We participated in the conference “Post-Traumatic Growth”, initiated by the NGO “International Women’s Community ‘Lagertha’.” The event brought together psychologists, activists, veterans, families of prisoners and released captives — to have an honest and profound conversation about inner transformation after trauma.

The head of our organization, Ihor Kotelianets, spoke in the session “PTG and Reintegration of Military Personnel, Veterans, and Captives”, sharing the experiences of families of civilian hostages:

“Post-traumatic growth in relatives doesn’t begin when the pain disappears — it begins when you realize: you are the only free person your loved one in captivity can rely on. And that’s when strength emerges. A person starts acting systematically — not out of desperation or burnout, but with the understanding that to fight for someone else, you must first be in a resourceful state yourself. And that’s also a form of responsibility.
Those who have been released, yet still call themselves prisoners for years and seek help — they remain in internal captivity. It’s not about weakness, but about deep trauma that must be seen and acknowledged. These people need our support.
But when a person puts that experience behind them, starts building a new life or feels the need to help others — for example, by supporting those still unlawfully detained — that’s when true post-traumatic growth occurs.”

We are grateful to the NGO “Lagertha” for the invitation and for creating a space where painful experiences transform into solidarity, strength, and change.

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