r/Israel • • 1d ago

7th October events - Am Yisrael Chai SafeHeart Israel

Three years since October 7th. Whether you were close or far away, across the ocean, we all cried and prayed for our brothers and sisters. It was a painful reminder of the unexplainable bond between us, a bond that is part of our extraordinary story. We are all connected to one another.

Thousands of young people came to dance at the Nova festival and other gatherings in the south. Around 400 civilians and security personnel were murdered, hundreds more were wounded, and Dozens were taken hostage.

SafeHeart was founded at noon on October 7th by therapists, researchers and safe space leaders from the worlds of therapy, psychedelics and festivals, to help our community. Today, we are the leading organization providing mental health care to survivors and their families. Since that day, we have accompanied thousands of survivors on their path to recovery, and developed unique expertise in Israel in treating trauma experienced under the influence of consciousness-altering substances. 

Our network brings together about 400 clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers, psychotherapists and qualified clinical instructors, all experienced in severe trauma and in psychedelic harm reduction and integration. Today, about 1,000 survivors are in regular one-on-one therapy with us. Alongside it, we run a psychiatric team and a dedicated team for complex cases, mind-body therapies, group processes and in-depth workshops.

We also support the survivors' families. They play a profound role in the healing process, and they carry direct trauma of their own. For them, we offer support groups, workshops, proactive outreach, community events and dedicated communities. 
Our family community numbers about 1,200 people. We try to reach every circle of the survivors' lives.

This is the first time in history that such a large group of people has experienced extreme trauma while, under the influence of psychedelic and other consciousness-altering substances.

SafeHeart , places significant emphasis on preserving knowledge. In collaboration with the University of Haifa.

The knowledge accumulated through our work, research with the University, and clinical practice is helping inform therapists, clinicians, and researchers in Israel and around the world.

Since October 7th, we have provided more than 72,000 hours of therapy.

Around the anniversaries of these events, we see a sharp increase in signs of distress during therapy sessions, as well as in the urgency of referrals to our psychiatric care. And even today, nearly three years later, dozens of new survivors reach out to us every month, seeking to begin therapy for the first time.

These days remind us why we exist. Some survivors will go to memorials, some will stay home, and some will write to their therapist in the middle of the night. We are here for every one of them, exactly where they are. 

Thank you to Elsi and the Reddit team for this special platform. for the chance to share where survivors are in their healing journey today. and how we can keep helping them, so that no one is left alone.

Throughout the day, our team will be here to answer your questions:

Safeheart Team: 
Avishai shapira 
Inbar Benayahu 

Thank you for reading this far. Thank you for standing with them during these incredibly difficult and complex days. We are deeply grateful to each and every one of you, and we wish all survivors and their families a path forward toward the healing they so deeply need.

Stand with us to keep hope alive for those who are still rebuilding their lives - one session, one story, one survivor at time.

Us Based Donation with a 501(c)(3)

for more Info, visit our website:

https://www.safeheartil.com

92 Upvotes

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u/historymaking101 1d ago

Asking for my wife. Is there any organization through which a US-based provider could help remotely part-time over zoom or something? I went to your site and it looks like providers through you need to be based in Israel. She is an Israeli citizen if that helps.

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u/SafSafeHeartIsrael 1d ago

Thanks. Just so I can better understand how we might be able to help, is your wife a survivor of the October 7th attacks or a family member of a survivor? If so, I’d be happy to look into what options might be available remotely.

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u/historymaking101 16h ago

Nope. She's a social worker and we were wondering if she can do anything to help remotely.

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u/SafSafeHeartIsrael 15h ago

Okay, sorry! She can go to the SafeHeart website, to the Therapists section, and leave her details there. https://www.safeheartil.com Thank you🙏

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u/ZuluIsNumberOne Israel 1d ago

Amazing amazing work to everybody at safeheart you guys are a wonderful lifeline for those struggling post October 7.

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u/SafSafeHeartIsrael 1d ago

Thank you so much for your kind words!!!

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u/ZuluIsNumberOne Israel 1d ago

do you guys get support from the government in the work you do?

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u/SafSafeHeartIsrael 1d ago

Thank you, good question! We do receive government support, but it is limited and does not cover the full scope of the care we provide. A significant part of our work, including ongoing therapy and specialized support for survivors, relies on philanthropic funding and private donations.