Details About the Lectures and Speakers

Principles of Narrative Therapy in Coping with Trauma and Loss – Dr. Ron Nissim

Life presents us with countless experiences, which we weave into a meaningful personal narrative. However, trauma and loss, as experienced by many of us and our clients during the turbulent months since October 7, 2023, may cause the witnessing function within the psyche to collapse and disrupt our ability to “tell” the story of our lives. The narrative approach views the individual as the author of their own story and offers tools for strengthening and rewriting it. In this lecture, we will explore how, alongside listening to stories of trauma, we can also illuminate stories of hope and initiative. We will learn how to create safe inner spaces and reconnect people with their internal resources — values, dreams, and abilities — in order to cope with difficulties and write a new chapter in their lives.

Dr. Ron Nissim is a clinical psychologist and a certified therapist and supervisor in couples and family therapy. He lectures and supervises at the Mifrasim Institute for Psychotherapy Research and Teaching at The Academic College of Tel Aviv–Yaffo and at the Barkai Institute for Couples and Family Therapy. Previously, he coordinated the couples and family therapy field at the Lotem Center for Sexual Trauma Treatment in the psychiatric clinic at Ichilov Hospital and was part of the founding team of the couples therapy clinic for post-traumatic distress at Bar-Ilan University. Ron completed his PhD in the Department of Psychology at Bar-Ilan University in the field of psychotherapy research, and many of his writings have been published in leading international journals. His areas of interest include theoretical integration in psychotherapy, relational psychoanalysis, narrative psychotherapy, treatment of survivors of sexual trauma, and couples and family therapy. He works with individuals and couples and is engaged in supervision and teaching for therapists both privately and through the Ackerman Institute for the Family in New York. במסגרת the Ogen Program, Ron supervises the adult track and lectures in the courses “Principles of the Relational Approach,” “Narrative as an Engine for Integrative Change,” “Psychotherapy in Trauma and Dissociation from a Relational Perspective,” and “A Roadmap to Integration.” In addition, Ron coordinates “On Deck” clinical evenings and serves on the program’s steering committee.

Narrative Therapy in Ambiguous Loss Trauma – Galit Itzhaki-Draizin

Ambiguous loss is a type of trauma accompanied by prolonged uncertainty. In this lecture, we will discuss the effects of ambiguous loss on both mind and body and explore how the narrative-constructivist approach can assist in coping with this form of trauma. We will present tools and methods for narrative-constructivist work with individuals and families experiencing ambiguous loss.

Galit Itzhaki-Draizin is a social worker (MA), Jungian psychotherapist, and profiler who, in recent years, has integrated treatment approaches for ambiguous loss and frozen grief in her work with families of missing persons, hostages, and returned captives. Galit serves as a consultant and expert in the fields of missing persons, suicide, and educational and community management, and has presented at various conferences and organizations, including conferences held by the Missing Persons Institute at the University of Portsmouth in England. Over more than 20 years of experience, she has worked in a wide range of fields and under several authorities, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the police negotiation unit, and with released prisoners. Galit’s vision is to provide appropriate responses and specialized training for the treatment of returned captives, their families, and additional support circles (doctors, police officers, etc.), which she has been doing since October 7. Galit is part of an international community engaged in researching the effects of kidnapping and enforced disappearance and in treating those affected by them.

Working with Hope Narrative Cards in Therapy with Hostages, Returnees, Missing Persons, and Their Families: Principles and Demonstrations – Galit Itzhaki-Draizin and Keren Cohen

The Australian Hope Narrative Cards are a powerful tool in narrative therapy that integrates constructivist principles. In this lecture, we will review the origins and development of the cards, present the advantages of using them, and share practical examples from the field. We will discuss how the cards can help clients build empowering narratives and discover hope and meaning in their lives.

Keren Cohen is a senior clinical psychologist and supervisor, and a graduate of the Psychotherapy Program at Tel Aviv University. In the past, she served as the lead psychologist of the day-treatment department at Lev Hasharon Medical Center. She specializes in individual therapy with clients dealing with a wide range of challenges, including depression and anxiety, trauma and complicated grief, fertility process support, and more. She has experience facilitating interpersonal process groups as well as “distress tolerance” groups that provide tools for strengthening resilience and emotional regulation. She works from a dynamic therapeutic approach while integrating tools from third-wave CBT approaches. כיום, she works in a private clinic in Tel Aviv and is a team member at the academic center “Safe Harbor” from the Mifrasim Institute.