“Israel is a master at torture: they severed my spine!” | Ashira Darwish

“What people need to understand is that the trauma of the past two years, not only for the people of Gaza, but for the entire world, is unlike anything we’ve experienced in our lifetimes.” In this searing episode of The Tea with Myriam Francois, we speak with Ashira Darwish, a Palestinian trauma healer and a survivor of Israeli detention, about what this moment means for our collective nervous system, and how healing itself can be an act of resistance. In a world where social media algorithms are engineered to keep us numb to genocide, where images of amputated children are livestreamed between cat memes and bikini thirst traps, self-care becomes an act of political warfare. Ashira explains how liberation psychology begins with understanding where we come from, the lineages we carry, the traumas we inherit, and the ancestral keys we also hold for healing. Together, we unpack: 🚨 Israel’s torture system in detention 🚨 How algorithms turn genocide into background noise 🚨 Why our nervous systems go numb — by design 🚨 Somatic work: healing intergenerational trauma 🚨 What fuels Israeli society’s capacity for violence 🚨 Liberation psychotherapy: healing as resistance 🚨 Why Western media misreads Palestinian resistance This episode is about remembering that both trauma and healing are inherited. It’s about choosing not to go numb. 👉 Subscribe for more bold conversations:    / @thetea_network   🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts. #TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #Palestine #Gaza #Genocide #AshiraDarwish #Trauma #Healing #LiberationPsychotherapy #CatharsisHolisticHealing #Resistance #CollectiveHealing #FreePalestine #WhereTheOliveTreesWeep AUDIO CREDITS Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam François Guest: Ashira Darwish Senior producer: Sara Farolfi Producer: Nadège Bizimungu Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs Research: Leena Khan Video Editor: Max Bubnov An MPWR Productions show. 🎥 Click to watch. Subscribe for new episodes. ❤️ Support independent journalism that tells hard truths. https://www.patreon.com/TheTeawithMyr... 00:00:00 Intro – Memory, trauma, and the politics of genocide 00:03:24 Gaza and the digital war on truth 00:07:18 Introducing Ashira Darwish – From journalism to trauma healing 00:11:42 Life under occupation – detention, violence, and survival 00:17:05 Psychological warfare and the control of Palestinian bodies 00:22:31 Why Western therapy fails under colonial conditions 00:27:40 Working with Dr Gabor Maté – understanding ongoing trauma 00:33:00 The children of Gaza – growing up through televised horror 00:38:15 Healing amid violence – the limits of resilience 00:43:42 Collective and intergenerational trauma across Palestine 00:48:56 The weaponization of despair and the fragmentation of identity 00:54:22 Embodiment, somatic practice, and reclaiming the body 01:00:35 The spiritual dimension of healing and resistance 01:06:10 The psychology of silence, solidarity, and bearing witness 01:11:55 Final reflections – survival, dignity, and hope under fire 01:17:39 Outro – Closing thoughts and credits Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law. This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing. The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised.