Latest news with #emotionaltrauma
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Emotional trauma in a post-October 7 world: How are Israel's children coping?
'Many children, especially the younger ones, are suffering from emotional trauma,' educational psychologist and former longtime school principal Dr. Zipi Golan told The Jerusalem Post. 'So says the Lord: A voice is heard on high, lamentation, bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, she refuses to be comforted for her children for they are not. So says the Lord: Refrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for there is reward for your work, says the Lord, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. And there is hope for your future, says the Lord, and the children shall return to their own border.' – Jeremiah 31:14-16 Since the horrific Hamas attack on the South on October 7, 2023, 'Many children, especially the younger ones, are suffering from emotional trauma,' educational psychologist and former longtime school principal Dr. Zipi Golan told The Jerusalem Post. Children 'must be given tools with which to cope,' Golan said. She advises parents to read stories to their children. Many books have been written and published since the outbreak of the war that can help children understand that they are not alone. Living on a moshav near Ashkelon, Golan has not only been exposed to the intense stress of the Israel-Hamas War, up close, but also to continuous missile attacks from Hamas terrorists in the South for decades. Golan launched a private counseling center in 2016 that now has three branches: at Moshav Ge'a where she lives, just a 10-minute drive from theGaza border; in Yavneh; and in Rishon Lezion. Today, she treats children and families affected by the war – and even children who have returned from captivity. She explained that, due to the war, there are some children who refuse to leave their parents' proximity, shower alone, or be in a closed room. 'I have been in the teaching profession for over 30 years and the cases I have encountered in this war have managed to surprise me,' she said. 'Many children have been severely affected by the war, not only from the South but also from the center of the country, and we don't know how long their situation will last,' she said. Golan explained that the situation could be the cause of 'serious effects on functioning later in life.' 'I think I have helped prevent kids from committing suicide – not by stopping before jumping out of a window but by allowing them to talk. The holder of a PhD in educational psychology, Golan has been a school principal in Ashkelon for over three decades, as well as also a member of the Education Ministry's appeals committee to dealing with various problems and complaints about schools. Even after she retired from teaching at schools, Golan said, she wanted 'to continue to help kids and parents.' 'I felt there were weak points in schools, which are unable to help with everything. Parenting is a profession, so fathers and mothers need counseling, but many seek help only when the situation is very bad.' In general, parents are put under a lot of pressure, she said. 'They are busy trying to make ends meet as prices are very high. Women come home late after taking their young children home from after-school programs in which the teachers or child minders may not have have enough training. 'Youngsters need to learn rules, boundaries, and values. If they abuse their smartphones during class or use them to cheat, they should be confiscated during classes. A child without boundaries is insecure,' Golan said As a principal, she said, 'I felt that coaching and being in close contact with the parents was very important. Once a year, there were visits to the homes of all the youngsters.' She advises, 'If a student gets a low grade on a test or an assignment, he or she must be encouraged. At her centers, Golan meets with kindergarten children who are about to enter first grade. 'I don't teach numbers or letters but getting used to the different behaviors and rules in elementary school. It can be very scary to make this transition,' she said, comparing it to the move 'from sixth grade in elementary school to junior high school. She points out that there are teachers who aren't suited to their jobs. 'I don't blame them but rather those who gave them their teaching degrees!' An educator must his or her honor pupils, Golan believes. 'If they don't have an answer when a student asks, it isn't shameful to say 'I don't know, but I will learn about it.' Thanks to Google and the Internet, many youngsters know more than their teachers. Despite the current situation, Golan said she has faith in the younger generation and in the future of the State of Israel. She described the country's current youth as 'an excellent generation.' ■ Sign up for the Health & Wellness newsletter >>
ABC News
28-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Woman abused by former NSW Police officer Jonathan Charles Bettles talks of 'emotional turmoil'
A woman who endured a string of domestic violence offences by a NSW Police officer has told a court of her "constant emotional turmoil" and lingering trauma, saying the "betrayal cuts deeper" because of the uniform he once wore. Jonathan Charles Bettles pleaded guilty to 14 charges in December, which were committed over a period of about 18 months to mid-2021 against a woman with whom he was in a relationship. The 37-year-old on Wednesday faced a sentence hearing in Burwood Local Court, where his lawyer accepted it was a "very serious course of offending". His charges include five counts of common assault, six of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two of destroying or damaging property and one of doing an act to pervert the course of justice. In a victim impact statement read by her daughter, the woman outlined how she no longer feels safe, relies on antidepressant medication to cope, and carries the weight of trauma. She said the abuse represented a "breaking point that has reshaped my entire life". "Since these events, I have lived my life in constant emotional turmoil," she said in the statement. "The trauma never fades, it lingers … It wakes me up in the middle of the night, it follows me during the day like a shadow I can't escape. The woman said the crimes have led to her pushing away friends and distancing herself from family members. It was made worse, she said, because they were committed by a "violent and toxic" man who'd sworn to serve and protect the community. "The betrayal cuts deeper from that uniform he once wore," she said. "I feared that no-one would believe me because of who he was." The magistrate was told the woman was lucky to have had people in her support network who did believe her. She said she now wants justice not only for herself, but for all those who've endured domestic violence. The court heard the conduct included demeaning acts such as pouring Coke over the woman and incidents of actual striking, along with attempted influence over her to make a false report to police. Defence