Content warning: self-harm, suicide

The story of Rana’s mental health journey starts long before she was born. As it does for so many Palestinians, this story starts during the 1967 Naksa (meaning setback), when Israeli invasion led to mass expulsions across Palestine. During the violence, Rana’s mother watched her family members murdered in front of her eyes. It was an experience that no one should have to process without support. But with mental healthcare personnel few and far between, the trauma went untreated and had a lasting effect on Rana’s mother as well as generations to come.

Later in her life, her mother’s trauma manifested as emotionally abusive behavior toward Rana and her siblings. As a result, Rana always struggled with emotional regulation, depression, self-harm, and suicidal attempts. 

Although it has been hard for her to hang on to a job, Rana currently works as a kindergarten teacher. Teaching is always stressful work, especially in Gaza where children are living through frequent warfare. The second-hand trauma of working with these struggling children triggers Rana’s own childhood experiences, and she often finds herself acting out. “I know that children are innocent and not at fault, but due to my personal pressures, I often get upset with them,” she said.

At her core, Rana is a kind and caring person, but her untreated mental health issues prevented her from supporting the healthy development of her students. So, when she heard about the Healing Through Feeling program, Rana eagerly signed up. 

Through the Healing Through Feeling kindergarten teacher interventions and individual counseling sessions, Rana was able to identify her childhood trauma and how it still affects her. UPA mental health practitioners recognized that she needed additional support, so they referred Rana to in-depth therapy that helped her find her way out of self-harming and suicidal behavior.

“The program had a significant positive impact on my life. I began to understand the basic concepts of psychological pressures, traumas, and their effects on both children and adults. I also learned techniques that helped me alleviate the effects of these issues on my emotions, body, and thoughts,” she said.

This progress has not only affected her own life but also how she supports her students. “I learned how to positively interact with children and shield them from the traumas and pressures that I may be experiencing. I also learned how to identify if a child is experiencing psychological trauma and how I can help them alleviate these traumas,” Rana explained. Empowered by the Healing Through Feeling program, Rana is working hard to break the cycle of trauma and provide an emotionally supportive foundation for the next generation of students.

Illustration by Palestinian artist Aya Ghanameh