We celebrate two years together with the Better You & Me project

Two years ago, we launched Better You & Me (BYM), a mental health and wellbeing program created to support Ukrainians in Sweden. These two years have brought countless meetings, honest conversations, tears and laughter, hugs, new friendships, and the powerful feeling of being part of a community that supports each other even in the hardest moments.

What began with 44 participants in our first month has become a thriving community of 652 people walking this path together.

"This program gave me the community I was missing — people to talk to, those who truly understand. Thanks to that support, I could finally find my inner balance and start enjoying life again." - Lesia Mizyk

The Heart of the Program

Better You & Me offers comprehensive mental health support through art therapy, dance therapy, emotional support groups, psycho-educational groups, and retreats. Together with participants, we've been learning to understand our needs, overcome anxiety, and break the stigma around mental health that often prevents people from seeking the help they deserve.

"I joined BYM for the first time this summer, at a retreat in Slottsskogen. I still remember the body therapy session — how movement and dance helped release emotions and bring a calm I hadn't felt in a long time. I'm very happy I found this project." - Viktoriia Razinkova

Over these two years, our community has shared 2,100+ hours of individual psychological consultations, 800+ hours of group sessions, and hundreds of stories about trust, healing, and finding the path back to ourselves.

"You have to find yourself within yourself. During Better You & Me sessions, we worked through exercises that helped us reconnect with who we are — learning to notice our needs, understand our emotions, and care for our mental health instead of hiding it." - Daria Volovyk

Celebrating Our Journey

On Saturday, we gathered to celebrate this milestone. The anniversary event gathered participants to reflect on our growth and honor the courage it takes to prioritize mental health.

Yunona Lototska joined us with an inspiring lecture, "How to become the author of your own life," exploring how to reclaim the right to choose and find new meaning in our lives. The celebration continued with creative activities: a special bingo game where participants discovered each other's hidden stories and talents, and a collective collage where everyone contributed their personal symbols of mental health.  

The BYM team prepared special gifts for every participant, and the evening ended with cake, laughter, and the warmth of community.