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2013 Annual Report

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2013 Annual Report Dear Friends We are proud to present our 2013 annual report. The year began with the aftermath of “Operation Pillar of Defense” which came at the end of 2012. The Helpline and Clinical Unit tended to thousands of individuals, adults and children, suffering from symptoms of anxiety and fear as a result of the rocket attacks. The Community Outreach team continued to work with residents of southern Israel in times of crisis as well as in times of calm, in addition to holding a series of workshops to strengthen resilience and empowerment in schools, using NATAL’s intervention puppet show “Kuntz and the Magic Mirror” and working with youth at-risk. In addition we provided training workshops for nurses in hospitals, educational staff, the Israeli Police Forces and other groups of service providers. The Social Therapeutic Club began a gardening program, along with cultural and social activities. This year we published the 14th issue of our magazine “About Feelings” that was distributed to over one million households across Israel through the daily newspapers. The issue’s title was “Trauma on the stage”, and it discussed the relationship between pain and creation, between trauma and artistic expression. Among the artists featured in this issue were the poet Haim Guri, a group of mothers of wounded soldiers and the 9 Lives Band, among others. Throughout the year we held several benefits and events, including “Running in Color” – NATAL’s run for PTSD in which 5,000 participants took part and a golf tournament at Gaash Golf Club. Furthermore we held our annual Women’s Event titled “Creating from Pain”. The panel event was facilitated by Orly Vilnai and panelists included Osnat Shir Vishinski, Mimi Ziv, Frieda Steinberger and Pnina Alon Aisenman who all lost a child and are seeking solace in creation and art. The Multidisciplinary Trauma Studies Center concluded its second year of specialized training programs for Casualty Notification Officers, discussing how to accompany families in the process of facing loss and bereavement. We would like to thank our friends in Israel and abroad for supporting us, accompanying us and contributing to our activities. With your generous help, we are able to continue to be there and support those in need. With warm regards, Judith Yovel Recanati Orly Gal Chairperson CEO PB 1 The Helpline: 1-800-363-363 Unit Manager: Sigal Haimov Reasons that new callers approached Unit’s Objective: To provide immediate and ongoing the Helpline psychological assistance via telephone conversations. Team Members: Administrative Manager, Volunteer Wars 424 Coordinator, 2 Social Workers, Secretary and volunteers. (141 veterans from Yom Kippur War) Military Service 104 About the Unit Terrorist Acts 86 Security situation 79 NATAL’s Helpline is the only one in the country which Missile Attacks 34 provides psychological help and support for victims of Reserve Duty / Security Forces 26 trauma as a result of terrorism and war. The Helpline is Data unavailable 634 available to adults and children of all ages, in different languages, for an unlimited period of time, as needed. Total: 1387 Those who call the Helpline are greeted and guided by Plus 4,500 follow up calls volunteers who have undergone an extensive period of training. In a large number of cases the relationship between the callers and volunteers continues for months transferred to the Clinical Unit. As part of the veterans and even years. The volunteers are supervised by a senior project, 84 people called the Helpline. About half of the professional team. calls were from family members dealing with relatives suffering from PTSD. Using the phone as a therapeutic aide has numerous advantages, such as immediacy, availability and low cost. A person can receive mental help and support without Summary for 2013 ever leaving their home, being exposed, facing their fears We continued our partnership with the US non-profit and reservations or committing to clinical treatment. The Wounded Warrior Project. We continued providing Helpline does not aim to replace psychological treatment professional advice and guidance in establishing but introduce an additional complementary service, a Helpline for US soldiers returning from Iraq and meant for those who are unable or unwilling to seek Afghanistan. This required adjusting the operation conventional treatment services. model, selecting and preparing employees and volunteers and providing routine training programs. 