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SocietyAustria

Mountain climbing to combat war trauma

12:38

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Tom Gennoy | Joseph Wright
November 1, 2025

How can the emotional wounds left behind by war be healed? Former Ukrainian prisoners of war join a unique program.

Fourteen Ukrainian soldiers and their families spend a week in the Austrian Alps, processing their experiences and sharing quiet moments against the backdrop of steep cliffs. The Mountain Seed Foundation retreat combines mountaineering with trauma therapy, creating space for new strength, community and hope. For the participating war veterans and their families, it is an important step back into everyday life. 

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