“You Have Been As A Life Buoy For Me”

Married to a brute, the young woman found herself falling into a deep state of depression, neglected herself and her family and lost interest in everything she would enjoy doing in the past.

When she got married she expected to be living with a man who would be her strength and stay. But contrary to her expectations, her husband unleashed his anger on her on the first occasion a misunderstanding occurred between her and her in-laws. 

The 28-year-old looked pale, scruffy and spiritless. “I feel suffocated , I can’t help carrying. I don’t like this life, nor do I like seeing people,” she sobbed.

A year ago the mother of 4 walked out on her husband after he had brutally beaten her. Living together with her four children in her brother’s house, made her feel a burden and unwelcome – a feeling which has added to her feeling of insecurity and exacerbated her feeling of inferiority and helplessness.

Identified by the psychological first aid teams, which was in conducting home visits to support the victims of violence after the recent Israeli military offensive, the mother was referred for GCMHP community center in her area in Khan Younis, where she was assessed by the multidisciplinary team there.

She was diagnosed with depression disorder by the team who put a plan that included a variety of therapeutic techniques. The plan included stress management techniques, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that focused on fixing her distorted thoughts.

The plan also included family counselling to help her improve her relationship wiuth her children

Treating her case was a challenge to therapist due to the fact that she came from a cultural background that forbids women from speaking up against violence or externalizing her thoughts. However, working patiently with her and through focusing on including the family into the therapeutic process, her case started to notably improve.

Building her stress management skills together with correcting her distorted thoughts, has played a major role in paving the way for her recovery. As a result of this, her relationship with her children and family has improved and created a healthier family atmosphere for her.

“Thanks you so much, you have been as a life buoy for me. I am now stronger and I feel can go forward,” she expressed her relief and gratitude to her therapists.