lawyer Bryan Wrench argued for his client to be spared a custodial sentence and instead be placed on an intensive correction order, saying Bettles had been held on remand for about six months and served approximately 14 in home detention. Mr Wrench said without "diluting" what occurred, the offences were committed against a backdrop of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) acquired from his client's role as a police officer. The former senior constable, who joined the force in 2013, took two weeks off due to his mental health in May 2021 and was then on medical leave until he was charged in September 2023. "The mental health issues are severe," Mr Wrench submitted. Mr Wrench said Bettles was granted Supreme Court bail largely to allow him to continue receiving treatment from a psychologist and psychiatrist, describing the incidents as "all singular acts of violence". The Crown Prosecutor disputed that they could be characterised as "singular outbursts" but rather a "series of events", while accepting PTSD was a matter to be taken into account. The Crown argued material before the court showed what appeared to be an "unwillingness" to accept responsibility for the conduct. Bettles, who is no longer employed by NSW Police, will be sentenced on Monday afternoon.
Malay Mail
27-05-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
Alleged abuse victim, 12, to enter state custody as no relatives found fit, says Penang Welfare Dept
GEORGE TOWN, May 27 — A 12-year-old girl who was allegedly abused by her parents will be placed in a government-run care centre once she is discharged from hospital, according to the Penang Social Welfare Department (JKM). State JKM director Zakaria Taib said the decision was made after discussions with the girl's immediate relatives revealed that none were willing or suitable to take her in. 'Following consultations with both sides of the family, it was clear that they were unable or unfit to care for the child. As such, she will be placed in the custody of a registered care facility overseen by the department,' he said when contacted today. The girl remains in Penang Hospital where she is reported to be in stable condition. She is also receiving counselling amid concerns she may be suffering from emotional trauma following the incident. Zakaria said the department is now in the process of obtaining a court order to formalise her placement once she is discharged. 'This is the most appropriate solution at this time, given the current family circumstances. The court will ultimately decide on custody, but our priority is the safety and welfare of the child,' he added. Police had earlier detained a couple, aged 47 and 49, after the girl was found with bruises and lacerations on her back. She is believed to have been caned at the family's home in Sungai Ara. — Bernama
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
MAFS bride breaks silence over 'footsie' scandal and explosive on-air edit and slams producers for using her pain against her amid secret trauma
Married At First Sight bride Sierah Swepstone has finally spoken out following weeks of speculation surrounding her behaviour on the Channel Nine dating experiment. In a series of emotional Instagram Q&A posts, the 31-year-old bride made shocking claims about the show's editing, her emotional trauma and setting the record straight on that now-infamous 'footsie' scene. She also hit back at viewers who accused her of inappropriate behaviour under the dinner party table with co-star Adrian Araouzou, while taking aim at her on-screen husband Billy for shutting her down. Sierah denied anything romantic was going on with Adrian, writing: 'Billy [Belcher] was actually sitting to the left of me. That doesn't even look sexy nor does it actually look like we are touching.' She went on to claim that Billy had accused her of saying something off-camera, then denied it moments later. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'When I got annoyed, he told me to 'calm down' and was actually called out for being controlling by the experts,' she revealed, before slamming the producers for weaponising a vulnerable moment. 'I was trying not to cry… so yes, MAFS used something that happened to me, against me.' Sierah also addressed the assumption she was 'rubbing someone up' under the table, calling it insulting. 'It's insulting that anyone would think I'd be dumb enough to rub someone up in that environment,' she said, adding with sass: 'I've got more game than that guys.' The reality star also addressed the backlash over the so-called 'plate of meat' dinner involving Tony Mojanovski and Adrian, calling the drama 'sensationalised' and 'malicious'. She explained she had removed herself from her apartment due to emotional stress and was later invited by Tony, who saw she was visibly upset, to join him and Adrian for dinner. 'It was essentially a kebab shop with a dining bit… Tony paid – there was nothing sexy about it,' she insisted. 'We were out for a few hours before Adrian dropped Tony and I back.' Sierah claims Tony's name was deliberately edited out to create a misleading narrative of a date between her and Adrian. 'It was calculated, manipulative and malicious – done with the expectation that Tony's name wouldn't make the edit and we would become cheaters,' she alleged. In another slide, Sierah slammed the show's focus on trivial drama while overlooking the serious issues she was dealing with. 'In the grand scheme of things, I didn't really do anything Things that are made such a big deal of in TV land aren't things that people would care about in real life,' she said. She said the public should be directing their attention to issues that matter, such as domestic violence, bullying and mental health – not dinner parties and Instagram likes. In a particularly raw moment, Sierah opened up about being a domestic violence survivor, revealing she was in an abusive relationship from the age of 16 to 18. She explained how trauma survivors like herself are often hyper-vigilant and triggered in toxic environments. 'I spent 14 years reprogramming and working on myself. But I will always be vulnerable to certain behaviours that trigger me – especially in an environment where your pain is amplified, exploited, and you are extremely isolated,' she explained. She accused Billy of pressuring her to share details of her trauma. Sierah also confirmed that much of her storyline was cut from the show, including the reasons behind her departure. 'My narration was cut out. My feelings were never included. The way I was treated wasn't shown,' she said. She suggested the lack of context was deliberate, writing: 'The fact it was so sensationalised, because no one questioned why I removed myself… those were the real issues.' Prior to her stint on MAFS, Sierah appeared on the 2021 series of The Bachelor and failed to find love with her co-star Jimmy Nicholson. Her elimination from The Bachelor went down in reality TV history as one of the best exits when she hilariously confessed Jimmy wasn't into 'tall, horny bogans' after he sent her home.
