Within weeks of Oct. 7, 2023, a group of psychologists mobilized to respond to the fear, pain and invalidation experienced by Diaspora Jews. There were no blueprints for clinicians to support a population of Jews whose distress was indescribable and permeated the soul. We knew Diaspora Jews were in crisis and although pain is pain, […]
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A new report published as part of the National Program for Quality Indicators in Community Healthcare for 2023 reveals concerning changes in public health in Israel in the shadow of the war. The report points to the overuse of sleep and anti-anxiety medications, high rates of obesity and smoking, a decrease in early breast cancer […]
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Since October 7, healthcare professionals in medicine, mental health, education, welfare, first responders and rescue workers face such great difficulties in getting help to those who need it that many of them suffer from fatigue, apathy, burnout, stress, and distress. Recently, in a roundtable meeting in which researchers in the healthcare field participated, the main […]
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Esti is a 56-year-old divorced woman. She is the mother of two adult sons who are in their late 20’s. Both her sons and her ex-husband live in England. She first came to me to help her quit smoking. Early on in our meetings, she began to tell me about some of the other problems […]
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The Talmud in tractate Ta’anit tells us that our happiness increases when the month of Adar begins. Until when? The Talmud tells us that this lasts until the end of the following Hebrew month, Nissan. It is therefore a seasonal phenomenon. As these are two months in which fall the holidays of Purim and Passover, […]
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Last week, soldiers and reservists excitedly prepared for the start of a unique surfing course for those who have been recently released from combat, opened by the municipality of Kfar Saba. Aside from surfing lessons, the course also includes dialogue sessions with a psychotherapist. “There is a huge investment here by the municipality of Kfar […]
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A groundbreaking study has shown that individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) who do not receive medication are significantly more likely to die early, mainly due to unnatural causes such as accidents, drug overdoses, and suicide. This research, which examined the health outcomes of tens of thousands of participants, underscores the vital role of […]
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Are people naturally happy or can they make themselves joyful? In fact, there is even a how-to course on “The Science of Happiness” offered since 2018 at the UK’s University of Bristol, where researchers have conducted a first-of-its-kind study on the subject. Although many colleges that have offered psychoeducational courses teaching positive psychology interventions report […]
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How do you deal with the trauma of the deadliest day Jews have experienced since the Holocaust? This was the question Israeli trauma experts faced in the wake of Oct. 7, 2023, when over 1,200 Israelis were killed and some 250 taken captive in Hamas’s attack on Israel. The massive attack by terrorists immediately was […]
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Following the outbreak of war last year, hundreds of mental health officers were drafted to help treat the mental pain experienced by soldiers, but two decided there was a more practical way to help. Meet Dush and Jonam, two medical clowns enlisted in the Home Front Rehabilitation Center, where soldiers in need of long-term mental […]
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