When it seems like you’ve reached your breaking point, that's when life gives you a chance to start all over again. That was what happened in the story of Oksana, who had been working as a Project Manager at the Koretsk Center for Cultural Services, a municipal institution, for many years. Energetic, responsible, and proactive, she gave the impression of someone who could do everything. But fatigue and exhaustion were quietly building up inside.
Oksana recalled that one day she simply couldn't go on. That was when she met a psychologist from the NGO Girls. She became a participant in the transformational game “The Power Within.” Her request at the time was elementary: “I want to rest.” Oksana was offered a vacation soon. This was the first step toward recovery. The woman was able to rest and returned to work calmer and more attentive to her own needs.
Almost a year later, the psychologist from the NGO Girls called Oksana again and invited her to join the NGO’s group psychosocial consultations for specialists in the socio-cultural sphere, within the framework of the project "Capacity building and MHPSS for war-affected Ukrainians," in cooperation with the Centre for Disaster Philanthropy. At the first meeting, the participants got to know each other through the game “Important Things About Yourself,” and at the second meeting, through “The Power Within.” It was there that they allowed themselves for the first time to speak out about what they usually hid even from themselves, namely, anxieties, fears, doubts, and hopes.
Oksana's new personal request was about overcoming fear and discovering financial opportunities. After all, the cultural sphere is a calling, but at the same time, a great responsibility when you have a family and two children. Oksana sought development, stability, and certainty in the future.
And once again, the woman managed to spot a new opportunity in her life thanks to working with a specialist. A few days after the meeting, the Head of the Community called her and offered her a position in the Department of Project Activities, Investment Development, and International Cooperation of the Koretsk City Council. Oksana was scared and had doubts. “Will I be able to do this?” she asked herself.
Neurographics helped her. The psychologist showed her how lines, colors, and hand movements can release tension and dissolve fears. Each drawing added clarity and strength. Oksana still remembers the phrases that became her inner guiding principles. “Any change is for the better. Results only come when you take a step.”
She took that step. Today, Oksana is a Chief Specialist of the Project Department of the Koretsk City Council, a Head of the NGO “Horlytsia Korcheska”, a Deputy Head of the Youth Council, and a Member of the Executive Committee.
After completing the project, she and her colleagues created a women's space in the House of Culture. It is a place of strength where everyone can share ideas, receive support, develop, and launch new initiatives. Oksana sincerely thanks the NGO Girls and particularly the psychologist for their inspiration, faith, and the opportunity to reveal herself in a new way.
