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During 2023-2024, I found myself in a unique and deeply transformative position: Serving as psychotherapist in a training group composed entirely of Ukrainian colleagues who were navigating the realities of war. This experience offered a profound intersection of professional growth and personal empathy, as I adapted my role among colleagues whose lives were directly shaped by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Reflecting on this journey, I aim to share how it reshaped my perspectives on psychological practice, cross-cultural connection, and resilience.
The training group was designed to foster cross-cultural dialogue and professional development among psychologists from diverse backgrounds. However, in this setting, “diversity” took on a nuanced meaning – rooted in a shared profession but profoundly marked by differences in lived realities.
My Ukrainian colleagues brought narrative of strength, loss, and endurance, intricately tied to their nation’s battle for survival. Their contributions transformed the group into a mosaic of resilience and struggle. Stepping into this environment, I became acutely aware of my unique position as an outsider – not just geographically but experientially. The group evolved into a space where personal stories intertwine with the broader context of war, offering unparalleled insights into the psychological dimensions of conflict.
Being the sole participant from outside the conflict zone presented complex emotional and professional challenges. From the outset, I was acutely aware of my unique position Winnicott (1965)—not just geographically but experientially. I grappled with an underlying sense of survivor's guilt, a relational dynamic often explored in psychoanalytic thought, particularly through the lens of intersubjectivity. The contrast between my relative safety in Greece and the realities my Ukrainian colleagues faced deepened my awareness to the unspoken dynamics within the group. This disparity heightened my sensitivity in interactions,