Programmes
All programmes are free of charge for participants. Places are limited, so we ask you to fill in a short form and come to an intake meeting. If you are not sure which programme is yours, start with a peer-support circle or write to us.
Psychodrama group “Action”
Who it is for. Adults living in waiting, uncertainty or after loss: wives, partners, mothers and adult children of soldiers and veterans, including those killed or missing in action. If you recognise yourself in a different description, write to us and we will advise.
How it works. Eight meetings, once a week, 2.5 hours. A closed group of 8–12 people: the membership does not change from the first meeting to the last. Before the group, a 30-minute individual meeting with the facilitator to get acquainted and see whether this format suits you right now. A follow-up meeting one month after the end.
What happens in a session. Warm-up, to come into contact with yourself and the group. Action: one participant enacts their situation with the group’s support; others take roles. Sharing: everyone speaks about what resonated in their own experience, without advice or judgement.
Who leads. Olha Bushuieva, certified psychologist and psychodramatist. Under external supervision.
Next intake. Starts [date], [city/online], [weekday], [time]. Intake meetings from [date] to [date].
[Fill in the form →]([form link])
Peer-support circles
Who it is for. Everyone from the same community as the “Action” group; those not yet ready for a closed group; and those who have completed it and want to stay in touch.
How it works. Once a week, 1.5 hours, open entry: come once or every week. 6–15 people. We speak in a circle: everyone has time to say what they want, nobody interrupts or advises. At the end, a short practice: breathing, grounding, attention to what matters to you. You can simply listen.
Who leads. Trained facilitators under the psychologist’s supervision. A facilitator is not a psychologist and gives no clinical advice; if someone needs other help, we help them find it.
When. [Weekday], [time], [address / online link]. No registration needed, but write to us if you are coming for the first time, so we can meet you.
For the people who hold others
Who it is for. Teachers, social workers, community and administrative-service staff, librarians, volunteers, primary-care staff: those who work with people under stress every day.
How it works. A four-hour module (or two sessions of two hours) at your institution, 12–25 people. Topics: how stress and burnout work; psychological first aid in the WHO approach; self-regulation during the working day; boundaries and how to hold them; where to refer people who need more. Optionally, three follow-up meetings in the circle format.
Who leads. The psychologist and a facilitator.
How to book. Write to [email] or fill in the form for institutions. For public institutions the module is free within our projects; for businesses it is provided under contract, with the income funding free groups.
Men’s circle
Who it is for. Men living through family breakdown and separation from their children: after returning from service, after divorce, fathers at a distance.
How it works. An open circle every two weeks, 1.5 hours, hosted by [partner]. For those ready for deeper work, a closed eight-week group in the “Action” format. The rule of the circle: we speak about ourselves, not about former partners. We are not lawyers and not a party to family disputes; legal questions are referred to free legal aid.
Who leads. The open circle: a male facilitator under the psychologist’s supervision. The closed group: the psychologist.
When. [Launch planned for ●]. Leave your contact to hear first: [form].
Frequently asked questions
Is this psychotherapy? The closed psychodrama group is led by a certified psychologist; it is psychological help in a group format. It is not medical treatment: we make no diagnoses and prescribe no medication. If at the intake meeting we see that you need a different kind of help, we will say so directly and help you find it. Peer-support circles are not therapy and do not replace it.
Is it free? Yes, for participants. The work is paid for by donors and partners, and we publish where the money comes from.
Is it confidential? Yes. What is said in the group stays in the group: all participants agree to this in writing. Facilitators are bound by confidentiality. The only exceptions are a threat to life or health, violence against a child, or a legal requirement, and we explain these before the start. Details in the confidentiality policy.
Why do you ask us to fill in questionnaires? To understand whether what we do helps. The questionnaires are short, stored under a code rather than a name, and only aggregated figures appear in reports. You can decline the questionnaires and still take part.
I am not in Odesa. Can I join online? Yes: circles and some groups run online. Write to us and we will tell you when the next online group starts.
What if I feel bad right now? If life is at risk: 103 or 112. Free 24/7 lines in Ukraine: Lifeline Ukraine 7333; the psychological support line for men 2345; the national domestic-violence hotline 116 123. We answer messages within a working day and are not an emergency service.