Working with Traumatized Children within a Cultural and Geopolitical Context: The Case of Palestinians in East Jerusalem

This Presentation will focus on demonstrating the complexity of child trauma when it takes place in unique political and cultural circumstances. I will present the considerations that a therapist has to take into account, when treating a universal trauma of a child who is exposed to traumatic political circumstances. I will present an integrative treatment approach which was found effective in treating such complicated cases. This approach is addressed to treating the trauma, while demonstrating sensitivity to the cultural and to the political context.

The nature and the development of the trauma, as well as the integrative treatment, will be demonstrated through a case study. It is a case of an 7 year old Palestinian boy, who lives in a neighborhood in East Jerusalem. The boy experienced a car accident and developed a PTSD. Following the traumatic incident several political events of violent nature, to which he was exposed, has exacerbated the original trauma.

The treatment took place in an Israeli Hospital. It is the child and adolescent trauma clinic of Hadassah Hospital. This fact has its own ramifications that will be discussed as well.