Information and tools for coping with emergencies mentally

Emotional and Mental Support

We are witnessing difficult events in our country that may trigger various traumatic stress responses. It is important to know that harsh feelings are an inseparable part of a normal response to an abnormal situation.

In most cases, there will be a gradual reduction in the intensity of the negative feelings and emotions. It is clear that it will not be possible to forget completely about the difficult events that we are experiencing, but one can expect that the feelings and the thoughts will become tolerable and less intrusive as some time passes from the events.

Further information about traumatic stress and coping with it

If you feel that either you or someone in your family cannot feel relief or that your feelings are getting worse over time, it is important that you seek professional health care.

Resilience centers

Amidst the war, resilience centers offer free therapeutic services to people suffering from anxiety and stress. The trauma-focused treatment is delivered by licensed healthcare professionals. The centers provide individual, group, or family treatments, either by phone, by Zoom, or in person, in treatment centers across the country.

Resilience centers: who do they serve?

Anyone who feels overwhelmed, finds it difficult to function, and was traumatized by a security-related experience is an intended candidate for treatment.

Who is eligible to receive treatment at resilience centers?

The resilience centers provide their services according to your permanent place of residence. Therefore, you should contact the resilience center affiliated with the address registered in the Ministry of the Interior.

  • Residents of the southern district from the following communities: Sderot, Ashkelon, Netivot, Ofakim, Merhavim, Bnei Shimon, Hof Ashkelon, Shaar HaNegev, Eshkol, Sdot Negev and all Bedouin communities, including unincorporated ones, may receive emotional support at their local resilience centers.
  • Residents of the northern district may receive emotional support in the Eastern Galilee and Western Galilee resilience centers.
  • Residents of Judea and Samaria can receive emotional support from local resilience centers.
  • Residents from other communities may receive emotional support from the national resilience center.

Resilience centers in the southern district

Resilience centers in the northern district

Eastern Galilee Communities

  • Cities: Kiryat Shmona, Safed, Katzrin
  • Locaoul cncils: Metula, Yesod HaMaale, Hazor HaGalilit, Rosh Pina, Gush Halab, Tuba Zangaria, Majdal Shams, Massadeh, Ein Kiniya, Bukatha, Rajar
  • Regional councils: Upper Galilee, Hermon entrances, Golan, Marom HaGilil

Western Galilee Communities

Cities: Ma'alot, Tarshiha, Nahariya, Acre

Local councils: Shlomi, Kfar Vardim, Fasuta, Meylia, Beit Jan, Horfish, Mazraa, Jit-Yanouch, Tefen, Abu Snan, Julis, Yarka, Jadeida-Macher, Kfar Yassif

Regional councils: Ma'ale Yosef, Mateh Asher

Judea and Samaria resilience centers

National Resilience Center

All other communities can call *5486

Emotional support by HMOs

In order to provide task-specific emotional support during an emergency situation, all HMOs provide emotional support in the form of three therapeutic sessions with professionals.
HMOs' hotlines:

Individual and group mental support

If you believe that you need psychological therapy following the Swords of Iron War, we offer individual and group therapies. This applies to the wounded and injured, their relatives, evacuees from the north of Israel and around Gaza, and victims of traumatic stress.

In addition to teaching skills for emotion regulation and coping with traumatic events and emergencies, specialist psychologists, interns, and social workers with psychotherapy training provide short-term individual and group therapies, which can be online or in-person if in the center of Israel.

Fill out a request for psychological therapy (Hebrew only)

Regular physicians and therapists

It is advised that you discuss potential sources of emotional support with your primary care physician or other regular healthcare professionals. Your regular healthcare professionals can offer the best therapeutic course of action for you based on their prior experience with you. You can hold a long-distance consultation without having to physically visit your clinic by scheduling an online appointment (telemedicine) with the majority of healthcare providers or sending a written request to your primary care physician through the website or the application of your insuring HMO.

People who have previously received psychiatric or psychological therapy

These traumatic events may trigger or worsen previous or existing mental conditions. If you have received psychotherapy before and you feel that your mental health is deteriorating in light of the war situation, you should contact your regular therapist. If your regular therapist is unavailable, you may contact the nearest HMO clinic or your primary care physician.

Emotional support at hotels and evacuation centers

In most evacuation centers, there are mental healthcare professionals who offer volunteer emotional support, and you can benefit from their services. In such cases, it is recommended that you ask the volunteer professional about their professional background and credentials. Furthermore, you should remember that volunteer emotional support will usually be temporary and kept off your HMO record.

Emotional support hotlines for all Israelis

Associations

Sign language interpretation

Sign Now IO: Deaf persons are welcome to sign in to an immediate call facilitated by a sign language interpreter for any emergency call.
Emergency calls: www.sign-now.io

Professional, emotional assistance, and support hotline for new immigrants

A trained professional-run hotline offering emotional support in Amharic, Russian, French, Spanish, and English 3201

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