The Wounded Healer in Shared Traumatic Reality After the Seventh of October Attack: "That the Personal World and the Professional World are Shattered".

Abstract

In Shared Traumatic Reality (STR), therapists and patients face similar threats, leading to increased stress and blurred personal-professional boundaries for healthcare providers. It impacts everyone in the community, as witnessed in the southern region of Israel. The challenge for caregivers aiding displaced individuals was unique-providing therapy while caring for their children. STR poses challenges but also growth opportunities. Experiencing trauma firsthand offers insights, fostering professional and personal development. Despite the difficulties of handling loss and traumatic stories, this reality demands new coping mechanisms for healthcare providers to grow through adversity. Community involvement aids professional empowerment amidst STR, reinforcing therapists' identification with patients. This new reality reveals remarkable resilience among those who endured tragedies, offering lessons in vicarious resilience. The concept of the wounded healer (WH) reflects how personal trauma can enhance therapeutic abilities by profoundly empathizing with patients' pain. Navigating personal hardships is crucial to avoid projecting onto patients during therapy. The WH's identification with patient trauma strengthens the therapeutic bond, leading to better outcomes.