Leetal Benzvi, Expressive Arts Therapist, creator of the Art Sense method

06/09/2025

I just finished the Duvdevan workshop.
We built safety—first within ourselves, then in relationships, and finally as a community.
We spoke of pain.
Pain after war.
Pain from serving and coming home broken.
Pain when words no longer connect, yet the longing to love and be loved remains.
And still—they created. Through art and journaling, each shaped a “house of safety.” Couples and community wove them together—out loud, for the first time in 700 days, 99 weeks, nearly 23 months since October 7, 2023.
This is only the beginning.
Sixteen couples. Duvdevan.
We must remember our love—for our families, and for ourselves.
The Duvdevan Couples Project, in partnership with Orot Healing and rooted in the RISE methodology, is alive.
And soon—the real journey begins.

19/06/2025

25/01/2025

***נפתח קורס נוסף בימי שני בוקר בנוסף לקורס של ימי לרביעי .....
נותרו מקומות (הקורס מתקיים באבן יהודה).
פרטים בלינק

קורסים קורסים אקדמאיים, מקצועיים וסדנאות הקורסים השונים מתאימים הן ללימוד מקצוע / הסבה, והן להתפתחות אישית, התמודדות נפשית והעשרה. קיימים קורסים לקהל הרחב וקורסים ה....

21/01/2025

✨ The Art of Healing Retreat ✨

Last week, I had the profound honor of leading The Art of Healing retreat, generously sponsored by the Adopt a Family Foundation. This meaningful gathering brought together families who have endured the unimaginable pain of terror, offering them a space to heal, connect, and rebuild resilience. 💛

Held at the serene Secret Forest Resort in Cyprus, this retreat was a journey of healing through art, community, and my Resilience Journal method—a therapeutic approach I developed to build resilience through expressive arts and journaling. 🎨📖

I am deeply grateful to have witnessed the courage and strength of every participant, and to the incredible partners who made this experience possible. Together, we created a space where hope could flourish, even amidst the shadows of grief.

Looking ahead, I am excited about future retreats to come, where we can continue to create safe and transformative spaces for healing, connection, and resilience, bringing the power of art and journaling to even more individuals and families in need. 🌿✨

Watch the highlights and feel the power of art, community, and resilience.

Week retreat for victims of terror sponsored by Adopt a Family Foundation led by Leetal Benzvi in The Secret Forest, Cyprus.

