I’m Olha - a therapist in training, a lifelong feeler, and a human learning to belong again in a new country.

I hold a psychology degree, I’ve been in personal therapy for over six years, and for the past two years, I’ve had the honour of sitting with others in their healing too.

Rooted in Gestalt, shaped by migration, and held by both the Ukrainian (National Association of Gestalt Therapists of Ukraine) and British Gestalt communities (UK Association for Gestalt Practitioners) - this path is my home and my offering.

Six years ago, I started therapy for the first time - not really knowing what to expect, just knowing something needed to change. And honestly? It changed everything.

The way I see myself. The way I relate to others. The way I exist in the world.

Therapy helped me understand my emotions, my patterns, and what I truly need. It also helped me see that some of the things I thought were “too much” - like my sensitivity, empathy, or the way I feel things so deeply - were actually my gifts.

That’s what led me to become a therapist.

But along the way, I realised: not everyone is ready to sit across from someone and start talking. Sometimes, what we need is a gentler place to begin. Somewhere quiet, where we can explore what’s going on inside - without pressure, without judgment.

That’s why I created Samist.

It’s more than a journal - it’s a soft starting point. A space to meet yourself, honestly and kindly. To reflect. To feel. To ask the hard questions, gently.

The idea was inspired by kintsugi - the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with gold. Because life leaves cracks in all of us. But maybe those cracks aren’t flaws.

Maybe they’re part of what makes us beautiful. If you're not sure where to begin — this might be it.

Not because you're broken, but because you're worth understanding.

What I really want is for you to see the beauty in your own story - even the messy, complicated parts. To look at where you’ve been and feel proud of how far you’ve come.

This journal isn’t here to fix you.

It’s here to walk with you - one gentle step at a time - as you start getting to know yourself more honestly.

It won’t always be easy. Some pages might feel tender.

But I can tell you this: it’s so worth it.

So… what do you think?

Want to take that first step — just for you?