Partners: Palestinian Internship Program & EMDR 4 Peace
For young Palestinian graduates, entering multicultural professional environments can require more than technical skills. Conflict, instability, and repeated stress can create psychological barriers that affect confidence, communication, and readiness for work.
In 2025, B8 of Hope supported a collaboration between the Palestinian Internship Program and EMDR 4 Peace that brought professional development and trauma-informed resilience training together.
What B8 of Hope supported
In May 2025, PIP and EMDR 4 Peace held two intensive workshops in Beit Jala for 46 PIP participants. These were the first in-person gatherings PIP had been able to hold since October 7, 2023, making them an important milestone in restoring direct support and community-building for participants.
Each six-hour workshop was facilitated by a binational team of Israeli-Jewish and Palestinian mental health professionals trained in EMDR protocols.
The workshops began with self-introduction and resource-development exercises, giving participants space to share professional and personal aspirations in a setting designed around safety and dignity. Participants were then introduced to EMDR-based group protocols to help process workplace-related fears and anxieties while strengthening internal resources for problem-solving and resilience.
The final phase focused on practical releasing techniques, offering participants tools to let go of stressors and hold on to sources of personal strength.
What the collaboration made possible
The workshops helped participants build confidence, strengthen emotional regulation, and feel more prepared for multicultural work environments. Pre- and post-surveys indicated improvements in self-efficacy, confidence in multicultural settings, and openness to professional coexistence with Israelis.
Many participants described the sessions as the first time they were able to speak about conflict-related stress in a way that felt safe and productive.
One participant reflected: “This was the first time I felt my body could relax while talking about these things. I left with hope—not because everything is solved, but because I remembered I have strength.”
The collaboration also modeled respectful professional cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians. By working with a mixed facilitation team, participants saw a concrete example of mutual recognition, care, and shared practice.
Why it matters
This Synergy Grant showed the value of combining different kinds of expertise. PIP brought its experience supporting young Palestinian professionals, while EMDR 4 Peace brought trauma-informed tools and trained facilitators.
Together, they created a space where professional development could include the emotional realities participants carry with them. The result was not only career preparation, but also restored confidence, community connection, and practical tools for resilience.