17/01/2025

As I sit here on the plane returning to Israel from leading the Secret Forest resort retreat in Cyprus, I am overwhelmed with a deep sense of gratitude and reflection. This journey has been filled with so many emotions—the profound processes each participant went through, the connections that were built, and the courage they showed in sharing and witnessing one another's stories.
I heard participants speak about sleeping peacefully for the first time in a long while, laughing in ways they hadn’t for ages, and sharing things they had never spoken aloud before. They found moments of stillness for themselves, enriching their minds, hearts, and souls in ways that felt new and meaningful.
It was an incredible honor to hold space for this group, to guide them with the Resilience Journal, and to listen with an open heart. Together, we cried, we laughed, and we formed connections that ran deep.
Thank you to Adopt a Family Foundation for trusting me with this invaluable opportunity and sponsoring this retreat for victims of terror. I am filled with hope and excitement for leading future retreats to support other populations. Stay tuned—more information to come.
כשאני יושבת כאן על המטוס, בדרכי חזרה לישראל מהריטריט ‏שהנחתי ביער הסודי , אני מוצפת בתחושת תודה עמוקה ובהרהורים ‏. המסע הזה הי מלא ברגשות – התהליכים העמוקים שכל אחד ואחת עברו, הקשרים שנוצרו, והאומץ לשתף ולהיות עדים לסיפורם של אחרים.
‏
שמעתי משתתפים מספרים על כך שישנו בשקט לראשונה מזה זמן רב, צחקו כמו שלא צחקו מזה שנים, שיתפו דברים שמעולם לא דיברו עליהם. הם מצאו רגעים של שקט לעצמם, העשירו את נפשם, ליבם ונשמתם בדרכים חדשות ומשמעותיות.
הייתה לי הזכות הגדולה להחזיק את המרחב עבור קבוצה זו, להנחות אותם עם יומן החוסן ולהקשיב בלב פתוח. יחד בכינו, צחקנו ויצרנו קשרים עמוקים ומשמעותיים.
תודה מקרב לב ל"Adopt a Family Foundation" על האמון בי ועל ההזדמנות הבלתי ניתנת לתיאור הזו. אני מלאת תקווה והתרגשות לקראת ריטריטים עתידיים שיתמכו
באוכלוסיות נוספות. עדכונים נוספים יגיעו בקרוב.
As I sit here on the plane returning to Israel from leading the Secret Forest resort retreat in Cyprus, I am overwhelmed with a deep sense of gratitude and reflection. This journey has been filled with so many emotions—the profound processes each participant went through, the connections that were built, and the courage they showed in sharing and witnessing one another's stories.
I heard participants speak about sleeping peacefully for the first time in a long while, laughing in ways they hadn’t for ages, and sharing things they had never spoken aloud before. They found moments of stillness for themselves, enriching their minds, hearts, and souls in ways that felt new and meaningful.
It was an incredible honor to hold space for this group, to guide them with the Resilience Journal, and to listen with an open heart. Together, we cried, we laughed, and we formed connections that ran deep.
Thank you to Adopt a Family Foundation for trusting me with this invaluable opportunity and sponsoring this retreat for victims of terror. I am filled with hope and excitement for leading future retreats to support other populations. Stay tuned—more information to come.
כשאני יושבת כאן על המטוס, בדרכי חזרה לישראל מהריטריט ‏שהנחתי ביער הסודי , אני מוצפת בתחושת תודה עמוקה ובהרהורים ‏. המסע הזה הי מלא ברגשות – התהליכים העמוקים שכל אחד ואחת עברו, הקשרים שנוצרו, והאומץ לשתף ולהיות עדים לסיפורם של אחרים.
‏
שמעתי משתתפים מספרים על כך שישנו בשקט לראשונה מזה זמן רב, צחקו כמו שלא צחקו מזה שנים, שיתפו דברים שמעולם לא דיברו עליהם. הם מצאו רגעים של שקט לעצמם, העשירו את נפשם, ליבם ונשמתם בדרכים חדשות ומשמעותיות.
הייתה לי הזכות הגדולה להחזיק את המרחב עבור קבוצה זו, להנחות אותם עם יומן החוסן ולהקשיב בלב פתוח. יחד בכינו, צחקנו ויצרנו קשרים עמוקים ומשמעותיים.
תודה מקרב לב ל"Adopt a Family Foundation" על האמון בי ועל ההזדמנות הבלתי ניתנת לתיאור הזו. אני מלאת תקווה והתרגשות לקראת ריטריטים עתידיים שיתמכו
באוכלוסיות נוספות. עדכונים נוספים יגיעו בקרוב.

13/11/2024

Growing up in America, I remember seeing photos of missing children on milk cartons.
It deeply frightened me—

I couldn’t understand how a child could simply disappear.
Now days, living in Israel after October 7, that same fear has returned in a new, heartbreaking way.

Everywhere we look, we see posters of missing kids, teens, and adults—faces of people taken from their homes.

This unsettling reality has become a constant presence on our streets and walls.

Today, a child came to me to speak of her fear.
She shared that she struggles to fall asleep, terrified she might be kidnapped.

When I asked her where she had heard this, she said, “Everywhere I look, I see the pictures.”
Her fear reflects a new reality for so many children living in Israel—confronting things they should never have to face.

In this surreal, painful environment, I tried to help her find a sense of safety.

I asked her to imagine her own place of comfort— where her dog is by her side, a place where she can find strength and safety.
Together, we practiced a “safety dance” and created an imaginary container around her, filled with boundaries, prayers, and protection.

I believe that, even amidst her fear, she holds a power within herself to feel safe.

These unfortunate circumstances undermine our children’s sense of security.
My hope is that, one small step at a time, I can help her—and others—reclaim that sense of safety, even in the face of such unimaginable fears.

.Leetal Benzvi, Expressive Arts Therapist