Since 2023, Common Threads Project has been working alongside Ukrainian partners to build a foundation for long-term trauma recovery—training local clinicians, strengthening systems of care, and preparing communities to support survivors over time.
Background
It has been four years since the war in Ukraine began—four years marked by displacement, loss, and the quiet, compounding trauma carried by millions of women and girls. More than 3 million are expected to require support for gender-based violence, yet stigma, fear, and lack of access to care leave many suffering in silence.
Without access to sustained, culturally resonant care, trauma does not fade—it deepens, shaping health, relationships, and the future of entire communities.
Our Partners
Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights is an independent German-Swiss non-governmental organization dedicated to the protection of human rights in Belarus and Ukraine.
Somatic Experiencing Ukraine is an international team of therapists and trainers in trauma therapy. They specialize in the Somatic Experiencing® method and provide support to those who work in war conditions and help others.
Our Work
In June 2023, Common Threads Project began a series of virtual stress management and burnout prevention workshops. Over the course of 8 sessions, staff at our partnering organizations learned creative methods for self care and managing trauma. As the conflict in Ukraine continues, the trend seen in other conflicts will likely present itself to these professionals as well: survivors of sexual violence will emerge and they will need long-term trauma healing.
In 2025, a CTP facliitator training for Ukrainian therapists took place in the Carpethian mountains. The European team of CTP clinical experts includes Catherine Butterly, Elisabeth Janz Mayer-Reickh, and Edita Lintl.