About
Mypathtopsychotherapywentthroughwar
I'm Igor Kholodylo. Entrepreneur who became a volunteer paramedic in 2014. Combat medic in the Kulchytsky Battalion. Wounded near Avdiivka in 2022. Went through my own trauma and healing twice – now I help others.
2014
ATO Volunteer
2
combat deployments
EMDR
Europe certified
2024
The Economist
Hands That Held a Weapon
Two combat deployments. Kulchytsky Battalion, National Guard (2014-2016). Armed Forces, Avdiivka (2022). Wounded, mine-blast trauma. I know the cost of war – not from textbooks.
Hands That Saved Lives
Combat medic on the front line. A kaleidoscope of broken bodies passed through me. Every life saved – and every loss – shaped my understanding of what it means to be present.
Hands That Heal
Today my hands work differently. EMDR, body therapy, ketamine-assisted therapy at Forest Glade. Becoming stronger at the broken places is not a metaphor – it's my experience.
Philosophy
Kintsugi–theartofrepairwithgold
When a cup breaks, it's not thrown away – it's mended with gold. The cracks become decoration. Same with a person after trauma: not returning to “normal,” but finding new depth and strength. Not despite the trauma – but through it.
“A person moves from the role of 'victim of events' to the position of 'witness who has something to transmit to others'”
– Post-Traumatic Growth, R. Tedeschi
Want to talk? The first step is the hardest, but you're already here.
Timeline
Fromfieldtofrontline.Fromfrontlinetotherapist'soffice.
Entrepreneur & Farmer
Born July 16, 1966. Graduated from the Biology Department at Taras Shevchenko University, Kyiv. Ran a business, worked the land. Married to Inna since 1988, daughter Olesia.
ATO Volunteer
Went as a volunteer paramedic to the Kulchytsky Battalion, National Guard. First encounter with death and combat trauma.
Combat Medic
Two combat deployments. ATO/JFO. Patching, bandaging, holding hands. NREMT certified (USA). A kaleidoscope of broken bodies passed through me.
Return Home. PTSD.
"After demobilization I slept in a sleeping bag on my apartment floor for a month. One day, walking out of a supermarket with my wife, I suddenly felt we were under fire."
Training & Healing
Bodynamic International (Denmark) – shock trauma & PTSD. IOM (UN) – focused counseling for veterans and families, TF-CBT. EMDR Europe – certified therapist. Master's in Psychology.
Full-Scale War. Avdiivka.
Returned to the battalion from day one. Fought near Kyiv. Transferred to Armed Forces, sent to Avdiivka. Wounded. Mine-blast trauma. Concussion.
Safe Country Foundation
Co-founded the "Safe Country" charitable foundation. Master's program – clinical psychology and trauma psychotherapy.
Coalition
Forest Glade Center (Ministry of Health), UPRA, Heal Ukraine Trauma, GIZ Ukraine – group ketamine-assisted therapy for veterans. The Economist, BBC, DW, NV.ua, Army FM cover the work.
Work Model
Coalition:clinic+community+education
Not a pretty slogan – a working model. I don't work alone. There's a system behind me.
Clinic
Forest Glade Center, Ministry of Health. Professional setting, medical oversight, clinical research. Ketamine-assisted therapy under supervision.
Community
Veterans who've been through recovery support newcomers. Peer-to-peer. Continuous integration. Not "came and left" – long-term support.
Education
UPRA, Heal Ukraine Trauma. Training therapists, building the evidence base, advocacy. Research and translation of Tedeschi's work.
Partners
StrongerTogether
Forest Glade Center (MOH)
Mental Health & Rehabilitation Center
UPRA
Ukrainian Psychedelic Research Association
Heal Ukraine Trauma
Training & Advocacy
GIZ Ukraine
German Society for International Cooperation
Safe Country Foundation
Charitable Foundation (co-founder)
Education & Certifications
Qualificationsbackedbyexperience
“Value the living. Remember the fallen.”
– Igor Kholodylo
Recommended Reading
Booksthatchangehowyouunderstandtrauma
I read a lot, but these books I recommend to everyone – clients, colleagues, and anyone who wants to understand what trauma is and how to live with it.
Transformed by Trauma
Richard Tedeschi
The key book on post-traumatic growth. Surviving trauma and becoming stronger – how it works. This book changed my approach to therapy.
The Body Keeps the Score
Bessel van der Kolk
About how trauma lives in the body. In the mind too, but the body is key. Explains why "just talking" often isn't enough.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Francine Shapiro
The foundational work by the creator of EMDR. For those who want to understand how this method works and why it's effective.
EMDR Toolbox
Jim Knipe
A practical guide for therapists and anyone who wants to understand EMDR more deeply.
The Gift of Therapy
Irvin Yalom
An honest book about what really happens between therapist and client. No sugarcoating, no academic jargon.
The Anxious Generation
Jonathan Haidt
About the impact of technology on mental health. Relevant for parents and anyone working with youth.
Readytotalk?
The first step toward change starts with one conversation.