11/13/2023
The “Reconceptualization of Mental Health In The Context of Palestine” lecture yesterday held by the International Students of Islamic Psychology () featuring Dr. Samah Jabr () was SO POWERFUL! And so pertinent.
Many of the themes discussed felt connected to the “Liberation-Focused Healing Framework” of Dr. Shawna Murray-Browne (). While the lecture focused on issues and concerns specific to Palestine, it applied to so many countries and communities throughout our world suffering from settler colonialism. 🌍 🌎 🌏
Gratitude to Stefanie Lyn Kaufman-Myhimkhulu () for posting about Dr. Samah Jabr’s work back on October 29.
I highly encourage all my fellow psychotherapists to learn more about Dr. Samah Jabr and read and heed her powerful words! I’ll share a few links to her work in my stories.
Slide 1: my notes from Dr. Samah Jabr’s lecture. Words (colored in with markers) include: “mental health” • “oblivious to Palestinian flight” • “ignores violations & war crimes” • “crushing power dynamics” • “dehumanization” • (our work is) “the work of little ants” • “Sumud is action for endurance” • (90%+ of Gazans say) “family is supportive” • (necessary) “hyper-vigilance for survival” • “resist + challenge oppression” • “the lie that everyone in Gaza is responsible” • “Human Rights” • “4 died in detention” • “solidarity + marches are psychologically helpful, not yet politically.”
Slide 2: The flyer for the lecture, which says:
“SPEAKER: Dr. Samah Jabr (Palestine), is the Head of the Mental Health Unit within the Palestinian Ministry of Health. She is a psychiatrist practicing within Palestine in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. She is also a lecturer, trainer, and consultant for program development, policy planning, and psychological support. Dr. Jabr is also a founding member of the Palestine Global Mental Health Network.
Topic: Reconceptualization of Mental Health in the Context of Palestine
🗓 Date: Sunday, November 12th, 2023
⏰ Time: 2:00 PM GMT”
