Miri Bar-Halpern and Jaclyn Wolfman explore the concept of 'traumatic invalidation' in their paper on Jewish trauma following the Hamas attacks on October 7. They describe how many Jews faced added psychological distress as their pain was dismissed or blamed by colleagues and friends, highlighting a lack of compassion in the aftermath. This invalidation can lead to significant emotional issues, including anxiety and depression, particularly when mental health professionals do not recognize or validate their grief. The paper emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and empathizing with these traumatic experiences to support healing.
The term 'traumatic invalidation' captures the pain many Jews felt in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, where their experiences were ignored or downplayed.
In their study, Jews reported being shunned or blamed in response to their grief, with some even told that their pain was insignificant compared to the toll in Gaza.
Individuals facing traumatic invalidation may experience mood swings, anxiety, and depression, especially when therapists fail to acknowledge their clients' distress.
Bar-Halpern and Wolfman's work sheds light on how emotional pain in Jewish communities is often met with silence or denial, complicating their healing process.
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