Source of Strength

Source of Strength is a specialized psycho-recreational bereavement support program for women in Ukraine who have lost loved ones as a result of the war. It includes 20 hours of structured group therapy integrating narrative therapy, CBT, ACT, and art therapy, and is guided by the core needs of grieving adults identified by David Kessler.

Grounded in the Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) framework, the program supports participants in processing traumatic grief, rebuilding inner resilience, rediscovering meaning, and developing a renewed sense of self and connection to the world.

The five-day program takes place in a safe, restorative setting in the Carpathian Mountains, where the healing presence of nature becomes part of the recovery process. Experienced practitioners in crisis psychology, trauma therapy, and bereavement support create a compassionate, trauma-informed space for emotional healing and peer connection.

Participants engage in facilitated therapeutic sessions, guided group discussions, and gentle recreational activities, supported by psychologists with direct experience working with war-related trauma and loss.

The program was developed by Dr. Svitlana Kominko, a certified grief educator and psychologist, who leads the national Canadian initiative Healing the Wounds of the War Together.