On 23–24 April, the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Current Issues of Personality Development in the Context of Societal Transformation” was held. The event was aimed at a comprehensive discussion of current psychological, social, educational, and interdisciplinary issues, as well as the exchange of scientific and practical experience on personality development under conditions of dynamic transformations in modern society.
The conference was held in a blended format: online via the university’s Zoom platform and in person at the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy of Khmelnytskyi National University. More than 255 participants (in-person, online, and correspondence) took part, representing 100 different institutions, organisations, and establishments from 13 regions of Ukraine and 9 countries (Ukraine, USA, Norway, Israel, Finland, Croatia, Poland, England, Germany).
The conference was officially opened by Professor Oleh Syniuk, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Vice-Rector for Research at Khmelnytskyi National University.
Welcoming remarks were also delivered by:
– Professor Kateryna Skyba, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Vice-rector for scientific and pedagogical work
– Professor Yevhen Pavliuk, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Dean of the Faculty of Health, Psychology, Physical Culture and Sports
– Professor Taisiia Komar, Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Head of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy
Professors K. Skyba and Y. Pavliuk also presented Khmelnytskyi National University’s participation in the STEP project on trauma-informed higher education within the Erasmus+ programme. This project plays a strategic role in modernising both Ukrainian and global higher education by introducing trauma-informed approaches to support students and academic staff during crises. Participation in the STEP project enables Khmelnytskyi National University to create a safe and inclusive educational environment, integrating leading European experience to strengthen the mental resilience of the entire academic community.
More details about the project were presented in the keynote talk “Towards Trauma-Informed Higher Education – Strengthening Teachers’ Pedagogical Competences” by Finnish and Croatian partners, who opened the plenary session of the conference: Pirjo Pehkonen, MSocSci, Senior Lecturer and Study Counsellor at Savonia University of Applied Sciences; Jukka Aho, MHSc, Senior Lecturer and Study Counsellor at Savonia University of Applied Sciences (Finland); Iva Tadić, PhD, Senior Assistant at the Croatian Migration Institute; and Marko Turk, PhD, Senior Research Fellow in Educational Sciences at the Croatian Migration Institute and Associate Professor (Croatia).
During the plenary session, a series of topical presentations were delivered, including:
– “Psychological Culture of the Individual as a Navigational Resource in an Era of Turbulence” – Valentyna Afanasenko, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor, Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, Khmelnytskyi National University (Khmelnytskyi)
– “Playful Childhood vs Digital Childhood – Challenges of the Modern World” – Tetiana Matviichuk, psychotherapist in child and adolescent psychotherapy, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, Khmelnytskyi National University (Khmelnytskyi)
– “The Abilitation Process as a Renewed Perspective on Veterans’ Reintegration After War” – Maryna Pryshchepa, head of the habilitation process at the Lviv Habilitation Centre of NAV, war veteran, officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reserve, military and crisis clinical psychologist (Lviv)
– «Абілітаційний процес як оновленний погляд на шлях повернення ветерана з війни» – Марина ПРИЩЕПА, керівниця абілітаційного процесу у Львівському абілітаційному центрі НАВ, ветеранка війни, ветеранка ЗСУ, офіцерка запасу, військова, кризова і клінічна психологиня (м. Львів)
– «Важливість карʼєрного консультування: можливості простору 12-21» – Аліна СТЕЦЮК, Молодіжний працівник та карʼєрний консультант молодіжного простору 12-21, за фундації Олени Зеленської (м. Хмельницький)
– «Наставництво в сучасному світі» – Ліана ЗАЛУЦЬКА, регіональний консультант Координаційного центру з розвитку сімейного виховання та догляду дітей у Хмельницькій області (м. Хмельницький)
Within the framework of the conference, workshops were held both online and offline by international and Ukrainian experts, including:
– Workshop lecture “Complicated Grief in Difficult Times: Prolonged Grief Disorder” by Knut Andersen, MSc, clinical social worker and lecturer (VID University in Oslo and Oslo University), project leader for grief support cooperation between Norway and Ukraine; and Linda Hansen, psychologist, EMDR therapist, lecturer at VID University in Oslo, project administrator (Oslo, Norway)
– Mini-lecture and practical session “Breath-Body-Mind for Stress and Trauma Relief” by Patricia L. Gerbarg, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, New York Medical College, co-founder of the BBM (Breath-Body-Mind) Foundation; and Richard P. Brown, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Columbia University, co-founder of the BBM Foundation (New York, USA)
– Lecture “Psychological Drivers in Transactional Analysis” – Hanna Yavorska, certified psychotherapist, supervisor, trainer, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University (Ivano-Frankivsk)
– Training game “Non-Boring Questions” – Tetiana Matviichuk, Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, Khmelnytskyi National University (Khmelnytskyi)
– Workshop “Mental Trek as a Tool for Developing Emotional Competence” – Zinayida Antonova, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, Khmelnytskyi National University, project coordinator of “Healthy School” in Khmelnytskyi region within the Swiss-Ukrainian “Acting for Health” project (Khmelnytskyi)
– Workshop “Cultivating Hope as a Self-Help Resource” – Viktoriia Frymershtein, trainee psychotherapist at the Institute for Symbol Drama and Depth Psychology (Khmelnytskyi)
– майстер-клас «Плекання надії як ресурс самодомоги» – Вікторія ФРИМЕРШТЕЙН, навчаюча психотерапевтка Інституту розвитку символдрами і глибинної психології Міжнародного товариства кататимного переживання образів Української спілки (м. Хмельницький)
– Workshop “Relationships in the Modern World: Why Intimacy Is Difficult – A Symbol Drama Approach” – Iryna Solentsova, psychotherapist, certified trainee psychotherapist in symbol drama (Khmelnytskyi)
– Workshop “Gender-Based Violence: Working with Resources” – Serhii Aniskov, psychologist at TatoHub Khmelnytskyi, Gestalt therapist (Khmelnytskyi)
– Workshop “Dance That Returns to Oneself: Living Therapy in an Israeli Rhythm” – Halyna Hilberg, head of the psychological support centre “Or Shalom”, Khmelnytskyi Charitable Foundation “Hesed Besht” (Khmelnytskyi)
During the conference, the interactive game-exhibition “Mental Trek” was also presented at Khmelnytskyi National University, provided by the Ukrainian-Swiss project “Acting for Health”. It allowed students and academic staff to deepen their understanding of mental health and gain practical insights into maintaining it. In addition, participants had the opportunity to check their physical health indicators: blood pressure, weight, and rapid testing for hepatitis A and B and glucose levels, carried out by mobile teams of the partner organisation “Caritas”.
Speakers, workshop facilitators, and participants highly appreciated the event and expressed gratitude to the Organising Committee, the leadership of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, and Khmelnytskyi National University.
