A Space for Recovery and Support: Highlights from the January Ya mozhu (I Can) Support Group Sessions by East SOS

In January, the East SOS team continued supporting people living in the constant uncertainty of war – those working with hromadas (communities), caring for others, and at the same time, seeking some stability for themselves.

This month we organized four Ya mozhu psychological support group meetings with art therapy sessions in Vyshneve (Kyiv Oblast). The participants included educators, activists, internally displaced women, and women from families affected by russia’s military aggression. Overall, 56 women from various parts of Ukraine, along with local residents, joined the groups.

These meetings aim to help participants find the strength to live with uncertainty and create a safe space where they can be true to themselves. This time, the participants didn’t just engage in conversation, but also created winter beauty with their own hands: during art therapy sessions, they processed their emotions and relieved inner tension.

“Support groups provide a safe space for processing the emotions from prolonged stress in times of war. Through simple creative activities, participants gradually reconnect with themselves and find the inner resources needed to face daily challenges,” said Maryna Danyliuk, the manager of the psychological program at East SOS.

For some, these meetings address the need for communication and trusting relationships, as well as finding ways to reconnect with family and friends. Some participants come to recharge, find energy, and experience positive emotions, while others seek to regain peaceful sleep and inner balance. In a safe space, women had the chance to share their feelings, ask questions, seek advice, and support each other.

The groups’ activities were aimed at promoting self-care, developing skills for self-support, and discovering inner resources to help participants manage long-term stress.

The events took place within the framework of the project Empowering Civil Society for Nonviolent Conflict Transformation with State Actors, with the financial support of KURVE Wustrow.

Recently, we shared how the East SOS psychologists are providing support to evacuees.