MMFT Ukraine

Overview

Elizabeth A. Stanley, PhD, is leading a collaborative project with the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) to bring Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT)® to Ukrainians facing the profound psychological toll of war. MMFT is an evidence-based, trauma-sensitive program that equips participants with practical skills for managing stress, regulating emotions, and building resilience. In Ukraine, where more than two-thirds of the population require psychological support but face limited access to care, this initiative is working to translate, adapt, and evaluate a modified brief Ukrainian-language version of MMFT Online, which will be freely available worldwide to any Ukrainian speaker with internet access.

In addition to this digital adaptation, trained MMFT practitioners are piloting live online workshops and 8-week courses with Ukrainian groups, including internally displaced persons, first responders, health-care workers, and veterans. This mixed-methods study combines quantitative surveys assessing PTSD, anxiety, depression, stress, and resilience with qualitative interviews that explore the lived experience of trauma, coping, and recovery in wartime. Findings will provide novel evidence on the feasibility and effectiveness of MMFT in a conflict setting, while also shaping future trauma-informed interventions.

Longer-term goals include training Ukrainian-speaking MMFT Trainers across multiple sectors to create sustainable, locally led capacity for resilience building. By pairing a scalable online platform with community-based training, this project aims to reach millions of Ukrainians, offering tools for resilience and recovery during one of the most stressful periods in the nation’s history.

tags: Elizabeth Stanley