First Psychological Aid for Families During War: Integrating the Narrative Approach With Emotionally Focused Therapy...

The article describes a first psychological support project for families living in the seam zone between Israel and areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Since October 7th, the proximity to the border and potential of terrorist infiltration into communities have generated heightened anxiety among residents, alongside concern for family members enlisted to reserve duty or on mandatory service. Therefore, the Family Therapy Unit of Menashe Regional Council initiated a psychological support program designed to strengthen families' resources and enhance their ability to cope with the ongoing stress and anxiety. The intervention was based on an integration of the narrative approach and emotionally focused therapy (EFT). These approaches were chosen for their grounding in positive and humanistic psychology, which highlights family resilience and can be applied in a focused, short-term intervention. The intervention protocol and a case example are described in detail. Additionally, an attempt to evaluate the project under wartime conditions is described, including its limitations. The evaluation method included a quantitative component and a content analysis of one open-ended question focused on the family's experiences with the intervention. The results indicated a significant reduction in parents' stress and in their perceptions of children's stress, but no significant difference in family resilience. Consistent with previous studies, participants experienced the therapeutic relationship as the most meaningful factor rather than the techniques employed. The article concludes with a call for further evaluation of such interventions in war zones and disaster-affected regions across diverse sociocultural and political contexts.