Mitigating Collective War Trauma Through Expressive Arts Therapy

Mitigating the consequences of the collective trauma of war is a challenge for Ukrainian society. This article is the result of the work that has been done in Ukraine during the war and emanated from panel discussions from art therapy conferences in which the authors participated in March 2023, 2024, and 2025. These international, interdisciplinary, scientific, and practical conferences were held within the framework and sponsorship of the All-Ukrainian Art Therapy Association, together with First Aid of the Soul and the International Association for Creativity and Arts in Education and Therapy. The article contains a reflective analysis of using art therapy toward mitigating the consequences of collective traumatization of the Ukrainian people due to the war. Trauma in this context is considered as a systemic phenomenon, and the bearer of trauma is not only an individual experience but also extends to a social group—all of those who have experienced collective trauma over several generations.