PSYCHOLOGICAL EDUCATION OF DOCTORS IN WARTIME THROUGH ART THERAPY

Abstract

The article is devoted to the psychological education of doctors in wartime and the use of art therapy as a tool of support. The war in Ukraine has posed unprecedented challenges to the healthcare system: excessive psycho-emotional burden on medical workers, constant risk, and lack of resources. These conditions foster the development of professional burnout and post-traumatic stress disorders, reducing the quality of medical care. Under such circumstances, the psychological education of doctors acquires strategic importance, as it aims to build knowledge and skills of self-regulation, prevent burnout, and promote a culture of mental health within the professional environment. The purpose of the study was to determine the potential of art therapy as a tool of psychological education for doctors. The methodological basis is the humanistic approach and the principles of psychosocial support (adapted WHO and IASC protocols). Survey results confirmed that the war has significantly affected the mental well-being of both patients and doctors. The most effective self-help measures recognized by doctors were support from loved ones, creativity, and psychological education. The practical part of the study included exercises such as «My Protective Symbol», «Tree of Resilience», «Colors of My Day», «Bridge of Support», and «Metaphorical Mirror». The approbation of the art therapy session protocol in hospitals of frontline cities (Kherson, Mykolaiv, Nikopol, Okhtyrka) demonstrated its effectiveness: PTSD symptoms decreased on average by 29%, and the level of professional burnout in 25% of respondents shifted from high to medium. Thus, art therapy is not only a method of psychological support but also an educational resource that fosters professional reflection and the formation of a culture of mental health in the medical environment. Prospects for further research include the development of structured art therapy modules for postgraduate medical education, longitudinal study of the long-term impact of such programs, and integration of Ukrainian experience into the international context.