Shared Traumatic Reality: Coping among Educational Counselors Living and Working in Israeli Communities on the Gaza Border

Abstract

Shared traumatic reality describes situations in which helpers and those they help are subject to the same traumatic events. This qualitative study examined perceptions among 16 school counselors who live and work in Israeli communities located along the border with the Gaza Strip. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically. The counselors described security tensions that threaten to disrupt their daily routine, harm their emotional well-being and negatively affect their family life. They noted exposure to traumatic incidents, emotional flooding, overload and tension. They reported having difficulty distinguishing between their professional and personal lives, primarily because they had to help and support their students while also functioning as parents.

Keywords:

• School counselors
• shared traumatic reality
• Gaza border communities
• security threat
• trauma

Acknowledgements

We thank all participants for their effort.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Before the research participants consented to participate in the interview, they were given both written and oral information about the interview and the study. Informed consent was obtained from all the participants. All data from the interviews were stored securely, and only the researcher had access to the data. All personal data were coded, so that the identities of the participants remained confidential. This study was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration and was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Oranim College (Approval Number 99/2020).

Author’s contributions

Both authors designed the study. AS collected the data. IL analyzed the data and wrote the paper. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

Availability of data and materials

The data sets used in the study can be provided upon request.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by Oranim College of Education.

Notes on contributors

Inbar Levkovich

Inbar Levkovich, PhD, psychotherapist is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, Oranim Academic College of Education, Israel. Received her PhD from the Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, at Haifa University, in the area breast cancer survivors. She has completed her Postdoctoral at the School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, Israel. Her research interests include stress, trauma, coping and health, and psycho-oncology.

Adva Swisa

Adva Swisa, M.A., Guidance and Counseling program, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Oranim Academic College of Education, Israel.