Talks that bring the frontline to the room.

26th World Congress of Psychiatry, Stockholm, Sweden

September 23–26, 2026 (accepted)

Homeland Defense & Security Information Analysis Center: 4th Annual Public Health Tabletop Exercise

Date:- 4 – 7 May 2026

Dr. Deborah Weidner presented her work on mental health training for frontline healthcare workers in Gaza, based on sessions delivered at Nasser Hospital in August 2024. The presentation examined how Psychological First Aid and suicidality training were retained and applied in an active conflict setting.

Findings highlighted increased confidence among participants alongside persistent barriers to implementation, including resource limitations and structural constraints. The session emphasized the importance of integrated, team-based approaches to mental health care in high-intensity environments.

Location:- Metro Detroit, MI

Third Bethlehem International Conference, Bethlehem University, Palestine Click Here

Under colonial violence and active genocide, the destruction of Gaza extends beyond physical infrastructure to the systematic erasure of Palestinian identity, memory, and intangible heritage. This presentation draws on firsthand psychiatric work in Gaza. At Al Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, nearly 1,000 displaced patients were seen over a month, many suffering from trauma-related psychosis, addiction, depression, and spiritual despair.

These psychiatric conditions reflected more than clinical symptoms-they signaled the unraveling of cultural continuity. Families, religious life, education, and intergenerational memory had been violently interrupted. In this context, mental health collapse mirrored the targeted erasure of intangible heritage.

Amid extreme resource scarcity, psychiatry became a form of cultural preservation.

Testimony, storytelling, and emotional witnessing offered patients a chance to restore coherence, dignity, and identity. This presentation argues that in Gaza, mental health work is not only humanitarian but archival and cultural-validating lived memory and resisting erasure.

This underscores the need to broaden cultural preservation frameworks to include psychological survival in war zones; to challenge archaeologists, cultural heritage professionals, and mental health practitioners alike to recognize the role of psychiatric care in defending collective identity.

Southeast Mass Coalition for a Free Palestine, New Bedford, Massachusetts

Homeland Defense and Security Information Analysis Center (HDIAC) Event

Ruhr University of Bochum, Germany; Department of Psychology; Grand Rounds

Doctors Against Genocide, Northampton, Massachusetts

The 17th Annual Muslim Mental Health Conference, Detroit, Michigan. Click Here

Shared from the FVAMC Facebook page.

This past Saturday, we had the honor of hosting local community members who recently traveled to Gaza and Egypt to witness firsthand the ongoing genocide in Gaza and its devastating impact on the Gazan people.

Dr. Deborah Weidner, a psychiatrist who served at Nassir Hospital in Khan Yunis, and members of We Will Return, who visited Gazans being treated in Egyptian hospitals, shared powerful, eye-opening stories of their journey. They spoke about the resilience of the Palestinian people, particularly the children, who despite facing unimaginable hardships, continue to study. This dedication to learning, they emphasized, is a testament to the Palestinian spirit and a form of defiance against oppression.

Our very own President, Khamis Abu Hasballah, a proud Palestinian, reflected on his personal journey—arriving in the U.S. on a student visa, learning the language and culture, and seizing every opportunity to work harder, pray harder, and strive for success. To this day, he continues to work tirelessly, always seeking growth, excellence, and a deeper connection to his faith.

Basel Alnajjar and his sister Layan dedicated members of the community, passionately spoke about Gaza’s lasting impact on the world, noting, “Gaza is proof of determination, dedication, and resilience. No matter what… they are always smiling!”

The evening came to a close with a heartfelt and solemn poem by Br. Ahmed Abdelmajeed, a dedicated FVAMC member and proud Palestinian. His words eloquently conveyed the deep symbolism of the Keffiyeh (Hatta)—a traditional scarf that embodies the proud heritage, rich history, and unyielding resilience of Palestine and Gaza.

Guests enjoyed a diverse spread of delicious dishes at the potluck, sharing flavors that brought warmth and togetherness to the gathering.

May we all carry the spirit of a Witness in Palestine—with unwavering determination, resilience, faith, and always a smile on our faces.

For more information about We Will Return https://www.wewillreturn.org/

Inshallah, we plan to host more community potlucks in the future. If you’d like to join a dedicated team to help organize meaningful gatherings like this one, please email info@fvamc.org.

#Awitnessinpalestine #Gaza #wewillreturn #palestine #community #CommunitySupport #communitypotluck #ummah #islam #faith #determination #reslience #dedication

West Hartford Community Interactive, Public Television

This episode of “Peace is Possible” sponsored by the West Hartford Community Interactive features Dr. Deborah Weidner, a psychiatrist who undertook a mental health mission in Gaza, and Omar Scott Antar, co-founder of the Connecticut Palestine Alliance. They discuss the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, emphasizing the severe trauma and destruction witnessed firsthand.

Dr. Deborah Weidner, a seasoned child, adolescent, and general psychiatrist; recently returned from her Gaza mental health mission. She was sponsored by the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and Islamic Relief. She completed her psychiatry residency at the Unibersity of Pensylvania, her child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Harvard Children’s Hospital in Boston, and her MBA at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She spoke passionately about her journey and experiences in a war-torn environment. And the resilience of the Gaze families who strive to live day by day, cherishing the small joys in life. All this in an environment where life is precarious from one minute to the next. Her message inspires us to continually appreciate the lives we have, the gifts we have received, and the freedoms we enjoy in America.

The People’s Podcast by Ismail, YouTube

Dr. Deborah Weidner, a child, adolescent, and general psychiatrist, joined The People’s Podcast by Ismail and discusses her recent humanitarian trip to Gaza, sponsored by the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and Islamic relief. She shares her motivations for going, the intense preparation required, and the realities of working in a war-stricken zone.

Baitus Salaam Mosque, West Springfield, Massachusetts. Click Here

Dr. Weidner, PAMA medical mission volunteer, reports from Khan Younis on the tremendous impact the medical supply shipment has for the patients in hospitals in Gaza. The latest shipment from PAMA and Islamic Relief USA provided antibiotics, pain medication, and psychiatric medication.

As Dr. Weidner emphasizes, “Without medication – we can’t do our jobs.” Donate to the PAMA Crisis Intervention fund today https://pamausa.org/

Video

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=832480605742504&rdid=8yFgE1q9j2gdrQ7K

What happens when a leading U.S. psychiatrist trades the safety of the boardroom for the chaos of a war zone? In this gripping interview, Dr. Deborah Weidner shares what she witnessed and felt during her humanitarian mission to Gaza—one of the world’s most devastated regions. From children traumatized by bombings to exhausted doctors with no relief in sight, Dr. Weidner recounts how she delivered trauma-informed care without tools, power, or precedent. This is more than a story of war—it’s a story of resilience, moral courage, and redefining what healing really means.