The group have travelled from their home country to train in trauma management. 

A group of Ukrainian mental health clinicians have travelled to Sydney from their home cities to train in trauma management.   

Dr Tanya Dus, Director of Psychiatry at RPA Hospital, helped arrange the immersive three-month education and training fellowship for seven psychiatrists and psychologists, as part of her ongoing efforts to support Ukraine amid an ongoing war with Russia.    

“Since meeting this group, who are mostly from Lviv and Kyiv, I’ve been really inspired by their stamina and vigour … and sheer determination to help their country,” Dr Dus said.   

“I really hope that this experience leads to improved treatment in Ukraine.    

“I know they’re going to take the information back to Ukraine and further it with their colleagues. I hope this is the start of an ongoing collaboration.”   

The clinicians were granted Australia Award Fellowships by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Fellowships are based primarily at STARTTS, a non-profit organisation that supports refugees, and supported by our District.  

NSW Minister for Mental Health, Rose Jackson, welcomed the visiting clinicians and said it was important to provide all the support we can to the people of Ukraine. 

“We need to do all we can to support the people of Ukraine who are suffering as this illegal war rages on,” she said. 

“We’re proud to give these mental health professionals access to some of the best clinicians in the world for people who have experienced war and torture, and hope they’ll be able to take what they learn here home to support individuals who have experienced traumatic events.” 

The clinicians, who also hold academic posts at Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv and “Bezbaryernist”, which translates to “Barrier-free”, in Kyiv, are keen to support their fellow Ukrainians, including refugees and returning soldiers, who are impacted psychologically by the war with Russia.   

“Australia, particularly Sydney, has one of the best systems of care for patients exposed to traumatic psychological events and those who are survivors of torture, so we are very interested in sharing the experience of Australian specialists and trying to implement this experience in our country,” visiting psychiatrist Dr Dmytro Martsenkovskyi said.    

Learning modern treatment and rehabilitation practices was a key priority for the clinicians to support patients experiencing various psychological challenges, Dr Martsenkovskyi said, and they’re hoping to establish collaboration with their Australian peers for further education.    

“At the moment, Ukraine faces an ongoing war and unfortunately, we have patients who are affected by multiple traumatic events.  

“These include direct exposure to horrific events, as well as less obvious trauma from frequent air raid sirens, and displacement, both within and outside the country.  

“Displacement brings dislocation of important family and community bonds. Usual routines and supports are disrupted.  

“The entire nation seems to be in a process of adaptation, and there is a collective grief at the loss of so many citizens — civilians and soldiers.  

“We know that the effects of war trauma are transmitted through generations and hope to learn new methods of dealing with trauma across all age groups while here.” 

Most clinicians are from Lviv in western Ukraine, near the Polish border, and Kyiv, its capital city.    

They will be based at STARTTS, with supplementary activities in several other health settings, including facilities in the District.  

“I have had the experience of visiting different countries in Europe since the war started in Ukraine, and continue to work with refugees in different countries, and so I know what refugee trauma is,” visiting academic and psychologist Dr Oksana Senyk said.   

“It’s really interesting for me to see how you deal with this refugee trauma in people who’ve sought refuge in Australia. I think this will be valuable to learn new practices and approaches and then implement them when I go back home to Ukraine.” 

Dr Dus said the clinician’s stamina and determination to support people in their home country was inspiring.