2013 in Numbers The Helpline Director participated in a conference in Early in 2013 many callers approached us as a result Brussels held by Child Helpline International for of Operation “Pillar of Defense” which occurred at the children and youth and at an event at the Parliament end of 2012 and in 2013 over 4,500 follow-up calls of the European Union. were made regarding Operation “Pillar of Defense”. Work continued on the development of a chat Furthermore, 1,387 new callers approached the Helpline, intervention model and a book documenting stories 50% of who were men and 50% women. of resilience in Sderot. Overall 622 people received continuous treatment As part of providing for the welfare of the Helpline through the Helpline, and an additional 100 were volunteers, we organized a weekend trip to Haifa for them, together with their partners. Children and Youth Project The volunteers participated in routine training programs administered by the senior professional Age 6-9 71 Age 14-18 17 team, both one-on-one and in groups. Age 10-13 38 Parents 54 We provided training to mental health professionals, Total 180 volunteers and outside organizations across Israel. 2 3 The Clinical Unit Unit Director: Sa’ar Uziely a place, where the patient can go back and reconstruct Unit’s Objective: To provide individual and group their inner home. The uniqueness of NATAL, in its psychotherapy. approach to treating PTSD victims, is that it offers the possibility of a combination of therapies. Team Members: Assistants to the Clinical Unit Director, Director of the Testimonial Center, 120 therapists nationwide. Summary for 2013 During 2013, 8 therapists joined NATAL’s countrywide About the Unit team as well as one psychiatrist in the Northern region and an additional volunteer was added to the Testimonial Post-Trauma is a multifaceted disorder, which includes Center. The therapists received 190 hours of training as personal, interpersonal and functional components. well as group training in dynamic therapy for PTSD victims. Therefore, treatment of PTSD at NATAL is modular and In the academic field, the annual Cognitive Processing tailored to the needs of each patient. The ability to provide Therapy (CPT) course for therapists in the Clinical Unit comprehensive clinical care under one roof is more continues under the direction of Dr. Danny Derby. A efficient for the patient. From a clinical point of view, there two-day conference on the topic of released prisoners is a great advantage in being able to assess the patient of war was held in conjunction with the Institute for from different therapeutic angles in order to provide National Security Studies. Cooperation continues with diverse and personal solutions and gauge the success of Bar-Ilan University’s Department of Psychology, where a course of treatment or make necessary changes. documentary material is recorded for research purposes The patient has a significant advantage at NATAL and doctorate work under the direction of Dr. Rivka because their relationship is with a single therapeutic Tuval Mashiah. organization which coordinates their treatment and In the public outreach field, most of the effort was put offers a variety of approaches for them and their towards the 40th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. families. Activity was focused on explaining testimonial processes One of the core experiences of trauma victims is the and reaching out to the target groups. As part of this: loss of their “inner home”. This is an experience that is Two lectures were held on testimonials for injured both mental and physical since, in order to experience officers. Sa’ar Uziely participated in two gatherings with wholeness and harmony, we must live within our bodies the IDF 14th Division to mark the 40th anniversary of the and feel that our bodies and minds are united. NATAL is Yom Kippur War, he was interviewed on radio, television and in the newspapers, and participated in a lecture on 2013 in Numbers the phenomenon of Post-Trauma commonly experienced by veterans, as part of the events to publicize our services Target Groups No. of Patients for university students. In addition Dalia Shatz, a NATAL All the Patients in the Clinical Unit 518 volunteer and “Mother of the Wounded” assisted greatly Of whom: 34% were treated at NATAL’s Center, 66% were treated by NATAL therapists countrywide. in referring veterans to the Testimonial Center. Monthly average 332 (after completion/end of therapy) It is important to note Children 213 NATAL's Testimonial Center enables people (Mostly residents of southern Israel) * who have suffered a traumatic experience IDF Combat Veterans 84 to tell their stories in front of a camera. This Testimonials recorded 21 process helps to process the experiences and Out of all the patients, 9 adults and 62 children were the memories. In the broadest sense, the referrals from Israel's Ministry of National Insurance project allows us, as a society, to preserve the * It should be noted: 88% of all the patients received clinical assistance alone, while 22% were helped with a combination of treatments such as: meaning of our collective experience. psychotherapy and the Social Therapeutic Club. 2 3 Social Therapeutic Club Club Manager: Hagit Buchbinder Objectives: Providing emotional support and help through activities and social gatherings. Unit staff: Deputy Manager, activity leaders. About the unit The Social Therapeutic Club serves as a safe, warm and supportive home for adults suffering from chronic trauma, as a result of direct or indirect exposure to terrorist attacks, war, loss and bereavement.
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