Ukraine: Thematic seminar on grief and trauma strengthens professionals and creates space for healing

In May 2025, the thematic seminar "Grief and Trauma" took place in Ukraine for the second time. It is part of the project "Promoting Resilience through Emergency and Trauma Pedagogy in Ukraine." In a country at war, loss and grief are omnipresent. Participants typically have friends, family members, and acquaintances who are grieving, and they work with children who have lost loved ones and are grieving. Therefore, in addition to imparting specialist knowledge, the seminar also focused on dealing with one's own feelings of grief and loss.

Woman balancing on a rope while holding the hand of another woman.

Grief is a response to loss. It is an expression of love and connection to a person who is no longer with us. It shows how much we respected and valued someone.

Grief often begins with a moment of shock—an inner numbness. This can be followed by overwhelming emotions of pain and loss. The path back to everyday life is long and not straightforward. So-called "triggers," seemingly harmless triggers, can repeatedly reawaken feelings previously thought to have been overcome. A process of searching and letting go begins until new lifestyle habits and goals develop that gradually ease the pain. If this final step is not taken, however, grief can also turn into trauma.

Between personal experience and professional support
The seminar focused not only on the professional development of psychologists and pedagogues. Behind every professional, there is also a person with their own loss. "I am very grateful for the opportunity to participate in this seminar," said one participant, "to experience my own losses, to grieve, and to let go. For me, it was a healing experience. I was able to let go of a pain I had carried for years. In addition to imparting specialist knowledge, a safe space was created for recognizing one's own feelings."

The role of observer was also addressed – whether in a professional or private context. Understanding which stage of grief someone is in and how to support them is just as crucial as knowing how to care for themselves: "Even as companions, we need to know how to empower ourselves when confronted with the suffering of others. I think everyone needs this knowledge right now in Ukraine," said another participant.

The Friends of Waldorf Education have been active in Ukraine since 2022. Local support includes training in emergency and trauma pedagogy, thematic seminars, and financial support for local partner projects for children. These programs are aimed at both trained trauma pedagogues and anyone interested in working with children and adults. In-depth aspects of trauma pedagogy, such as biographical work and grief, are also addressed.

Another thematic seminar is planned in Ukraine in August 2025 – this time on the topic of “Disability and Trauma”.

Jessica Prentice und Kseniya Karman Samet

We were able to organise the themed seminar with the support of Aktion Deutschland hilft.