, this research contributes to the development of a resilience-oriented curriculum and L2 therapeutic intervention for supporting Ukrainian students in their healing journey.