In the wake of the October 7, 2023 attacks, families across Israel faced unimaginable trauma. Parents were left grappling with overwhelming fear and uncertainty, while young children—often too young to express their pain—remained particularly vulnerable. Recognizing this urgent need, three professionals with deep expertise in trauma and psychology—Naama Kroyzer, Einat Shaked, and Netta Ofer—came together to create "Talking Together", a nonprofit dedicated to helping families heal.
Guided by their collective backgrounds in child trauma, clinical psychology, and educational psychology, the founders envisioned a way to provide immediate, practical, and effective care for children under eight years old. Their shared expertise shaped the organization’s focus on rebuilding parent-child relationships—a vital foundation for recovery from trauma.
A Practical Solution for a Complex Problem
The founders of “Talking Together” faced a daunting challenge: how to bring specialized trauma care to families in the immediate aftermath of a crisis. Drawing on the founders’ experience with Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)—a method specifically designed to address trauma in young children—they adapted the approach into a condensed and accelerated model for use in emergencies. This innovative framework allowed families to access life-changing therapeutic care within weeks instead of months, meeting the urgency of the moment while maintaining the depth of the intervention.
The core idea behind the therapy was simple yet powerful: to help parents and children process their experiences together, strengthening the emotional bonds that are essential for healing. By focusing on the parent-child relationship, the program empowered families to support one another in ways that could mitigate long-term trauma.
Within weeks of its founding, “Talking Together” had mobilized dozens of highly trained therapists across Israel. The organization launched its first phase of operations in some of the hardest-hit communities, including kibbutzim and towns near the Gaza border, where families had experienced the most severe disruptions. By the end of 2023, they had reached over 750 families, providing care to more than 1,800 children.
Building on the success of this emergency intervention, the project expanded throughout 2024. Starting in January and concluding in late 2024, the program offered a structured 12-session intervention for over 400 children and their parents. This phase was accompanied by a research study led by Dr. Tali Frenkel from Reichman University. The study, currently in the data analysis stage, evaluates the program's feasibility, accessibility, significant impact, and the mechanisms driving these changes.
Each session provided immediate relief, giving parents the tools to better understand their children’s needs while helping children feel safe enough to express their fears. For many families, these sessions marked the first steps toward recovery, offering hope amid chaos.
Creating a Ripple Effect
While direct intervention was crucial, the founders of “Talking Together” understood that to create a lasting impact, their work needed to scale. With this in mind, they turned their focus to training other professionals. The accelerated CPP protocol, honed through their early work, became the foundation of a comprehensive training program for therapists across the country.
By mid-2024, “Talking Together” had started training 90 therapists, many of whom are part of
Resilience Centers and the Israel Trauma Coalition. The program combines intensive instruction with practical, hands-on mentoring. Each therapist works with families under close supervision, ensuring that the quality of care remains consistent while enabling more communities to benefit from the approach.
This ripple effect has been transformative. Therapists describe the training as both professionally enriching and deeply meaningful, equipping them to support families with a level of confidence and expertise they hadn’t had before. Meanwhile, families in previously underserved areas gained access to life-changing care through these trained professionals.
Stories of Impact
The impact of “Talking Together” extends far beyond statistics, as the organization’s work touches families and therapists on a deeply personal level. Based on insights from their work, the founders have observed how even small steps—such as a child feeling safe enough to cry in front of their parent or a parent finding ways to better support their child—can create significant milestones in the healing process.
These breakthroughs underscore the power of “Talking Together’s” approach: focusing not just on children or parents individually, but on strengthening the relationships that form the foundation of recovery. Testimonials from participants, alongside feedback from therapists, highlight the transformative potential of these interventions in restoring hope and connection.
A Lasting Legacy
"Talking Together" is more than an organization—it is a model for how trauma care can be delivered effectively and compassionately, even in the most challenging circumstances. In just over a year, the organization has shown how expertise and determination can bridge gaps in care, providing immediate support while laying the groundwork for sustainable, long-term healing.
The work is far from finished. The founders are committed to expanding their efforts, advocating for greater recognition of early childhood trauma, and developing emergency response teams that can be deployed quickly in future crises. Their vision extends beyond immediate intervention; they aim to build a framework that other organizations and professionals can adopt, ensuring that no child is left without the care they need.
As “Talking Together” continues its mission, its message remains clear: through connection, compassion, and expert care, it is possible to bring back hope to families, one child and one parent at a time.
