There are people whose presence makes it easier to breathe. Their words bring calm, their support gives strength, and their belief in others helps people endure even the darkest times. That is exactly the kind of person Marina Lutsenko is — a psychologist, principal of a Zaporizhzhia gymnasium, and author of the course Allow Yourself to Act.
Specially for Business Woman magazine, as part of the Power of a Dream project, Marina shared her story about the power of support, responsibility, and the desire to help people not lose themselves even during times of great hardship.
Her professional journey began at school. For more than 20 years, Marina worked as a teacher, wrote books, and participated in numerous educational projects and initiatives. For her, education has never been only about knowledge — it has always been about people, personal growth, and inner freedom.
Later, Marina decided to try herself in leadership and took part in a конкурс for the position of school principal. That was the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
Today, the Zaporizhzhia gymnasium led by Marina is much more than an educational institution. It is a democratic educational space with its own philosophy, where children can freely express their thoughts, reveal their talents, bring ideas to life, and feel supported.
Together with her team, Marina actively worked on creating a modern educational environment. The school participated in international projects, grant programs, and initiatives that opened new opportunities for both students and teachers.
But with the start of the full-scale war, life changed for everyone.
The gymnasium became not only a place for learning but also a space of support for local residents. Marina took shifts in bomb shelters, volunteered, and witnessed every day how deeply the war affected children.
That was when she realized especially clearly that children living in a frontline city desperately needed psychological support.
This became the starting point for a new stage in her work — studying within the Ukrainian-Israeli Hibuki Therapy project, which focuses on childhood trauma and emotional recovery.
Marina understood that there were not enough specialists of this kind in the city. And instead of limiting herself to private practice, she began searching for opportunities to train others.
She found support, benefactors, and resources — and step by step built a team of people ready to help children cope with the difficult realities of war.
Today, around 100 specialists have already completed the training and are working with childhood trauma, helping children adapt to new living conditions.
Later, Marina recognized another important need — support for women.
The war brought many challenges: emotional, professional, and personal. Many women found themselves forced to start life over, search for inner strength, and learn how not to lose faith in themselves.
“Life is happening here and now. And your dreams should not be postponed,” — this idea became one of the key messages in Marina’s work with women.
Today, she leads empowerment meetings, creates марафони, and is the author of the educational course Allow Yourself to Act, which helps women overcome fears, doubts, and inner limitations.
Her work is about support that restores strength. About hugs that literally give you wings. About creating a space where a woman can believe in herself again, allow herself to dream, and take action.
Marina helps women unlock their potential, scale their ideas, grow financially, and stop being afraid to change their lives.
Her story is about how, even in the hardest times, a person can remain a light for others.
Because true strength is not only about surviving yourself.
True strength is the ability to support those beside you.
Photo: from the archieve of Marina Lutsenko