The Vinnytsia Mental Health Center in the nationwide RETURNING (Ukr. «ПОВЕРНЕННЯ») network will provide free, professional psychological support to more than 4,000 service members, veterans and their families each year. The project was founded by Victor and Olena Pinchuk to support the mental health of Ukraine’s defenders, veterans and their families who have experienced the psychological consequences of the war caused by Russian aggression.
Speaking about the importance of developing a culture of mental health care in Ukraine and overcoming the stigma surrounding psychological support, Victor Pinchuk, founder of RETURNING, said:
“Our society’s culture and traditions are still shaped by prejudice: ‘What do you mean, see a psychiatrist? What will people say—that I went to a mental hospital?’ In Western countries, the opposite is true: when people face problems in their family, with their children, in their marriage or at work, the first thing they do is consult a psychologist or psychiatrist. Sometimes it can even be difficult to get an appointment. Ukraine does not yet have this tradition or culture. That is why it is important for defenders to speak about mental health with one another and for doctors to explain why seeking help is necessary.”
The RETURNING Mental Health Center in Vinnytsia is a space of support, safety and recovery for service members, veterans, people with combat experience, former prisoners of war and their families. The center provides individual and group support, addresses the consequences of traumatic experiences, helps visitors stabilize their condition and regain a sense of inner stability. When necessary, specialists may prescribe medication. Particular attention is given to psychological inclusion by creating a safe and confidential environment free from judgment and stigma.
RETURNING demonstrates a successful partnership between the private sector and the state, with philanthropists establishing centers within public and municipal medical institutions. With funding from RETURNING, part of the facility underwent a major renovation and was transformed into a modern, comfortable and barrier-free center designed to meet accessibility standards and the needs of wheelchair users.
The center includes consultation rooms for individual and family support, a group therapy room, a reception area with a waiting space, a day-care unit, a procedure room and accessible restrooms. It also features a pottery studio—a space for free self-expression where working with clay and other materials helps visitors reduce tension, better understand their emotional state and gradually regain a sense of control and inner stability.
The center is equipped with technology and materials for both the professionals’ work and visitors’ recovery. These include computer equipment, multimedia systems, the Shiftwave System for psychological relaxation, VR headsets, art therapy and pottery materials, therapeutic games, anti-stress and tactile tools, as well as professional literature for specialists.
Visitors are supported by a multidisciplinary team comprising psychiatrists, a medical psychologist, a clinical psychologist, nurses and a medical registrar. This enables a comprehensive approach to support that takes each person’s clinical, psychological and social needs into account.
“Seeking help from mental health professionals is not a sign of weakness; it is an important step toward recovery. After combat, captivity, loss or prolonged exhaustion, it can be difficult for a person to cope with the consequences of what they have experienced on their own. Our goal is to create a safe space where service members, veterans and their loved ones can receive professional support without judgment and with respect for their experiences,” said Inha Tyshkul, Head of the RETURNING Center in Vinnytsia.
Support at the Vinnytsia RETURNING Center is provided free of charge on an outpatient basis or, when necessary, at visitors’ places of residence. Specialists work with stress-related conditions, anxiety and depressive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, adjustment and psychosomatic difficulties, as well as psychotic conditions.
As of today, 15 centers in the RETURNING network, founded by Victor and Olena Pinchuk, operate in Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Lutsk, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Ternopil, Uzhhorod, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy and Chernihiv. The first phase of RETURNING envisages opening 25 centers across Ukraine, which together will be able to support more than 100,000 service members, veterans and their families each year.
Address of the RETURNING Center in Vinnytsia: 92 Khmelnytske Highway, Main Building, Letter “B”, Vinnytsia, Ukraine
Reception phone number: +38 067 581 97 57
Email for inquiries: [email protected]
Other news:
Ukrainian Mental Health Professionals Take Part in Study Visit to the United Kingdom as Part of RETURNING
The 17th Mental Health Center in the RETURNING Network Begins Operations at a National Guard of Ukraine Medical Facility
The 16th Mental Health Center in the RETURNING Network Opens in the Kyiv Region
An Ecosystem of Mental Health Care: What Was Discussed at the RETURNING Network Conference?
