ART THERAPEUTIC WORK WITH ANXIOUS TEENAGERS DURING MILITARY ACTIONS IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article emphasizes the difficult period – the Russian-Ukrainian confrontation in which our state is. Dangerous, unstable and threatening life in the country is perceived as a provoking factor of increased personal anxiety. A new, unpredictable tragic situation provoked moral and material losses of many people, rebuilt the system of values. The author emphasizes the difficulties of children's growth in the realities of war, in the background of chronic stress. In the article, attention is paid to the mental states of teenagers in whom the level of situational and personal anxiety increased even during the pandemic, and the terrible war situation significantly complicated the problem. For the transitional vulnerable period of growing up, such circumstances can turn out to be extremely dangerous and affect the deterioration of the state of mental health, radically change the attitude towards the environment, and provoke conflicts in the family and with friends. The need to implement a wide range of psychological support, which is aimed at normalizing the life of an individual in the conditions of military operations, is indicated. The author presents his own view on improving the situation through the organization of art therapy work with teenagers, describes the stages of experimental research. The concepts of mandala therapy and isotherapy are described and examples of corrective exercises are given. It is suggested that art therapy affects the emotional state of anxious teenagers, reducing the level of anxiety. Generalized factual material obtained during a diagnostic study of the relationship between color choice and the presence of anxiety level is provided. Thanks to re-testing, the results "before" and "after" the correction program were obtained, which was interpreted as confirmation of the hypothesis. The effectiveness of the art therapy program was analyzed, thanks to the method of expert evaluations, there were indicators of a decrease in the level of anxiety and positive changes in the behavior of a teenager, namely, a transition from an unstable emotional state to stabilization and a decrease in anxiety. The author sees the solution to the problem of adolescent anxiety in the formation of self-help skills through the use of art therapy technologies not only in individual work with adolescents, but also in the family.