Ukrainian dietitian and endocrinologist Kateryna Tolstikova spoke openly in an interview with the "Slava+" project about her divorce, the reasons that led to the breakdown of her marriage, and a new romance which, according to her, is fundamentally different from her previous experience. The conversation with Slava Demin became an occasion for Tolstikova to rethink the path she has traveled and articulate what kind of relationship she wants in the future. The Styler publication referencing this conversation sparked wide public interest, as Tolstikova is one of the most recognizable medical specialists in the Ukrainian media space.
A marriage that started too quickly
Tolstikova recalled that she met her future husband approximately two or three months after ending her previous relationship. Just three weeks into the new romance, she received a marriage proposal and accepted it. "I just agreed because I wanted to start a family in three weeks," confessed the doctor, who was 29 years old at the time. She explained that she was striving for stability and wanted to build a family with someone who shared her life values. The marriage lasted about two years, and according to Tolstikova herself, the relationship was emotionally difficult, and the decision to start a family was made far too hastily.
"It is probably not abuse, but a misunderstanding"
Answering a direct question about abuse in the relationship, Tolstikova rejected the term. "I think this is probably not abuse, but a misunderstanding of what each person wants from each other in a relationship and from life in general," she said. At the same time, the doctor did not hide the fact that the marriage was accompanied by frequent conflicts, and during that period she experienced a lot of anger, pain, and internal tension. "I was very aggressive, I was very angry, I was very unhappy, there was a lot of pain inside me, there was a lot of inner suffering," Tolstikova shared. She emphasized that this experience, despite its heaviness, helped her see her own problems, understand herself better, and rethink her approach to relationships.
The post-divorce period: focus on herself and her son
Kateryna officially divorced in 2023. During the marriage, she became the mother of her son, Mykhailo. This difficult period in her personal life coincided with her pregnancy and the birth of a child during a full-scale war, which, according to Tolstikova, became an additional trial. After the divorce, she consciously decided not to build new romantic relationships for a time, focusing on raising her son, professional development, and her own emotional state. "I really breathed a sigh of relief and can say that I am a happy person. I really calmed down," the doctor noted. She explained that she no longer wanted to enter into relationships just for the sake of having a partner, and over time learned to better understand her needs.
A new romance and rejecting formal marriage
During the interview, Tolstikova confirmed that she is currently dating a man; their relationship has lasted for less than a year. The doctor did not reveal the identity of her new partner, explaining that she is not yet ready to publicly discuss the details of the romance. "This is a healthy relationship. It is completely different in every way," she emphasized. At the same time, Tolstikova stated that she does not seek to officially remarry: "Formally, I don't want to get married. I am not interested in that." For her, she said, it is much more important that the partner is willing to build a joint future and share responsibility. She pays special attention to how the man treats her son Mykhailo: the boy is acquainted with his mother's partner, but does not yet perceive him as a partner. Tolstikova is in no hurry to merge her personal life with family life and believes that creating a new family is only possible with confidence in the seriousness of the man's intentions.
