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By the time this publication is released three years will have passed since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
I vividly remember what I wrote during the first year of the invasion in another journal (Psychoanalysis, Self and Context, 18(3), ). Today, I wouldn’t change much of it. On the contrary, three years later, my understanding of what I expressed back then has deepened. Perhaps in 10 years, the stories of how I experienced this war will make more sense than they do now. At present, I struggle to form a coherent narrative, a reflection of the fractured world we live in today. Despite lacking answers, I continue to ask questions.
The war has fundamentally transformed our lives – our work, relationships, and our basic ways of existing. We’ve learned to adapt to war: to live, protect, love, work, and even vacation amidst it. But at what cost?
In therapy sessions, patients rarely speak directly about the war. Instead, they discuss relationships, daily challenges, and work. While the war is omnipresent in our reality, it’s rarely the overt subject of discussion. We all know it’s there, that we’re all in danger. Are we frozen? Is this paralysis our response to the ongoing crime, to the unanswered question of when the killing will stop?
As a therapist, I’ve noticed that I listen more and comment less in sessions now. Have I regained my sense of asymmetry? Have I reclaimed the responsibility that comes with my role?
Our training continues. We study and practice the Relational Psychoanalysis. But I wonder – are we succeeding? Is it even possible in these times?
Over the past three years, we’ve learned much about ourselves – both good and bad. But is a dialogue within ourselves or with others truly possible? What kind of people will we be when the war ends?
We all share one question: when will the war end? This is not just our question; it’s a question for the world, which is also grappling with its own crises and lacks answers.
Perhaps this is our new reality – not just for Uk