Healing from Trauma: Recognizing Progress Amid Ongoing Distress

This article follows a Ukrainian teacher’s recovery after being held captive during conflict. It illustrates that healing is not linear—distress and progress can coexist. Her ability to set boundaries and continue teaching, despite flashbacks, signaled meaningful recovery. The story underscores that resilience is shown through choices, connection, and purpose.

Natalia, a 35-year veteran mathematics and physics teacher in Kyiv, was captured during the Russian occupation of Ukraine and held for 10 months in an interrogation room where she endured repeated verbal abuse, sleep deprivation, hunger, and denial of essential medication for her high blood pressure. Her captors accused her of espionage, subjecting her to intense screaming that now triggers flashbacks. Despite this trauma, she maintained her identity as a teacher, using her authority to shift power dynamics during interrogations—asking questions in a manner reminiscent of her classroom role—which may have contributed to her survival without physical violence. After being released, she returned to teaching, though not without ongoing distress: she experiences debilitating flashbacks, panic attacks, and emotional overwhelm even when mentally aware that she is safe. A pivotal moment occurred when a parent’s outburst in her classroom triggered memories of her captivity; instead of fleeing or reacting impulsively, she paused, closed her eyes, reminded herself of her survival, and calmly redirected the confrontation to the principal’s office—a deliberate boundary-setting act that signaled progress. Her therapist, Viktor Dlugunovych, a Ukrainian-American psychotherapist, emphasized that recovery is not defined by the absence of distress but by the ability to respond with intentionality. Natalia continues to grapple with the question of whether she has recovered, underscoring the com