Closing Time

After spending a wonderful summer interning at NATAL and learning from such a welcoming community of professionals it sadly is time for me to close my blog as my time in Israel comes to an end. Working at NATAL has been an enlightening experience and I hope to bring what I have learned into my studies and life. My summer in Israel has gone above and beyond my expectations for my time abroad and I close this blog with a big thank you to NATAL and the resources they have offered to me, to CLIP Onward Israel (the program I am in), to my family and friends who supported my journey, and the to the friendships I have made this summer. I have spent the summer working in Tel Aviv in an organization that is so active to the prevalent issues of war and terror in Israel, while integrating myself in the culture and exploring the country. I hope all who have read my blog have enjoyed it!

A Creative Method of Informing Children about PTSD

NATAL is anything but ordinary. The organization tries to reach out and touch people in ways that make people remember their name and what services are offered. The population of children is one that is especially fragile. Through is approach NATAL in collaboration with Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, NATAL provided therapy through a puppet show. This project, entitled "Princess Kuntz and the Mirror of Miracles" directed by Irit Bashan, is shown at preschools and primary schools throughout Israel and teaches children about what PTSD is and how to overcome the repercussions of suffering from this disorder. Theater brings the imaginary ideas into a sort of alternative reality that allows people to relate to and understand something further than what can be understood through verbal or rote learning. The puppet show is aimed at children in Northern and Southern Israel especially where the highest levels of terror and violence occur. It is a form of long-term treatment that is meant to leave a lasting imprint on the children that watch the show. I felt that the mixing of visual art with academic learning about current issues is a fascinating intervention tool that really gets to the core of the population. The show is at the end of a four session learning period with the teacher and the NATAL team to learn resiliency tools directly in the classroom and the show culminates what the children learn in the classroom. It is a way to get directly to the children's emotions. 

The Body-Soul Connection

What does it mean to be healthy? This is a question that I have grappled with for years and even went so far as to write my college admissions essay on how important it is to find a balance within yourself in order to lead a fulfilling and well-rounded life. Everyone suffers many wounds during their lives, both in the physical and mental spheres, but what makes someone strong is their ability to fight back against the odds and take hold of their life again after the suffering initially strikes. 

Some ways to achieve the balance and feeling of well being and a secure hold of ones life are eating healthy, being creative in whatever unique sense this means for each person, and stimulating the mind.   I believe that these things work together and that it is necessary to have a certain amount of each category to have a balanced lifestyle. 

On to the subject of post traumatic stress disorder, when someone suffers this disorder, to whatever degree, their balance goes astray and they need to find themselves again which means putting in to order this different aspects of a proper body and soul connection. This is where NATAL comes in and emphasizes the importance of this connection through the different types of therapies and the social therapeutic club. Every person should strive for a meaningful equilibrium within their own self in balance with the outside world. 

Before I finish my post I want to go into more detail about how NATAL coordinates providing people with a relaxing physical space where patients can do yoga therapy while giving them therapeutic support. The social club offers yoga classes and being part of the club requires the understanding that the clients must participate together and try to grow and talk with each other and the supervisors which allows them to begin to get past symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. In the south NATAL also offers free yoga classes to single mothers who often are part of low socioeconomic classes. The classes are conducted in the south because alongside the mothers struggling financially there is a lot of missiles that are targeted at this area and a constant state of distress. When the mothers go to yoga they receive support about besides for the class on how to be strong emotionally and how to move forward in their lives. Understanding how to properly inform people on creating a peaceful line within ourselves in one of NATAL's main platforms which really illustrates how essential this organization is within Israel, a country subjected to terror and war constantly, but also how important there message is to anyone anywhere. 

Thank you Orly for all that you do at NATAL!!

After my interview with Orly I feel that due to the position she holds in NATAL she was able to summarize NATAL in a way that no one else can do. Because of her position as CEO she dapples in every aspect of the organization to make sure it runs efficiently and that it constantly grows to treat those in need. At the point the apolitical non-profit has helped over 150,000 people from the south to the north of Israel which included everyone suffering from post traumatic stress disorder primary or secondary: kids, adults, elderly, special needs, and veterans. Orly makes sure that the organization is run successfully and professionally, and in order to do this she makes sure things are able to change and that what NATAL does is researched and evaluated s that they check themselves and make sure that the organization carries themselves correctly. Thank you for spending your time with me and for such an enlightening interview and I look forward to spending another month at NATAL and to continue to further my journey. 

