23/06/2026
How can nature become a space for healing and reintegration?
Participants of the The Media House on Veterans and Sustainable Reintegration project explored this question during a guided visit to Rozsadnyk, an environmental education and nature-based therapy space in Lviv’s Zalizna Voda Park.
The session was led by Julia Thiessen, a Canadian expert with 15 years of experience in nature-based therapy. Visiting Ukraine for the second time as a volunteer, Julia supports Rozsadnyk’s work with vulnerable communities affected by the full-scale war, sharing international expertise and practical approaches to psychological recovery.
Nature-based and adventure therapy is much more than spending time outdoors. It is a structured, evidence-informed therapeutic approach that uses natural environments and carefully designed activities to foster resilience, connection, and healing. It can be especially beneficial for: military veterans and active service members, internally displaced people, children affected by war, families experiencing loss and prolonged stress.
Through mindful walks, sensory awareness exercises, collaborative challenges, storytelling, reflection, and other nature-based practices, participants discovered new ways to process experiences, rebuild trust, and reconnect with themselves and others.
The visit also offered project participants an opportunity to learn how innovative, community-based approaches can contribute to sustainable veteran reintegration and strengthen support systems for people living through the consequences of war.
The program is organized by IDEM Institute, and implemented with the financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office.
