Every woman who comes to the events of the Ukrainian Women’s Guard carries her own experience and the burden of war. Here, they find support, a sense of safety, and the chance to breathe freely again.
Within the project “VARTA: Recovery. Art. Therapy. Adaptation” we share the stories of women for whom these meetings became a path from anxiety to inner strength and hope.
The project was implemented within the framework of “Women. Peace. Security” with the support of the Ukrainian Women’s Fund and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Story 1.
Svitlana is a woman who lives with daily anxiety. All the men in her family are now at war. Every phone call could be from the front, every air raid alert is a reminder of danger. This has become the constant background of her life, yet also an unbearable burden. The hardest part is the feeling of helplessness and the constant questions: What will tomorrow bring? Will my loved ones return home alive?
When individual canine therapy sessions began in Borodianka, organized by the Ukrainian Women’s Guard within the project “Women. Peace. Security: Local Needs – Local Solutions,” implemented by the Ukrainian Women’s Fund with the support of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Svitlana decided to give it a try.
The first minutes with the therapy dogs, Shusha and Richy, felt unusual: Could animals really ease pain and anxiety? But after just a few meetings, she noticed the difference. Calmness and warmth appeared, the tension receded. It was a true psychological relief: her thoughts became clearer, her body relaxed, and hope was reborn in her soul. And when Richy rested his head on her knees, Svitlana smiled sincerely for the first time in a long while.
She admitted:
“With these kind dogs, the feeling of constant tension disappears. It’s as if a stone has been lifted from my soul. I leave the sessions with inner peace. Such meetings are very much needed because they give us the strength to go on and to wait for our loved ones with faith and hope.”
Now, Svitlana eagerly looks forward to new sessions. She says she wishes such activities could happen more often, as they truly help not only her but also many other women who carry the daily burden of war on their shoulders.
This story shows that even small steps, like canine therapy sessions, can bring big changes. They restore calm, strength, and hope. And this experience deserves to be shared, so that as many women as possible can receive this support.
Story 2.
Iryna is a young mother of two children. Her life was turned upside down in a single moment when her husband was wounded at the front. It was a devastating blow: days turned into endless waiting for news, nights into sleepless hours, and her heart was gripped by constant anxiety. The children also lived in this tension: every sound of a Shahed drone or explosion meant fear and tears.
When Iryna learned about individual canine therapy sessions in Borodianka, she decided to come together with her younger daughter, Mariyka. From the very first meeting, it became clear how the therapy dogs, Shusha and Richy, influenced the child: instead of tears — a smile, instead of fear — curiosity and play. Mariyka reached out to her furry friends, stroked their warm backs, and suddenly laughed again — a genuine, childlike laugh.
For Iryna, these sessions became a breath of fresh air. She admits:
“I lived in constant anxiety — for my husband, for my children. But here, for the first time, I felt relief. The dogs have an incredible ability to ease tension. Mariyka stopped constantly talking about Shaheds and now looks forward to meeting Richy and Shusha.”
After several sessions, both mother and daughter became calmer. Iryna felt that the anxiety no longer pressed so heavily on her, while Mariyka no longer reacted so sharply to loud sounds. At home, the girl often recalls her four-legged friends and even draws them in her notebook.
This experience gave Iryna the sense that even in the hardest times, one can find a small island of safety and joy. She believes that such activities are essential, as they help both adults and children cope with traumatic events and bring back light and hope into their lives.
Story 3.
Oksana lives in a world where everything is connected to the military: her loved ones serve, and war has become her daily reality. She feels it not only through the news or air raid sirens but also in her own heart — exhausted from constant worry for those close to her. Daily attacks, nearby explosions, and sleepless nights when it seems the danger will never end have drained her and robbed her of any sense of peace.
In this endless tension, individual canine therapy sessions within the Ukrainian Women’s Fund project became a real salvation for Oksana. It may seem like a simple thing — meeting with a therapy dog. Yet those moments with a four-legged friend gave her what she had been missing for so long: warmth, acceptance, and inner quiet. Dogs do not ask questions and do not judge; they are simply there — offering a sense of safety so essential during wartime.
Gradually, the tension eased, her sleep began to return, and with it came relief.
Oksana shares:
“I started to feel again that I can breathe fully.”
Her story proves that canine therapy is much more than a pleasant meeting with a dog. It is a true tool for recovery that helps restore strength and balance, even when it feels like the war has taken everything away. And the more women and families of service members have access to such practices, the sooner peace, trust, and hope will return to their lives.
Story 4.
Kateryna, a soldier of the 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, is used to standing strong. At the front, she faces what others can hardly imagine: shelling, losses, constant tension that gives neither body nor mind a moment of rest. She learned to be strong for her comrades, for her country, and for her family. Yet behind that strength was an exhaustion she could not overcome on her own.
That is why the meeting with a therapy dog within the canine therapy program became an unexpected breath of fresh air for her. “I didn’t think it could help me this much,” Kateryna admits. Next to her four-legged friend, she allowed herself to relax for the first time in a long while. The dog’s warm eyes seemed to say: “You are safe now. You can let go of the pain.”
