International forum
«Therapy of grief and recovery
of human capital of Ukraine»

Larysa Rybyk

Head of the International association of psychologists for grief and bereavement, Ph.D. in Psychology
Utilizes techniques of analytical psychotherapy, art therapy, coaching, and personal methodologies in practice.
Works with methods of integral psychology.
A practicing psychologist, author of a psychological support program for sudden loss of a loved one.
Author of over 20 research papers on the topic of grief.
Author of Self-Help Journals for coping with the loss of a loved one.
Author of methodical recommendations for psychological services.
Author and instructor of courses:
“Therapy of Grief”
“Psychological Support for Perinatal and Neonatal Loss”

Volodymyr Medvediev

Professor of the Department of Legal Psychology at the National Academy of Internal Affairs, Doctor of Psychological Sciences. Developer of the legal-psychological concept of professional deformation of law enforcement officers, the concept of professional-psychological training of law enforcement personnel, and the fundamentals of the psychological theory of criminal activity.
V.S. Medvediev is a member of several specialized academic councils, including being a permanent member since its founding (1998) of the first specialized academic council on legal psychology at the National Academy of Internal Affairs, and a member of the coordinating council of the Higher Attestation Commission of Ukraine in psychological and pedagogical sciences. He is also a member of the editorial board of the bulletin “Legal Psychology.” His main directions of scientific research include the psychology of criminality, historiography of domestic legal psychology, and the psychology of law enforcement subjects.

Valérie Rosoux

Director of Research at the Belgian Foundation for Scientific Research (FNRS)

She teaches International Negotiation, Politics of Memory, and Transitional Justice at UCLouvain (Belgium). She has a Licence in Philosophy and a Ph.D. in Political Sciences. She is a member of the Belgian Royal Academy. Since 2021, she is a Max Planck Law Fellow.
Affiliation: FNRS – University of Louvain

Andreas Maercker

PhD, MD University of Zurich, Switzerland Dept. of Psychology
MD, completed his medical and psychological education in Halle/Saale and Berlin in Germany. After academic positions in Berlin, Dresden San Francisco and Trier, he was appointed 2005 as chair and full professor of Psychopathology and Clinical Intervention at the University of Zurich. He is co-director of the Institute’s outpatient clinic services. Professor Maercker is or has been principal and co-investigator in numerous national and international studies in traumatic stress research, clinical geropsychology, and internet-assisted mental health and has published more than 200 peer review articles. From 2011-2018 he chaired a work group at WHO for revising the International Classification of Diseases in the area of trauma- and stress-related disorders, including grief. From 2017 he chairs the Historical Commission of the German Psychological Society on Stasi psychology in the former East Germany. He authored or edited 14 scientific or therapeutic books. Keywords characterizing the expertise: PTSD, stress-response syndromes, lifespan developmental psychopathology, treatment, e-mental health. In 2017, he was awarded the highest order in Germany, the Federal Cross of Merit, as well as the Wolter de Loos Award for Distinguished Contribution to Psychotraumatology in Europe from the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies for his scientific work.

Takuya Yoshiike

MD, PhD, a section chief of the Department of Sleep-Wake
Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology
Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan, conducts studies
to understand better psychophysiological mechanisms through which the human
brain and body regulate stress. His main research interests are in
translational research in mood and anxiety disorders with
an emphasis on sleep and circadian physiologies.

Øyvind Reehorst Kalsås

PhD, is a Clinical Social Worker and Family Therapist. Head of section for Mental Health, Substance Use and Relational Work at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. His clinical work has mostly been centred on substance use and addiction, where he is concerned with acknowledging the needs and resources within the affected families. Consequently, he has been developing family- and social network-oriented therapeutic practices and writes and gives lectures on these topics. His PhD explored family interactions, social health, and the needs for help by people bereaved by drug-related deaths.

Ms. Ditte Shapiro

Clinical Psychologist at the Danish National Center for Grief (DNCG). For a decade, she has studied the lives of refugees and Denmark’s reception system, including asylum centers, integration programs, and education for refugee children. Currently, she is involved in a University of Copenhagen project, investigating the interaction between refugees, volunteers, and municipalities in the context of self-sufficiency and emigration. Her work sheds light on the psychological consequences of temporary and precarious living conditions for refugees, combining anthropological and psychological approaches. She has also studied the impact of separation on refugee family life and the specifics of child-rearing after resettlement.  She specializes in qualitative research methods, including practical and collaborative ethnographic approaches. She has in-depth knowledge of psychotraumatology and trauma-informed practice. She has extensive experience in teaching and conducting courses, particularly on the subject of refugee children research.

