First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in the conference “Return. The Path to Mental Recovery,” dedicated to supporting Ukrainian defenders, veterans, and their families.
The event gathered over 200 participants, including military personnel, veterans, representatives of civilian and military healthcare institutions, professional associations, public organizations, the Office of the President, the Cabinet of Ministers, as well as partners from the United States, Canada, and Israel.
“The current situation in Ukraine is such that it is difficult to separate those who provide support from those who receive therapy. We are all simultaneously on both sides. We live in a country where a full-scale war has been ongoing for the fourth year, and 83% of people – that is, eight out of ten – experience daily stress,” the First Lady emphasized in her speech.
According to her, one of the greatest challenges of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program “How Are You?”, which she initiated, is societal prejudice.
“I regularly hear about how difficult it is for people to share their pain. That the barrier to seeking help is still the fear of judgment, deeply rooted in our society. Therefore, we had to rethink the very concept of psychological support: what it must be so that a person does not feel ashamed, does not fear, and can trust,” Olena Zelenska said.
She shared that, today, over 120,000 family doctors and therapists have undergone training according to international standards and can provide support on mental health issues. Over the past year, they have received nearly 500,000 requests for help. Additionally, 225 resilience centers operate in communities across Ukraine.
Recent research conducted by the “How Are You?” campaign shows that the percentage of Ukrainians who categorically do not intend to seek help from mental health professionals has halved – from 46% in 2022 to 22% in 2025.
Olena Zelenska noted that this is precisely why the new project “Return” envisages the creation of a nationwide network of mental health centers that will provide free outpatient services based in state medical institutions. The first center of the project had already opened in Dnipro the day before. At the initial stage, at least 25 centers are planned to open in different regions of Ukraine, where over 105,000 military personnel, veterans, and their family members will be able to receive free assistance.
Furthermore, the project actively implements world-class educational programs for mental health professionals.
“Today, we are creating the path – a chance to get help. Whether or not to take it is each person’s decision. But this path must be accessible, simple, and clearly navigable. I am confident that the project ‘Return’ will lay yet another path toward mental health,” the First Lady concluded.