Master's Students of the Faculty of Clinical and Special Psychology at MSUPE Met with Ilya Boyazny, Artistic Director of Hospital Clowns

On October 16, a meeting took place between master's students of the Department of Special Psychology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Clinical and Special Psychology, MSUPE, and Ilya Boyazny, Artistic Director of the ANO "Hospital Clowns". Ilya told the students about the mission of hospital clowns, their work with children undergoing long-term treatment in hospitals, the psychological technologies for establishing contact with patients with severe illnesses, and the interaction of clowns with medical staff and parents.

"Hospital Clowns" is an organization that has been implementing a hospital clowning program on a systematic and professional basis since 2011. Its activities are aimed at providing psychological support to children undergoing long-term treatment. Specially trained artists make regular visits to medical institutions. The goal of a hospital clown's activity is to help children and parents overcome stress in the hospital at any stage of treatment. Hospital clowns not only strive to improve the quality of a child's life during their stay in the hospital but also train new specialists in the field of hospital clowning.

At the meeting with the master's students, Ilya not only spoke about the psychological aspects of hospital clowns' work but also conducted a master class on working with the body and forming interaction between artists as part of their professional preparation for working with children in hospitals.

The meeting turned out to be open, kind, informal, and very cheerful. The master's students were able to ask all their questions and expand their understanding of the organization of support for children with chronic somatic diseases.