We heal invisible wounds. We give children back their future.

Growing up in today's world is incredibly hard. A cascade of crises and the shadow of war place a burden on children they shouldn't have to carry alone. It steals their sense of safety, their carefree spirit, and most importantly — their natural joy of life and belief that things will get better.

We feel a deep responsibility to help lift this weight. At Epione, we combine top-tier psychological and crisis care to show Czech and Ukrainian children they are not alone. We don't just treat trauma. We restore their lost hope and strength to move forward.

Silent suffering that cannot be ignored

Children's mental health in the Czech Republic is deteriorating dramatically. The war in Ukraine has brought hundreds of thousands of people to our country — and with them, thousands of children carrying invisible wounds. Helping them find a true home in Czechia is not just a matter of solidarity. It's an investment in a society where we can all thrive.

1 in 5 – children in the Czech Republic suffer from mental health issues (IHIS CR)
63% – increase in childhood depression after the pandemic (WHO Europe)
397K – Ukrainian refugees live in CZ — the most per capita in the entire EU (MoI CR 2026)
78% – of children from war zones show signs of PTSD (UNICEF)

Three pillars of our work

We combine prevention, education, and intensive therapy into a comprehensive mental health care system for children and young people.

Therapy in Schools: Canine therapy, cat therapy, and drama therapy directly in schools. Prevention of children's mental health issues through contact with animals and creative expression.
Who Are Veterans: Primary prevention for Ukrainian children in Czech schools. Understanding trauma, war flashbacks, and supporting children whose loved ones are affected by war.
Day Care Program: Intensive therapeutic day program for young people aged 16–26. A stabilizing form of support between hospitalization and everyday life.

Therapy in Schools · Who Are Veterans · Day Care Program

Where and how we help

Our work connects direct help to children with building system capacity and training professionals.

Therapy in Schools

Canine therapy — dog-assisted therapy
Cat therapy — calming and emotional safety
Drama therapy — creative expression of emotions
Custom-tailored programs for schools

Who Are Veterans

Primary prevention for UA children in Czech schools
Understanding trauma and war flashbacks
Peer support — building empathy in the classroom
Practical guides for children and teachers

Day Care Program

Intensive day program for young people aged 16–26
Stabilization after psychiatric hospitalization
Group and individual therapy
Family work and follow-up support

Cross-cutting Support

Collaboration with Czech and Ukrainian universities
Applied research in childhood trauma
Methodological materials and protocols
Supervision for frontline workers

What we're planning

Our path to systematic help for children with trauma

2025 – Therapeutic Day Care: The program is complete and operational. We're actively seeking donors for long-term funding.
2026 – Therapy in Schools — Pilot Phase: Preparing pilot deployment of therapeutic programs in selected primary schools.
2026 – Veterans — Pilot Phase: Preparing a pilot program of therapeutic support for war veterans.
2026–2027 – Therapy in Schools Expansion: After pilot evaluation, we plan to expand the program to more schools and regions.
2027 – Veterans Program Expansion: Expanding the veterans program to more regions of the Czech Republic.
2027 – Research Collaboration with Charles University: Launching joint research on the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions for children with PTSD.

Who we are and why we do it

Epione z.s. is a non-profit organization (registered association) combining strategic vision, project execution, and clinical expertise to help children, young people, and veterans carry the weight of trauma.

Project Guarantors

PhDr. Tomáš Kopečný – Founder. A leading figure in Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts with a strong focus on humanitarian and rebuilding activities. Former Deputy Minister of Defence with over a decade of experience in the security sector. Awarded the Order of Merit and the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise by the Ukrainian President. At Epione, he ensures our help has deep strategic meaning — because true societal recovery rests on two pillars: rebuilding infrastructure and rebuilding the human psyche.
Jana Dvořáková – Project Director · Expert Guarantor. Years of successfully managing complex psychosocial projects with real impact. She translates vision into daily practice to ensure help is sustainable, systematic, and transparent. For partners and donors, she guarantees that every invested crown has a clear purpose and transforms into meaningful intervention.
Mgr. Monika Novotná – Chief Psychologist · Therapeutic Guarantor. The clinical heart of Epione. Every day she faces the weight children carry. She brings deep expertise, empathy, and the strictest standards of modern psychotherapy. She ensures our approach is maximally sensitive, safe, and truly healing — restoring children's natural joy of life.

Expert guarantors

Robert Van Voren – Human Rights & Mental Health. A leading global expert on psychiatric abuse and human rights. Secretary General of the Global Initiative on Psychiatry and professor at Ilia State University in Tbilisi. Author of numerous publications on Soviet psychiatry and political misuse of medicine.
Heinz-Peter Röhr – Psychotherapy & Trauma. German psychotherapist and bestselling author on addiction, narcissism, and trauma. Decades of clinical practice with patients suffering from complex trauma. His books have been translated into many languages.

Your support changes lives

Every crown has a concrete impact. We'll transparently show you how your money helps.

Get in Touch

Have a question, want to become a partner, or learn more?

Email: Email

Address: K lánu 498/6, Vokovice, 160 00 Praha, Czech Republic

Epione z.s. · IČO 24437751 · K lánu 498/6, Vokovice, 160 00 Praha · info@epionecare.com