Sometimes the most important decisions are born not in moments of success, but during periods of the greatest trials. It is then that a person discovers their own inner strength, capable of changing not only their personal life but the lives of others as well.
Specially for Business Woman magazine, within the framework of the “Power of a Dream” project by the Portuguese representative office, Nataliia Shmarova shared her story. She is a psychologist, researcher of migration processes, PhD in Psychology, and founder of international initiatives in the field of psychological resilience and intercultural mediation.
Her story began at the age of twenty with a trip to Italy that was supposed to last only a year. However, this experience turned into fifteen years of living in another country, getting to know a new culture, and forming a professional path dedicated to working for and with people.
During this time, Nataliia worked at the Consulate General of Ukraine, took an active part in community initiatives, engaged in international mediation, and implemented projects aimed at supporting the Ukrainian community abroad.
Parallel to this, her family, business, and personal professional ambitions were developing. However, life made its own adjustments.
At the age of thirty, her husband received a difficult oncological diagnosis. This was the moment when the familiar future was threatened, and every subsequent day required courage and endurance.
“I remember the doctor’s words: ‘Why so late?’ That was when the realization hit of how fragile life can be,” Nataliia recalls.
Ahead were months of treatment, chemotherapy, and uncertainty. At the same time, the family was expecting the birth of a son. Alongside the struggle for her husband’s life, a new life appeared, which became a source of hope and inner strength.
Today, Nataliia says that this period was a turning point in her life. It changed her attitude toward people, her own capabilities, and her understanding of true psychological resilience.
After returning to Ukraine, a new stage of professional development began. Four higher education degrees, a PhD in Psychology, research into migration and adaptation processes, and years of work with people in crisis states became the foundation of her further activities.
Today, Nataliia Shmarova works at the intersection of psychology, migration, and intercultural interaction, supporting people during periods of life changes and helping them find inner resources for adaptation and development.
A separate area of her work is the development of European Centers for Psychological Resilience and Intercultural Mediation, as well as the formation of a professional community of Ukrainian psychologists in Europe. Her concept of psychological support and integration was presented at the level of the European Parliament, marking an important step in the development of international dialogue regarding mental health and social integration.
For Nataliia, psychology today is not just about personal development. It is about the society’s ability to recover after crises, find new points of support, and build a future even in the most difficult conditions.
Her own story has become a confirmation of this philosophy.
“Even when life seems shattered, it is then that new meanings, new opportunities, and a new path can be born,” she is convinced.
The story of Nataliia Shmarova is one of the stories of the “Power of a Dream” project, which unites women who prove by their own example: true strength lies not in the absence of difficulties, but in the ability to pass through them while maintaining faith, humanity, and the readiness to move forward.
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Photo: from the archive of heroine