Professional Experience and Background
I made Aliyah in 1991 from Montreal, Canada and completed my university education in the Clinical Psychology Department of Bar Ilan University (Ph.D.). I have worked for four years in the department of Quality Assurance of State Treatment Facilities at the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Research Institute. Following that, I worked for four years in the Jerusalem Mental Health Centre “Eitanim” where I completed my clinical psychology internship.
After my time in “Eitanim”, I decided to specialize in eating regulation problems. My interest in the field stemmed from personal lifestyle changes that I made and as I accumulated knowledge and experience, I realized how important it is to address psychological aspects of eating behavior as an adjunct to medical and nutritional aspects of obesity treatment.
While opening a private practice in Jerusalem, I worked on a volunteer basis for one year with people who underwent bariatric surgery at the Bikur Cholim Hospital. Following this year, additional groups were opened as part of the private medical services provided by Bikur Cholim Hospital. I tracked these patients for five years and the conclusions I drew from my work at the hospital and in private practice contributed to ensuing publications, lectures and ongoing clinical work.
Today, I run a bi-lingual private practice in Katamon, Jerusalem where I see people who struggle with difficulties in regulating their eating habits as well as other emotional and interpersonal challenges. I teach Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in the school of Public Health at the University of Haifa and in professional level training courses throughout the country. I also give training seminars for dieticians and mental health professionals in the field of bariatric surgery. I am an active member of the Israeli Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapies (ITA), the Israeli Association of Eating Disorders (IAED), and the Bariatric Forum for Mental Health Practitioners.