Adee Benartzy, MA

"Navigating the complexities of every-day life can feel overwhelming, but the secret lies in accepting the waves and learning to internalize our experiences in ways that empower us rather than defeat us." 

Adee Benartzy is a bilingual psychotherapist working with olim and international populations in central Israel through her private practice, Galim Counseling. A cultural chameleon herself growing up intermittently between Israel and America, she holds a unique perspective of experiencing and codeswitching between cultural identities, and therefore specializes in assisting in immigration adjustment and multicultural identity negotiations for olim and internationals at any stage of their life here in Israel. 

Approach:   Adee believes that people grow through, and towards, human connection. At the root of her approach lies the belief that a strong therapeutic alliance - one that feels authentic, transparent and holding in such a way that allows the client to lean into the discomfort and explore their deepest vulnerabilities - is the key for success towards therapeutic goals. Through an informed lens of psychology and the study of the intangible forces that shape human behavior, Adee strives to engage the client in self-healing through a therapeutic journey centered around self-compassion and a willingness to reconstruct self-defeating narratives by grounding our experiences in critical self-introspection and a growth mindset. The goal is, quite simply, for the client to leave every session feeling grounded yet empowered by the possibility of growth present in every challenge that might come their way.

Additional Expertise:  Adee's clinical training has afforded her specialized expertise in interventions using expressive arts modalities, as well as specific expertise in Psychological First Aid for war-zone related trauma & anxiety in the Gaza border (and now, central Israel) which served as the foundation for her work in trauma-informed CBT therapy. Previous to her clinical career, Adee worked in academia and research in fine arts (B.A. Fine Arts, M.A. History of Art), and additionally holds extensive experience in teaching and education at the elementary, high school, and university level. Her therapeutic approach therefore highlights a belief in the power of knowledge and the importance of psycho-education.