In the aftermath of the October 7 attack on Israel, a local tech startup has shifted its focus to address the urgent mental health needs of a population grappling with ongoing conflict and trauma.
VIVID, founded by Almog Cohen, 39, originally aimed to help mental health professionals create and distribute interactive training programs. However, the outbreak of war prompted a swift change in direction, driven by a sense of national urgency and compassion.
"The morning of October 7th shuffled the deck," Mr. Cohen said in an interview, "We found ourselves with a flexible platform that could create and transmit mental health tools to anyone in need. We couldn't stand by; we had to act."
The company now collaborates with national organizations such as NATAL (National Trauma and Resiliency Center) and ERAN, a mental health hotline, to disseminate coping strategies and resilience-building exercises through its application. These partnerships reflect a community coming together in a time of crisis, pooling resources to support a population under stress.
One initiative, the REIL (Israeli Network for Resilience) project, was established in partnership with the Israeli Trauma Coalition. It aims to create a comprehensive national infrastructure for mental health support, designed to serve both current and future crises. The project embodies a proactive approach to healing, recognizing that the emotional scars of conflict often outlast physical ones.
Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, an expert in resilience and positive psychology, collaborated on the project. He emphasized the gap between available mental health knowledge and its practical application, a problem the startup seeks to address. "In times like these, knowledge alone isn't enough," Dr. Ben-Shahar noted. "We need to bridge the gap between knowing and doing, especially when people are struggling to cope."
The application's features include the ability to send targeted relaxation and anxiety management tools to residents living in areas under threat. For many Israelis living with the constant sound of sirens and the fear of attacks, these digital tools offer a lifeline of support in moments of acute stress.
While the long-term impact of such digital mental health interventions remains to be seen, early reports suggest the app has assisted thousands of users. However, the company has yet to release official usage statistics or effectiveness studies.
Tal Rozin, Content and Partnerships Manager at the Israeli Trauma Coalition, described the initiative as "a mental first aid kit" accessible to all Israelis.
* Channel 12 contributed to this article.