From shared trauma to divergent narratives: therapeutic discourse and the reframing of social identities in post–October 7 Israel

The October 7, 2023 attack in Israel reshaped public life and deepened existing social fractures. This article examines how Israeli therapeutic discourse both reflects and shapes changing collective identities in its aftermath. Using trauma studies and social identity theory, it explores links between collective trauma, memory, and identity in the specific Israeli historical context. Based on thematic analysis of 16 Hebrew psychological articles (from 90 texts published between October 2023 and December 2024), three themes emerged: (1) the trauma’s unique character as cataclysmic, collective, and ongoing; (2) shifts in therapeutic discourse, including blurred professional boundaries and expansion of therapeutic roles into the social sphere; (3) changes in collective identity, moving from initial solidarity toward renewed polarization. The trauma is interpreted differently by social groups, each developing its own narrative. Three approaches are identified: a liberal approach emphasizing psychological awareness and advanced tools; a national‑religious approach grounded in historical and traditional resources; and an emerging integrative‑pragmatic approach among the non‑ideological public, which may critically shape Israel’s post‑war identity. The article proposes three future scenarios and offers “permeable boundaries” as a framework for balancing group uniqueness with national partnership.