News.com.au
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Blues roots star Tash Sultana shares the medical hell that inspired new songs
When the universe started dealing out 'heavy emotional trauma', Australian singer songwriter Tash Sultana headed into the studio to process it all. The gender-fluid global blues and roots star, who sells more than 500,000 tickets on their world tours, has had the roughest year of their life. After suffering a series of inexplicable anaphylactic attacks, they were finally diagnosed with Mass Cell Activation Syndrome. They grieved family and friends who lost their lives, and then their wife Jaimie was diagnosed with a rare cancerous tumour in her right knee. The single Hold On became their anthem for resilience when Jaimie's cancer treatment took a shocking, disastrous turn. 'It's a really, really rare type of cancer so it had been left undetected for like, years. We found out about all of that towards the end of last year,' Sultana said. 'And then everyone went on holiday and we were just left with that information. We didn't know like what grade it was, how bad it was, if it had gotten into lymph nodes or blood. 'It's been a f***ing absolute balls up with the surgery. They operated on the wrong thing, on the wrong side of the knee. 'A lot of people have told me it's insane how common (medical malpractice) is. And a lot of other people have said that it's a made-up story, that there's no way that this could possibly be true and that surgeons and doctors wouldn't do that. I wish that was the case.' As Jaimie continues her recovery after the tumour was removed, Sultana has readied their new Return to the Roots EP, which is released on May 30. The Australian big stage slayer will perform it for the first time on their upcoming American tour, where some shows sold out in mere minutes. 'It was just all pelting on at the one moment and I only really know to just go into the studio and kind of continue on as normal until told otherwise,' Sultana said. You can hear the emotional outpouring in songs like Hold On and Hazard to Myself, the catch in their voice, a deep breath. The artist who plays dozens of instruments wanted to finally make their voice is the star. And singing out their pain felt like exorcising it. 'I had to get it all out and I really, really sang on that record. It's the sort of real performance you can't do every day in the studio,' they said. 'I don't know if it is a piece that I even want to actually perform. It was more of just like a statement that I wanted to write.' It's more likely they will add recent singles including Milk and Honey, and maybe Ain't It Kinda Funny, featuring beloved Canadian singer songwriter City and Colour, a regular visitor to Australian shores. Those songs are already adding to Sultana's impressive presence on streaming platforms, where their music has had more than one billion plays on Spotify alone, a huge achievement for an Australian artist. But like a handful of local artists whose careers are much bigger overseas than at home, and who command audiences in the tens of thousands for their headline concerts and festival performances, Sultana said they feel 'really overlooked' in Australia. Sultana is a truly independent artist who not only writes, plays and records everything on their songs but also an entrepreneur who is a founder of Lonely Lands Agency, Lonely Lands Studio and recently launched Lonely Lands Liquids and The I Am Me Foundation. 'I feel really overlooked, little bit ignored here considering the scale of what I've been doing and the fact that no one else is actually doing anything like it,' Sultana said. 'I've also not really been available in this market for a very long time too. So, I haven't been releasing albums, I haven't being playing shows in Australia or doing a tour here. I just packed up and went overseas because the demand was there tenfold off the back of Covid when it was very shaky here. 'The economy is still f***ed here and that affects everything with festivals falling over, people losing their jobs, leaving the industry, people not coming back to see shows when they can't afford to pay the f***ing rent or their mortgage repayments. 'The golden age for musicians is when you're really, really young and your fan base is really, really young so you have to continually reinvent and recreate your profile. And I feel pretty good where I'm at right now after a few years of growing through my frustrations with my career.'
