"I prefer one-on-one. Groups aren't my thing."
I hear this constantly. And I understand.
Veterans are used to not trusting. Used to keeping everything inside. Used to thinking "no one will understand."
And that's exactly why group therapy for veterans is not just effective. It's revolutionary.
Peer-to-peer
When you sit in a therapist's office – there's always distance between you. The therapist listens, understands, helps. But they weren't there.
When you sit in a circle of veterans – there's no distance.
They were there. They know.
They know the smell of a trench. They know the feeling after first contact. They know what it's like to come home and not recognize yourself.
You don't have to explain. You're already understood.
And this – is therapeutic in itself.
Continuous Integration
Individual therapy is 50 minutes once a week. Then you leave – and you're alone with your demons.
Group therapy is community.
Group participants can support each other continuously. Not just in sessions. But after. In life.
It's a Telegram chat where you can write at 3 AM "feeling bad right now." And someone will answer. Because they're not sleeping either. Because they know too.
It's meetings after the course. It's friendship. It's brotherhood.
It's continuation of integration.
From Isolation to Community
PTSD is a disease of isolation.
You feel that no one understands. That you're alone. That something's wrong with you.
And this feeling is the most dangerous.
Group therapy destroys isolation.
You see other veterans. Hear their stories. And understand: I'm not alone. It's not just me.
This doesn't mean your pain is less. It means you're not lonely in it.
Witness, Not Victim
In the group, transformation magic happens.
When you first come – you're a victim. Something happened to you. You're suffering.
But then you see a new participant. And you can help them. Share experience. Support.
And in this moment you stop being a victim.
You become a witness. A mentor. Someone who walked the path and can show the way to others.
This is healing.
Ketamine-Assisted Group Therapy
Our format at Forest Glade combines group dynamics and ketamine-assisted therapy.
Why specifically group?
1. Shared experience. A ketamine session in a group creates a sense of togetherness at a deeper level.
2. Safety. When other veterans are nearby – it's easier to "let go of control."
3. Integration. After the session, the group discusses the experience. Everyone shares their insights. And this amplifies the effect.
4. Community after. This is not a one-time procedure. It's the beginning of long-term support.
Coalition: clinic + community + education
Our model is not just "come to therapy and leave."
It's an ecosystem:
- **Clinic** (Forest Glade) – professional help, ketamine therapy, multidisciplinary approach
- **Community** (veterans who completed the course) – continuous support, integration, peer-to-peer help
- **Education** (Heal Ukraine Trauma, UPRA) – training therapists, research, advocacy
This works because it's a complete system.
Not separate parts. But an organism.
Who is group NOT suitable for?
I'll be honest: group isn't for everyone.
Group is not suitable if:
- Acute psychotic state
- Active suicidal intentions (individual crisis intervention needed)
- Active substance use
- Unwillingness to work in a collective
In such cases, individual work is needed first. And then – group.
And that's normal.
"Walking the path of healing, but not forgetting"
These are the words of Darya Shaposhnyk-Dominska, our colleague.
And this is the essence of group work.
Together we walk the path of healing. But we don't forget.
We don't forget those who didn't return. We don't forget where we came from. We don't forget each other.
Because community is not just a therapeutic tool.
Community is what gives meaning. What holds. What makes you not just surviving, but alive.
You're not alone
If you're a veteran. If you think "no one will understand." If you're used to coping alone.
Try group.
This is not weakness. This is strength.
The strength to acknowledge that together – we're stronger.