Psychological support groups in Ukraine

My name is Irina Derkacheva and I am psychotherapist working in NYC. In March 2022, I joined an online peer support group for Ukrainian psychologists organized by Nadia Greenspan. Other U.S. co-facilitators included Olga Friedman, Tamara Roth, Nelly Katsnelson, and Misha Bogomaz. In the course of our daily meetings, we met many dedicated Ukrainian colleagues, who tirelessly continued to support their clients in the time of war.

One of the group members, Yevhen Kyrbaba - a psychologist from Kharkiv, Ukraine, decided to utilize a similar model of group support to address mental health needs and promote resilience among Ukrainians of all ages and walks of life. In April 2022 he created a psychological training program titled “How do we live now?” and made it his mission to deliver the information and support to people across Ukraine. With the help of his Ukrainian partners and international supporters, he has organized and conducted upward of 21 group sessions in 13 cities. More than 200 participants have attended the sessions. During the 3-hour-long in-person group meetings, Yevhen offers participants an opportunity to express their feelings and to experience a sense of belonging. Most of the participants have never received therapeutic help before and are very receptive to learning about the psychological and physiological effects of trauma. They are eager to explore ways of understanding and coping with the individual and collective trauma of the war.

Yevhen hopes to continue conducting these sessions across Ukraine in order to bring mental health awareness and relief to his fellow Ukrainians. The sessions are absolutely free for the participants and are fully funded by the support of donors. Each session costs about $250 to organize: this includes rent of the space, travel expenses, promotion, and fees for support staff. I would like to raise $5,000 to help Yevhen meet his goal of conducting 20 sessions in the next 4 months.

Please support Yevhen’s efforts to bring help and hope to those affected by the horrors of this war in his homeland.

Below you can see photos of the group sessions Yevhen continues to facilitate in spite of difficulties and uncertainties of war time, including frequent shutdowns of electricity and disruptions to internet connectivity.