Case Study

Yitzi was a client of mine. If Yitzi would tell his story in one sentence he would say, “if I could just get a grip on myself my life would be so much better”. So why was getting a grip on himself so elusive? His finances, marriage, intimate life, work, internet use, and spirituality were in a mess, and at the centre of all of it was Yitzi who could not seem to get a grip on himself.

His diagnosis? ‘Laziness’.

But what was actually going on? It wasn’t that Yitzi was short on ideas and willpower to better his life, but something was shutting him down.

What were these shameful thoughts and memories that surfaced and short-circuited productive planning? And how were they ‘activated’?

What did Yitzi need to do to be able to feel differently about himself? What were his unmet needs? How did his history inform us of these needs? And how do we set about achieving those needs in a home environment so steeped against recognizing and fulfilling his needs?

It was the sufferings of people like Yitzi that motivated me to become a psychotherapist. Why is change so impossible for people who are so desperate for change? Why does ‘change’ seem so allusive to those who wish for it the most?’ Why was his potential locked by ‘an invisible chain’ (client’s words)?

What Yitzi discovered in his work with me was that there was an immense emotional load attached to his story. The sense of disappointment that he saw reflected in his wife’s eyes and the lack of self-respect that characterized his interactions were too much for him to bare. Importantly, they were not the result of his inadequacy but rather ingrained beliefs about himself that manifested in his behavior.

When Yitzi finished therapy, he was a new person. For him, the paradigm shift was prioritizing taking care of his emotions. He was worthy of existence and care in all circumstances. When I spoke to him a year after therapy had ended, I was speaking to a formidable person. Sweet and caring and an unspoken statement that communicated that he was worthy of respect.

History

My master’s degree is in Clinical Mental Health Counselling and includes training in all counselling competencies from diagnosis to career counselling, family, group, and addiction counselling, psychopathology, and human psychological development.

My main experience and training in psychotherapy are from the highly acclaimed family institute of Neve Yerushalayim. In the time I practiced at the institute, I learned from master therapists and worked with an elite team of therapists. The institute method was to provide and require therapists to have multiple hours of supervision weekly in a mixture of individual and group settings using live observations and video reviews of sessions to fine-tune and refine the therapists’ work. A big emphasis was placed on the personal growth of the therapist and worked with the principle of ‘one cannot take a client where you yourself have not been’.

After graduating with a post-graduate diploma, I joined the trauma unit at the institute and achieved certification in trauma treatment. Working in the unit meant exclusively working with traumatized clientele and immersing in the theory and application of trauma treatment for a full year. I was part of a highly professional and talented group of therapists working under the leadership of trauma specialists in Israel.

My training to date has been complimented by level 1 training in internal family systems and EMDR.

My work as a therapist is a labour of love. Working as a therapist is a fulfilment of a lifelong desire to better the lives of others. I am passionate about helping people fulfil their potential and free themselves from their burdens that get in the way of them living a wholesome life. 

I have a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counselling. My specialties are in the treatment of trauma and families, and I hold diplomas in both areas.