Learning Resilience in Times of War: The Experience of the MMFT© Program in Ukraine

“Ukraine is a true example of Resilience for the modern world”. Surely, each of us has heard similar words about Ukrainians – words that, in one form or another, reflect the admiration of politicians, popular thinkers, and ordinary citizens in Western countries for how strong those can be who truly value their Freedom. However, behind the beautiful facade of Unbreakability always hides something else: daily superhuman efforts, constant anxiety, the pain of loss, and, as a consequence, chronic fatigue and “burnout”. All of these are capable of depleting the inner resources even of the strongest among us. 

And this challenge is not only about the period of full-scale invasion. It is about a permanent struggle against circumstances themselves – a struggle in an era when it seems no one can recall “peaceful” times. 

Under such conditions, when life itself demands sprinting speed over a distance that has long resembled a supermarathon, caring for one’s own well-being becomes more important than ever. The Mindfulness Based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT©) Program, implemented this year in Ukraine by the Center for Leadership of UCU in partnership with Georgetown University, is precisely about this. But have we really found a miraculous “cure” for stress and exhaustion? And what is the future of the joint project between these two institutions? We will explore all this – and, as usual, a little more – in today’s article. Enjoy your reading!

War as a Challenge to Mental Health

Mindfulness Based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT©) is a methodology that the Center for Leadership of UCU has turned to more than once. Its author, Elizabeth Stanley, professor at Georgetown University, transformed her personal experience in military service and years of scientific research into a foundation upon which a completely new understanding of the nature of stress and trauma emerged – and how to counteract them. 

Initially, the program was applied in the U.S. military environment – for soldiers preparing for the extreme conditions of combat. Later, it proved effective in civilian sectors as well: in business, public administration, education, and psychology. 

“MMFT© aims to develop two key abilities: attention control and tolerance to difficult experiences. These are what allow a person to maintain clarity and make wise decisions under stress”, 

describes Elizabeth Stanley herself about the Program. 

In Ukrainian realities, the significance of such training is hard to overestimate. The twelfth year of war and the fourth year of full-scale invasion have long dispelled any illusions about the need to “hold on just a little longer”. It has become clear that our Resilience is about the ability to recover systematically in order to remain effective in a prolonged struggle. 

So is it surprising that the promotion of MMFT© approaches in Ukraine has become one of the key directions of the Center for Leadership of UCU this year? After all, this program addresses several challenges simultaneously:

• providing people from different fields with practical tools for self-regulation;
• testing how this model works in our cultural and wartime context;
• laying the foundation for spreading the methodology among wider communities.

MMFT©: Experience of Adaptation to Domestic Realities 

Any training Program, no matter how effective, requires adaptation to the local context. This rule is especially important in contemporary Ukraine, where daily challenges and dangers intersect with the frenetic pace of life itself. 

In response to these circumstances, an express course in the basics of MMFT© was created, which took place from July to September 2025: a short program (three sessions, totaling 7.5 hours), adapted for two hundred participants with completely different backgrounds, and accompanied by synchronous translation from English, to reach the broadest possible audience. 

Most importantly, the program itself combined:

• Psychoeducation – explaining how the nervous system functions under stress;
• Practices – exercises in attention, mindfulness, and bodily self-regulation;
• Discussion – exploring how to apply these tools in professional practice.

Voices of Participants: What Works in Practice?

The most valuable source of evaluation came from the participants themselves. Their experiences demonstrate that the shortened format of MMFT© is a solution that successfully combines the effectiveness of the methodology with the constraints of the pace of life of Ukrainians: 

“In the service, time is a luxury. Here, the exercises are short, flexible, and adaptable to circumstances. The “mindful walking” exercise was especially useful: when you are constantly on the move, it helps you stay focused”, 

shared Liudmyla, a military psychologist in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“In times of uncertainty, it is important to have a way to support yourself. I am already passing mindfulness tools on to my colleagues at school”, 

said Oleksandr, a mathematics and computer science teacher.

“The practices helped me quickly “ground” myself after stressful moments. This support is not only for me, but also for my clients”, 

shared Inna, a psychologist at a shelter for survivors of domestic violence.

“In our work, tension is constant. MMFT© provided simple techniques that help reduce stress levels and restore concentration even after challenging fieldwork. I am already integrating these exercises into training sessions and supervision”, 

added Olha, a program manager in public health.

“I had previously tried grounding exercises, but I didn’t understand how they worked. The theoretical explanations in the course were a turning point: now the practices truly deliver results and motivate continued practice”, 

summed up the experience of both groups Stanislav, an entrepreneur.

So what unites the participants of the training? First and foremost, the challenges that affect everyday life – from the front line to the instability of professional or family environments. At the same time, there is openness to new experiences and the changes they bring. These two factors together have led to the dissemination of the practice far beyond the training itself – this time among colleagues, students, comrades, and clients. In itself, this is perhaps the best testament to the effectiveness of MMFT©. 

Ultimately, a leader who possesses self-regulation skills automatically creates healthier conditions for their team, community, and, of course, loved ones. In doing so, they initiate a chain of change not only in personal well-being but also in collective effectiveness. And in times when the quality of decisions, team resilience, and society’s capacity to endure prolonged stress depend on mental resilience, such an achievement becomes a strategic advantage.

5 Key Takeaways from the MMFT© Program for Ukrainian Leaders

So, what were the key insights for the participants of the training?

1. Resilience is a skill, not a character trait. It can be trained.
2. The body is our key to mental recovery. Working with the nervous system starts through physiology.
3. Even short practices matter. A few minutes of exercises can restore our control and focus.
4. The leader sets the tone for the team. One person’s self-regulation has the potential to spread to others.
5. Resilience = a strategic resource for the country. In war, it is a factor that determines the long-term endurance of society itself.

And this proves that the MMFT© Program deserves special attention from Ukrainians. It provides an opportunity to better understand the root causes of one’s psychophysiological reactions, master effective stress management techniques, and – equally important – do everything possible to ensure that collective Ukraine successfully copes with the circumstances it faces. 

Thus, the next step for the joint research team of the Center for Leadership of UCU and Georgetown University is to analyze the obtained research results and explore new possibilities for scaling. The need for such tools is growing: from military psychologists and teachers to business managers and social workers. 

Ultimately, domestic experience shows that even a few hours of practice can change the quality of life and work. In the long term, MMFT© can become an important contribution to forming a new culture of Leadership – Leadership built not on exhaustion, but on conscious Resilience.