Tetiana began her career as a child psychologist but today works mainly with families of missing and captured persons. Trained by the ICRC in 2023, she still receives guidance from the organization’s team. “What I do now is truly needed,” she says. “When families ask how I’m doing during difficult times in my city, it’s very touching because it is all about providing support to others.”

A year after finishing her individual sessions, Liudmyla joined an ICRC support group for families of the missing. For more than two months, families waiting for their loved ones gathered in a safe space where everyone understood each other even without having to speak. They could share their fears and pain, knowing they would be heard.

“In the group, everyone shared the same grief,” she says. “But over time, we provided real support to one another. When I spoke, I knew I’d be understood. It’s hard to talk to people outside, but there – I was among those who truly get it.”

Today, Liudmyla’s days are fuller. She spends more time with her five granddaughters, paints and makes time for herself. “I know my son would have praised me for this,” she says.

When we met, Liudmyla was sharing her experience with families just beginning their psychological support journey: people facing the same uncertainty and anxiety she once did.

“The main thing is not to shut yourself off,” she says. “At first, I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I forced myself to speak even with my relatives. But after working with a psychologist, I realized communication is necessary: there are always people who can support you.”

During one session, Liudmyla created a small decorative box: on top, she painted a golden key; inside, a flower.