Ambiguous loss is a particular kind of loss that occurs when there is no confirmation of a loved one’s death; due to captivity or prolonged lack of contact, a person is declared missing. The pain of constant waiting develops into chronic anxiety. This condition complicates psychological recovery and the ability to maintain a full life. Recognizing this, the FFU Foundation has expanded the GIDNA project to Mykolaiv and Mykolaiv region.
The GIDNA project provides free psychological support to women whose relatives or loved ones went missing or are in captivity (Indefinite loss). It is a team of professional psychologists who help step by step to overcome pain and find the strength to move on.
Veronika Omelchuk, the GIDNA project’s psychologist.“Women who experience indefinite loss feel very vulnerable, but at the same time, they stay strong. You see both immense pain and immense strength. For me, they are like heroines on the invisible front. They are fighting here, waiting for their loved ones to return from war,”
Over the course of two months (July–August), the project supported 20 women experiencing ambiguous loss (Mykolaiv and Mykolaiv region): in July, 43 psychological sessions were held, and in August — 88. The women received professional psychological support, gradually learning to voice the pain and anxiety that had accumulated over years.
During therapy, the psychologists help women feel supported, understand their emotions, and learn to take care of themselves.
“Working with indefinite loss is always about balance, faith, and acceptance of uncertainty at the same time. Women who experience indefinite loss often live on the edge of their own resources, so psychotherapy should work on replenishing their resources and finding ways to recover, even through small things like daily activities, communication, rest, and nature,” says Oleksandra Storozh, the GIDNA project’s psychologist.
Olena Lavrynenko, the GIDNA project’s psychologist“During the sessions, women often say that they have to hold on and help others. But what the therapist hears is, ‘I ignore my feelings so that it hurts less’. The pain freezes inside. And only in the process of therapy does a woman's journey back to herself begin. The therapist inevitably encounters silence and refusal, and it doesn't help. This is not a denial, but the language of pain. There are no quick fixes here. The only thing that can help is a slow presence that becomes a real support”
The project is implemented with the support of Dan Church Aid and Norwegian Church Aid in Ukraine (DCA–NCA) within the framework of the campaign “Comprehensive Humanitarian Response for Conflict-Affected Ukrainians and Citizens of Other Countries”, funded by the Auswärtige Amt in partnership with Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe.
We thank everyone who supports the GIDNA project and helps Ukrainian women who have suffered from the war to rebuild their strength!
