World Mental Health Day 10th October aims to raise global awareness about mental health issues and encourage open discussion. This year the focus is on access to support when life is shaken by catastrophes and emergencies, and there’s been a lot of turmoil in our own country recently around immigration.
For World Mental Health Day 2025, we want to highlight the journey of Krystina, one of our young members who fled her home town Kyiv in Ukraine and after 3 years moving from refuge to refuge finally found a safe home here in Coventry.
Krystina attended Arty-Folks Canvas to Changepeer support group, a free weekly art therapy group for young people 16–25, and she also volunteered for our Lillington project in Leamington Spa. During her time with us, we supported Krystina to build her creative skills and confidence, and a portfolio of art work. We are over the moon she was accepted onto the Foundation in Art & Design at Coventry University and is starting the course this September’25.
Krystina we wish you a fabulous creative learning journey – you deserve it!!
We asked Krystina about her journey through Arty-Folks and how she found refuge in her artwork, and we hope that her story will give you a different insight. You can also listen to the full recording here:
“I don’t feel brave – so many Ukrainians are fighting. Sometimes I have this feeling that I abandoned my home. Leaving felt like betrayal, but I’m doing what I can.”
“I was a refugee even in my own country.”“Fireworks used to be fun. Now they’re too scary“Hope is always there, even at your lowest.”
“Physically I’m safe. No missiles. No drones. But feeling safe inside takes a lot more! Nights are when it nips. I’m OK when my partner is with me. When he’s away, at night panic turns up and it’s the small things that sound almost silly that can help: a cup of tea, a message to a friend, a breath you can hear, a quick sketch to give the hands something to do and stop trembling. When my hands are busy, my thoughts soften.”
“I want to dissolve in art.”“I can’t feel safe. What if there’s going to be another world war?
“People ask me, “What’s your story?, How did you come here?”. Telling my story always used to make me cry and get a feeling in my throat, I just can’t talk. I’m heartbroken, I was a refugee in my own country and I’ve said so many times goodbye to family and friends. My boyfriend decided to join the army and all I could think was “don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t” – but I couldn’t say it. I wanted to stay strong and I wanted to stay, but my parents decided to leave. I’m not a soldier, I’m just a random girl refugee.”
“Creating something beautiful gives me a sense of purpose.”“Being creative gives me energy and hope.”“Art lets you breathe.”
“18 months after arriving I became depressed and was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). I wanted to get to know people and to just feel normal. I asked for therapy but they put me on a queue. I just couldn’t wait that long, I needed something to make me feel that I’m alive and I found Arty-Folks on Google.”
“The first phone call to Arty-Folks was tougher than climbing a mountain. I was so scared I nearly abandoned the idea. And then someone from Arty-Folks called me and answered with warmth and made me feel at ease. Sitting at the table side-by-side with others and just made me feel more grounded, like I could breathe easier and I felt calmness. Art isn’t judging you. You can do freaky stuff, make something a bit crazy, and be yourself.”
“Sometimes art can make you feel more nervous because you don’t know where to start, but it always inspires me to see other people’s work. It helps you find your curiosity, and you can play with feelings of uncertainty and in there find your motivation to progress. In a way, in Art I feel like I have a purpose in this life, in creating something beautiful, and leaving something behind.”
“It was so nice to be asked to volunteer. I didn’t think I could do it, I didn’t think that I had anything to offer! But working alongside staff in a small place like Lillington I finally met real British people, normal people who have lived here all their lives. I enjoyed listening to their stories and experiences and I learnt a lot of new words! Ultimately, it made me realise that living a normal life is pretty much the same everywhere, but war does change you. I find it a lot harder to stay relaxed and to trust the future is going to be ok.”
“What the experience at Arty-Folks has taught me is: Love yourself. Be who you are. And don’t be afraid to ask for help
Interviewer: I’m on the course. What’s your name? Christina: Christina. In Ukrainian my name is Khrystyna. Interviewer: What do you love to make? Christina: Art and food. Interviewer: What kind of food? Christina: Desserts and some baking, like banana bread and different cakes. Interviewer: What art have you been enjoying making recently? Christina: Sculpting with clay and mad rock. Interviewer: What about turmeric as a seasoning? Christina: Turmeric is a spice. Interviewer: I meant the sun print process. Christina: Oh yes, the one that uses sunlight for a chemical reaction to make images. Interviewer: Have you tried it again since? Christina: I bought a UV lamp because it isn’t very sunny here, but I exposed it for too little time, so it went too dark and I couldn’t see much. I’ll try again soon. Interviewer: What led you to choose the UK, language or family links? Christina: Language. When I was 12 I watched English YouTube and had a crush on a YouTuber who lived in London. I became a bit obsessed with England. I thought the rainy weather would be cosy, but it isn’t always. Interviewer: Your mum was in France. Why did England feel more possible than France? Christina: In France I tried to settle and find work, but my French wasn’t good enough and I was rejected. I heard about an opportunity to come to the UK, and I speak English, so it fit. Interviewer: When did leaving shift from idea to action? Christina: I lived in Kyiv. Before the full-scale war, news felt oppressive and people said Russia might invade. My boyfriend and I decided to take our cat and go to his parents in western Ukraine because it was safer. We left two weeks before the invasion. We wondered if we should go back, then the war started. My grandparents are from Mariupol. The war began in 2014 and the frontline was close. I begged my family to