You are here: Home > Reformulation > Summer 2014 [Issue 42] > Inaugural meeting of the UK - Palestine Mental Health Network

Inaugural meeting of the UK - Palestine Mental Health Network

Pollard, R., 2014. Inaugural meeting of the UK - Palestine Mental Health Network. Reformulation, Summer, p.51.

---

This meeting, held in London on 2nd April at The Guild, was called to set up a network to foster more links between mental health workers in the UK and Palestine so that they can support and learn from each other, and to encourage greater awareness of the political and social conditions that adversely affect mental health in Palestine. The meeting was addressed by Dr Mohammed Altawil, Director of the Palestine Trauma Centre, (www. ptcuk.org/) that provides psychological and social support to children and families in Gaza, Professor Jeff Halper, Director of the Israeli Committee against House Demolitions, and Martin Kemp a psychotherapist and coauthor of an article in Therapy Today that discussed the psychological impact of military occupation in Palestine.

The meeting was well attended. Sixty people were present, the majority psychotherapists but including a number of psychiatrists and psychologists and others active in the fi eld of mental health. It included a number already working with Palestinian mental health workers and institutions, some with links to organizations such as Medical Aid for Palestine, Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Jews for Justice for Palestinians. The speakers stressed that one of the reasons for establishing the network was Britain’s unique historic responsibility for the confl icts in the region and present responsibility, as part of the international community, for the collective failure to ensure a settlement based on relationships of equality and mutual respect between Israelis and Palestinians.

Contributions from the fl oor were invited to discuss what the remit of the network should be: there were suggestions with regard to training and assistance that could be offered to mental health workers in Palestine from some speakers whilst others cautioned that in such a fraught political context where whole communities are traumatized, counselling and other psychological interventions have limited purchase. Several spoke of the value of solidarity visits by psychotherapists living and working in the UK to learn about mental health issues in Palestine and create cross- cultural links. Others spoke of their concern for the ongoing trauma suffered by children, in particular, and the likely effects on their lives and welfare in the future.

Other speakers were more overtly political in tone, stressing the apartheid nature of the divide between Israelis and Palestinians and the importance of supporting the trade and academic boycotts of Israel as a way to bring pressure on the Israeli government, and to create conditions for reframing relationships between the two communities. It was also recognised that the issue of Palestine and Israel can arouse very strong feelings, virulent disagreements and fi erce debate but that this should not deter psychotherapists from raising these issues with their colleagues and in their organizations.

For further information about the network contact:

ukpalmhn@gmail.com

Full Reference

Pollard, R., 2014. Inaugural meeting of the UK - Palestine Mental Health Network. Reformulation, Summer, p.51.

Search the Bibliography

Type in your search terms. If you want to search for results that match ALL of your keywords you can list them with commas between them; e.g., "borderline,adolescent", which will bring back results that have BOTH keywords mentioned in the title or author data.

Related Articles

Letter from the Chair of ACAT
Jason Hepple, 2013. Letter from the Chair of ACAT. Reformulation, Winter, p.5.

CAT in the North-East of England
Anna Jellema, 2006. CAT in the North-East of England. Reformulation, Summer, p.19.

The ACAT Practice Research Network: What are ACAT Members' Views About What Constitutes a Minimum Dataset?
Pantke, R., 2003. The ACAT Practice Research Network: What are ACAT Members' Views About What Constitutes a Minimum Dataset?. Reformulation, Spring, p.28.

Book Reviews
Pollard, R., 2015. Book Reviews. Reformulation, Summer, pp.45-48.

Play & Creativity in Psychotherapy. (Eds) Marks-Tarlow, T., Solomon,M., Seigel D. W.W Norton
Review by Dr Carol Gregory, 2019. Play & Creativity in Psychotherapy. (Eds) Marks-Tarlow, T., Solomon,M., Seigel D. W.W Norton. Reformulation, Summer, p.47.

Other Articles in the Same Issue

A first experience of using Cognitive Analytic Therapy with a person with a learning disabilit
Westwood, S., & Lloyd, J., 2014. A first experience of using Cognitive Analytic Therapy with a person with a learning disabilit. Reformulation, Summer, pp.47-50.

Applying CAT in an Acquired Brain Injury Neuropsychology service: Challenges and Reflections
Calvert, P., 2014. Applying CAT in an Acquired Brain Injury Neuropsychology service: Challenges and Reflections. Reformulation, Summer, pp.16-21.

Beyond individual therapy - Trainee practitioner reflections on the use of CAT within an Adult Community Learning Disabilities Team
Field, B., 2014. Beyond individual therapy - Trainee practitioner reflections on the use of CAT within an Adult Community Learning Disabilities Team. Reformulation, Summer, pp.33-37.

BOOK REVIEW: Cognitive Analytic Therapy for people with intellectual disabilities and their carers
Lloyd, J,. and Clayton, P., 2014. BOOK REVIEW: Cognitive Analytic Therapy for people with intellectual disabilities and their carers. Reformulation, Summer, pp.10-11.

Bringing sexuality into dialogue using a CAT approach to the sexual rights and sexual relationships of people with Intellectual Difficulties
McCormack, M., Swarbrick, B., and Greenhill, B., 2014. Bringing sexuality into dialogue using a CAT approach to the sexual rights and sexual relationships of people with Intellectual Difficulties. Reformulation, Summer, pp.22-28.

CAT and the Mind-Body Conundrum of Chronic Pain
Das, M., 2014. CAT and the Mind-Body Conundrum of Chronic Pain. Reformulation, Summer, pp.29-32.

Editorial
Lloyd, J., and Pollard, R., 2014. Editorial. Reformulation, Summer, pp.3-4.

Formulation during the Child Assessment Process
Tikkanen, S., 2014. Formulation during the Child Assessment Process. Reformulation, Summer, pp.38-44.

Inaugural meeting of the UK - Palestine Mental Health Network
Pollard, R., 2014. Inaugural meeting of the UK - Palestine Mental Health Network. Reformulation, Summer, p.51.

Letter from the Chair of ACAT
Hepple, J., 2014. Letter from the Chair of ACAT. Reformulation, Summer, p.5.

Report from the Third CAT and LD Conference, in London
Baines, G., 2014. Report from the Third CAT and LD Conference, in London. Reformulation, Summer, pp.13-15.

The 16 + 1 interview
Crowley, V., 2014. The 16 + 1 interview. Reformulation, Summer, p.52.

When the therapist is disabled
Crowley, V., Field, B., Lloyd, J., Morrison, P., & Varela, J., 2014. When the therapist is disabled. Reformulation, Summer, pp.6-9.