Ms. Tina Graven Ostergaard

Heads the international department of the Danish National Center for Grief (DNCG) – an independent organization with 25 years of experience. DNCG works at all levels of bereavement care through research, practice, and education, collaborating with partners in Denmark and abroad. For the past decade, Tina has played a key role in implementing DNCG’s strategy: “together prevent life from being destroyed by grief”. She unites various sectors and disciplines to develop initiatives aimed at helping people who have experienced loss. Tina and DNCG organized the first European Grief Conference in 2022 and serve as the base for the European Bereavement Network. Tina also works on issues of loss and suicide in Greenland. With a master’s degree in international development, Tina previously worked on development projects in Global South countries.

Denys Diachenko

A clergyman of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, an officer of the military chaplaincy service at the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine

Jos de Keijser

He is an honorary professor of psychology in University of Groningen. He spent  research as principal investigator, dedicated mental health of relatives of disaster victims MH17 Since 2009, he has been the chief trainer of clinical psychology and chief trainer of psychotherapists at the PPO Training Institute, a also an associate professor at GMW/RuG University. Expanding the focus from trauma victims to people exposed to a traumatic loss of a significant other, e.g., due to war, may enhance our knowledge on factors that are amenable to change in the treatment of Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) and PTSD

Mukola Vovchenko

Master’s degree in psychology Business trainer Master – Trainer of NLP PTSD- Trainer DST-Trainer Author of the book “The Art of Goal Achievement”

Olga Pravduva

Psychologist, body-oriented and Gestalt therapist, trainer of training programmes for psychologists, social and medical workers, expert on social programmes and services. She is the author of the course “Being a Parent of an Angel”, which helps parents with perinatal loss.

Ovsyanikova Yanina

Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Senior Research Fellow, Head of the Educational and Research Laboratory of Extreme and Crisis Psychology at the Research Centre.

Pohilko Diana

Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Senior Research Fellow, Head of the Educational and Research Laboratory of Extreme and Crisis Psychology at the Research Centre.

Natalia Shilova

A trauma therapist, crisis psychologist, and specialist in grief and loss, she is a facilitator of self-help and emotional stabilization groups, as well as support groups for individuals experiencing significant loss. She is also a trainer for the Grief Therapy course. She is a member of the National Psychological Association, the International Association of Psychologists and Psychotherapists in the Field of Grief and Loss, and the EMDR Association in Ukraine—a professional association specializing in trauma therapy. Her primary professional interests lie in the therapy of psychological trauma, EMDR therapy, and grief and loss therapy

Sarah Helander

Associate Music Psychotherapist. Аn integrative music psychotherapist and humanitarian aid worker with multicultural clinical and research experience, especially within the hospital setting, in emergency settings, and with displaced communities. She is a certified Neonatal Intensive Care Music Therapist, with additional training in trauma treatment and trauma-informed Community-Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (CB MHPSS). She works with several international organizations, including Amna, to develop, coordinate, and provide CB MHPSS. She has published and presented internationally.

Anatolii Sychevskyi

Head of the psychological service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, board member of the All-Ukrainian Association of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Balneology. Head of the psychological support department of the civil protection operative-rescue service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Ph.D. in psychology, colonel of the civil protection service.

Ines Testoni

Professor, Associate Professor at the University of Padua, FISPPA Department, Italy.

Ines Testoni is a professor of social psychology and palliative psychology, and she directs the Master’s program in Death and End of Life Studies at the University of Padua. She is interested in issues of grief, death, and death education, and is the author of 20 books and 250 articles. She has been a member of the bilateral committee of the Italian Ministry of Health for the inclusion of palliative care in educational programs. She leads the European project “Education on Death for Palliative Psychology.” Ines Testoni is recognized as one of the 100 most important scholars in Italy for her research in the field of death and the dying process. Ines is the Head and Director of various European projects, a member of numerous national and international associations studying the connections between psychology, religion, thanatology, palliative care, and suicide. She has authored over fifty articles on national and international levels, as well as numerous presentations at conferences.

Olena Shytko

Works with significant life challenges, helping individuals build bridges over crises and find inner resilience in difficult situations. Her work encompasses both individual counseling and group support for those who have experienced aggression from the Russian Federation. Olena creates a space for rehabilitation and strengthening, focusing on stabilizing crisis states when individuals have lost their balance and struggle with emotions. Her professional activities include supporting recovery from aggression, providing short-term therapy for those battling addictions, and addressing family issues, conflicts, and divorces. Olena also specializes in personal development, assisting with planning and achieving goals through transformational games and working with metaphorical cards. Her expertise aims to support individuals in any circumstance, helping them explore new horizons and fully experience life.

