According to estimates by the Ministry of Defense, by 2025 there will be close to 25,000 recognized soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (compared to 5,500 recognized prior to October 7).
HELPTSD works to prevent and reduce the impact of trauma among discharged IDF soldiers, aiming to minimize the development of PTSD symptoms. The organization supports our soldiers in returning to routine through structured processing sessions that address experiences from the battlefield.
For over five years, the organization has been initiating free group sessions for both reserve and regular service soldiers following their discharge, providing a safe space to process and release the complex emotional and physical burdens they carry.
The sessions are led and facilitated by Amit Faikovsky, a clinical psychologist (M.A.), a reserve captain, and commander of the Northern Combat Stress Response Unit, specializing in the treatment of soldiers affected by combat-related stress.
The processing sessions are conducted in the format of group circles, within small, organic teams of combat soldiers from the same unit, typically consisting of 10 to 30 recently discharged soldiers or those who may return to operational duty.
These group circles serve as a platform for shared processing of experiences alongside fellow soldiers. The collective format makes it easier for participants to open up, as they share a common language and understanding — having stood side by side, witnessed similar events, and faced challenges that others, including close family members, may find difficult to fully comprehend.
The purpose of these sessions is not to treat PTSD, but rather the opposite — to help prevent the development of PTSD symptoms in the future.
Studies indicate that approximately 10%–20% of soldiers within a given team may develop PTSD symptoms, meaning that the majority — and often all — will not. Accordingly, the primary focus of these sessions is on prevention.
The group dynamic not only ensures that participants are not required to share their experiences with those who may not understand, but also provides a supportive environment that feels more natural than one-on-one sessions with an unfamiliar professional in a closed setting.
Experience processing is now widely recognized by the military as an effective and essential tool for combat veterans, particularly since the onset of the “Swords of Iron” war. However, the framework provided by the Ministry of Defense typically consists of intensive, short-term interventions (ranging from a single day to multi-day programs with overnight stays), designed to provide immediate stabilization rather than long-term follow-up.
At HELPTSD, we offer a structured series of sessions over time, enabling ongoing support and follow-up throughout the participants’ recovery process.
Processing these experiences increases awareness of potential challenges and provides soldiers with practical tools to cope with intrusive symptoms, such as recurring thoughts about traumatic events. An additional benefit is the dissemination of this knowledge, as participants often share what they have learned with their peers, extending the impact beyond the sessions themselves.
So what does the processing of experiences look like?
We conduct a series of several sessions, each lasting 4–6 hours, following a preparatory phase that includes assessment conversations led by Amit Faikovsky and the team commander. The soldiers attend an empowering and releasing gathering that includes a high-quality meal, accompanied by an engaging lecture — such as a writing workshop with Yair Eisenberg (a journalist from Uvda) — or guest lectures and performances by leading artists who volunteer their time, such as Aviv Geffen and Udi Kagan. This is also a great opportunity to thank them for their contribution and support of the organization’s work.
In other words, experience processing takes place within an enjoyable team-bonding environment among familiar faces, where soldiers can lower their defenses and simply be present.
The organization believes in ongoing support for soldiers, enabling a healthier and more sustainable return to everyday life after combat. A series of sessions spread over time allows for continuous follow-up and a structured process in which participants open up at their own pace.
This approach differs from the experience-processing frameworks offered by the state and other organizations, which are often designed for “rapid digestion” of events — typically in intensive formats of one to three full days, sometimes including overnight stays. These aim to equip participants with as many tools as possible so they can return home more quickly, sometimes before they are emotionally ready, which may lead to delayed processing weeks or even months later. While such approaches may suit those moving quickly between deployments, they do not always provide the depth needed for a true return to routine — which is precisely the focus of our organization.
