Eden Association

CHW SUPPORTS SOCIAL SERVICES

Eden Association

Founded in 1997, Eden Association is in the heart of the peripheral communities of the Gaza Strip and the Negev settlements with the mission to develop and establish innovative programs for the treatment of girls and women dealing with post-trauma and complex post-trauma. Since October 7, there has been an urgent need for therapeutic support for women.

Untreated trauma worsens over time, affecting mental and physical health, daily life, and relationships. For women, the impact extends to their families, communities, and Israel’s social resilience. With support from CHW, they are expanding their Trauma Therapy Center to prevent long-term suffering, restore hope, and build a healthier future.

CURRENT PROJECT:

Eden Trauma Therapy Center

The Eden Association opened a new treatment center in the heart of the Gaza Envelope communities, following the events of October 7. This center provides trauma-focused care for girls and women from the northern Negev and Gaza Envelope regions and is strategically located in Kibbutz Dorot, near the city of Sderot.

The Trauma Therapy Center operates based on the extensive expertise of the Eden Association in trauma care, utilizing the unique therapeutic approach known as the “Eden Model.” The center offers holistic treatment addressing both the body and mind, with personalized and group therapies tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by women and girls requiring mental health support or a nurturing community environment in the aftermath of recent events.

Additionally, the center offers treatment for women and young adults who have been suffering from complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prior to the war, and whose conditions have worsened as a result.

The center provides a range of individual and group therapies, including psychotherapy, bibliotherapy, art therapy, and DBT skills, among others, all designed to support holistic healing from trauma, both physically and mentally. The center collaborates closely with local resilience centers, health funds, and regional councils.

The activities at the Eden Trauma Therapy Center are accompanied by research and evaluation, which will provide data and insights into the personal and community processes experienced by women in the Gaza Envelope. This will contribute to the development of a body of knowledge for treating trauma and complex PTSD, both in Israel and globally.

95%

of the women treated at the center are residents of the Gaza periphery and Sderot.

420

total hours of individual therapy were provided April-December 2024.

12-80

is the age range of women treated at the center.

Eden Association is supported by CHW’s S.O.S. Starting Over Safely summer campaign.

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