This book presents a narrative nonfiction memoir that blends frontline urgency with psychological insight. It documents the author’s transformation from a Ukrainian-American psychologist into an unexpected rescue coordinator during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine since 2022. From her New York apartment, Alla became a lifeline—coordinating evacuations, calming families, and improvising alongside grassroots networks when international systems stalled. At once a memoir, a study of trauma, and a testament to human resilience, Whispers of Survival raises urgent questions: How do ordinary people become rescuers? What sustains trust under fire? And how can collaboration reimagine humanitarian response in the 21st century?
Price: $29.00
Pages: 150
Publisher: Ibidem Press
Imprint: Ibidem Press
Series: Ukrainian Voices
Publication Date:
01 November 2026
Trim Size: 8.27 X 5.83 in
ISBN: 9783838221144
Format: Paperback
BISACs:
PSYCHOLOGY / General, PSYCHOLOGY / Trauma Psychology
Whispers of Survival is an inspiring story that centers the strength of individual and community resilience during the chaos of war. What begins as a New York psychologist’s unyielding effort to protect her family in Ukraine, evolves into the creation of an international network dedicated to humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians endangered by the Russian invasion. Dr. Alla Prokhovnik-Raphique crafts an intimate narrative of persistence and compassion, revealing the power of informal alliances to deliver critical support in moments of crisis. She offers a testament to how strangers scattered across nations can unite and safeguard hundreds of lives.
— Kim Baranowski, PhD, Mount Sinai Human Rights Program
Alla Prokhovnik-Raphique (Author)
Dr. Alla Prokhovnik-Raphique is a clinical psychologist who runs her private practice “Nurturing Roots Psychology” in New York City. Since 2023, she has been Chief Operating Officer of the Ukraine NGO Coordination Network (UNCN)—an alliance of international non-governmental groups specializing in humanitarian aid and a global project of the NGO “Heart of an Ace.” Alla was recognized by the City and State magazine for her work for the UNCN. Alla also works as a voluntary lecturer and supervisor at the Addiction Institute of Mount Sinai in New York. Her articles have been published by, among other outlets, Psychology Today.
Sarah Adams (Foreword by)
Sarah Adams is a former CIA Targeting Officer and the host of the political news analysis Youtube channel The Watch Floor