Publication date: 21.05.2025
Iryna Lukecha is an experienced psychotherapist, psychologist, and trainer with a strong background in international humanitarian work, trauma recovery, and psychosocial support. Since 2022, she has actively contributed to global mental health initiatives through her work with International Medical Relief (USA), where she currently serves as a Team Leader. Iryna also collaborates with refugee support foundations in Poland, working with children, families, and individuals with special needs, including autism and ADHD. Her diverse international training, including certification in Breath-Body-Mind Therapy (USA) and Psychosomatics (Ukraine), underpins her holistic and client-centered approach. She has also coordinated cross-border humanitarian projects supported by the Danish Government and Red Cross.
Psychological Support for Refugee Mothers: Regaining Control Over Life
Moving to another country because of war is not just a change of residence—it is a profound emotional shock. This transition is especially hard for mothers who, in order to save their children, leave behind their homes, friends, and familiar way of life. Such events are often accompanied by intense feelings of guilt, anxiety, and a sense of complete internal instability. Psychologist Iryna Lukacha helps these women by supporting them through the process of psychological recovery and regaining a sense of control over their lives. It is important to understand that such changes impact not only daily routines but also a woman's identity as a mother, wife, daughter, and individual.
Case Context
A woman from Ukraine turned to Iryna after being forced to evacuate with her young children during the full-scale military conflict. Although she understood rationally that she had saved her family, she continued to be haunted by strong feelings of guilt and hopelessness. In the new country, she faced adaptation difficulties, was unable to envision her future, and felt completely lost. She was tormented by thoughts of those who stayed behind, fear for her relatives, and a sense that she was not allowed to feel joy. The surrounding environment, language, and culture all felt foreign, reinforcing her isolation.
Stages of Psychotherapeutic Support
1. Stabilizing Emotional State
- Regular weekly individual counseling sessions.
- Addressing guilt associated with evacuation and the feeling of "betraying" the homeland.
- Support with sleep disorders and heightened anxiety.
- Use of grounding techniques, breathing exercises, and returning to the “here and now.”
- Creating a safe emotional space for expressing suppressed feelings: fear, anger, sadness.
2. Adapting to the New Environment
- Explaining how trauma affects perception, emotions, and parenting.
- Discussing common challenges faced by displaced people: isolation, language barriers, cultural shock.
- Identifying external sources of support: volunteers, schools, language courses, psychological services.
- Creating a personal “safety map”: people, places, and actions that bring relief.
- Developing daily routines to restore a sense of stability and control.
3. Regaining Control Over Life
- Practicing goal-setting and prioritization exercises.
- Developing short-term (weekly) and long-term (6-month) plans.
- Rebuilding a structured daily routine.
- Enrolling in language classes and resuming postponed education.
- Forming new habits that support a sense of progress and independence.
Therapy Results
- Reduced anxiety and guilt towards her children.
- Strengthened internal resources, improved self-esteem, and confidence.
- Restored sense of meaning in daily life and renewed motivation.
- Reevaluated goals and discovered a renewed sense of direction.
- Felt a growing sense of belonging in the new society and built a social support network.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question
How does therapy help refugee women cope with guilt and anxiety?
Answer
Therapy provides a safe space to express emotions, learn self-help techniques, and rebuild a sense of inner control and resilience. During the sessions, the client learns to recognize her emotions, not suppress them, but accept and process them. The psychologist helps separate real threats from imagined fears, fostering a more balanced view of the situation. This reduces emotional tension and builds confidence.
Thanks to deep and structured work with a psychologist, the client not only stabilized her emotional state but also took concrete steps toward personal recovery. She began to rebuild her life in a new reality while preserving a connection to her past. This case illustrates how vital it is to seek professional support in times of traumatic life change. Psychological assistance can become an anchor that keeps a person afloat during their most difficult moments.
