News
23.10.2025
A third mental health center of the national RETURNING network opens in Poltava
A RETURNING (ukr. ПОВЕРНЕННЯ) mental health center has begun operating in Poltava — for servicemen, veterans, and their family members. This is already the third facility within the national RETURNING network, founded by Victor and Olena Pinchuk to support the mental health of those who have suffered psychological trauma as a result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Every year, more than 4,000 Ukrainian defenders and their families will be able to receive high-quality psychological assistance at the RETURNING Center in Poltava.
The RETURNING project demonstrates a successful partnership between the private sector and the state — when philanthropists establish mental health centers based on public medical institutions. Thus, with project funding, a cozy, modern, and barrier-free space was created at one of Poltava’s leading medical facilities, where servicemen, veterans, and their loved ones can receive comprehensive psychological assistance.
“Mental health during wartime is a matter of national resilience. Servicemen, veterans, and their families face daily challenges that require not only courage but also systemic psychological support. Within the RETURNING project, we are creating centers where assistance is based on effective methods and collaboration among professionals from different disciplines. Our educational component is equally important — it ensures that all members of the multidisciplinary teams continually enhance their qualifications, undergo supervision, and exchange experience. All this allows us to provide services to our defenders and their families at the highest level,” said Svitlana Hrytsenko, head of the RETURNING project.
The Poltava RETURNING Center fully meets the requirements of inclusivity: it has wide doorways, no thresholds, medical-grade non-slip linoleum floors, and restrooms adapted for people using wheelchairs. The RETURNING mental health centers also foster an atmosphere of psychological inclusivity, where anyone can seek help without fear of judgment or stigma. Trust and respect for visitors’ privacy are integral to the work of the network’s professionals.
The center is equipped with everything needed for comfortable visits and professional work: a welcoming reception area with a waiting zone, offices for individual, family, and psychiatric sessions, a spacious room for group therapy, a day-hospital ward with an accessible restroom, a treatment room, as well as facilities for staff and storage.
The center has all the necessary equipment for quality work — computers, a multimedia projector and screen, a Shiftwave System (USA) for psychological relaxation, art therapy materials, psychological board games, metaphorical cards, yoga mats, and other tools. Specialists have also received a collection of professional publications in psychology, psychiatry, and psychotherapy.
Visitors are supported by a multidisciplinary team that includes psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, nurses, and, when needed, case managers, social workers, and veteran-support specialists. This approach ensures comprehensive assistance — from initial consultation to long-term therapy and social adaptation.
“It’s important for us that people who come for help feel trust and safety from the very first minutes. We work with various conditions — from acute stress to post-traumatic disorders — and each time we see that recovery is possible. It’s a process that requires patience, support, and faith in oneself. The key is not to be left alone with your pain. When there’s a team nearby that not only treats but truly listens, even the heaviest experiences gradually become something you can process and release,” said Yulia Rakhmatova, head of the Poltava RETURNING Center.
The specialists of the center apply effective methods, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, gestalt therapy, trauma-oriented therapy, stabilization and self-regulation techniques, group therapy, and crisis counseling. Special attention is given to creating a safe environment, empathetic interaction, and the gradual restoration of patients’ mental resilience.
The RETURNING mental health centers provide free assistance to servicemen, veterans, and their families. At the first stage of the RETURNING project, 20–25 centers are planned to open across Ukraine. Every year, they will be able to provide professional psychological assistance to more than 100,000 defenders and their family members.
