The 13th Mental Health Center of the Nationwide RETURNING Network Opens in Uzhhorod

A new mental health center of the RETURNING network in Uzhhorod will provide free professional psychological support to more than 4,000 military personnel, veterans, and their family members each year. The RETURNING 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 impact of the war caused by Russian aggression.

The RETURNING project demonstrates a successful partnership between the private sector and the state, where philanthropists create modern, comfortable, and barrier-free mental health centers based within public medical institutions. The Uzhhorod RETURNING center was established at a state medical facility located at 20 Ivana Korshynskoho Street.

“War affects not only people’s physical health but also their mental health—and these effects are often less visible, yet they significantly shape quality of life. Timely professional support is essential for recovery. Today, more than 10,000 people have already received help at 13 RETURNING centers. We are expanding this network across Ukraine so that high-quality, accessible, and systematic care is available close to those who have experienced the psychological consequences of war. This is a contribution to people’s resilience and to the future of the country,” said Svitlana Grytsenko, Head of the RETURNING project.

The RETURNING center includes rooms for individual and family sessions, a group therapy space, a day inpatient unit, a treatment room, a reception area with a waiting space, staff facilities, and inclusive restrooms.

Funded by the RETURNING project, the center is also equipped with modern technology, software, and tools for psycho-emotional recovery, including the Shiftwave system (USA). In addition, a range of psychotherapeutic tools is used, such as metaphorical cards, art therapy materials, anti-stress tools, and professional literature.

A multidisciplinary team works with visitors at the center, including psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, and nurses, with social workers involved when needed. This approach allows for addressing clinical, psychological, and social needs comprehensively.

“In working with military personnel, veterans, and their families, a person-centered approach is key—seeing not a diagnosis, but a person with their experience, pain, and strengths. We also follow the principle of psychological inclusivity, creating a safe space where everyone can be heard without judgment or stigma. This trust becomes the foundation for recovery,” said Maryna Foluchko, Head of the RETURNING Center in Uzhhorod.

Support is provided on an outpatient basis or, if needed, through mobile outreach teams. Specialists work with stress-related conditions, anxiety and depressive states, PTSD, adjustment difficulties, and other mental health conditions. The center applies evidence-based approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma-focused therapy, as well as stabilization techniques, self-regulation, and psychoeducation. Individual, group, and family counseling are available, along with medication support when necessary.

In addition to Uzhhorod, RETURNING centers already operate in Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Lutsk, Poltava, Rivne, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, and Chernihiv. In the first phase of the RETURNING project, founded by Victor and Olena Pinchuk, at least 25 centers are planned to open across Ukraine.

Address: 20 Ivana Korshynskoho St., Uzhhorod
Reception phone: +38 066 312 36 78
Email: [email protected]

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