Find a therapist to help with autism

War has a deep emotional effect on children and their families, who live in constant vigilance and fear.

Research has studied the negative effects of war on adult mental health, but less on those with disabilities.

There is an urgent need for targeted interventions to foster resilience in families exposed to war.

Despite the immense challenges of the ongoing Russo‑Ukrainian war, Nataliia Ukrainets’ commitment to providing therapy for her young autistic son, Vladyslav, has never wavered. Since the full‑scale invasion began more than four years ago, she has continued to care for her son while also supporting other families navigating autism amid constant threat and uncertainty.

Two years ago, I wrote in Psychology Today about the profound impact that the war was having on Nataliia’s family. At that time, she described how, to avoid missile strikes, she and her son often sought shelter in the basement of the autism center she had founded in Kyiv with other parents of autistic children. Together with a small group of therapists, she provided therapy to several autistic children while also coaching parents. Frequently, sessions took place without electricity or heat after Russian missile attacks destroyed the building’s energy infrastructure. To keep the children warm and engaged, therapists relied on active games and movement-based activities.

Recently, I reached out to Nataliia again to learn how she and her son are doing now. The continued impact of the war is unmistakable in how she describes her daily life, which is marked by fear, vigilance, and persistent worry.

“The war affects everyone very deeply—emotionally, first and foremost,” she wrote in an email. “Constant shelling disrupts or interrupts children’s development. Parents are constantly exhausted.”

The autism........

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