Kyiv, Ukraine, 8 June – Generation Ukraine, Kyiv-based organization of creative and businesswomen of Ukraine, hosted its second inaugural event to help Ukraine women address the stress of war in a discussion with a therapist. Titled “Leading with Resilience”, the gathering offered a platform to discuss the effects of the war on professional life and how to deal with these challenges. The conversation was led by Ana Lissova, psychologist and co-founder of Pleso, an online therapy platform.  

During the gathering, the women found answers to dilemmas they couldn’t answer themselves, got introduced to therapy, and had a chance to feel its positive effects. According to the data of the World Economic Forum, almost 80% of Ukrainians live with the constant stress and anxiety which creates a significant burden on population’s mental health. Helping women address their emotional wellbeing is the first step needed to build a vibrant community of creatives and entrepreneurs in Ukraine, believes Generation Ukraine’s Executive Director Themis Sakellariou. 

“Women in Ukraine live their day-to-date lives with the war in the background. They had to learn to live their lives anew: working under air strikes, losing homes and loved ones, experiencing constant grief. War is everywhere in Ukraine. Therapy already has become a popular tool to address the pressing issues of your emotional wellbeing, and in Ukraine we need it more than ever,” said Generation Ukraine’s founder Julia Kril. 

Through the framework of the event, the attendees also had the opportunity to network with women with a similar growing mindset. These initiatives are the primary steps to finding common ground for mutual empowerment and potential collaborations. 

 “I believe that we as women have each other’s back, but we also need motivation, an excuse to expand our circle and social network. At Generation Ukraine, we do the outreach. We bring the women we think could benefit and those we share the same values with. This time, we united these women to discuss mental health, which is essential for growth: to understand that you do not stand alone and that what you feel is normal. Being in a room with 25+ women sharing the same feelings might be transforming. And to be honest, this is the feedback we get,” said Executive Director of Generation Ukraine Themis Sakellariou.  

This was the third event hosted by Generation Ukraine, a creative and business community of Ukrainian women whose mission is to provide transformative training programs and networking opportunities to empower them, foster deep connections, and build a supportive and trusting community in Ukraine and worldwide.

To learn more about Generation Ukraine, visit their website: https://generationukraine.org/.