Dr. Tamar Lavi PHD, is NATAL's Director of Community Outreach and an Educational Psychologist and Psychotherapist who has been researching and treating populations exposed to trauma in the context of terror and war for 20 years. She is primarily focused on the psychological consequences of exposure to terror and war on individuals, families and communities, as well its varying cultural aspects and interpretations.  Her doctoral dissertation focused on the implications of the Intifada on...

  Dr. Itamar Barnea 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 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 Psychology & Psychiatry in the Israeli Air Force and as head of the Casualties Department...

Professor Avi Bleich is a psychiatrist and the Chairman of NATAL professional steering committee as well as the Academic Director of the Multidisciplinary Trauma Studies Center. He was previously the director of the Lev HaSharon Hospital and the director of Tel Aviv University's School of Medicine. In the past he was also the Chairman of the Israel Psychiatry Association and the director of Mental Health Services in the IDF. 

Professor Marc Gelkopf is the Director of NATAL's Research and Evaluation department and is a member of the professional steering committee.  Marc is a psychologist and coordinates NATAL research at Lev HaSharon hospital and is a partner in research projects with the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Health. In the past he also coordinated research projects at the Sourasky Hospital in Tel Aviv and several drug treatment clinics. He has published over 60 articles on the subject of trauma...

Dr. Rivka Tuval-Mashiach is a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Bar Ilan University, Israel. She is also the head of the Community Services Unit of NATAL, the Israel Center for Victims of Terror and War. Her research and clinical work includes the study of the use of narrative approaches to diagnose and treat people exposed to trauma and those with PTSD. Rivka also studies collective trauma, gender and trauma, and indentity constructor processes...

  Sigal Haimov is the Director of Professional Model Development and is responsible for the creation and development of NATAL's unique Helpline model. She was previously the Helpline Director, however now focuses on facilitating trainings abroad to professional groups based on NATAL's various intervention models. Sigal is a member of NATAL's professional steering committe and holds a BA in Psychology and English and an MA in Education.   To contact Sigal directly, please email...

Bina Levin is the Director of NATAL’s Multi-Disciplinary Trauma Studies Center. She is a clinical social worker and a certified supervisor, and a professional manager in “Mudaut”- providing services of psychological treatment and counseling for teachers. Previously she served as a senior mental health officer in the IDF, manager of the unit for the treatment of combat reactions, and director of instruction in the mental health department in the IDF.

  Yotam Dagan in the Director of International Programming at NATAL, prior to which he was the Director of Community Outreach. He is a former Israel Navy Seal Commander, a clinical psychologist and a hostage negotiator. Upon completion of his military tenure, Yotam initiated and started nonprofit sector programs helping soldiers reintegrate into civil society, and a leadership program, aimed at assisting special forces veterans, the “cream of the crop” to take the lead in...