Mental Health Aid for De-Occupied areas in Ukraine

Thanks to your support, we continue to provide free psychological and psychiatric care to Ukrainians affected by war. Since June 2025, the project has reached:

• 637 people 
• 2763 psychological consultations conducted
• 152 psychiatric consultations provided
• 16 supervision sessions held to maintain quality of care

About 81.2% of our clients are women, 18.1% are men and 0.7% are nonbinary, most of them young: the largest group is aged 19–25, and roughly three in four are under 38. Many belong to several vulnerable groups at once. Most describe themselves as directly affected by war, and many have left their homes: about 181 people left their permanent residence due to emergency circumstances, 138 are internally displaced, and around 61 live in frontline or temporarily occupied areas. More than 132 are family members of active service members. We also support humanitarian workers, medical workers, people with disabilities, and families who lost loved ones to shelling or have missing relatives.

The most common concerns are excessive fear and anxiety (more than half of clients) and depressed mood, apathy and pessimism (about half). Many also struggle with low self-esteem, difficulties in relationships, recurring memories of traumatic events, and obsessive thoughts. Around 14% of clients reported suicidal thoughts, which is why having psychiatric support alongside psychological care matters so much. Some clients also told us that air raid alerts disturb their sleep.

One story from this summer stays with us. A woman came to us in a deep depression after her father's funeral, which brought back a childhood loss she had never spoken about to anyone. In our sessions, she was able to share it safely for the first time and began to let go of the guilt she had carried for years. By the end of therapy, her self-blame had turned into healthy grief, and she had found new ways to bring meaning and stability back into her daily life. For her, this was the first safe place to talk.

Here we also attach the anonymous feedback of our beneficiaries.

1. Good afternoon. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to receive free consultations, because this is very important for vulnerable groups of the population and for people who cannot afford paid consultations. Thanks to the painstaking work of volunteers and psychologists, people who truly need help can afford it. I wish only growth in this vitally important work. Every person should have the opportunity to receive help regardless of circumstances and financial situation.
2. I sincerely thank the organization for the opportunity to receive free psychological help, and my psychologist Iryna for her professionalism and support. I reached out to learn to accept the death of my relatives, but over these 10 consultations I was able not only to live through this pain, but also to positively change other areas of my life. This experience truly changed my life for the better. I am immensely grateful!
3. First of all, I would like to sincerely thank the GlobalGiving project for the opportunity to receive free psychological support. In these difficult times, such help is extremely valuable and important. I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to psychologist Olha for her professionalism and attentiveness. Over five sessions, we worked on my anxiety related to the war in Ukraine, forced relocations, and constant changes in my life. Every session took place in an atmosphere of trust, safety, and acceptance, where I could speak openly about my experiences and feelings. Thanks to working with Olha, I have begun to understand my emotions better, find inner support, and cope more easily with anxiety. I feel her sincere support, care, and desire to help, and this means a great deal to me. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue our work, as I feel it is essential for my psychological well-being. Consultations like these truly help people navigate difficult life circumstances and gradually restore their inner balance. Thank you to the GlobalGiving project for this important initiative, and to Olha Atamaniuk for her care, support, and professional help. It is thanks to projects like this that people do not have to face their thoughts alone.

In December, we will analyse the full project results, including changes in anxiety, depression and wellbeing, and share them with you in our Final Report.

Your support allows us to help so many people in need, even in such hard times for our country. We are truly grateful to you for making this possible!

Links:

• Our social media posts
• https://www.instagram.com/p/DaCktHTgF-f/?stkn=ZGg3NW9saDNzcGRx
• https://www.instagram.com/p/DYzy1Z7DcaM/?stkn=MXVtZ2F3dmpjcm1idA==