Dec 2018 – Wishing you a Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year 2019!

Dear Donor,

2018 is almost over and as we welcome the coming of a new year, we are filled with hope and excitement as CCW will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2019.

We would like to end this year by sharing with you our interview with psychologist Dr. Eva Fogelman, who has supported CCW all along its way. We hope that it will give you inspiration and that you will consider CCW in this gift-giving season.

“It is important to offer psychotherapy geared towards helping women deal with their psychological issues as women by women therapists. The main reason is that without a particular kind of sensitivity, these issues may be overlooked or even denied.”

CCW: Why has it been so important for you to support CCW for 30 years? What is your connection to women’s issues?

Dr. Fogelman: In 1971 in New York, I was a member of “Ezrat Nashim,” the first Jewish women’s consciousness raising group that arose out of Second Wave Feminism. We recognized that we had issues that were not being addressed by the growing women’s movement, issues related specifically to our experience as Jewish women. During this period, I also participated in a women’s group in Boston where I met one of the founders of CCW, Bella Savran. When Bella approached me to support CCW, I realized how important it is to offer psychotherapy geared towards helping women deal with their psychological issues as women by women therapists. The main reason is that without a particular kind of sensitivity, these issues may be overlooked or even denied. For instance, women often don’t understand why they don’t progress or why they are being treated in a certain way at work .I think that having a feminist perspective in one’s therapy makes one realize that what happens to a woman at her job may have less to do with her work or with her professional ability, but rather with the fact that her boss is male. It is also important to offer therapy to women by female therapists because there are certain issues that are very difficult for women to talk about with a man such as sexual abuse, low sexual desire or abortion.

“CCW is a place where women of all ages and situations will be understood.”

Dr. Fogelman poses with CCW Executive Director Mariel Huberman

CCW: What differentiates CCW from other women’s organizations? What makes it special?

Dr. Fogelman: First of all, the organization is open to all women whether they are secular or religious. Every woman, no matter what her religious orientation, can feel comfortable coming to CCW. I think that this is very important. The fact that there is a sliding scale and that services are made affordable to women of all socio-economic groups is another very important aspect of CCW. Very often women do not give themselves the opportunity to go to therapy, particularly if we are talking about young women who are just starting their careers, students that can’t afford to go to therapy or mothers who are used to putting the needs of everyone else in the family ahead of their own. They realize, “Aha I can really help myself and get the help that I need because I’ll be able to pay what I can afford to pay.” I think that this is a very big plus. Also, women with different sexual orientations are welcomed by the center – you don’t have to be a straight Jewish woman to get therapy. You don’t have to be ashamed of whatever your sexuality is. Another plus is that CCW therapists have developed extensive knowledge about women’s issues throughout the life cycle, so it is a place where women of all ages and situations will be understood. That too is very important. Some women, who are older, were unable to go to therapy when they were in their 20s or 30s because of societal prejudices against going to therapy. They don’t have to feel that they can’t benefit from therapy just because they are older now.

“Going to therapy gives people an opportunity to see what it is they would like to do in life and to feel freer to be themselves.”

CCW: Why is it important for women to have therapy?

Dr. Fogelman: As we live our life, the unconscious is always operating. I think it is very helpful to understand our motivation for doing and not doing certain things. Women, certainly in my time, were not encouraged to succeed in certain ways. Therefore, their self-esteem might not have been commensurate with who they really are and as a result many women did not live up to their potential. Going to therapy gives people an opportunity to see what it is they would like to do in life and to feel freer to be themselves.

Help us to Help Women!

Transform the life of a woman today by making a gift to CCW! Help us to help other women make changes in their personal lives and  receive tools to create a better future for themselves, their families, and their community.

US tax deductible donations over $25 can be sent by check or by wire transfer to PEF Israel Endowment Funds Inc. (501C3), 630 Third Ave.,  15th floor, New York, NY10017. Please make sure to enclose a note with the donation indicating that it is recommended for The Counseling Center for Women, I.D. number 58-0130789. To donate in the honor or memory of someone, please indicate the name of the person and your contact email in your note to PEF so that we can inform them.

For other available options for making a gift, please see the button below or visit us at: http://ccw.org.il/en/donations/ 

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