About
TAFSAN Psychoanalytic Center for Adolescents
TAFSAN – a non-profit organization established in 2013 and registered by law (as Amuta 580589794). It has around 30 professionals as active members, including clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, educators and teachers. The center was founded with the aim of supporting the state education system to deal with adolescent dropout.
The association’s targets are:
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Psychological treatment of dropping out adolescents.
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Preventive treatment of adolescents on the verge of dropping out.
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Training of professionals in education and therapy in the treatment of adolescents
The clinical station:
TAFSAN has developed a distinct approach to the question of dropout which combines clinical aspects of psychoanalysis with educational and social considerations.
A team of psychologists, psychoanalysts and clinical social workers treats over a hundred applications per year. The center supplies intake, diagnosis, treatment, consultation, and guidance to adolescents in states of dropping out, and to their families, as well as for the education team.
Who can apply?
The clinical center treats adolescents, who are usually referred by therapeutic and educational functionaries in the schools or in the community; others follow the advice of parents or apply directly.
The adolescents who apply are of diverse socio economic backgrounds: Jewish, Arab, orthodox, secular, aged between 12-18.
The center also supplies emergency service with an immediate response to urgent applications; there are no waiting lists.
How do we understand dropping out?
Adolescents are dropping out before this shows in their actual behavior: they either drop out physically (absence from school, addictions, life-endangering activities), socially (self-isolation, hostility, vagrancy) or intellectually (learning difficulties, refusal to knowledge). In TAFSAN, an optimal line of treatment is decided for each case. Alongside individual work with the young person, we act by cooperation with other factors relevant to the adolescent’s well-being: in the educational system, in welfare, medical authorities, the army, employment etc. This multi-contextual treatment enables adolescents to re-locate themselves in life.
TAFSAN treats cases of varying degrees of severity: from problems with school attendance to cases of life endangering activities.
A weekly clinical staff meeting accompanies the treatment of cases to ensure optimal decisions. Since its opening, hundreds of cases were treated in the center in a variety of ways.
We believe every dropping out adolescent presents is unique and necessitates a different kind of intervention. Our approach has proven successful in most cases dealt with in the center over the years: the program has been significantly effective in its impact, either on the adolescent’s ability to resume schooling or in opening up another channel for his/her passion, investment and involvement outside the school framework.
Training and instruction of professionals:
TAFSAN carries out a variety of initiatives and activities targeting the training of professionals in the areas of education and clinical therapy of adolescents.
The center holds regular study days, an annual seminar offered to therapists and educators, and a program in the psychoanalytic clinic of the adolescent, a practical training for trainees, instruction in clinical teams and study evenings throughout the year. the center carries out art and cultural events related to adolescents.
TAFSAN has regular publications: an online journal (Zman Tafsan) with 56 published issues, being read by over 1700 subscribers. It includes, alongside articles by professionals, short pieces and essays written by adolescents treated in TAFSAN. The TAFSAN Publishing publishes books on topics related to the work in the center.
Financial support
Over the years the activity in TAFSAN has been supported by Tel Aviv municipality and the Ministry of Health. Support has also been provided by specific departments in the Tel Aviv municipality: education and welfare.
Public support has been reduced considerably as of last year (2023).
TAFSAN is currently seeking donations in order to enable the continuation of its activities in the coming years.