When the soldier stroked the animal, her hands — used to holding weapons and doing heavy work — felt something different: softness, calm, life that offers warmth without conditions. She smiled, and this time it was genuine, not forced. Gradually, what she had been missing returned to her heart — the feeling of recovery.
“The dog taught me to feel simple things again: the joy of touch, trust, peace. It became therapy stronger than words,” says Kateryna.
And it was after these canine therapy sessions that Kateryna decided to get her own dog. Now she has a loyal friend in her life who is always there — offering warmth and support, helping her relieve tension, and giving her strength for the days ahead.
Her story proves that canine therapy is not just a meeting with a dog — it is a path to recovery, inner peace, and a friendship that can truly change a life.
Story 5.
Sofia is a young mother of little Margarita. Her husband and father are defending Ukraine, while she lives each day balancing the care of her child and the anxious news from the front. Constant air raid alerts, explosions, and fear for her loved ones left her exhausted, deprived of sleep and peace.
As part of the project, Sofia took part in an art therapy session led by Nataliia Prykhodko. The theme of the workshop was deeply symbolic — each participant painted her own zodiac constellation with acrylics on a wooden base.
For Sofia, it became something more than just painting. In the process, she immersed herself in a world where fears could be released, worries set aside, and emotions expressed through colors. Every line, every star on her artwork symbolized her inner strength, hope, and connection with the people she loves.
After the session, Sofia shared: “For the first time in a long while, I felt lightness. This constellation is like my talisman, reminding me that darkness always yields to light.”
Her experience proves that art therapy is not just about creativity, but also a path to restoring inner balance. And if such sessions are held more often, even more women will be able to find within themselves the strength to withstand the daily anxiety of war.
Story 6.
Lyudmyla is a caring mother and grandmother whose loved ones have taken up the defense of their Homeland. Daily work, household duties, and constant worry for her family had left her drained. Explosions and sleepless nights left their mark: Lyudmyla felt a tension and anxiety that never released her, day or night.
Taking part in an art therapy session led by Nataliia Prykhodko became an unexpected island of calm for her. While painting her constellation with acrylics on a wooden base, she seemed to immerse herself in her own universe. Steady brushstrokes, bright colors, and an atmosphere of support and warmth helped her feel inner peace for the first time in a long while.
“I so badly needed to pause and just be with myself,” Lyudmyla shared. “Painting allowed me to transfer all my pain and anxiety onto the wood. I saw my own sky, my own star that will always shine for me and my loved ones.”
For her, this experience became the beginning of restoring emotional balance. She felt that even in the darkest of times, there is a space for light — a place to rest and regain strength. Lyudmyla wished for such sessions to be held more often, as they bring not only creativity but also the emotional relief that our women need so much.
Story 7.
Kateryna is a talented psychologist. She supports others every day, working with people who have experienced stress and trauma, yet her own emotions often remain inside. Loved ones on the front, constant worries, fatigue, and exhaustion… Despite her professional knowledge, even a psychologist needs time for herself to restore strength.
The art therapy session led by Nataliia Prykhodko became precisely this necessary and important resource for Kateryna. Painting with watercolors on paper allowed her to express emotions through color and light, and to feel lightness and inner balance. Each brushstroke felt like a breath — calm and free.
“I realized how important it is to allow myself to feel safe too,” Kateryna admitted. “When you paint, anxiety fades. It’s as if an inner space appears, with only silence, colors, and my feelings.”
This experience helped her restore her emotional resources and reinforced the idea that to support others, one must take care of oneself. Art therapy became a space of calm and relaxation for Kateryna, which she now recommends to every woman, especially those living under war conditions and constant stress.
Story 8.
Lesya joined the army because her heart would not allow her to stay aside while her husband was already serving. Her war was not in the trenches, but in basements filled with paperwork, cold coffee, and dampness, where even sleep felt like a luxury.
Her body began to betray her: breathing was difficult, her back ached, and stairs became an insurmountable obstacle. Constant spasms in her lower back and shoulders drained her strength.
She agreed to try massage without much belief in its effect. Yet after just a few sessions, she felt the change: easier breathing, freer movements, and the pain receded. Stairs no longer stopped her; she moved confidently, without pauses.
Massage restored not only her physical freedom but also reminded Lesya that the body can be a support, not a prison. She started training again, doing planks, feeling strength within herself. Even in the undergrounds of war, she found a space for recovery, care, and life.
Story 9.
Olena lived for a long time in the silence of her own pain. After the death of her beloved in the war, her world became gray and colorless. Work, home, and nightly tears — that was how her days passed. Her body remembered the loss: tense shoulders, heavy breathing, the feeling of a stone on her heart.
When she was invited to a massage session as part of the Ukrainian Women’s Guard project, she hesitated: “How can this help my heart?” But the very first touch of skilled hands became an unexpected revelation. Her body released tension, and with it, a part of the emotional pain as well.
With each new session, both her body and her outlook on life began to change. She allowed herself to feel lightness again, to hear the birds sing, to enjoy the aroma of morning coffee. Tears still came, but now they were not about despair — they were about memories that gave her strength.
Massage became a path for Olena to discover a new self — strong and gentle at the same time. She realized that the love she had lost left a light within her, and that care and attentive touch can restore the ability to live again.
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