ANCHORED IN THE EARTH
With the Encouragement of The Matanel Foundation
The events of October 7 and the ensuing multi-front war have resulted in severe physical, emotional, and psychological damage for thousands of IDF reservists. Though not all who experience acute trauma will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), government authorities estimate that thousands of reservists are already somewhere along the continuum.
Need
Vision
"Anchored in the Earth” is a new initiative that provides sustained exposure to healthy, nature-based activities for IDF reservists on the PTSD spectrum as well as for those struggling with other forms of emotional distress. Outreach taps into the healing power of nature and the highly satisfying experience of productive agricultural work, thus leading to increased resilience, reduced isolation, and the development of new capacities.
Program
The program engages 45 IDF reservists (ages 21+) along the continuum of PTSD and those dealing with other forms of mental distress in a long-term, agriculture-based therapeutic program. Significantly, eligibility does not depend on Ministry of Defense diagnoses, a process that can be dangerously long. The program comprises three annual cycles; each brings togetheR 15 people and lasts for 10 weeks, with 14 hours of weekly programming.
Goals
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Address symptom management and emotional regulation; improve interpersonal relationships; and provide tools for growth.
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Increase personal resilience and the emotional capacities to return to full function.
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Create a cohesive community-based support system, thus encouraging belonging and purpose, things many were drawn to and found comforting in their army service.
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Facilitate activities that contribute to the greater good in ways that do not include military service.
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Complement other external treatment therapies.
Location & Program Partner
Activities take place on two acres of fertile land on the grounds of Bein Hatlamim—a Kaima-inspired farm, located in the north, near Pardes Hanna. The setting is quiet, serene, and well-suited to meet the needs of this special population.
What People are Saying About the Initiative
Watch & Listen
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Hilla Alroy, a well-respected health correspondent, reports on Anchored in the Earth's effective alternative treatment for IDF reservists. Watch her powerful 10-minute Channel 13 piece (in Hebrew) about the surging use of sedatives as a consequence of the war HERE. A short excerpt wth English subtitles can be viewed HERE.
Read About Participant Experiences
“The experience helped me understand the personal conflict at home. I so missed who I was before the war...the program was for me like a rebirth."
"The farm was like a mother's womb. To sit around the fire, to eat, to talk together…I had been living in a never-ending whirlwind, but the program allowed me to recover. I'm less angry with myself for the confusion and upheaval I've experienced."
"This program saved me, mainly from myself and from the waves of difficulty I brought back with me. By feeling I was safe to look inward, both my family and I are starting to heal."
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