Eden Residential trauma care is a feminist post-hospitalization therapeutic institution located in Kibbutz Karmia and is home to about 60 girls aged 12-18. These girls' challenging life circumstances have left them with complex post-trauma; some have been removed from their family homes by court order. At Eden, they find a place in which they can make a change based on a feminist social viewpoint, acknowledge their difficulties, accept and acquire coping tools and skills. The therapeutic model developed at the Eden Residential trauma care helps girls who are at the edge of the social spectrum, to overcome their difficult circumstances and acquire tools, values and self-confidence that will let them realize their talents, take responsibility and rewrite the story of their lives.
Treatment at Eden
The Residential trauma care is a safe, non-judgmental place for coping with the consequences of trauma and its emotional and behavioral expressions. The team is qualified and skilled in implementing the Eden model – a structured treatment model, and works in collaboration with the home community and family of each girl, as well as with various therapy entities.
All the girls at Eden are treated by social workers or therapists who use art, expression, and creativity tools. The girls are accompanied in a continuous and intensive manner throughout the years, with a significant part of the therapeutic work taking place in the shared space, and the rest through individual therapies. The purpose of the treatment, according to our world view, is to reduce suffering and build quality of life. The girls learn to look at themselves and develop the ability to choose for themselves. In addition to individual therapy, a lot of time is devoted during the week to group therapeutic work: DBT skills group, group mindfulness practice, morning and evening sharing circles, and more.
Treatment at Eden is based on the feminist approach, on the DBT method, and on the motivational approach, which is particularly effective in capacity building and improving function, and mitigating extreme behaviors such as self-harm, violence, escape and more.
From our viewpoint, each girl has her own home – the home she came from; Eden is the second home. We emphasize the connection with the parents and the family and do everything we can to give the girl and her family tools for effective communication and maintaining the relationship.
The Residential trauma care structure
The Residential trauma care is comprised of 5 houses: Asif, Nitzan, Yahalom, Keshet and Atid (the seniors' house).
The five houses form a continuum from the girl's admission to the end of the process. Every girl begins her process at Eden in the "Assif" house. This is the first house – where the girl's admission and acclimatization process takes place. After that, each girl moves to treatment and residence in one of the permanent houses. In her last year the girl moves to the Senior House where she receives the necessary preparation before leaving for independent life.
The house team consists of a social worker, a coordinator, a house (den) mother, a team of counselors and two national service volunteers. All these are responsible for attending to the mental and physical needs of the girls, professionally supporting them in their individual processes, and are there for them in moments of crisis, and also in moments of success and joy.
Life at Eden
Life at the Residential trauma care is rich with experiences – social events, parties, enrichment workshops and various fun group and leisure activities, as well as trips. The Residential trauma care complex is green with vegetation and well kept, peaceful and pleasant. The rooms are maintained on an ongoing basis, and there are also five therapy rooms. At the girls' disposal are also a variety of facilities, including two art rooms, a calming Snoezelen room, a social club, a well-stocked feminist library, a gamers room, a kitchen serving delicious hot meals on a daily basis, a laundry room, a barber shop, a coffee shop – "In Eden's Garden", a clothing shop – "Feminushka", and more.
Education at Eden
The girls at the Residential trauma care study at Eden school, which is operated by the association and is adapted to their unique needs. As part of their daily routine, they take part in a variety of activities: Art therapy, canine therapy, sporting activities, enrichment lectures, the development of digital literacy, life skills workshops and more.