War in Gaza Divides Mental Health Care Providers about Remaining Neutral
Dr. Hayat Nadar, a Syrian licensed clinical psychologist based in Uptown, warns her patients: “Don’t go to the hardware store for milk.”
It’s her response to a shift in the way patients have been searching for care in the wake of the war in Gaza. The people coming to her — from marginalized communities in Chicago and those who support Palestinians living in the region — are looking for someone who understands from personal experience what they’ve been through, she said.
That way, “they don’t have to explain their entire experience and be met with resistance about what reality is for them,” she said.
The Divide among Mental Health Care Providers
As the war rages on with no end in sight, Chicago’s mental health care providers are now facing questions about how to best treat patients impacted by the violence. Some in the field view neutrality on the conflict as harmful to patients and say that providers’ experiences have a place in therapy. Others argue that abandoning an empathetic yet impartial approach to care is counter to how they should do their jobs.
Critique of Neutrality
“People want to know you’re a safe space,” said Anna Finkelshtein, a Jewish licensed clinical social worker in Skokie. “Being a therapist is all about being inclusive and helping marginalized populations.”
But under the new way of thinking, “it’s like you have to pick a side. It goes against everything we’ve been taught.”
Personal Experiences Matter
Felix Greenspan, a psychotherapist who works with patients from Gaza, said his own experiences as a refugee in the Bosnian War have allowed him to understand the trauma his patients face.
Structural Competency and Social Justice
Some recent studies have also been critical of training that ignores the effects of global conflicts.
“Health care professionals should be trained in structural competency to challenge the depoliticising effects of medical neutrality, with the aim of enhancing peace, health equity, and social justice,” wrote researchers Zvika Orr and Mark Fleming in a 2022 study published in Global Public Health.
Conclusion
The war in Gaza has created a dilemma for mental health care providers about whether to remain neutral or to acknowledge their own experiences and biases in therapy. While some argue that neutrality is essential for a safe and inclusive space, others believe that acknowledging one’s own biases and privileges can be beneficial in addressing the trauma caused by global conflicts. Ultimately, clinicians must navigate this complex issue on a case-by-case basis, considering the best approach for each individual patient.
FAQs
* What is the role of the therapist in addressing the trauma caused by global conflicts?
* How can therapists balance the need to be empathetic with the need to remain neutral?
* How can therapists work with patients who have been impacted by the war in Gaza?
* What is the concept of structural competency, and how does it relate to the challenges faced by mental health care providers in addressing global conflicts?
