ALLOW YOURSELF TO BREATHE: HOW ACTIVISTS IN UKRAINE ARE REGAINING THEIR STRENGTH

Being a social activist or community leader in Ukraine today means living in a 24/7 “state of emergency” mode. For over four years of full-scale war, we have been supporting people through the hardest moments of their lives, resolving crises, absorbing others’ pain, and learning to be unfailingly resilient. But when you work at the limits of your capacity every day, your own reserves are quietly and imperceptibly depleted. At a certain point, ordinary fatigue turns into emotional burnout.

EMOTIONAL BURNOUT. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN EVERYDAY LIFE AND AT WORK?

A ringing emptiness inside. You open a work chat or yet another document, and in your head - a complete vacuum, in your soul - emptiness. Even the simplest five-minute task seems like an insurmountable obstacle.

Irritability and emotional detachment from clients. Stories of people who used to make your heart ache begin to seem “not so important” or even annoying. You want to wrap up the consultation as quickly as possible so as not to waste what little energy you have left, and after the call, there’s just one thought in your head, tinged with a slight sense of guilt: ‘It’s finally over”.

A loss of joy in achievements. An achievement that the whole team used to celebrate together now brings no warmth at all – only anxiety and irritation: «Somehow it turned out badly, it could have been better, and in general - it’s too early to rejoice, there is still a lot of work ahead». Instead of pride, all that remains is the feeling that you’re running round in an endless circle.

"Sunday anxiety" and mornings without energy. You wake up in the morning already tired, as if you hadn’t slept at all. And after the weekend, there is no feeling of recovery.

Physical signals. Your body is the first to speak up: a lump in your throat before phone calls, a constant headache, tense shoulders that you can’t relax, or sudden outbursts of irritability towards those closest to you.

Toxic guilt. You catch yourself thinking that even 15 minutes without your phone is more agonising than the anxiety itself. It seems that resting when there is so much trouble around is a ‘crime’.

But is it possible to pour water from an empty jug? Is it possible to save someone with a ‘battery’ discharged to zero?

The answer is obvious. That is why taking care of one’s own condition is not a luxury or selfishness, but a primary professional duty of each of us. To have the strength to support others, we must first restore our own guidelines and resources.

‘RESOURCEFUL LEADER: UNDERSTANDING, OVERCOMING AND PREVENTING EMOTIONAL BURNOUT’.

Because CO ‘Legalife-Ukraine’ is not just a head office or a collection of regional branches. We are one big family. And just like in any family, we are the first to notice when the girls are running out of energy. This is visible to the naked eye: in a faded look, in a change in communication, in how difficult it is to do daily work, which was previously done with enthusiasm.

Despite the reduction in donor funding and a constant lack of funds for educational projects, we are always looking for any opportunities and resources to get the girls out of their daily routine at least once a year. For us, it is a matter of principle: to provide an opportunity to take a break, breathe a sigh of relief and feel supported.

This year, our activists escaped for a few days to a cosy hotel near Kyiv for a resource-building and recovery intensive entitled ‘The Resourceful Leader: Understanding, Overcoming and Preventing Emotional Burnout’.

Led by psychologist Olena Vertynska (Олена Вертинська), this retreat combined practical training, emotional reset and deep renewal. We were keen for our activists to finally be able to let their guard down, release built-up tension and regain their lost strength. So we tried to create a space where it’s okay to take your time, where you can unburden your mind and search together for new sources of inspiration.

A WEEK FOR YOURSELF: TOOLS TO HELP YOU RECONNECT WITH YOURSELF  

This time, we decided: no boring lectures – just things you can put into practice straight away when anxiety or exhaustion ‘hits’. Together with Olena Vertynska, the women explored specific self-help techniques:

‘Mapping’ one’s own state. The participants analyzed the classic stages of exhaustion and the model of emotional burnout – in simpler terms, they learnt to distinguish between ordinary tiredness and the moment when emotional numbness, cynicism and devaluation of their own achievements begin. Through art therapy exercises, each young woman was able to clearly see exactly where in her daily life her energy was ‘leaking’ away.

The body’s emergency brakes. During acute stress, the muscles involuntarily tense up, and the brain receives the signal: ‘We’re in danger!’. The participants mastered the method of conscious tension and sharp relaxation of muscles. This is the simplest physical technique, which, in a matter of minutes, ‘explains’ to the nervous system that the threat has passed and helps to quickly relieve tension-induced spasms.

Boundaries and a healthy ‘NO’. The most emotional part of the retreat, where the activists learnt to say ‘no’ to work tasks outside working hours, to unreasonable requests or toxic demands – and, most importantly, to do so without being consumed by guilt. We also explored how to protect ourselves from secondary traumatisation – when, by constantly letting other people’s suffering wash over you, you imperceptibly damage your own mental health.

