The Trauma of Denial: Trust and Safety in Mental Health Care After October 7
In the aftermath of October 7th, the Jewish and Israeli communities faced an unprecedented surge in anti-Semitism and collective trauma. Tragically, this harm has extended into healthcare and the therapy room—a space traditionally held as a neutral sanctuary for healing.
In the webinar The Trauma of Denial: Trust and Safety in Mental Health Care After October 7, co-hosted by I Believe Israeli Women, Seed the Dream Foundation, and Jewish Women International (JWI), Gesher Community Care co-founder Dr. Shelly Steinwurtzel, Psy.D. joined trauma expert Dr. Miri Bar-Halpern and moderator Michelle Stravitz to discuss the erosion of trust in mental health settings and how we can restore true safety for Jewish patients.
Key Takeaways from the Discussion
Traumatic Invalidation as Compound Harm: Dr. Bar-Halpern explained how "traumatic invalidation"—having one's lived experience, grief, or trauma dismissed, gaslit, or denied—severely compounds trauma. Post-October 7th, Jewish communities faced widespread denial of atrocities and sexual violence, leading to heightened PTSD, anxiety, and hypervigilance.
The Rise of Ideological Pressure in Therapy: Dr. Steinwurtzel highlighted the alarming post-October 7th trend of "decolonizing therapy" practices, where some clinicians openly refused to treat "Zionist" patients or actively forced political agendas into clinical sessions.
Re-Traumatizing Environments: Patients have reported entering mental health spaces or support groups decorated with political flags and slogans, only to be told "you can always leave" when expressing that they feel unsafe.
Returning to Core Therapeutic Ethics: Both panelists stressed that therapy must center entirely on the patient's needs—not the therapist's political agenda. True trauma-informed care demands empathy, cultural competence, and zero political indoctrination.
Key Highlights from the Webinar
Dr. Miri Bar-Halpern on Traumatic Invalidation:
"Traumatic invalidation is... the idea that when you're sharing your thoughts or experience or emotions and the reaction from people around you is 'it's not a big deal' or 'it didn't happen.' It's this form of gaslighting... When the community is telling you it's not a big deal or it didn't happen... the impact that it has on the individual and the community is brutal."
Dr. Shelly Steinwurtzel on Creating Safe Spaces:
"We started hearing clients coming and looking for Jewish therapists who wouldn't invalidate and gaslight them... We tell our therapists that we believe the therapeutic environment is not a space for social justice work or political advocacy. Any client knows that their whole Jewish self is safe in the therapy space."
Watch the Full Webinar Recording
Watch the complete discussion below to hear the full conversation on addressing identity-based trauma, ideological bias in healthcare, and restoring therapeutic integrity:
How Gesher Community Care Restores Trust
Gesher Community Care was founded specifically to ensure that Jewish individuals can access high-quality, culturally responsive mental health care without fear of bias, gaslighting, or hostility.
All therapists in the Gesher network:
Affirm the IHRA definition of antisemitism as a foundational baseline.
Complete specialized cultural competency training on Jewish intergenerational and collective trauma.
Uphold strict therapeutic neutrality, ensuring your session remains a sanctuary for your healing.
Contact Gesher Community Care today to get matched with a trusted, Jewish-affirming therapist or to learn more about our training and advocacy efforts.
