"PTSD Is Not a Label — It's a Treatable Condition": A Psychologist and a Priest on Trauma, Supporting Veterans, and the Power of Human Connection

The third episode of the Let's Talk About podcast explores post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — what it is, how to recognize it, and how family members, clergy, and communities can provide meaningful support.

The conversation features Archdeacon Stepan Voznyak, a priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and psychologist, alongside Iryna Raspopina, psychologist.

Not Every Stressful Experience Is Trauma — and Not Every Trauma Leads to PTSD

Many people casually describe any stressful experience as PTSD, but that is not medically accurate.

"People sometimes say, 'I lost my job today, so I have PTSD.' That's not how PTSD works," explains Iryna Raspopina.

She emphasizes that PTSD is a clinical diagnosis made by a psychiatrist. It requires exposure to an event involving a real threat to life or physical integrity, along with a specific pattern of symptoms, including intrusive memories or flashbacks, avoidance, negative changes in mood and thinking, and hypervigilance.

"Trauma is not the event itself. Trauma is the imprint the event leaves on the psyche. The question is whether a person was able to process it or not," she explains.

Raspopina also notes that many symptoms commonly attributed to PTSD may actually result from mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) — organic conditions that require medical assessment and treatment.

The Body Often Remembers Before the Mind

Archdeacon Stepan shares examples from his own pastoral experience.

One of his neighbors returned from the fighting in Bakhmut and, even two years later, spends hours standing on his balcony, constantly scanning his surroundings and avoiding eye contact.

Another veteran attending a retreat explained why he could not stop watching everything around him:

"After combat, I need to monitor my surroundings all the time. I simply can't switch it off."

"When I embrace a soldier, I can feel the tension throughout his body—his arms, his back, every muscle. His body hasn't yet realized that it's safe," says Father Stepan. "Hypervigilance keeps people alive in combat. Once they return home, it doesn't disappear overnight."

The Role of Clergy: Notice, Normalize, Refer

According to Iryna Raspopina, clergy are not expected to replace mental health professionals. Their role is to recognize changes in behavior and emotional well-being, normalize people's reactions, and guide them toward appropriate support.

"One of the most important things we can do is help people understand that what they're experiencing is a natural response to what they've lived through—not a sign that something is wrong with them."

Priests can encourage healthy habits such as good sleep hygiene, recognize warning signs, and refer people to qualified specialists when needed.

Father Stepan agrees.

"If you recognize the signs, refer to the person. Tell them honestly: 'My friend, this is beyond my professional competence. Let me help you connect with someone who can provide the care you need."

Healing Happens in Relationships

The speakers also stress that supportive relationships are among the most powerful factors in recovery.

For that reason, families should learn to become trauma-informed.

"Service members often ask me to explain PTSD to their families," Father Stepan says. "I tell them: no one can explain your experience better than you can. Tell your loved ones what you're going through and what helps you."

Ultimately, supporting people affected by trauma is a shared responsibility.

"Teamwork is essential," Father Stepan concludes. "A priest cannot see or do everything — and that's okay. We simply need to acknowledge the limits of our role."

Iryna Raspopina echoes this message:

"I may not be able to change your circumstances, but I can stay beside you. I'll carry one part of the burden, you'll carry another, and together we'll walk this path."

The project "Clergy and Communities in Support of Mental Health: Innovative Support Practices During the War in Ukraine" is implemented by Eleos-Ukraine in partnership with DanChurchAid and Norwegian Church Aid in Ukraine, with financial support from the Government of Norway (NORAD), in cooperation with the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy and the Lviv Orthodox Theological Academy.