Earlier this month, psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, a pioneer in trauma research, sparked outrage as he led a workshop on trauma at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, a retreat center in Rhinebeck, N.Y., comparing Israelis to ‘Nazis’ and disparaging orthodox Jewish patients for choosing their ‘tribe’ over ‘truth.’
Weeks later, the fallout is still reverberating in the Jewish, healthcare and trauma communities, with the Omega Institute apologizing to participants for van der Kolk’s ‘inappropriate and antisemitic comments‘ and van der Kolk sharing with me emails he sent the Omega Institute after initially apologizing for his comments, now threatening to sue the retreat center for libel for calling his remarks antisemitic.
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This story would be just another unseemly saga of an academic falling from grace, but it is much more. It’s a cautionary tale of how even the most celebrated voices in the psychology and healing fields can become ideologically captured and carry blind spots so profound that they leave Jewish trauma invisible, mischaracterized or invalidated in moments of greatest vulnerability.
Known globally for writing The New York Times best-selling 2014 book, ‘The Body Keeps the Score,’ and for his pioneering PTSD research with psychiatrist Judith Herman, van der Kolk has long been regarded as the authority on trauma studies, broadening our understanding of the impact of trauma beyond combat veterans to survivors of child abuse and domestic violence. I’ve known him personally for decades, taught his work to psychology students at Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles, where I was a professor, and hosted him in Los, where he drafted parts of his bestselling book at my dining room table.
Van der Kolk should know how to parse the trauma that Jews carry. He grew up in Nazi-occupied Netherlands, where the Dutch establishment complied quickly with Nazi orders that sent 75% of Dutch Jews to their deaths, the highest in all of Western Europe.
Fast-forward to early August when van der Kolk and his wife, Licia Sky, led a workshop on ‘Trauma, Memory and the Restoration of Self,’ at the Omega Institute.
According to an Aug. 7 social media post that went viral, ‘Traumatized by the trauma expert,’ Alysa Portnoy, a trauma recovery coach and attendee at the workshop, said that van der Kolk compared Israelis to ‘Nazis,’ saying, ‘What Israel is doing in Gaza is what the Nazis did.’
Ironically, in an op-ed piece, van der Kolk acknowledged the deep trauma of both sides in the conflict, stating that ‘the pain of the Palestinian people is a reality that cannot be ignored.’ However, his statements at the workshop have been seen as contradictory, as they did not acknowledge the broader context of the conflict and instead focused on making a sweeping comparison to Hitler and the Nazi regime.
Van der Kolk’s actions have raised significant ethical concerns, especially within the medical community, which values objectivity and evidence-based practice. His comments may have caused further harm to the already vulnerable patients who seek help in these settings by perpetuating stereotypes and misinformation about the conflict. Many have questioned the integrity of the medical profession and its responsibility in addressing such issues, especially when they involve potentially harmful narratives that could be misused to justify or perpetuate conflict.
The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the role of ideology in the field of trauma care. Mental health professionals are increasingly expected to provide care that is not only clinically sound but also socially and politically aware. The challenge lies in maintaining objectivity while navigating the complex and often polarizing issues surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
As the situation continues to evolve, it’s essential for mental health professionals to reflect on how their views and statements can impact their patients and the broader community. The goal should be to foster understanding and empathy rather than perpetuate division, especially in contexts where the trauma of both parties is real and deeply felt.
Ultimately, this incident serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of ethical responsibility in the field of mental health. It highlights the need for ongoing education and dialogue to ensure that professionals can navigate complex issues with sensitivity and integrity, promoting healing rather than division in their work with patients.