come to Kyiv for safety. They finally bought tickets. The night the war started, they were on the train to Kyiv. In the morning of 21 February their house was shelled. It was good timing that they left. When Russians invaded the Kyiv region, my family decided to go to Lviv. They drove in two cars. It was terrifying. They saw planes and heard explosions. Because of mobilisation, men cannot leave. My dad asked me to stay with my mum to keep her safe and to accompany her to France where a friend could help us. I didn’t want to leave, but I went for my family. Interviewer: You were brave. Christina: I don’t think so. I’m not a soldier, just a refugee. Interviewer: How was it telling your story in France? Christina: People asked how I came. When I told them, I cried and felt a lump in my throat. It’s still hard, but better now. Interviewer: What goodbye stays with you, like saying goodbye to your dad? Christina: Heartbreak. I was constantly afraid for him and for my boyfriend, who stayed and decided to join the army. I tried to stay strong to protect my family. Interviewer: Some people don’t like being called brave. Christina: I feel that because many Ukrainians are fighting while I left. Sometimes it feels like betrayal, but I don’t know how else I could help. Interviewer: There’s been a divide between those who stayed and those who left. Christina: Yes. It can feel like the nation is divided. But if you plan to return and don’t forget your heritage, it isn’t betrayal, especially for women. For men it may be harder because of stereotypes about protecting. Interviewer: How are you feeling now? Christina: A bit on edge. Laughter is a defence mechanism. Interviewer: What helped you decide to go? Christina: Duty. I could have argued with my dad, but I felt I needed to go. Interviewer: What was the journey from Ukraine to France, then to the UK? Christina: At the border we queued for three days and nights. A friend drove from France to the Polish border to pick us up in a van. We went through Budapest, then Italy, then France. At the border, locals brought food, water and dishes. I felt proud to be Ukrainian seeing how people helped each other. Interviewer: Ukraine has also had internal divides. Christina: Yes. Because of the USSR, Ukraine was divided between West and East. My family is from the East and were more exposed to Russian propaganda. The West kept more of our culture. Some in the West were angry at Eastern Ukrainians for being blind to propaganda. In 2014 Russia occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk and created so-called republics. They claimed Russian-speaking Ukrainians were oppressed. I grew up speaking Russian and was fine. I didn’t need saving. Language is used as a weapon. Ukrainian has been prohibited many times. It is a miracle our language survived repeated occupations. Interviewer: Where did you first arrive in the UK? Christina: London Euston, after the Eurostar from Paris, then a train to Coventry. Interviewer: When did you feel safe? Christina: I don’t feel fully safe, because I fear a wider war, but in France I felt physically safe without missiles or drones. Mentally I still felt unsafe. Interviewer: Why Coventry? Christina: I came on the Homes for Ukraine scheme. My host is from Coventry and invited us to stay. Interviewer: Are you getting support for your wellbeing? Christina: Yes. I have a place to stay. Interviewer: How has art helped your mental health? Christina: It grounds me and makes it easier to breathe. It brings calm. Sometimes it’s stressful if I don’t know where to start, but that stress can become curiosity and motivation. Interviewer: Do you use art as a safe space? Christina: Yes. It gives me purpose to create something beautiful and leave something behind. Interviewer: What happens in your body when you start making art? Christina: My eyes brighten, I feel excited and energised. Interviewer: Has any artwork said something you couldn’t say out loud? Christina: A small sculpture of a human figure with a hole in the heart area. I made it when I felt low. It expressed how I felt. Interviewer: What does art give you that talking doesn’t? Christina: Art doesn’t judge. You can be fully yourself and make something strange or bold. Interviewer: Any ritual to begin, or do you just start? Christina: Starting is hard. Seeing other people’s work motivates me. If someone else can do it, maybe I can try. Interviewer: How did you find Artefacts? Christina: I was depressed and wanted to meet people. Therapy in the UK had a three-month wait, so I searched for courses in Coventry that help with social connection. I have generalised and social anxiety. A year and a half ago my social anxiety was at its peak. I knew I needed to talk to people to get better. I found Artefacts online. The phone interview scared me, but I spoke with Lorella and felt reassured. I did it, and it’s been good. Interviewer: What is volunteering like? Christina: Nice. I meet people of different ages and backgrounds, and I like being helpful. It was hard at first because I was scared, but the friendly atmosphere helped. Now I feel normal before volunteering. Interviewer: Why stay connected to friends in Ukraine? Christina: It’s home and I love them. I want my pre-war life to continue one day, and staying connected keeps that link. Interviewer: How do you feel about applying for a foundation degree in Coventry? Christina: Excited, a bit stressed by the application, but if you want something you have to work for it, and I am. Interviewer: What do you hope to learn? Christina: I want to immerse myself in art, gain skills and meet like-minded people. I didn’t go to art school, so I don’t feel confident calling myself an artist. Education will help, and I want to learn academic painting. Interviewer: What keeps you hopeful when hope feels thin? Christina: Hope is always there, even at your lowest. I remind myself life is short and I want to make the most of it. Interviewer: A short message to someone who has just arrived and loves art? Christina: Love yourself, be who you are and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Interviewer: A brief line in Ukrainian that comforts you? Christina: A small phrase meaning focus on the positive. In Ukrainian there’s a common phrase meaning do not focus on the negative. I removed the no so it became focus on the positive. Interviewer: I love it. Thank you. Christina: Thank you.
