Losing Their Careers and Confidence: Kristina Lytvynenko Addresses a Painful Reality Facing Ukrainian Women Abroad

International model, psychologist, and entrepreneur Kristina Lytvynenko spoke about her eventful summer in the United States, shoots for international glossy magazines, and the career changes she plans to make this autumn. She also opened up about Ukrainian women living abroad, the loss of professional identity, and explained why she wants to create an international community that would offer women not just support, but a real opportunity to start a new chapter in their lives.

Kristina, summer is coming to an end. What was it like for you, and what will you remember most?

This summer was extremely eventful for me and, in many ways, transformative. There was a lot of work, photo shoots, new connections, international teams, preparations for publications, and new projects. At the same time, on a personal level, it was a period when I reconsidered my goals, priorities, and where I want to go next.

One of the highlights was a major shoot in Miami, especially the photo shoot on a yacht. The result exceeded even my own expectations. We also spent this summer preparing projects whose results we will see this autumn. So for me, this summer became a kind of preparation for a new chapter.

Did you manage to get some rest? Or does a model keep thinking about work even by the ocean?

It is difficult for me to completely switch off from work. Even while travelling, I continue thinking about upcoming shoots, looks, publications, negotiations, and new ideas.

But I am gradually learning to find a balance. For me, rest does not necessarily mean doing nothing. Sometimes it is enough to change the surroundings, spend time by the ocean, travel, be with loved ones, or simply leave a day for myself without constantly rushing somewhere.

Autumn is ahead. What can you already tell us about your professional plans?

Autumn is starting very actively for me. I have upcoming shoots and publications for international glossy magazines, collaborations with international teams, fashion events, and several new professional projects.

But what excites me most right now is that my work is gradually expanding beyond modelling. I want to develop my own name as a brand and create projects in which I can express myself not only as a model.

So, are you planning to gradually move beyond modelling?

Yes. I love modelling. It remains a very important part of my life, and I certainly have no intention of giving it up. But now I feel that I am ready to move forward and explore new directions.

I am interested in developing myself as a public figure, working on my own projects, creating something of my own, and using my experience and audience to pursue larger goals.

That is why I see this autumn not simply as another fashion season, but as the beginning of a new professional chapter.

You work abroad a lot. Do you feel a responsibility to speak about Ukraine to an international audience?

For me, an international platform has never been merely a career tool. When you work at this level, your visibility stops being a purely private matter. A photo shoot, a fashion show, a competition jury, an interview — these are spaces where people from different countries and industries listen to you. And I made a conscious decision: I do not separate my profession from my civic position.

I am Ukrainian in every room I enter. That is precisely why I believe it is my responsibility to speak about my country in places where people might otherwise forget about it.

Why is it particularly important today to keep reminding the world about the war?

Because the most dangerous thing that can happen with a war is that people become accustomed to it. As a psychologist, I understand the nature of this process very well: the human psyche protects itself from prolonged pain by becoming desensitised. International audiences grow tired not because they do not care, but because that is how human attention works.

My task is to bring that attention back again and again. I speak about Ukraine in my public work not only on commemorative dates and not only through the rhetoric of “please help.” I integrate it into professional conversations, public appearances, and my work as a jury member.

Sometimes a single sentence spoken in the right room is enough to remind someone who makes decisions in the industry that behind the beautiful image stands a country that is fighting a war.

You also support Ukrainian designers and photographers. Why is it important for you not to call this charity?

Because it is a professional decision. And I insist on describing it precisely that way. Ukraine has a strong creative school, a distinctive identity, and people who continue creating even under air-raid sirens. This is not about saying, “Please help us.” This is about a level of talent and professionalism that deserves a place in the global market.

I bring Ukrainians into international projects, wear their clothes in shoots, mention their names in captions, and speak about them in conversations with editorial teams. Visibility translates into orders, and orders are what allow a studio in Kyiv or Lviv to survive and employ people. This is support that can actually be measured.

You also speak a lot about Ukrainian women who have found themselves abroad because of the war. What do you consider one of the most underestimated problems they face?

Thousands of highly qualified women suddenly lost not only the lives they were accustomed to — they also lost their professional identities.

An adult’s sense of stability depends heavily on the answer to the question, “Who am I?” Not “Where do I live?” but “What can I do, and who needs what I can offer?” Yet in a new country, a woman who used to be a doctor, lawyer, or teacher may suddenly be assigned just one role — “refugee.” A passive role, the role of someone receiving assistance.

As a psychologist, I understand how difficult it can be to remain in such a position for a long time. The psyche may respond with apathy, shame, or aggression.

What is the biggest trap in this kind of life?

There are actually two traps. The first is deskilling. A highly educated professional finds herself working several levels below her qualifications. And the longer she remains there, the harder it becomes to return: skills begin to fade, confidence declines, and the gap in her CV grows. A person may not even notice the moment when something temporary becomes permanent.

The second is isolation. A woman living abroad can find herself caught between two worlds: guilt towards those who stayed behind and a feeling of not belonging in the country where she now lives. On top of that comes the language barrier, which can cut her off not only from employment opportunities but even from ordinary human conversation.

Is that why you decided to create an international women’s community?

Yes. I want women to receive not only sympathy but real support — opportunities for professional development, employment, adaptation, and a fresh start.

If you give someone money and a roof over their head but fail to restore their sense of purpose and social role, you stabilise the body while losing the person. Sympathy can solve the problems of the first three months. It cannot solve the problems of the next three years. Sympathy alone does not work — access does: access to people, information, and opportunities.

How exactly would this work?

We want to create an environment where women can gain professional connections, access to experts, useful resources, and mentorship. In the future, we plan to involve lawyers, psychologists, career specialists, fitness trainers, and experts from other fields.

It is fundamentally important to me that a woman does not simply come “for help,” but enters an environment where her own experience and expertise once again have value.

I believe in one simple principle: a woman who receives support when she is at her lowest will support three other women a year later. This is not charity — it is an investment that pays dividends in people.

And what are you personally planning for yourself this autumn?

First and foremost — sport, proper and balanced nutrition, a healthy routine, and taking care of myself. For me, physical fitness is not only about appearance; above all, it is about discipline, energy, and well-being.

I want to dedicate more attention to training, recovery, and my inner state. I am very accustomed to living in a constant cycle of goals and new tasks, so one of my personal goals now is to learn how to better balance major ambitions with the ability to simply enjoy life.

If you had to describe the autumn you want in three words, what would they be?

Ambitious. Happy. New.

Ambitious — in terms of my professional goals and projects. Happy — in terms of my inner state. New — because I feel that I am entering an entirely new chapter of my life.