Hadassah observes PTSD Awareness Month
Dawn Gonzales, SA Chapter Membership Chair explaining to attendees Hadassah’s philanthropic attributes.
JULY 3, 2025 — In observance of June’s being newly designated as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, the San Antonio Chapter of Hadassah held an informative program on June 24 featuring three experts in treating trauma.
The first speaker was Dr. Brenya Twumasi, who teaches a PTSD class at UTSA. Dr. Twumasi explained exactly what PTSD is, and how it is acquired as a reaction to traumatic experiences. One surprising statistic she mentioned was that more women than men suffer from PTSD. The next speaker was Trauma Counselor Andrea DeLeon of Jewish Family Service, who discussed how they reach out to sufferers and their family members, including children. Elizabeth Schram Balderman then explained Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR,) as therapy for those with PTSD. EMDR, innovated by a Jewish woman in New York, allows the brain to refocus its attention away from traumatic memories.
The program took place in a casual “Coffee Clatch” setting at the Barshop Jewish Community Center. Refreshments by Deliciously Different Catering were enjoyed by attendees as they listened to each presentation.
The final speaker was SA Hadassah President Marion Bernstein who discussed how the Hadassah Medical Organization in Israel provides PTSD counseling to the community — citizens & IDF soldiers alike. Marion discussed how Hadassah rushed to complete the new Gandel Rehabilitation Center to treat those in need of urgent care, and how they recently converted an underground parking area to serve temporarily as a bomb-proof ICU.
For more information on how Hadassah in Israel handles PTSD needs, please visit their website at: www.hadassah.org. For details on the recent San Antonio event, please contact Debbie Linck at marketinglinck@yahoo.com.