Staying Normal in an Abnormal Corner of the World: Mental Health Counseling in Israel

In the course of the last four years, Israeli citizens have repeatedly been exposed to terrorist attacks, and there are several other issues in Israel's current situation that highlight the need for intensive mental health counseling. The article focuses on Israeli school counselors and describes some of the problems they were obliged to face in order to help schoolchildren, their families, or the entire school system stay normal in an abnormal situation. These issues include: death and mourning, social cohesion as a risk factor, immigrants' maladjustment, unemployment, intercultural conflicts, and spiritual debates. Implications for mental health counseling are offered.