professional staff

Dr. Itamar is NATAL’s chief psychologist. He is a clinical psychologist and a certified supervisor in psychotherapy. He received his doctorate in psychology from the University of Denver and continued his studies at the Jung Institute in Zurich, Switzerland and in the Jung institute in Israel. During his military service in the Yom Kippur War, as a combat pilot, he was a POW in Syria. Previously he served as the head of the Psychology & Psychiatry in the Israeli Air Force and as head of the Casualties Department in the IDF. Dr. Barnea treats trauma with a Jungian approach.

Dr. Rony Berger, a licensed clinical psychologist and family and child therapist, is the Director of Community services at NATAL. He received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Florida Institute of Technology. Dr. Berger was the head of the Psychosomatic Medicine Program at Hebrew University, a researcher at the Harry Truman Center for the Advancement of Peace and a visiting Professor at Al Quds University Medical School. He is currently the head of the psycho-social desk and a board member of “Psychology without Borders”.  Dr. Berger worked with PTSD victims all over the world, including the Oklahoma City Bombing 2004 tsunami, 9/11, Hurricane Catherina and more.

Sigal Haimov is the founder and the Director of NATAL’s Hot Line. She has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and English and a Masters Degree in Education. Her diverse professional experience with Help Lines led her to develop a unique new model for Natal. She is in charge of recruiting and training the volunteers, monitoring and supervising their work, coordinating the activities of the Hot Line with other units at NATAL (specifically the Clinic) and running the daily operation of the Hot Line. Prior to her position with NATAL she worked at ELI- Israel Association for Child Protection as Hot Line director and prevention program director.

Saar Uziely serves as the director of NATAL’s Clinical Center. He is a clinical psychologist and a certified supervisor in psychotherapy. He obtained a Masters Degree in clinical psychology and a Bachelors Degree in psychology, both at Hebrew University. He served in the army for 19 years, initially as an officer in a combat unit.  In his last position he served as the commander of the IDF institute for treatment of career soldiers and their families. In 1996 he was discharged from the IDF with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.

Hagit Buchbinder heads NATAL’s Social Therapeutic Club. Before joining NATAL she served for 20 years in the IDF in various positions, her last one being Chief Personal Affairs Officer in the Air force. She is a certified practical construction engineer and obtained her Bachelors Degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Political Sciences. She has extensive experience in leading organizational welfare and logistics systems and in initiating innovative projects.

Dr. Shai Gur is a psychiatrist and the deputy director of the adults’ mental health clinic in Geha Hospital, affiliated to Tel Aviv University.  Currently he serves as the psychiatrist of NATAL’s clinical unit and as well as one of its psychotherapists.

Prof. Marc Gelkopf is a psychologist and the research coordinator in Lev Hasharon Psychiatric Hospital. He is involved in several researches initiated by the Ministry of Defense and by the Ministry of Health. Previously he coordinated psychological and psychiatric research in the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and in several drugs rehabilitation centers. He published nearly 60 professional articles in the fields of psychology and psychiatry in general and in the field of trauma in particular.
Prof. Gelkopf is a member of NATAL’s professional steering committee and heads
NATAL’s research unit.

Bina Levin is a clinical social worker and a certified supervisor. She is a professional manager in “Mudaut”- subsidized counseling for educators. Previously she served as a senior mental health officer in the IDF, manager of the unit for the treatment of combat fatigue victims and director of the instruction department of the mental health branch in the IDF. Ms. Levin is the professional coordinator of NATAL’s Multi-Disciplinary Trauma Studies Center.