Healing Ukraine: A New Vision for War Trauma Recovery
An Honorable and Timely Cause Worth Supporting
Dr. Olya Zaporozhets with members of the Ukrainian National Guard
Picture this scene: it is a bright and sunny day. You walk into a large classroom. A debriefing is in process. There are notepads and gadgets on all the tables. Everyone is wearing military camo and sporting buzz cuts, with studious expressions on their faces. You hear an instructor speaking about “resilience” and walking the class through exercises to process what they have been through and make a smooth transition back home to see their families. As she speaks, she is analyzing her audience for any warning signs.
This scene is happening frequently in Kyiv these days. Ukrainian soldiers are being equipped with mental health skills before spending a few days at home and then returning to the front lines.
At least 1.2 million Ukrainians have been or are currently engaged in defending their homeland. To the world, this war began on February 24th, 2022. However, the conflict truly started with Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the subsequent war in the Donbas (2014-2022). Trauma has unfortunately become almost ubiquitous for the people of Ukraine. It affects not only military personnel but also civilians trying to go about their lives. Many have endured sexual violence, displacement, and abuse while living in occupied territories. Others are grappling with the death of loved ones and the end of the life they once knew.
“People often ask me, ‘Why now? Isn’t this a task to be completed post-war?’” says Dr. Olya Zaporozhets, the licensed professional counselor and instructor mentioned in the opening scenario. “I counter that it matters now because we see the necessity to help soldiers on the front lines, their spouses, children, and other civilians right now. We do not know when the war will end. We cannot afford to wait.”
Russia’s campaign of aggression has included the repeated targeting of Ukraine’s health care infrastructure. This is a willing violation of international law and an abandonment of morality and decency. As of February 19th, 2025, there have been 1,957 documented attacks on Ukraine’s healthcare system. 1,039 hospitals and clinics have been damaged or destroyed. 274 health workers have been killed. We know these numbers will only climb higher with the unrelenting bombings of the past month. Moreover, like much of Eastern Europe, Ukraine inherited a rudimentary healthcare system for active duty service members and veterans that did not include psychotherapy services as a part of treatment.
Improving a patient’s well-being through cutting-edge healthcare is a passion of Dr. Oksana Syvak, Dr. Zaporozhets’ business partner. Dr. Syvak was one of the doctors who set up four underground medical hospitals for protestors during the Revolution of Dignity at Maidan, which provided treatment to over 500 patients. She went on to serve as the Deputy Minister of Health, and then as Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs, where she supervised the physical and mental health of veterans and their families, oversaw the launch of the physical rehabilitation system in Ukraine, and co-authored Ukraine’s “On Rehabilitation in the Field of Health Care” law.
Currently, the staff at the Open Doors Center for Psychological Counseling in Kyiv provides outpatient and telehealth services for war-related trauma with sliding fees to ensure no one who asks for help is turned away. During the last two years, they have provided over 25,000 direct clinical hours to over 2,100 clients, but this is just a drop in the bucket.
To make a meaningful difference, Dr. Zaporozhets and Dr. Syvak have a shared vision to expand the possibilities of Ukrainian healthcare in the future. The Ukraine Institute for Traumatherapy is their current project to build a state-of-the-art medical complex on 15 acres of land about 30 kilometers south of Kyiv. This will be an innovative facility where science, technology, and humanity are combined to ensure that every Ukrainian affected by war trauma has the opportunity to heal and lead a resilient life.
UIT will be a training and research center providing a place for healthcare professionals from around the world to conduct research focused on best practices in addressing war-related trauma and educating the next generation of trauma-focused medical professionals. It will also be much-needed economic development for the area, creating jobs, generating revenue, and lifting the surrounding community with a critical infrastructure project.
Dr. Zaporozhets and Dr. Syvak are currently engaged in fundraising efforts around the world to make this dream a reality and begin providing services to the people of Ukraine. UIT’s organizers have cleared the pre-build phase and need $1M in hand to begin construction of the first building, which will cost about $3.2M total. For comparison, the newly built veterans care center in Northern Virginia cost the VA and the Commonwealth of Virginia $68M to build.
As a veteran, I believe it is important to shine a light on this project. I’m confident in the vision of Dr. Zaporozhets and Dr. Syvak, and I do not doubt that the Ukraine Institute of Traumatherapy will be a success. To learn more about the project or make a donation, please consider clicking here or visiting this link: http://imhcinc.org/uit-capital-campaign.