EUROPEAN ROOM
FOR LISTENING

“Let’s not leave our colleagues alone.”

This simple and profound conviction inspired the creation of European Room for Listening (ERL) in 2023 — a network of psychotherapists working in war zones and across Europe, committed to supporting one another through one of the most challenging periods in the continent’s recent history.

ERL is a space for listening in times of war.

When war seeps into everyday life, the need for mental health support becomes critical at every level — especially for those who care for others. Many psychotherapists in Ukraine and neighboring countries have experienced personal loss, displacement, and must work under overwhelming conditions. At the same time, psychotherapists outside conflict zones often feel powerless and wish to be of help. ERL was created to bridge these distances.

Through regular online meetings, it offers a safe and welcoming space for practitioners to come together, share their experiences, and support one another as peers — across borders, languages, and personal circumstances. Our response is human connection.

ERL is...

Peer-to-peer exchanges

ERL is neither therapy, nor supervision, nor training. It is a space for mutual and existential support. There is no agenda or predefined theme — participants are simply invited to be present and to listen to one another.

Trust and sense of belonging

Over time, a community naturally takes shape. Practitioners from diverse backgrounds come together — some facing the daily realities of war, others joining from more peaceful environments. This creates a remarkable sense of unity, belonging, and understanding despite the diversity of experiences and places.

A space for mutual listening

Participants can share what weighs on them, express their emotions, reflect on their challenges, or simply listen. Each meeting is different, as the group adapts to each person’s needs and to the changing global context.

A human connection beyond borders

Although the group initially met online, the bonds between members have grown stronger. In 2024, in-person gatherings in Poland, Denmark, and France brought together more than sixty psychotherapists and their families to meet, rest, and recharge together — rekindling hope and resilience.

Why does it matter?

Breaking isolation

Therapists working in extreme or stressful situations often feel isolated. A regular and reliable space to connect with colleagues can restore trust, energy, and a broader perspective.

Sharing strength

ERL helps transform the feeling of being “alone in the face of hardship” into a sense of shared strength and solidarity.

Mutual growth

Both those living in conflict zones and those far from them benefit. Sharing daily experiences, discoveries, small joys, and challenges fosters mutual growth and understanding.