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The Institute for Infancy
The Therapeutic Unit

The Therapeutic Unit

Yael Segal

Head of the Ziama Arkin Infancy Institute

The Clinical Unit provides Parent-Infant-Psychotherapy, free of charge, for infants and their parents during the first year of life (Parent-Infant Psychotherapy).

The treatment is provided by clinical psychologists and clinical trainees specializing in the field of Parent-Infant-Psychotherapy. Treatment aims are to assist parents in facing difficulties challenges during the infants’ first year of life. Treatment integrates between psychoanalytic and attachment theoretical frameworks, and empirical evidence that underscores the importance of fostering a healthy parent-infant relationship during the infant’s first year of life to cultivate optimal maturation and development.

Parents and infants whom receive treatment undergo brief assessments conducted by the Infancy lab to closely monitor treatment efficacy and outcomes. Regular assessments allow for ongoing refinement of therapeutic practice and dissemination of empirical data which informs the development of intervention strategies.

Our Therapeutic Team:


	Yael Segal Head of the Ziama Arkin Infancy Institute and head of the Therapeutic Unit. Segal holds an MA in Clinical Child Psychology from Tel Aviv University. She is a training psychoanalyst at the Israeli Psychoanalytic Society.
	Shyly Aptaker Ben-Dori Head of the Research at the Infancy Institute. Certified clinical psychologist, holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (with exceptional honors). Specialized in clinical psychology in the Ness-Ziona Mental Health Center and in Ramat-Aviv Institute for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. She is a doctoral candidate in the department of psychology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, under joint- supervision of Dr. Naama Atzaba-Poria and Dr. Tahli Frenkel. Her research focuses on preverbal infants’ mental representations of the parent-infant relationship. She lectures at the Reichman University school of psychology and has a private clinic working with adults, adolescents and children.
	Dr. Adva Vengrober Head of the training program in parent-infant psychotherapy. (PhD) Certified clinical psychologist, and holds a master's degree in clinical child psychology from Bar-Ilan University. She received her PhD from Bar-Ilan University. Her research focused on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder within infants exposed to war-related Trauma. Dr. Vengrober is a lecturer in the department of Communication Disorders graduate program at Tel-Aviv University. Her professional experience includes clinical work with children and adult patients in private and public clinics.
	Lee Elad Head of the Clinic and the Internship program. Certified Clinical psychologist - supervisor, in the Infancy Institute and in a private clinic. Holds a master's degree in clinical child psychology from Tel Aviv University. She specialized in clinical psychology at Haarbaa st. clinic for Mental Health and worked in the Psychiatric day care unit at Sheba Medical Center. Her professional experience includes clinical work with children, adolescents and adults at her private clinic and supervision to psychology interns and psychologists.
	Erga Kassif certified clinical psychologist - supervisor, in the Infancy Institute and in a private clinic. Holds a master's degree in clinical child psychology from Tel Aviv University. She specialized in clinical psychology and worked at Sheba Medical Center, in The Child and Adolescent Clinic for Mental Health and in the Psychiatric Day Care Unit. She also directed and supervised a regional "In-School" Support System for Autistic Children and Youth (7-18) within the Treatment and Research Autism Center. She is a student in the Primitive Mental States Track of advanced studies at The Program of Psychotherapy, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University. Her professional experience includes clinical work with children, adolescents and adults at her private clinic and supervision of psychology interns and psychologists


	Bat-El Terehovsky Hagai Clinical Psychologist in Internship Infancy Lab Manager
	Ortal Amir Clinical Psychologist in Internship, receives her MA in clinical psychology and MA In organizational development from Reichman university. Trained in family and couples Psychotherapy at Shinui Institute and working as a Family and Couples therapist at Herzliya Municipality.
	Ruthi Dangot Fisher Occupational Therapist – Consultant. Occupational therapist Since 1997, BA in Occupational Therapy from Tel Aviv University, MA in Family Studies from the College of Management Academic Studies (COLMAN).Worked at Geha Mental Health Center for 20 years at the Pediatric word and at the Infancy outpatient clinic, was a Member of the board of the Baby Mental Health Association (Israel WAIMH). Specializes in working with infants and toddlers with sensory processing difficulties, difficulty in sleeping, eating and behavioral problem. Treat privately infants and toddlers at their home and at her privet clinic.
	Margalit Izakson MD Adult Psychiatrist - Consultant. Graduated the Sackler school of medicine in Tel Aviv University and completed her residency in adults psychiatry at the Geha mental health center
	Yael Schlesinger Yael received her MA in clinical psychology from Reichman University (the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya) in 2016. Her Masters thesis was conducted at the Research Unit, under the joint supervision of Dr. Tahli Frenkel and Prof. Daniel Hamiel. Yael explored a novel technique of visual biofeedback intervention, using ultrasound, during the second stage of childbirth. She investigated the impact of this novel intervention on both medical and psychological beneficial outcomes, such as pushing efficacy, perineal tearing, maternal bonding, and post-traumatic symptoms post labor. Yael’s doctoral research is conducted under joint supervision of Dr. Tahli Frenkel at the Research Unit, and Prof. Naama Atzaba-Poria at Ben-Gurion University. She focuses on Identifying Early and Concurrent Mechanisms of Risk and Resilience which shape Preschool Children’s adjustment to the Large Scale stressor COVID-19.
	Nathalie Ratzoni Sasson received her MA in clinical psychology from Reichman University (the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya) in 2016. Her Masters thesis was conducted at the Research Unit, under the joint supervision of Dr. Tahli Frenkel and Prof. Guy Doron. Nathalie examined postnatal onset of a particular dimension of OCD focusing on close interpersonal relationships (relationship-OCD, i.e. ROCD), within the parent-infant dyad (Parent-Infant ROCD). Findings provided initial evidence for Parent-Infant-ROCD and demonstrated its’ associated risk for perturbed maternal behavior and adverse infant social outcomes. Nathalie’s doctoral research is conducted under joint supervision of Dr. Tahli Frenkel at the Research Unit, and Prof. Naama Atzaba-Poria at Ben-Gurion University.