Tetiana Kolesnyk

Country: Ukraine

Organization: Ukrainian Umbrella Association of Psychotherapists

Short CV

Tetiana Kolesnyk is a person-centered psychotherapist in private practice. Member of the Person-Centered Therapy Section of the Ukrainian Umbrella Association of Psychotherapists. Area of interest is the understanding of humanistic philosophy as a basis for psychotherapeutic work.

Short presentation

(together with:  Hanna Moroz)

Title: The challenge of identity in the conditions of war through the eyes of person-centered psychotherapists

Our talk is devoted to reflections on the phenomenon of identity in times of war from the perspective of person-centered psychotherapy. Today, identity is subject to significant changes and attempts to destroy it by the aggressor, which poses a great challenge to the Ukrainian nation. Psychotherapists cannot stay away from this process. However, for us as professionals, the difficulty lies in the fact that we become both traumatized and those who help in traumatic events. Therefore, it is crucial to feel and understand the dynamics of changing identities, including professional, personal and national, as integral parts of what we can draw on in the uncertainty brought by war.

In our talk, we take a historical retrospective to analyze how the concept of identity has evolved from ancient times to the present day. We also address the views of person-centered psychotherapists on identity. With regard to our national identity, we are inspired by the historical experience of overcoming challenges similar to those we have to live, comprehend and integrate today.

It is important for us to consider the phenomenon of identity because it is the main basis of person-centered therapy, it helps clients to find answers to the question “Who am I in these changing realities?” and it contributes to the awareness of personal and national identity.

The talk aims to highlight the importance of understanding the phenomenon of identity and how it changes in times of war. And to show how person-centered therapy can help clients in finding their identity and facilitate the process of overcoming trauma, thus contributing to the formation and preservation of identity at both personal and national levels.