Playing with serious issues: learning to survive together through board games and simulations

Trainer Olena offered the participants an engaging interactive session. To put theory into practice, the women took part in two powerful role-play simulations, which proved to be the real highlight of the entire programme – filled with laughter, sharp satire and skilful improvisation.

The ‘In the Boat’ simulation: a test of leadership and working through a crisis together

The participants found themselves in a simulated situation where they had to play their roles and keep their shared ‘vessel’ afloat during a crisis. To be honest: amidst heated arguments and daring improvisations, the boat nearly sank! However, the girls improvised brilliantly, laughed and revealed completely unexpected sides of themselves to one another. Ultimately, the game proved to be an excellent exercise in teamwork: learning how to act under risk, listen to colleagues, share responsibility, and find collective solutions when resources are stretched to the limit. It was a powerful experience that underscored how our community is one crew—and that we can only prevail by standing together.

The ‘Bunker’ psychological game: satire, controversy and the power of self-presentation

In this popular simulation, the girls found themselves in the confined space of a survival bunker, where each had to prove the importance of her character to the survival of humanity. Things here were also highly complex, emotional, and incredibly funny: the characters were quirky, and the debates unfolded with biting humour and healthy satire. For activists who, due to burnout, are often prone to downplaying their own contributions, this game served as both a powerful and accessible training tool. The women learnt, without false modesty, to argue their own worth, to find common ground even in the most absurd plot twists, and to recognise the uniqueness of each individual.

"Humor, laughter, and play are the easiest ways to shed one’s protective armor and view both oneself and the team in a new light—free from formality, yet filled with deep trust and warmth," says Olena, the trainer.

And most importantly — time for themselves and relaxation!

After intense sessions, heated debates in the bunker and ‘saving the boat’, the girls needed one thing above all else – physical rest. And the cosy atmosphere of the hotel proved to be the perfect place for this. Cool water in the pool, warm sunshine and not a single reminder of deadlines. For many, this turned out to be perhaps the only opportunity in a long time simply to go for a swim, have a sunbathe and allow themselves a few hours of being completely ‘offline’ without the usual anxious checking of work chat groups.

The most valuable moments of rejuvenation often occur not during lectures, but in the evenings – by the water or over a cup of tea, in quiet, heartfelt conversations amongst friends. The most important thing this trip gave us was the legitimate right simply to sit in silence, read a book, sleep as much as we liked, or observe nature without constantly feeling guilty about taking a break.

WHY DOES IT WORK?

In our view, it is precisely this combination of deep inner work, genuine laughter during games and quality physical relaxation that helps the girls relieve stress and return home feeling re-energised.

Comparing the girls’ state before and immediately after the intensive programme, we saw positive progress:

• A 100% increase in understanding burnout: the girls stopped blaming themselves for being ‘lazy’ and clearly understood what was happening to them and how to stop it.
• Knowledge of self-help techniques nearly doubled: the activists went home with a practical ‘first-aid kit’ of quick exercises to relieve anxiety and muscle tension.
• An improvement of nearly 40% in overall psychological and emotional well-being: days spent in a safe environment, physical relaxation by the pool and the absence of work-related pressure helped them regain a sense of stability and inner strength.
• A personal ‘safety plan’ for the year. Each participant left with a clear, step-by-step guide to self-care: what to do when the first warning signs of burnout appear, how to establish her daily ‘minimum resource level’, and who to turn to for help.

NEED A REBOOT? WE’RE HERE FOR YOU!

Remember: self-care isn’t a one-time event or something to put off until next summer. If you feel that fatigue lingers even after the weekend, your motivation has vanished, and anxiety has become a constant companion, don’t face it alone. Take care of yourself – after all, you are our community’s most valuable resource!

We have supported, and will continue to support, each and every one of you. If you couldn’t make it to this retreat, or if exhaustion is catching up with you right now, our community’s doors are always open:

• Call our Helpline on +38 (067) 450-777-4, +38 (050) 450-777-4
• Get in touch with our psychologist, Olena Vertynska. She offers one-to-one counselling and will help you make sense of how you’re feeling, relieve tension and find your own sources of support.
• Come and see our regional leaders and action groups in your own towns and cities. These are your local ‘safe havens’, where you can always speak your mind, find understanding and lean on your fellow members for support.

We would like to thank each and every one of our young women for their openness, for their courage in being authentic, and for their mutual support!

Team of the CO “Legalife-Ukraine” head office

The ‘Solidarity in Action’ project is being implemented by the charitable organisation ‘LEGALIFE-UKRAINE’ with technical support from UN Women in Ukraine and funding from the UN Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). The WPHF is a flexible and rapid funding mechanism that supports high-quality initiatives aimed at strengthening the capacity of local women to prevent conflicts, respond to crises and emergencies, and capitalise on key peacebuilding opportunities.

This publication has been produced with financial support from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), but this does not imply that the views and content expressed herein are officially endorsed or recognised by the United Nations