Children's Mental Health

TOY THERAPY ROOM is a nationwide charity project launched by an initiative group of the NGO Genofond Natsii in September 2022.

Its goal is to minimize the traumatic experience of children and adults of all ages affected by the invasion, using toy therapy and art therapy. The author of the method is psychologist and PhD in Psychology Viktoriia Nazarevych.

The project team consists of professional psychologists and art therapists who have volunteered for over 3.5 years. Around 70 such spaces operate across Ukraine.

What Toy Therapy Room is

TOY THERAPY ROOM is, above all, a specially arranged space where room facilitators guide communication with a visitor (adult or child) so they can release painful emotions, restore their resources and gain more confidence in themselves and the future.

Each room holds 100 to 300 soft toys. After a conversation with a psychologist, the visitor keeps the one or several toys they chose — so the therapeutic effect lasts as long as needed.

Results

The method has shown excellent results with the most diverse groups: children, teenagers, adults, the military, patients of various medical facilities, women in prenatal centers, the elderly in geriatric institutions, as well as at field camps, rehabilitation centers and workshops for teachers and university lecturers — in group and individual work.

The NGO Genofond Natsii regularly holds academic conferences and training seminars for its psychologists to introduce new tools for helping children and adults.