Leetal Benzvi, Expressive Arts Therapist, creator of the Art Sense method

19/06/2025

25/01/2025

***נפתח קורס נוסף בימי שני בוקר בנוסף לקורס של ימי לרביעי .....
נותרו מקומות (הקורס מתקיים באבן יהודה).
פרטים בלינק

קורסים קורסים אקדמאיים, מקצועיים וסדנאות הקורסים השונים מתאימים הן ללימוד מקצוע / הסבה, והן להתפתחות אישית, התמודדות נפשית והעשרה. קיימים קורסים לקהל הרחב וקורסים ה....

21/01/2025

✨ The Art of Healing Retreat ✨

Last week, I had the profound honor of leading The Art of Healing retreat, generously sponsored by the Adopt a Family Foundation. This meaningful gathering brought together families who have endured the unimaginable pain of terror, offering them a space to heal, connect, and rebuild resilience. 💛

Held at the serene Secret Forest Resort in Cyprus, this retreat was a journey of healing through art, community, and my Resilience Journal method—a therapeutic approach I developed to build resilience through expressive arts and journaling. 🎨📖

I am deeply grateful to have witnessed the courage and strength of every participant, and to the incredible partners who made this experience possible. Together, we created a space where hope could flourish, even amidst the shadows of grief.

Looking ahead, I am excited about future retreats to come, where we can continue to create safe and transformative spaces for healing, connection, and resilience, bringing the power of art and journaling to even more individuals and families in need. 🌿✨

Watch the highlights and feel the power of art, community, and resilience.

Week retreat for victims of terror sponsored by Adopt a Family Foundation led by Leetal Benzvi in The Secret Forest, Cyprus.

17/01/2025

As I sit here on the plane returning to Israel from leading the Secret Forest resort retreat in Cyprus, I am overwhelmed with a deep sense of gratitude and reflection. This journey has been filled with so many emotions—the profound processes each participant went through, the connections that were built, and the courage they showed in sharing and witnessing one another's stories.
I heard participants speak about sleeping peacefully for the first time in a long while, laughing in ways they hadn’t for ages, and sharing things they had never spoken aloud before. They found moments of stillness for themselves, enriching their minds, hearts, and souls in ways that felt new and meaningful.
It was an incredible honor to hold space for this group, to guide them with the Resilience Journal, and to listen with an open heart. Together, we cried, we laughed, and we formed connections that ran deep.
Thank you to Adopt a Family Foundation for trusting me with this invaluable opportunity and sponsoring this retreat for victims of terror. I am filled with hope and excitement for leading future retreats to support other populations. Stay tuned—more information to come.
כשאני יושבת כאן על המטוס, בדרכי חזרה לישראל מהריטריט ‏שהנחתי ביער הסודי , אני מוצפת בתחושת תודה עמוקה ובהרהורים ‏. המסע הזה הי מלא ברגשות – התהליכים העמוקים שכל אחד ואחת עברו, הקשרים שנוצרו, והאומץ לשתף ולהיות עדים לסיפורם של אחרים.
‏
שמעתי משתתפים מספרים על כך שישנו בשקט לראשונה מזה זמן רב, צחקו כמו שלא צחקו מזה שנים, שיתפו דברים שמעולם לא דיברו עליהם. הם מצאו רגעים של שקט לעצמם, העשירו את נפשם, ליבם ונשמתם בדרכים חדשות ומשמעותיות.
הייתה לי הזכות הגדולה להחזיק את המרחב עבור קבוצה זו, להנחות אותם עם יומן החוסן ולהקשיב בלב פתוח. יחד בכינו, צחקנו ויצרנו קשרים עמוקים ומשמעותיים.
תודה מקרב לב ל"Adopt a Family Foundation" על האמון בי ועל ההזדמנות הבלתי ניתנת לתיאור הזו. אני מלאת תקווה והתרגשות לקראת ריטריטים עתידיים שיתמכו
באוכלוסיות נוספות. עדכונים נוספים יגיעו בקרוב.
As I sit here on the plane returning to Israel from leading the Secret Forest resort retreat in Cyprus, I am overwhelmed with a deep sense of gratitude and reflection. This journey has been filled with so many emotions—the profound processes each participant went through, the connections that were built, and the courage they showed in sharing and witnessing one another's stories.
I heard participants speak about sleeping peacefully for the first time in a long while, laughing in ways they hadn’t for ages, and sharing things they had never spoken aloud before. They found moments of stillness for themselves, enriching their minds, hearts, and souls in ways that felt new and meaningful.
It was an incredible honor to hold space for this group, to guide them with the Resilience Journal, and to listen with an open heart. Together, we cried, we laughed, and we formed connections that ran deep.
Thank you to Adopt a Family Foundation for trusting me with this invaluable opportunity and sponsoring this retreat for victims of terror. I am filled with hope and excitement for leading future retreats to support other populations. Stay tuned—more information to come.
כשאני יושבת כאן על המטוס, בדרכי חזרה לישראל מהריטריט ‏שהנחתי ביער הסודי , אני מוצפת בתחושת תודה עמוקה ובהרהורים ‏. המסע הזה הי מלא ברגשות – התהליכים העמוקים שכל אחד ואחת עברו, הקשרים שנוצרו, והאומץ לשתף ולהיות עדים לסיפורם של אחרים.
‏
שמעתי משתתפים מספרים על כך שישנו בשקט לראשונה מזה זמן רב, צחקו כמו שלא צחקו מזה שנים, שיתפו דברים שמעולם לא דיברו עליהם. הם מצאו רגעים של שקט לעצמם, העשירו את נפשם, ליבם ונשמתם בדרכים חדשות ומשמעותיות.
הייתה לי הזכות הגדולה להחזיק את המרחב עבור קבוצה זו, להנחות אותם עם יומן החוסן ולהקשיב בלב פתוח. יחד בכינו, צחקנו ויצרנו קשרים עמוקים ומשמעותיים.
תודה מקרב לב ל"Adopt a Family Foundation" על האמון בי ועל ההזדמנות הבלתי ניתנת לתיאור הזו. אני מלאת תקווה והתרגשות לקראת ריטריטים עתידיים שיתמכו
באוכלוסיות נוספות. עדכונים נוספים יגיעו בקרוב.

