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Fierce Calm · UK–Ukraine
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Who we are

The Fierce Calm community gathered together in an accessible art gallery

Fierce Calm is a specialist rehabilitation organisation supporting people affected by war, trauma, displacement, violence and serious injury.

Fierce Calm supports Ukrainian-led rehabilitation for people affected by war, trauma and displacement.

We work alongside Ukrainian clinicians, organisations and communities to support rehabilitation shaped by the people and places it is for.

How our work has developed

  1. Where we began

    The organisation began with trauma-informed yoga, yoga therapy and psychosocial support for refugees, asylum seekers and survivors of violence and torture in the UK.

  2. What we learned

    That experience taught us that support is not a single intervention. Safety, dignity and trusted relationships matter, and recovery needs room to continue over time.

  3. Adapting with Ukraine

    After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we adapted our work to the needs emerging there. We did not transplant a British model or bring work to be imposed externally. We listen, learn and adapt with Ukrainian partners.

Our Approach

Rehabilitation is more than treatment. It is the rebuilding of life.

Our approach is clinical, psychosocial and community-based. It is grounded in Ukrainian leadership, trauma-informed practice, ethical partnership and long-term systems change.

  1. Ukrainian leadership first

    Fierce Calm exists to support Ukrainian professionals, organisations and communities — not to replace them. We listen first, work with local expertise and invest in capacity that remains in Ukraine.

  2. Partnership over ownership

    We do not need to own every program to make a meaningful contribution. Sometimes the answer is funding. Sometimes it is clinical expertise, training, program design, evaluation, communications, introductions or practical support.

  3. Clinical and psychosocial rehabilitation

    Fierce Calm supports clinical and psychosocial rehabilitation in settings such as rehabilitation centres, hospitals and partner-led community programs.

  4. Rehabilitation beyond hospital

    Leaving hospital is not the end of recovery. That is why Fierce Calm supports rehabilitation that includes psychological care, social connection, adaptive activity, peer support, family support, outdoor recovery and community-based programs.

  5. Evidence before visibility

    Fierce Calm is committed to evaluation, learning and evidence-informed work. We want to understand what helps, why it helps and how good practice can be shared.

  6. Dignity before publicity

    People affected by war are not stories to be used. They are people with privacy, agency, families, histories and futures. We avoid trauma spectacle, saviour language and publicity that places organisational attention above human dignity. Communications must protect dignity, privacy and consent.

  7. Strengthening rehabilitation ecosystems

    Ukraine needs strong rehabilitation systems that can keep adapting to long-term need. Fierce Calm connects rehabilitation centres, clinicians, NGOs, universities, researchers, donors, volunteers and community partners around shared work.

  8. Helping people find their place

    Fierce Calm grows through relationships. We help people find the role through which their skills, values and relationships can strengthen the wider mission.

Meet the team

Our work is personal because rehabilitation is personal. It depends on people who show up, listen and build trust together.

Portrait of Dr Lee Watson

Dr Lee Watson

Founder and Executive Director

Dr Lee Watson is the founder and Executive Director of Fierce Calm, a UK Community Interest Company strengthening rehabilitation in Ukraine.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Lee has divided his time between the UK and Ukraine, building partnerships and securing resources that enable Ukrainian professionals to lead and expand effective support.

Fierce Calm delivers psychologist-led rehabilitation, psychotherapy and neuropsychology, neurosomatic recovery, therapeutic movement and adaptive activity.

Portrait of Yuliia Denysova

Yuliia Denysova

Head of Fierce Calm Ukraine

Yuliia Denysova is the Head of Fierce Calm Ukraine, a psychologist, certified hypnotherapist, therapeutic yoga practitioner and specialist in neurosomatic recovery.

She has more than 13 years of experience helping people strengthen emotional resilience, develop self-regulation skills and restore trust in their bodies and their capacity to move forward.

Since 2023, her work has focused primarily on supporting Ukrainian military personnel and veterans, including people recovering from amputations, severe injuries, polytrauma, phantom pain, traumatic stress, anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance.

Portrait of Tetiana Tsapun

Tetiana Tsapun

Operations Manager

Tetiana Tsapun is an Operations Manager with Fierce Calm, working across program delivery, team coordination and the processes that support the organisation’s work in Ukraine.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, she has contributed to fundraising efforts, community-building initiatives and volunteer coordination. She also leads the development of a fully accessible, three-language mental health and rehabilitation platform for Ukrainian defenders.

Her work focuses on bringing people together, coordinating practical support and helping teams move from plans to action. Tetiana believes meaningful impact begins with the work each of us chooses to do every day.

Swipe or scroll horizontally to explore team profiles.

Fierce Calm Mission

Fierce Calm is a specialist rehabilitation organisation. It does not aim to own or control rehabilitation services in Ukraine. It aims to strengthen Ukrainian-led rehabilitation by working in partnership with trusted local organisations, rehabilitation centres, clinicians, community groups and international allies.

  1. Specialist rehabilitation

    Fierce Calm supports clinical and psychosocial rehabilitation in settings such as rehabilitation centres, hospitals and partner-led community programs.

  2. Trusted partnerships

    Fierce Calm is a trusted partner in Ukraine’s recovery ecosystem.

    We do not need to own every program to make a meaningful contribution. Sometimes the answer is funding. Sometimes it is clinical expertise, training, program design, evaluation, communications, introductions or practical support.

  3. International support

    Fierce Calm is a bridge between international support and Ukrainian-led delivery.

    Fierce Calm helps bridge international support and Ukrainian-led rehabilitation, contributing specialist experience and connection while strengthening work already rooted in Ukraine.

  4. Values in practice

    Fierce Calm is a values-led organisation with practical programs.

    Fierce Calm exists to support Ukrainian professionals, organisations and communities — not to replace them. We listen first, work with local expertise and invest in capacity that remains in Ukraine.

  5. Deep relationships

    Fierce Calm is a small organisation with deep relationships and credible impact.

    Fierce Calm grows through relationships. We help people find the role through which their skills, values and relationships can strengthen the wider mission.

  6. Long-term capacity

    Fierce Calm is an organisation moving from emergency response into long-term rehabilitation capacity building.

    Ukraine needs strong rehabilitation systems that can keep adapting to long-term need. Fierce Calm connects rehabilitation centres, clinicians, NGOs, universities, researchers, donors, volunteers and community partners around shared work.

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