Trauma can result from a single overwhelming event, but it can also develop through prolonged or repeated experiences that overwhelm a person's capacity to process and integrate what is happening. My work with trauma is informed by a depth-oriented and relational perspective, with attention to the individual, their relationships, and the wider context in which trauma occurs.

My work with trauma includes psychotherapy and clinical work with individuals, as well as teaching and training in trauma interventions and psychological first aid. I have particular experience working with children and young children, parents, caregivers, and educational staff following traumatic events, and with thinking about trauma across different developmental stages and contexts.

Following October 7, I worked for a year and a half with educational staff, parents, and children ages 0–6 from a kibbutz in the Gaza-border area. With the children, I used sandplay as a way of supporting the expression and processing of experiences of trauma, loss, and displacement. This work deepened my understanding of how young children communicate and process traumatic experiences through play, and of the importance of providing multiple, reliable containers for trauma processing.

A particular area of my work is Immediate Intervention in the early phases following a traumatic event. I have taught Psychological First Aid and trauma interventions to therapists and other professionals, with an emphasis on understanding what is needed at different stages of trauma and across different settings, including individuals, families, educational systems, and communities.

When a traumatic event has already passed, the work is different. Trauma work can help a person process what happened and understand how the experience continues to affect their inner and relational life. It can also open the possibility of post-traumatic growth — of finding new meaning, strength, and ways of living in the aftermath of trauma. Trauma work is also relevant when trauma is rooted in experiences that have unfolded over time, including traumatic experiences in early life.

I have also co-written an article on trauma intervention across individuals, communities, and different time frames following a traumatic event. You can read the article here: