Valeriia Akatova: From Kyiv Under Fire to Guide at Retraite Eveil and Co-Founder of Foundation Ukraine

Valeriia Akatova is a living example of resilience and transformation. Born in January 1993 in Ukraine, she lived through the horror of war in Kyiv in February 2022, fled with her seven-year-old daughter, rebuilt her life in France, and today serves as co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Foundation Ukraine. At the same time, Valeriia Akatova is an experienced guide at Retraite Eveil, where she accompanies participants in psilocybin retreats with a calm, empathetic, and deeply human presence. Her journey, from the chaos of war to guiding others through trauma, PTSD, depression, and the feeling of being lost and alone, shows how the hardest trials can become a powerful force for helping others heal and rebuild. On retraite-eveil.com, we are proud to have Valeriia Akatova as part of our team of guides. Her unique story enriches every retreat she facilitates, offering participants a rare perspective on resilience, inner reconstruction, and the power of personal transformation.

The full interview here >

From Kyiv Under Fire to Exile in France: The Initial Shock

In February 2022, Valeriia was living a normal life in Kyiv with her daughter Emilie. On the first morning of the Russian invasion, the sound of bombs exploding near her neighborhood woke her in the middle of the night. Within minutes, she gathered the essentials, took her daughter, her younger sister, and a friend, and began the journey west. After an exhausting trip through Poland and Germany, they arrived in the south of France, in the Gers region, at ’Isle-Jourdain at three o’clock in the morning. The local community welcomed them with remarkable generosity. The Red Cross provided food and clothing, and a French family hosted them free of charge for a full year. Valeriia quickly found a job in a packaging factory to support her family. Her daughter Emilie joined the village school and finished the school year at the top of her class despite the language barrier. Those first months in exile were marked by exhaustion, tears, and deep worry for loved ones left behind in Ukraine.

The Decisive Meeting with Cedric Bonnecaze, Co-Founder of Retraite Eveil

It was in France, in this context of exile and reconstruction, that Valeriia Akatova met Cedric Bonnecaze, co-founder of Retraite Eveil. This encounter was a major turning point. Cedric, who carries a clear vision of psilocybin retreats as a tool for healing and personal development, immediately recognized Valeriia’s depth and inner strength. Their connection was instant and obvious. Valeriia, who had already begun her own personal reconstruction, felt profoundly moved by the mission of Retraite Eveil. Having lived through the chaos of war, exile, and the loss of familiar landmarks, she understood that her experience could become a valuable resource for accompanying others facing trauma, PTSD, depression, or the feeling of being lost and alone. Cedric invited her to join the team as a guide. Valeriia accepted with conviction. This collaboration marked the beginning of a new chapter: one in which her personal experience of resilience became a tool to help others heal.

From Lived Adversity to Guiding Inner Healing

Valeriia Akatova’s path is living proof that the hardest trials can become a source of light for oneself and for others. She has directly known the collective trauma of war, constant fear, family separation, and the total reconstruction of a life. These experiences have given her an intimate understanding of what people carrying deep wounds feel: the sense of being lost, alone, disconnected from oneself and from the world. At Retraite Eveil, Valeriia accompanies participants with a presence that is both firm and kind. She knows that letting go of control is not easy when one has survived chaos. She also knows that psilocybin, used in a safe and respectful setting, can help dissolve defense mechanisms, release blocked emotions, and restore inner clarity. Her own journey from exile to rebirth allows her to offer particularly attuned listening and authentic confidence to those moving through periods of depression, PTSD, or loss of meaning. The retreats she guides are not only moments of psychedelic exploration. They become spaces of inner reconstruction where each participant can, like she did, transform suffering into strength and confusion into clarity.

Foundation Ukraine and Retraite Eveil: Two Forms of Reconstruction

Today, Valeriia Akatova carries two complementary missions. At Foundation Ukraine, she is co-founder and Chief Operating Officer. She oversees opportunity sourcing, negotiations, public relations, and the supervision of construction projects. The foundation acquires and repositions real estate assets to create long-term value while contributing concretely to the economic revival of Ukraine. At Retraite Eveil, she is a guide. Both roles share the same deep intention: reconstruction. One on the material and collective level, the other on the inner and individual level. This dual involvement makes her a particularly valuable facilitator. She understands both the strength required to rebuild a country and the vulnerability required to rebuild a human being.

The Lessons She Shares in Retreats

During retreats at Retraite Eveil, Valeriia shares the lessons she has drawn from her own path: the importance of adaptability, the power of community, the necessity of accepting uncertainty, and the courage to rebuild after loss. She helps people move through their own traumas, release control mechanisms that have become useless, and regain a new clarity about their lives. Her story becomes a powerful mirror for those who feel lost or alone. It shows that even after the hardest trials, it is possible to be reborn, to find meaning again, and to put one’s experience in the service of others.

Conclusion: A Rare Presence in the Service of Transformation

Valeriia Akatova powerfully embodies the meeting of personal resilience and collective commitment. From the chaos of bombs in Kyiv to her role as guide at Retraite Eveil and co-founder of Foundation Ukraine, her journey is a living lesson in courage, adaptability, and hope. If you would like to experience the quality of support she offers, we invite you to explore the upcoming retreats at Retraite Eveil where Valeriia Akatova will be present. Her presence and her story are an invitation to believe that, even after the hardest trials, reconstruction, whether of a country or of a human being, is always possible. UNLOCK THE MIND. ELEVATE THE SELF.