13/11/2024

Growing up in America, I remember seeing photos of missing children on milk cartons.
It deeply frightened me—

I couldn’t understand how a child could simply disappear.
Now days, living in Israel after October 7, that same fear has returned in a new, heartbreaking way.

Everywhere we look, we see posters of missing kids, teens, and adults—faces of people taken from their homes.

This unsettling reality has become a constant presence on our streets and walls.

Today, a child came to me to speak of her fear.
She shared that she struggles to fall asleep, terrified she might be kidnapped.

When I asked her where she had heard this, she said, “Everywhere I look, I see the pictures.”
Her fear reflects a new reality for so many children living in Israel—confronting things they should never have to face.

In this surreal, painful environment, I tried to help her find a sense of safety.

I asked her to imagine her own place of comfort— where her dog is by her side, a place where she can find strength and safety.
Together, we practiced a “safety dance” and created an imaginary container around her, filled with boundaries, prayers, and protection.

I believe that, even amidst her fear, she holds a power within herself to feel safe.

These unfortunate circumstances undermine our children’s sense of security.
My hope is that, one small step at a time, I can help her—and others—reclaim that sense of safety, even in the face of such unimaginable fears.

.Leetal Benzvi, Expressive Arts Therapist

02/10/2024

A Hard Evening Before Rosh Hashana

As the evening before Rosh Hashana unfolds, I reflect on a year filled with so much pain, loss, and resilience. It has been a year of mourning—so many deaths, young men sent off to fight, families torn apart, homes lost, and many still serving in reserves. Hundreds are still in captivity, and our nation continues to be gripped by uncertainty and fear.

Tonight, as 180 missiles rain down across Israel, we run to shelters again and again. The panic is palpable. There is no moment of peace. So much fear, so much pain.

And yet, as a therapist, I try to keep my cool. I lean on the tools and resources I’ve cultivated over the years. I try to share them with everyone I can. In the midst of chaos, I am simply doing my best, as we all are. This is our nation. This is our story—the story of the Jewish people in our land of Israel.

I find myself wondering, will this ever be over? Will we ever see the end of war, suffering, and loss? My deepest prayer this Rosh Hashana is for peace—a year of quiet where we can live safely, happily, and without fear..and for the hostages to come home!

In the meantime, I continue to share what I can, from my heart and from my work. For those struggling through crisis moments, I offer resources from my Resilience Journal model (photo attached), hoping they may provide some relief, some grounding, some sense of connection in these turbulent times.

May we all find strength, healing, and resilience in the year to come. Wishing you all a safe, peaceful, and meaningful Rosh Hashana. Am Yisrael Chai .

