“The situation was that I went with my husband Danny, who is also a clinical psychologist, and we were on the team that came and told people when family members were identified and that they had been murdered. There was one time when we went to two kids, telling them that their parents were murdered. We were with them in the room with an aunt and another family member. All of a sudden, I said, “Danny’s father and my father were in the Holocaust, and they also lost their parents. And you know they became happy people and good fathers for us. And here we are with you now.” It was like my telling a lullaby – I knew that they hear us and they don’t hear us, but I believed that the unconscious can hear me. That’s how my personal transgenerational story helped me to help them to believe that a life can become after this disaster.” M.R.
“And the music in your saying whatever you said was part of what worked there, both the liveliness and something that has a real connection to experiences one can survive from. This is a very unusual kind of intervention for psychoanalysts, and also that it may not fit everyone. There is a match between how can one make use of oneself and go out of one’s skin and one’s routines, i.e. the way I always do whatever I do. Instead,to do something different that is echoing the needs of the person with whom you are in contact.” M.E-G.
Merav Roth, Ph.D. & Mira Erlich-Ginor, M.A.
Tel Aviv
Episode Description:
We begin by tracing the recent history of those organizations that are dedicated to the premeditated butchery of civilians. Both Merav and Mira share with us their experiences when the sirens went off on Saturday morning October 7th. We follow them as they attend to those who physically survived the mutilation, murder and kidnapping of their family members. Merav, building from her personal family Holocaust history, created a series of guidelines with which to engage those who were overwhelmed. It became a sort of proactive psychoanalytic manual to give structure to and help regain the alpha function of those who are suffering while also recognizing the presence of past traumas in their lives. They share with us their personal experiences, the crucial importance of President Biden’s speech and visit, and the vital assistance that all the Israeli psychoanalytic organizations are providing. Central to their personal and professional message is We have survived traumas in the past, and we will survive again this time.
Our Guest:
Merav Roth, Ph.D. and Mira Erlich-Ginor, Ph.D., are both members of the Israeli Psychoanalytic Society.
LinkedIn Episodes:
Episode 96: Why Do We Read Books? Literature and Psychoanalysis with Merav Roth, Ph.D.
For Donations: First Line Med
Hello. I am a Fellow of the British Psychoanalytic Society and would like to donate. It seem to be impossible via the link as it is asking for an ID number which we in Britain don’t have. I tried my passport number but that is not accepted. Please advise. Many thanks for the excellent conversation, Mira and Merav.
Dear Katalin,
How embarrassing that I just now see your generous offer from November!
We are now 10 months into the events, and our organization takes care of hundreds of victims of the massacre – family members of the murdered, family members of hostages that were freed and of hostages that are still in captivity (unbelievable!!!) and evacuees who were subjected to the terrible attack on October 7.
We are preoccupied with fundraising all the time, to ensure that these people will get the help they need for as long as they need it (we promised them at least 3 years of therapy, free of charge of course). A part of them are supported by the state (first circle) but a half of them aren’t
(grandparents, cousins, etc.). If you are still willing to help us with your donation or if you know any other sources that could donate – please let my know by email at rothmerav@gmail.com
If it is no longer relevant, that is fine too and I appreciate your warm willingness after hearing our conversation.
Warmest regards,
Merav.
Thank you so much, Mira and Merav for such a detailed and thoughtful presentation of your hard work under such horrific circumstances and unfolding reality. I trust the immediacy reaction to provide therapeutic space, be attentive and empathic was and is a crucial container to help those innocent civilians’ ego, to deal with the pervert sadism material. I thought that listening to a poem after reading about the endless number of people they have lost, was moving. As in this dark moment, they were able to stand up for humanity. I trust it was the power of community but also the presence of a psycho-analytic therapeutic environment, you all have provided.