Geert E. Smid

Prof., MD, PhD, endowed professor of psychotrauma, loss, and grief, University of Humanistic Studies, The Netherlands, and psychiatrist, ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre. Professor specializing in psychotrauma, loss, and grief after disasters and violence at the University of Humanistic Studies in Utrecht, Netherlands. He is also a psychiatrist and associate director of residency training at ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre/ARQ Centrum’45 in Diemen, Netherlands
Dr. Smid’s research focuses on the prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of PTSD, traumatic grief, and stress sensitization. He has contributed significantly to the field through publications and lectures on these topics. His work often explores the intersections of trauma and grief, providing valuable insights into how individuals process and cope with traumatic events and losses In addition to his academic and clinical roles, Dr. Smid is involved in developing and implementing therapeutic approaches, such as Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD, and has conducted studies on various interventions and their effectiveness in treating traumatic grief and related disorders

Vira Zalyvadna

Psychologist and psychotherapist specializing in grief therapy. She is a trainer for the “Grief Therapy” course and leads support groups for people experiencing loss. Vira actively participates in scientific forums and conferences, where she shares her experience and knowledge on psychological support during times of loss, especially during wartime. She was a speaker at the International Forum “Grief Therapy,” where she addressed issues of parental loss during war and the specifics of working with grief through telephone consultations and internet interventions. Vira also works with women who have lost their husbands in the war, helping them cope with grief and find support within the community.

Tetiana Lytvynenko

She is a practicing psychologist specializing in loss and grief, a trauma-focused therapist, and a facilitator of therapeutic groups. She is a member of the Ukrainian Association of Psychological Support, the International Association of Psychotherapists specializing in grief and profound loss, and the Ukrainian Society of Psychologists. Her work covers a broad range of topics, including coping with the loss of a loved one and mourning, depression, anxiety states, fears, phobias, panic attacks, crisis situations, PTSD, acute stress, psychosomatic disorders, self-doubt, low self-esteem, and existential issues such as the meaning of life and fear of life and death. In her practice, she employs methods from various approaches, including EMDR, art therapy, metaphorical cards, somatic therapy, and others.

Rachel Gibbons

Worked in the NHS over the past 20 years in various psychiatric settings as a consultant psychiatrist and consultant medical psychotherapist. She is a psychoanalyst and group analyst and current Chair of the Working Group on the Effect of Suicide and Homicide on Psychiatrists and Vice-Chair of the Psychotherapy Faculty, at the Royal College of Psychiatrists

Dr Michael Duffy

Consultant Cognitive Psychotherapist and Senior Lecturer/Director of the Specialist MSc (Trauma) in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy at Queen’s University Belfast. He is Research/ & Clinical advisor to the Northern Ireland Regional Trauma Network and member of the UK Trauma Council. He is an acknowledged expert in PTSD, Complex PTSD and Prolonged Grief Disorder. His clinical studies have had a strong impact in the field securing invitations to present research and workshops at many international conferences. He has provided expert commentary in Television documentaries on PTSD screened on BBC, BBC Persia and Channel 4.
In N.I. he advised Health and Victims policy makers and commissioning agencies on trauma services. He is a Fellow of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, a Fellow of the Senator George J Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice QUB and a Member of the Academy of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (USA).

Alexandra Pitman

An Associate Professor in General Adult Psychiatry in the UCL Division of Psychiatry at University College London. She also works as an Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust, London. Her clinical and research interests relate to the care of people who feel suicidal. She uses a range of research methods to understand risk factors for self-harm and suicide attempt, both in clinical and public health contexts.

Krystyna Petrychenko

She is a specialist in grief and loss. Her practice covers a wide range of issues including relationship problems, divorces, parent-child relationships, self-doubt, devaluation, low self-esteem, decision-making issues, depression, anxiety, fears, obsessive thoughts and states, apathy, panic attacks, managing and processing negative emotions, family counseling, and psychosomatic disorders. Kristina has undergone extensive training, including certification as a speaker at an international psychology and body practices festival, courses in psychosomatics and counseling, art therapy with adults, pathological psychological diagnostics, personality disorder psychotherapy, trauma and grief work, and cognitive-behavioral models in adult psychological counseling. She is also a trainer and facilitator for Larisa Rybyk’s grief therapy course and is a member of the Poltava Psychologists Association.