This picture is of a missile in Orly's office: 

Story Time with Orly

1)  Connection people feel toward Israel and the brotherhood sort of comradeship entailed by this relationship can be seen through Gal's first story. Prior to my interview Gal had just met with a father who appealed to have a documentary filmed bout himself and his son and their experience with the second Lebanon War. Four days before the incident the father foresaw that something was going to happen to his son but he could not clearly see his negative vision. He shared his nervous feeling with family and friends and everything thought he was crazy. Then the fourth day came around and around 1 o'clock there was a knock on the door and his wife started to cry...The day had come. At the door stood IDF soldiers saying that "a direct missile hit the tank their son was in." Their son was still alive but in critical condition and severely burned with holes in his body. As the war was ending and people were returning home the parents drove to the hospital in Haifa and for 11 days sat with him as he was between life and death. Luckily their son made it and when he had finished his time in rehabilitation he asked to go back to the army and is now an officer. NATAL became a saving organization for the parents who needed to remover that they are not alone and needed support. 

2)  The hotline is their for "everyone." The second story is about a little girl who used the hotline to relax. When the 7 year old's family had to go into the shelter the only way she could come calm down was to sing but her singing bothered her family in the tightly enclosed quarters and made them anxious. So instead she called the hotline and would sing to the people on the other end of the line.

3) The mobile unit helped one little girl and her family move past serious trauma when the father called this past winter. For two years his daughter had been sleeping fully clothed with one foot off the bed in case the sirens rang and they would have to go to the shelter. She had been scared to shower...just scared to do anything that made her slightly more vulnerable. The mobile came in and his been working with the little girl and her family to come up with better coping techniques and how to create a more nurturing home environment in a harsh reality. 

4)  The last story I will share on this post is about the helpline. Last Hanukkah a man called and said that he was "very lonely and dreaming to light the candle with someone." So the volunteer on the hotline said that they would light the candles together over the phone. 

I believe that these four stories give some important insight on the vastness of NATAL's resources. 

 

Speaking to a Master in the Field

The following interview is with Sa'ar Uziely who is a clinical psychologist and the head of the Clinical Unit at NATAL. Interview with Sa'ar Uziely on June 30, 2013: Background: Uziely was born in Jerusalem to parents who had both been part of the War of Independence. His father after the war helped to build Jewish settlements in an effort to encourage Jews to move to Israel. He was a combat soldier during his time in the army. Although Uziely was not a top student during high school, after the army he was still accepted to study at Hebrew university, and pursued a Bachelor of Arts in psychology . During his third year as an undergraduate he was called to fight again for half a year during the Yom Kippur war of 1973 as a combat officer. Although during this time he considered living by the pleasure principle and wanted to just pursue fun activities, he ended up deciding to return to finish his degree. After receiving his undergraduate degree in psychology he wanted to continue his academic journey in order to become a clinical psychologist. He was not accepted his first year he applied to graduate school and for a little while he worked at a mental health hospital, but he applied again and was accepted and started in graduate school. After he had received his academic graduate part of the degree, but before the internship process which licenses someone clinically, he was once again asked to return to the army as a psychologist in the tanks and armaments division. He then stayed in the army for twenty years until leaving in 1996. During this time his did end up receiving his full clinical psychology license by receiving the experience necessary to receive his degree through work with the army. When he left the army in 1996 he was the head of the family clinical unit which helps families of professional soldiers and was a lieutenant colonel. Uziely began a private clinical unit and worked there until 2000 when NATAL contacted him and asked him to head their clinical unit. The unit employs a similar structure as in the army. There are psychotherapists recruited all over Israel who either work as freelancers or who are part of clinics that operate as umbrella organizations. There are more than 100 psychotherapists that are part of the clinical team, and currently around 60-70 of whom are active in the field. A case in only for the clinical unit if the person suffers from PTSD as a result of national trauma. The intake is a two-step process in which the psychothersist sees the patient twice and decides whether they are right for NATAL or if the person needs to be referred to another organization. If the case is too heavy they might be referred elsewhere because NATAL only has two psychiatrists- one in Haifa and one in Tel Aviv. There are two surveys completed during the time, one questionnaire that is clinical and about oneself, and one that is a functioning uestionairre that the therapist fills out. The goal of the psychotherapy is not to limit the necessary treatment and to find a secure place forte patients in which they can begin to stabilize and develop a goal-driven future. Thus to bring the person back to a sort of "equilibirum." This might take years and this is well-noted, as well as the fact that not everyone can pay and the organization refuses to turn people away, so whatever the plan in the budget accords for that. Questionairres are completed on a half-a-year basis. There is not one model which is best, but instead a combination of treatments is employed. The person suffering from PTSD might have family that have secondary traumatization and there are therapies and resources at NATAL to help them as well. Treatments can change depending on how the person handles therapy and his PTSD. Uziely can be called by the therapists 24/7 in crisis situations so that the therapists are never alone in making a decision. His motto is similar to that of the army, do not leave the wounded on the field, do not leave the psychotherapists alone. He does not see patients because of time constrictions and vacancy, but his decisions touch everybody which is a rewarding part of the job. Other projects that the clinical unit works with are with children, with released soldiers, and with testimonies. The project with children was officially started four years ago. Working with children builds the community of the future, and thus "influences the while community." The Released Soldiers Project tries to counteract what happened after the Yom Kippur War in which people did not seek treatment until years later. Instead soldiers after their duty are approached in their natural setting like on their university campus. The Testimonial Project has soldiers tell their stories in front of a camera. The entire process is confidential and it gives the person the chance to hear their story from beginning to end. The tapes are a form of closure of the treatment. Uziely wishes his legacy to be always at "service of this country." Wrap up: I had a very successful interview in which I really felt connected to NATAL's purpose. Uziely is a fantastic role model who has devoted his life to the betterment of others and I have a great respect for what he does and what he wishes for the future. I look forward to conducting future interviews and to continue my studies of PTSD.

