SAND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WORLD: A METHOD OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EDUCATION FOR A TERRITORIAL COMMUNITY EXPERIENCING WAR TRAUMA

Abstract

In the context of the ongoing military aggression of Russia against Ukraine, psychological education has become one of the key instruments of psychosocial support for the population. The growing demand for culturally adapted community-based interventions has highlighted the need for methodologies that combine information about the psychological consequences of traumatic experiences with the development of emotional self-regulation skills, increased parental awareness of children’s psycho-emotional states, and the creation of a safe circle of mutual support within communities affected by war. The article presents the scientific and methodological foundations, as well as the organizational principles, of the authorial method “Sand Reconstruction of the World”, which is designed for communities that have experienced the trauma of war. A historical and contextual analysis of the origins and conditions under which this psychoeducational methodology was developed is provided. The study includes a generalized body of empirical material based on observations and descriptions of the implementation of this psychological intervention in frontline Ukrainian communities from 2014 to 2021. The systematized empirical data are presented in the form of a methodology passport, organizational principles for its implementation, and the impact of the method on the dynamics of psychological service requests. Particular attention is given to the cultural adaptation of the intervention to the mental health and psychosocial well-being of communities in the Ukrainian socio-cultural context. The implementation of the “Sand Reconstruction of the World” intervention in Ukraine’s frontline communities has demonstrated its effectiveness as a form of psychological education that generates interest and trust among the population. The results indicate the potential for integrating this approach into psychosocial support programs and the necessity of further standardization and professional dissemination.