Yuliia Makarenko

Psychologist, osteopath, works with grief and loss. She has a master’s degree in psychology and has been practising osteopathy since 2010. She works in the field of grief and loss at the Larissa Rybik International Association. She leads the Life After Loss groups. Co-host of the trainings “Support for families of missing persons”. Psychologist of the “Unbreakable Mom” project at the Masha Foundation since 2023.

Viktoriia Kilieieva

Psychologist, trauma therapist, specialist in grief and bereavement. Training program trainer, author of transformational programs. Triceps, dance-motor, rational-intuitive therapist.

Olga Mezhenska

Psychotherapist, expert in the field of grief and loss. Member of the Ukrainian Association of Psychotherapists and the International Association of Psychologists for Grief and Bereavement. Volunteer at “Worth Living” and “Tabletochki.” Experience in working with crisis conditions.

Lesya Bratsun

The head of medical programs at the All-Ukrainian Charitable Foundation “Sobornist” and actively works in the field of palliative care in Ukraine. She emphasizes the importance of state support in this area and believes that palliative care should include not only medical but also psychological and spiritual aspects for all family members of the patient. Lesia actively raises awareness about the needs of children with incurable diseases and is involved in the training of qualified medical personnel. She also advocates for the implementation of medical chaplaincy and systemic changes at the state level to ensure access to necessary medications and support for such children and their families.

Simon Shimson Rubin

Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Clinical Psychology University of Haifa, School of Psychological Sciences.

A seasoned psychotherapist, therapy supervisor and consultant, Dr. Rubin maintains an active psychotherapy practice. His writings on loss and bereavement span more than than 30 years.  The profoundly human theme of love and loss has the potential to serve as a bridge to peoples from many different backgrounds. To promote the understanding of loss, Professor Rubin established the International Center for the Study of Loss, Bereavement and Human Resilience at the University of Haifa.

Liudmyla Svitlychna

Psychotherapist in grief and loss, member of the International Association of Psychotherapists in Grief and Loss, member of the USP, leader of therapeutic groups on loss, trainer of the course ‘Theory of Grief’. She is a practicing psychologist with expertise in grief and loss, family counseling, art therapy, and therapeutic group facilitation. In addition to her private practice, she has experience working with international organizations, charities, and NGOs. Ludmila is known for her openness and friendliness, adhering to the ethical code of psychologists, confidentiality, and non-judgmental attitudes. Her experience includes over 700 hours of individual and group therapy. Ludmila is a member of the International Association of Psychologists Working with Grief and Loss and the Association of Child, Family, and Perinatal Psychologists of Ukraine. She has completed 180 hours of training with Larisa Rybyk on “Grief Therapy.” Her practice covers areas such as parent-child relationships, grief and loss therapy, psychosomatics, issues during pregnancy, work with children and adolescents (in-person only), workplace burnout, relationship difficulties, developmental crises, low self-esteem, and fears.

Olena Rybalko

A qualified psychologist with two higher education degrees in psychology and biology. She works as a psychologist, art therapist, and leads therapeutic groups. Olena is also a member of the International Association of Psychotherapists, specializing in grief and severe loss. Her professional experience covers a wide range of topics, including psychological support after the loss of a loved one, post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety states, fears, phobias, panic attacks, PTSD, lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem, unfulfilled potential, and unsatisfactory quality of life. She also addresses communication difficulties, personal crises, existential issues, psychosomatic disorders, and interpersonal relationships. Olena specializes in working with crisis states, panic attacks, and traumatic experiences, providing psychotherapy and behavioral correction. Holding a general profile psychologist diploma of international standard, Olena is actively involved in scientific research and knowledge exchange.

Lyudmyla-Oksana Andriyishyn

Regional freelance specialist in palliative care of Ivano-Frankivsk region, Head of the mobile palliative care service, Director of the Palliative Care Training Center. Representative of the “Mother Teresa” Charity Foundation
This foundation is dedicated to providing aid and support to individuals facing challenging life situations, including the homeless, orphans, people with disabilities, and those suffering from social or economic difficulties. The foundation works to improve the quality of life for these individuals by assisting them in medical, educational, and social aspects.

Oksana Chaika

Clinical psychologist, pathological psychologist
Practises in systemic family psychotherapy, positive psychotherapy, EMDR method. Head of the Department of Medical and Psychological Rehabilitation of the Regional Clinical Hospital of Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Council