06/08/2024

I am thrilled to share that I will be speaking at the Adopt the Family Event in San Diego in September! This organization holds a special place in my heart. I have been deeply involved as a volunteer, adopting families affected by terror, and as a therapist working with numerous families over the years.
In addition to my recent work with Nova survivors, Kfar Aza survivors, and training therapists in Eilat, this opportunity to connect with the San Diego community is significant. Having grown up in San Diego and now living in Israel, I feel a strong connection between these communities and am honored to be part of this event.
I look forward to seeing many of you, sharing my experiences and insights, and supporting this incredible cause.

20/07/2024

When I was defending my dissertation about the use of The Resilience Journal as a tool to cope with trauma, the Professor who was judging me on the panel asked me, “Don’t you think the word trauma gets used too casually these days?

How do we know if we are in trauma ?

I tried not to get upset or defensive; he was asking a legitimate question.

Yes, trauma gets used way too often these days; however, when we take a step back, we first need to understand the underlying triggers of trauma.

What is ‘Trauma’?

Trauma is a psychological response to an event or series of events that an individual perceives as deeply distressing or disturbing. These events can be life-threatening or significantly impact a person's physical or emotional well-being.

Not everyone reacts the same to a traumatic event, and some studies suggest that only 20 percent of people who experience trauma will suffer from PTSD.

It is important to note that there are many types of trauma:
Generational Trauma- The psychological and emotional effects of trauma passed down from one generation to the next, often due to events like war or severe abuse.

Secondary Trauma- Emotional distress experienced by those who support trauma survivors, such as therapists or first responders, due to indirect exposure to traumatic events.

Acute Trauma- Intense and immediate response to a specific traumatic event, such as an accident or assault, characterized by shock and anxiety.

Collective Trauma is the psychological impact experienced by a large group due to a shared traumatic event, like a natural disaster or war, that affects the community's emotional well-being and identity.

And then there is a type of trauma that I am interested in further explore - it’s called:

Continuous Traumatic Stress- the psychological impact of living in conditions in which there is a realistic threat of present and future danger, rather than only experiences of past traumatic events.

When an individual knows their child is being held hostage and they don’t know if they are alive or dead, they can’t mourn their loss and begin to heal -they are “in” it - deep in it.

This is, by far, the hardest trauma I think anyone can endure.
So I answered him,

“I think, in my case, in my region, trauma is, indeed, the correct word to use; I think being a therapist in a region that is enduring horrific continuous trauma, both collective and acute ;

We should not doubt or hesitate to use the word T R A U M A !!!

His response was silence……

.

03/03/2024

נותרו מקומות אחרונים!! סדנא אחרונה לחודש!
לסדנת "יומן חוסן ויזואלי" סדנא חווייתית של גילוי יצירתיות דרך יצירת יומן ויזואלי ככלי טיפולי ייחודי למטפלים. מסע מרגש בציר הזמן, מיוחד למטפלים בטראומה וחרדות. מומלץ למטפלים ואנשי מקצוע המעוניינים להעשיר את עולמם ולחוות את שפת האומנות בטיפול. קבוצות קטנות ואינטימיות עד 12 משתתפים בקבוצה.
לנוחיותכם שני מועדים
4 מקומות אחרונים לסדנת בוקר
יום שני 4.3.24 בין השעות: 18:00-20:00
לוקיישן: אבן יהודה.
לפרטים והרשמה >> https://shorturl.at/cgHO9

לתיאום סדנא. הרצאה. קורס או טיפול בקליניקה 053-9537161 Leetal Benzvi
מטפלת באומנות, דוקטורנטית של יומן חוסן מאוניברסיטת European Graduate School בשוויץ. מנחה ומרצה בטיפול באומנות ובקורס של יומן ככלי טיפולי באוניברסיטאות ומכללות בארץ ובעולם.

#הלומיקרב #טיפולרגשילנשים #טיפולרגשי #יחדננצח #מטפליםומאמנים #מטפליםומאמניםמכלהארץ #יומןמסע #משרדהביטחון #מאמןמנטלי #טראומה #טיפולבאומנות #חוסן #מטפלים #פוסטטראומה #חוסןנפשי #אבןיהודה #אמהותאבןיהודה #סדנתאומנות #טיפולזוגי #תלמונד #קדימה #קדימהצורן #קדימה

09/01/2024

Webinar for the Journey of the Journal course. Rupin college. Honored for this opportunity!