Welcome
Healing the Trauma of War. Rebuilding Lives.
Help us build a 50-bed trauma recovery center for war-affected families in Ukraine.
What We are Building
We are a Ukraine-based nonprofit partnering with International Mental Health Consulting (IMHC), a U.S.-based nonprofit. Together, we are building a 50-bed trauma recovery center in Ukraine. This partnership ensures that funds are allocated efficiently and used with full transparency.
The Center’s primary mission is to provide 3-week residential treatment programs for families, women, and military personnel as they move through the process of healing.
The IIT Trauma Center will offer:
- Evidence-based, U.S.-certified trauma therapy programs
- Individual and group counseling
- Rehabilitation and long-term recovery support
- Training for Ukrainian mental health professionals
- A safe, structured environment for healing, with a bomb-shelter for uninterrupted programming
The IIT Trauma Center is designed not only to support recovery today, but to strengthen trauma care capacity in Ukraine for the future, with the possibility of opening other campuses across the country.
Meet the Team
IIT President Dr. Olya Zaporozhets
Building a center where individuals can receive cutting-edge, evidence-based trauma treatment is more than a professional pursuit for me as a Regent University professor, researcher, and licensed professional counselor.
It is my calling and my commitment to the people in my home country that I deeply care for.
Fundraising Head Larry Clayton
This work is very personal to me as a former combat veteran with a personal understanding of War and Trauma.
I will be meeting many of you personally and look forward to connecting. This initiative is not just about building a facility — it’s about restoring lives and supporting those who have carried the weight of war.
Fundraising Coordinator Dr. Svetlana Beltyukova
Born and raised in Ukraine, my heart is with the people of Ukraine. As a university professor in the United States, I am proud to contribute my skills, lived experience, and commitment to advancing IIT mission and lasting impact.
I am proud to be a part of building a sustainable, culturally responsive mental health support system for families and communities in need.
Research Behind Our Programs
Zaporozhets, O., Lincoln, K., De Souza Jr., V., Syvak, O., et al. (2026). Bravemind Ukraine and EMDR: A practitioner training protocol for utilizing future templates in posttraumatic stress disorder therapy. Continuing Professional Education: Theory and Practice, 1. https://doi.org/10.28925/2412-0774.2026.1.
Zaporozhets, O., Lincoln K., LaFountain, E., Rizzo, S, Brea, J., Nickles, J., Smith, J., & Nkrumah, F. (May, 2025). Virtual reality to support trauma therapy in Ukraine: Clinician feedback on four Bravemind Scenarios. Presented at EMDR Europe Research & Practice Conference 2025, Prague, Czechia
Zaporozhets, O., Lincoln K., LaFountain, E., Rizzo, S, Brea, J., Nickles, J., Smith, J., & Nkrumah, F. (May, 2025). Testing a combat scenario of Bravemind Ukraine: A virtual reality approach to wartime trauma. Presented at EMDR Europe Research & Practice Conference 2025, Prague, Czechia
Quaranta-Leech, A., & Zaporozhets, O. (May, 2025). Randomized control trial for use of EMDR-IGTP-OTS-R with mental health professionals in Ukraine. Presented at EMDR Europe Research & Practice Conference 2025, Prague, Czechia
Tatum, M., Barron, H., & Zaporozhets, O. (May, 2025). EMDR efficacy in situations of ongoing trauma. Presented at EMDR Europe Research & Practice Conference 2025, Prague, Czechia
Quaranta-Leech, A., Zaporozhets, O., Jarero, I., & Holland, D. (2025). Randomized Controlled Trial on the Provision of the EMDR-IGTP-OTS-R for Reduction of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptomology with Mental Health Professionals in Ukraine during the War. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 19(2).
Rizzo, A. S., Giosan, C., Deac, G., Zaporozhets, O., Syvak, O., Dragayeva, S., et al. (2025). The Virtual Ukraine Project: Trauma therapy in warzones with virtual reality EMDR.
Ukraine in April 2026
Ukraine in February 2026
Our Partners
International Mental Health Consulting, Inc.
International Mental Health Consulting, Inc.
International Mental Health Consulting, Inc.
Established in 2017, IMHC provides critical evidence-based trauma treatment, including EMDR therapy and Cognitive Processing therapy, and supports clinicians, crisis line workers, rehab centers worldwide with evidence-based training and consultation.
Ukrainian Institute of Traumatherapy
International Mental Health Consulting, Inc.
International Mental Health Consulting, Inc.
Established in 2024, UIT provides psychological support to civilians, military personnel, veterans, their families, and children who have experienced the traumatic impact of war. Every month, UIT gives ~ 1,200 hours of counseling for more than 300 people.