Me and Orly!! Picture time!!

A Woman with a Mission

Orly Gal has been the CEO of NATAL for the last 7 years. On the morning of July 9th I had the opportunity to interview her about both her experience at NATAl and about her journey to reaching the World of this NGO. My first post about this interview will be based on her background. Before coming to NATAl she had been in the IDF for 25 years. Gal was a full colonel and the deputy spokesperson for the IDF to the prime ministers office before Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip. When she left the IDF she said she left a "place with a mission and joined a place with another important mission." She had been involved with maintaining security measures and seeing results and at NATAL she can now work to make the results more positive after people suffer because of war in trauma both veterans and everyone else in Israel. Gal lives in Yavneh because she believes that if she works with people that suffer from the conflict she should personally understand what they go through. In her town sirens go off during emergenies and many a time her family has had to sit in their bomb shelter.

Gal is third generation Israeli, which is uncommon because of the newness of the country. Gal's family is comprised of her husband, who made Aliyah from Agentina, and their three kids. Her two eldest were both captains in the IDF and fighters. Her youngest daughter is starting her service next year and is hoping to be a pilot. In college Gal studied for her first degree communications and political science at Baryan University and for her second degree political science and management. Gal envisions NATAL to grow and through her background she acts a the manager who can take the organization in the correct steps forward.

Check in tomorrow for more! Yeah!

Clinical Unit Quick Read

The Clinical Unit at NATAL uses an interdisciplinary frame to treat post traumatic stress disorder. In the treatment of the men, women, and children suffering from symptoms diagnosed as PTSD victims, the organizing has come to realize that there is not one, but many treatments depending on the assessment of an individuals situation and level of trauma. A patient might receive an individual treatment or a combination of many of the resources offered at the center including: individual and group psychotherapy, art therapy, psychiatry, and partaking in group activities as a member of the Social Therapeutic Club. Before moving on more details need to be given about the Social Therapeutic Club because of the uniqueness that this program offers to victims. on working toward a the capability to become part of society again the club offers people a place to relearn skills or learn new skills in a setting that they begin to attach a safe meaning to. for instance thse in the club may receive cooking or computer classes in a social and supportive group setting. The goal of the Clinical Unit is to help the victims become secure in themselves and their situation and to be able to reach for goals and aspire to a greater future. The center has a vast capability and weekly treats around 300 patients, of which 36% are seen in Tel Aviv at the headquarters and 64% are seen by the 130 therapists spread across Israel. 

