Last week, a group of military psychologists in Ukraine completed training in Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy—one of the most effective treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The event was led by Dr. Israel Liberzon and his team from the University of Texas, who are globally recognized experts in the field. The military psychologists who completed the training can immediately apply their new skills to support and rehabilitate service members. The NGO "Community Self-Help," which prioritizes the implementation of advanced psychotherapy methods for the military and veterans in Ukraine, continues to support such projects under memorandums with the Kyiv National University of Taras Shevchenko Military Institute (VIKNU) and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy - A Leading Choice for PTSD Treatment
Prolonged Exposure Therapy is one of the primary treatments for PTSD, and last week, a group of military psychologists in Ukraine completed their training in this therapy. This is a significant step for Ukraine, as there are currently limited evidence-based therapies available for treating military trauma. Evidence-based therapies are chosen based on research conducted over the past 30 years, using the "gold standard" for measuring effectiveness. Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy lead with dozens of studies showing an 85% effectiveness rate, even in the most severe cases of trauma.
One of the world’s leading experts in PTSD diagnosis and treatment, Dr. Israel Liberzon, and his team from the University of Texas, personally flew to Ukraine to conduct the training. For the first time, active military psychologists were included in the group. They will immediately apply the Prolonged Exposure Therapy method in their work for the psychological recovery of released prisoners of war, in military hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. The NGO "Community Self-Help," which has prioritized the implementation of advanced psychotherapy methods for the military and veterans in Ukraine, will continue to support such projects under memorandums with the Kyiv National University of Taras Shevchenko Military Institute (VIKNU) and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.
Training Led by World-Class Experts
Training Led by World-Class Experts
Dr. Israel Liberzon, M.D., is a Professor of Psychiatry at Texas A&M University, Distinguished University Professor, and the Sterman Endowed Chair in the Department of Psychiatry at Texas A&M Health Systems. He began his academic career as an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan and then founded the PTSD program at the Ann Arbor VAMC, which has been at the forefront of biological PTSD research for over 20 years. Dr. Liberzon worked at Michigan as an Associate Professor and later as a Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience. He led the Trauma, Stress, and Anxiety Research Group, the Psychiatric Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory, the VA fMRI research facility, the Neurobiology of Stress Laboratory, and more. In 2018, Dr. Liberzon became the Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Texas A&M University.
Dr. Liberzon's primary scientific interest focuses on emotions, stress, and stress-related disorders such as PTSD, particularly on the regulation and dysregulation of stress response systems. His work combines cognitive, functional neuroimaging, neuroendocrine, and genetic approaches. Dr. Liberzon's leadership has been funded by numerous NIMH RO1 grants, VA career development awards, NIH K awards, VA merit awards, and grants from the Army and the Department of Defense. He has published over 320 peer-reviewed manuscripts and is an author and editor of several books and book chapters.
Tatiana Nikelsen, Ph.D., is a research psychologist and Associate Professor at Texas A&M University. She began her professional career in Ukraine and currently works in the USA. For 15 years, Dr. Nikelsen has been improving the delivery of and access to healthcare for vulnerable populations in Ukraine through research and advocacy. She played a key role in implementing opioid substitution therapy, pain control in pediatric palliative care, and more in Ukraine. She also led an educational initiative to train Ukrainian doctors in substitution therapy and pain management. After moving to the USA in 2018, she dedicated her career to studying the neurobiological mechanisms and treatment of PTSD and implementing trauma-focused projects. Dr. Nikelsen is a co-investigator on the Fogarty D43 education grant "Building Research Capacity for Implementing Outcomes Research and Evidence-Based Trauma Care after Mass Violence in Ukraine" and oversees all operations in Ukraine under this project.
