Meet Katya, who is our head neuropsychologist in the Kiev region of Ukraine. Katya works directly with Rabbi Azman’s community at Anatevka, where she manages our staff of neuropsychologists and specially trained social workers who provide rehabilitative services for refugees who have escaped the war in Eastern Ukraine.
Katya:
I would like to introduce you to Ella, who is an 84-year-old Holocaust Survivor. Ella has suffered her entire life because of the trauma that she endured during the Holocaust. She had never dealt with her feelings of guilt and the never ending images of seeing those around her being beaten, tortured and viciously murdered.
Recently Ella experienced two traumatic events in her life which intensified her feelings of guilt and fear. Her closest friend died suddenly and right after that, she fell and hurt herself very badly in her home.
When Ella came under our care, she was extremely depressed and was having heart palpitations and severe tremors. She told me that she was afraid of dying and was feeling very guilty about not being able to help or say goodbye to her best friend. These events brought up so many unresolved issues in her life which were the reasons for her feelings of anxiety, hopelessness and despair.
Today, I am happy to tell you that Ella is doing much better and has been able to learn how to express her feelings of pain and guilt which she has kept hidden, her entire life. She is finally able to feel a sense of peace, forgiveness and security for the first time in her life.
