Psychologists and communities abroad

• If you are in danger right now or thinking about suicide: 112 and your country's crisis lines. Poland 116 123 and 800 70 2222, Estonia 116 123 (Russian available), Lithuania 112 (Russian available), Israel 1201, USA 988 (Russian interpreter available). In Germany the free TelefonSeelsorge line 0800 111 0 111 works in German. We did not find a separate line for Georgia, so call 112.
• 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. Kovcheg (foreign agent): 4-week online groups via a form on its website. Reforum Help: online and in Berlin, Vilnius, Warsaw, Paris and Tbilisi, including in Belarusian. Reforum is designated 'undesirable' in Russia, and since July 2026 so is Reforum Space in Paris: if you travel to Russia, contact it from a phone other than one that could be seized. In Germany, psychosocial centres for refugees and torture survivors can help (Bundesverband PSZ directory, interpreters available); in Poland, Polskie Forum Migracyjne (in Russian and Belarusian, up to 3 months).
• Communities: Reforum Space hubs (Berlin, Vilnius, Tallinn, Tbilisi, Budva, Warsaw, Paris) and The Ark's mutual-aid chats by city and profession. Reforum is designated 'undesirable' in Russia. If you plan to travel to Russia, going to its hubs and events may be treated as taking part in an 'undesirable' organisation, so check with a lawyer. The Ark was set up with support from the Anti-War Committee, which is designated 'terrorist' in Russia. In city chats, don't give your full name, address or travel plans: provocateurs turn up in chats.
• For LGBTQ+ people there is Sphere, and in Germany Quarteera ('undesirable' in Russia). Bear in mind that the 'LGBT movement' is designated 'extremist' in Russia, so write to Sphere from a device that is not checked. In France, Russie-Libertés ('undesirable' in Russia) brings together anti-war Russians. If you travel to Russia, contacting an 'undesirable' organisation or joining its events can lead to prosecution, so check with a lawyer.
• Check that a chat or bot is official: the link should be on the organisation's website.
• A psychologist abroad works under the laws of that country. Before the first session, ask what they write down, where they keep it and who they may share it with. For conversations about your case, choose a messenger with end-to-end encryption.

Designations of organisations in this guide: Sphere (foreign agent, "LGBT movement" designated extremist); Reforum Help (undesirable); Quarteera (undesirable); Russie-Libertés (undesirable); Anti-War Committee 'Consuls' (undesirable, terrorist, on Rosfinmonitoring list). Contacting them carries a risk: do not write from a phone that may be seized, and do not repost their materials.

current as of 26 September 2026. More: The Ark: get help (foreign agent); Reforum Help (undesirable); Reforum Space (undesirable); Bundesverband PSZ: centres by German state (in German); Polskie Forum Migracyjne: support (in Polish)