Healing Trauma in Gaza – History

In the Summer of 2002, a prominent psychologist from the Palestinian Counseling Center contacted Dr. James Gordon, a mere two weeks after Naomi Baum, psychologist at the Israel Center for Psychotrauma in Jerusalem wrote requesting help from us. Both had heard about our success in Kosovo and were interested in bringing mind-body healing to their populations.

After several visits to Gaza to meet with key professionals in government ministries, hospitals and mental health and trauma centers, CMBM staff and local consultants were able to collaborate with them to determine the most effective partnerships for a successful, sustainable regional structure.

The initial training in Gaza was held in July 2005 with trainees recruited in collaboration with the CMBM Gaza project coordinator, Jamil Atti. More than 90 leaders in health and mental health attended, representing Gaza’s major agencies and organizations — the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the Palestinian Authority Ministries of Health, Education and Social Affairs, Gaza’s universities and its major non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The CMBM Advanced Training Program was held December 11-15, 2005 in Gaza City. Eight international CMBM faculty members, including two psychiatrists from our program in Kosovo, led this training for 70 Palestinian health and mental health professionals. During the months between the initial (July 2005) and advanced training, more than 66 attendees had voluntarily participated in program study groups designed to provide practice and guidance in leading mind-body skills groups in their workplaces and communities.

Helpful Documents:

Update on Healing the Wounds of War in the Middle East (PDF 117 KB)

Dr. James Gordon's Gaza Diary (PDF 435 KB)

Dr. James Gordon's, "Both Sides Now" (PDF 54 KB)

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I thank the group from America for coming here to help the Palestinian people — to help them to lessen the stress, to lessen the violence, and to help us to live a normal life with others.

- Najat Al Astal, PhD, Hospital Manager for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Khan Younis, Gaza