Choshen, located in Neve Tsuf, is an Art Therapy Center for children, teens and adults suffering from emotional stress which results in impairment of daily functioning.
Choshen is staffed by a psychologist, social worker, school advisor and a specialist in the field of early childhood who use art and play therapy to treat those in need of just that kind of help.
Choshen began operating during the last intifada in which several Neve Tsuf residents were killed and over 30 people were injured. In the wake of the trauma the therapy center was created for people who were suffering especially from the "ripple effect" effect of the loss of those whom they knew or the fear of the loss of those close to them. Specifically, they were parents whose children showed signs of fear and trauma and for whom traveling to the city center was not an option under the circumstances.
In some cases the center dealt with first circle relatives of those who were injured, fatally and otherwise.
The Center provides the service for people from Neve Tzuf as well as from nearby settlements and their schools.
Today, Choshen deals with children of all ages who suffer from emotional problems of various kinds and sources, which impair the routine of their daily lives, in school and/or at home. As the population of Neve Tzuf grows, and as the outreach policy has brought children with emotional needs to be tended from near-by settlements as well, the need for expansion has grown.
Israel is like a continuous rollercoaster ride of intensity. This is true throughout the country and often multiplied somewhat in Yesha specifically. Children are often the first to sense and react to such an atmosphere. Kupat Choloim Leumit has recognized the need and today subsidizes therapy for children and teens in Yesha. This additional support and legitimization has thankfully made parents more aware and more attentive to their children's emotional needs.
The center's goal this year is to add a music therapist to the staff, to extend work time to add morning sessions for groups of children, and workshops for professionals who work with children from the age of toddlers to schoolchildren in the evening hours.
There are additional plans for Choshen which could become a reality if funding is receivewd. One of these plans is for a mobile staff which would be able to reach children in communities that are near-by, but for lack of transportation are unable to reach the center in Neve Tsuf.
The community of Neve Tzuf has allocated a facility for this purpose a facility which is perfect in size and location, being in an area set a bit aside from the hustle and bustle of community life lending discretion to those who receive services there. Unfortunately, the building is in need of serious renovation.
Choshen is a non-profit organization which provides part-time work for qualified Neve Tsuf staff and a much needed service for area resident.
To donate, click on humanitarian projects for address of AFNCI. Please mention in your accompanying note that you recommend your donation be used to support Choshen: Art Therapy Center.
