Psychologists and communities abroad

Draft First minutes: what human rights defenders usually advise

Psychologists and communities abroad

Draft. Compiled from human rights groups' guides but not yet reviewed by a lawyer. This is not legal advice — check the linked sources and consult a lawyer.

Anxiety, guilt and burnout after leaving are common. Rights groups advise turning to projects for people who have left: there you don't need to explain the context.
Free psychologists: The Ark (form on the website) and Reforum Help (online and in Berlin, Vilnius, Warsaw, Paris, Tbilisi).
Communities: Reforum Space hubs (Berlin, Vilnius, Tallinn, Tbilisi, Budva) and The Ark's mutual-aid chats by city and profession.
For LGBTQ+ people — Sphere; in Germany — Quarteera. In France, Russie-Libertés brings anti-war Russians together.
Check that a chat or bot is official: the link should be on the organisation's website.

current as of September 25. More: The Ark: get help (foreign agent); Reforum Help (undesirable); Reforum Space (undesirable)

Who helps

5 organisations

Quarteera

Association of Russian-speaking LGBTQ+ people in Germany: advice for refugees, community and support.

Germany

Get in touch quarteera.de

Russie-Libertés

Association of anti-war Russians in France: support for people facing persecution, community, public events.

France

Get in touch russie-libertes.org

The Ark (Kovcheg)

Legal advice for people who have left (documents, residence permits, visas, asylum, extradition risk), temporary housing, free psychologists, mutual-aid chats by city.

Lawyers via the Telegram bots @kovcheglive_bot and @EmigrantHelpBot; psychologists and housing via forms on the website. The project was set up with support from the Anti-War Committee, designated 'terrorist' in Russia in March 2026; The Ark itself is a 'foreign agent'.

If Telegram doesn't open: team@kovcheg.live

abroad foreign agent link checked September 25

Get in touch kovcheg.live

Reforum Help

Free psychologists and lawyers for forced emigrants: migration and visas, taxes, civil law, humanitarian residence; groups and seminars.

A Reforum project of the Free Russia Foundation, designated 'undesirable' in Russia.

online; Berlin, Vilnius, Warsaw, Paris, Tbilisi undesirable

Get in touch help.reforum.io

Sphere

Legal, psychological and emergency help for LGBTQ+ people from Russia.

If Telegram doesn't open: website

in Russia and abroad foreign agent"LGBT movement" designated extremist link checked September 25

Message the bot @spherehelpbot

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