Dr. Dana Shamai-Leshem, Ms. Shir Porat-Butman, Prof. Einat Levy-Gigi, Prof. Simone Shamay-Tsoory
This study reveals that following October 7 2023, and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, psychotherapists who exhibit higher levels of empathic concern or engagement in empathic fantasy are at particularly high risk of developing PTSD symptoms due to traumatic exposure in therapy. Under normal circumstances, empathic concern is related to client’s outcome and therapist’s satisfaction. However, under crisis settings, it might lead to therapist's increased PTSD symptoms. The fantasy component of empathy, which involves imaginative projection into a client’s experience, can deepen understanding of the client’s experience but also lead to increased emotional vulnerability, particularly when engaging with traumatic content. Thus, a tension arises between empathy as an essential tool for effective psychotherapy and the potential toll it may take on therapists’ well-being. These findings underscore the critical need for training on regulating empathic responses during disaster management to protect therapists' mental health and allow them to provide effective treatment for those in need.
