September 2024 Newsletter

Trigger Warning: Suicide Topic mentioned below

Dear Beautiful Angels,

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Out of respect for yesterday’s sad news, I decided to wait a day to send our monthly newsletter.

Let us first address the news of six hostage bodies being brought home. This was not how I had hoped to start this month's newsletter, but perhaps what I had written seems even more important right now.

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I want to start by issuing a trigger warning: this is a sensitive subject, but it’s one I feel I need to speak about. I’m going to touch on the topic of suicide, and I hope those who choose to read this will hear what I have to say.

Over this past year, we have heard just a few horrendous stories of people who couldn't take the pain anymore:

The emergency responder from the call center

The soldier whose PTSD was so triggered at the thought of going back to Gaza

The Nova Festival survivor who couldn’t take the guilt of not having been able to save his partner

And more that have not been made public.

While mental health has thankfully lost much of its stigma in recent years, suicide remains a topic shrouded in silence.

I was just a teenager when a childhood friend from my neighborhood took his own life. I remember how it was whispered about, always hushed. I’ve personally faced suicidal thoughts twice in my life—once at 19 and again at 35, during a nervous breakdown when I couldn’t see a way out.

Thankfully, both times, I was fortunate to have amazing people around me who caught me just in time. That’s why I’m so open about this now. I don’t want this to be a hushed conversation anymore.

Being honest with your emotions and feelings is what allows you to take back control of them. We are all human, and these thoughts can happen to anyone.

I believe we all have a mission, a purpose, something to leave our mark with. I’ve often wondered why my life unfolded the way it did—until this past year. Understanding trauma, experiencing it deeply, and knowing what chronic physical pain can do to the mind has made it clear to me: My experiences have prepared me to help others get the support they need before they reach that breaking point.

A holistic approach means looking at the whole person—the body, mind, and soul—and realigning them. Recently, I posted a series on Instagram about my trauma, and here’s the number one thing you need to know:

We are a triangle Mind, Body, and Soul. We must work on all three daily to stay in tune. 

What we’re doing at the bases with the soldiers ensures that the body, mind, and soul don’t become overrun by unprocessed trauma. And this is just the start of Chayal’s Angels' vision of bringing more healing into the world. (Stay tuned for our amazing future plans that I am eager to share with you all.)

I’m sending love to you all and reminding you to check in with people, make sure you have someone to speak openly with, journal, dance, swim, run, live!

Never take any of it for granted, because trauma can affect anyone at any time. No one is invincible, but together, we can heal.

Thank you all for your time, continued support, and dedication.

Tasha Cohen,

Founder & CEO of Chayal's Angels

WE ARE ONE

chayalsangels.org.il

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