Helpline

The helpline at NATAL is a therapeutic resource that allows a higher level of anonymity than direct interaction between the therapist or trained volunteer and the patient. Discussing problems via the phone makes it so that the patient can remain at home and that there a higher chance of being able to keep the matter of seeking treatment a secret, which is integral, because although psychological treatment has been proven to be extremely effective, there is still a negative stigma attached to it. NATAl offers the only immediate treatment to those experiencing distress or symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder as related to terror from war. Whereas most hotlines offer one-time treatment, NATAL's helpline is unique because people can reive ongoing assistance from the the organization. National trauma can have many triggers including media, memorial days, and future terror attacks, so the helpline was created in such a way to try to help people cope with these possible future problems while healing them as much as possible along the way. Dr. Judith Herman created a three step process of healing that NATAL aims to follow: 1) creating security, 2) reliving the trauma, and 3) rebuilding the connection between the victims and their communities. Today I interviewed a helpline volunteer about her experience at NATAl so that I could further understand the intricacies of the helpline. Eleanor made Aliyah after college. She is originally from New York and went to university in Boston. Her parents are Holocaust survivors and it was her fathers dream to move to Israel. Although her parents never ended up moving to Israel, Eleanor completed their dream and has been here since college. She worked as an English teacher before retirement. For th past ten years she has been a volunteer for the past ten years. The idea of working for NATAL sparked her interested when she received the annual newsletter called, "About Feelings," which asked for volunteers. She applied and after many group interviews was selected from a pool of 120 people. Then in her class their were 12 people who began their six-month intensive training. During this time the training is four hours a week and volunteers learn different therapeutic techniques and about different patients. During this time volunteers must also begin to release their own personal baggage. Then after around four months of this, those who have made it this far then begin to listen in on phonecalls until it is accessed that they are ready to take on their own phonecalls and caseload. Every two weeks from then on the volunteers have supervision with a clinical psychologist. During crisis periods NATAL is open all of time. There are around 30-35 volunteers and each one works a four hour shift weekly during normal periods of time. The patients can receive treatment via the phone for as long as needed and if they are ready to be done with all treatment it is deemed so or else eventually patients and be referred to other resources at NATAL or outside organizations. I found my conversation with Eleanor to be very enlightening. She really gave a very indepth perspective on what the helpline does, what goes into being a volunteer, and the importance of NATAL in treating those suffering from PTSD or those who help diagnosed loved ones. I look forward to my next interview in which I can continue my journey learning PTSD.

tel:1-800-363-363

NATAL in the Field: Mobile Unit

NATAl plays a very active role in the field. With licensed therapists, administrators, and volunteers stationed throughout the field and working for the helpline, the goal of the organization, to always be available to those in need has never failed. The mobile unit of NATAL works in conflict zones helping hundreds of victims each year who suffer from varying levels of PTSD including those who are scared to leave their home. The unit goes into these dangerous places and provides first aid care and psychological treatments to ensure a safer more stable environment for one living in these war-stricken locations. The treatments occur at the home in six to eight sessions and include different types of therapy: one-on-one therapy, family therapy, breathing and relaxation techniques or bio-feedback. After these treatments the patients either can work more extensively with NATAL's clinical staff, be referred to an outside organization, or in the best case scenario their symptoms are more or less cured. The Pillar of Defense in November 2012 was the highest usage of the mobile unit since the second Lebanon War and NATAL pulled together their resources to be there for anyone who reached out for the organizations help. I found my research on the mobile unit to be extremely intriguing. The mobile unit reaches out to those in need and the therapists working in these zones put themselves into risky situations. The fact that they are willing to put their necks on the line show the unique character of NATAL as well as the family-like environment in Israel in general, that everyone is each others brother or sister, and are willing to be there when called for. The mobile unit shows the courageousness of the therapists who go out there each and everyday in order to make the life of their fellow citizens easier to cope with in terms of the hard realities present in Israel because of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Reflections After My First Week

I am a junior at Barnard College, Columbia University double majoring in psychology and history and minoring in sociology. I grew up in a reformed/secular household but I have recently felt a strong desire to learn more about Judaism and to develop a stronger Jewish identity. This leads me to my summer in Israel. I am part of CLIP Onward Israel which helped me find an internship placement at NATAL. I grew up as the daughter of a psychotherapist and I never thought I was going to follow him in his footsteps until last year when I realized how much like to talk to people and help them work through their issues in order to build a stronger and more stable base, and to strive for a more vibrant present and future. NATAL seemed like the perfect fit for me. The organization is a nonprofit which helps victims of war and terror with post traumatic stress disorder. Israel is a country that is sadly ridden with many people with this problem. I felt that applying myself to learning about therapy techniques and different issues in a place with such a unique niche of issues as it is a military state seemed like it has the potential to be an extremely enriching experience. I started my internship this past Sunday and have spent the week reading articles and newsletter, and watching videos about NATAL and post traumatic stress disorder. I am very excited to understand the different techniques used to treat post traumatic stress disorder and how each type of treatment is decided based on the individual person and the level of PTSD. The high level of interaction and respect for one another between the patients and the organization is a wonderful relationship and I look forward to begin my interviews and delve deeper into understanding the organization, psychology, and myself as I spend the next two months in Israel.