Students of the Department of General Psychology, Psychodiagnostics, and Counselling have completed their internship at the “RZhD-Meditsina” Medical Centre in cooperation with a charitable foundation supporting cancer patients. The internship has become an important stage in the professional development of future specialists, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge in a real clinical setting.
Under the supervision of Associate Professor of the Department of General Psychology, Psychodiagnostics, and Counselling Irina Ponomareva, the students conducted a series of psychological support sessions for patients undergoing cancer treatment. The main goal of the meetings was to provide emotional support during antitumor therapy, a period often accompanied by significant psychological stress.
“The sessions were organized in the format of art therapy, where creative self-expression gave patients an opportunity to safely process difficult emotions, reduce emotional tension, and discover new ways of coping with challenging life circumstances. The use of art-therapy methods made the process of psychological support gentler and more accessible,” noted Irina Ponomareva.
During the meetings, particular attention was paid to working through negative emotions associated with the diagnosis, including anxiety, fear, uncertainty, and the feeling of losing control over one’s life situation.
“Internship is an essential part of the educational programme and professional training of psychology students. The department’s academic programmes are highly practice-oriented: we strive to ensure that every internship becomes a meaningful experience for students, helping them develop professional competencies, empathy, communication skills, and professional thinking,” said Svetlana Morozova, Head of the Department of General Psychology, Psychodiagnostics, and Counselling.
The future psychologists helped participants better understand and express their emotions, as well as find internal resources that contribute to psychological stability.