Educational programs that open dialogue, strengthen communities, and provide practical tools to help save lives

Gila’s Way is an nonprofit organization in Israel dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention & treatment.

The organization was established following the death by suicide of Gila Hammer at the age of 18, after her family recognized how a lack of knowledge, open dialogue, and awareness of warning signs can prevent people from receiving help when they need it most.

Drawing on lived experience, professional knowledge, and research-based approaches, Gila’s Way delivers lectures, workshops and programs for youth, parents, educators, professionals, community leaders, organizations, and the general public. In addition, Gilas Way offers a free consultation service for families and individuals facing mental health challenges providing guidance and support towards the appropriate treatment and resources.
Our programs address mental health and suicide directly, responsibly, and compassionately. Participants gain a better understanding of emotional distress, learn to recognize warning signs, and receive practical guidance on how to begin a conversation, offer support, and connect a person in crisis with appropriate help.
Each lecture can be delivered as a stand-alone program. Organizations and communities may also create a tailored series combining several lectures for various institutions. Together, the programs provide a broader and more comprehensive response to mental health awareness, suicide prevention, communication, resilience, and communal responsibility.
Programs can be adapted to the needs, age group, cultural context, and professional setting of each community or organization.

Training and Lecture Programs

Navigation 2 Salvation: Recognize and Respond

A practical training program for people in positions of leadership and responsibility. Participants learn how to recognize warning signs of emotional distress, approach a person they are
concerned about, respond appropriately, and help create an institutional or community safety net.
Suitable for educators, counselors, youth movement staff, community leaders, gap-year program staff, IDF commanders, administrators, and team leaders.

Gila’s Way: Reflections on the Value of Life

Through Gila’s personal story and her family’s experience, this lecture offers an inside view of emotional and psychological distress. Participants learn about the development of a mental health crisis, the warning signs that may appear, and the moments in which awareness, genuine curiosity, and timely intervention can make a critical difference.
Suitable for educators, social service professionals, workplaces, community leaders, and adult audiences.

From Concern to Conversation: Mapping and Supporting Our Children’s Emotional Environment

A practical lecture for parents and caregivers about the emotional world of children and adolescents. The program explores the pressures young people face, how to distinguish common adolescent behavior from signs of deeper distress, and how to initiate an open and supportive conversation when concern arises.
Topics include communication with teenagers, social media, peer pressure, loneliness, and responding to changes in behavior.

The Greatest Quest: Discovering a Meaningful Life

An inspirational yet practical exploration of identity, purpose, relationships, and hope. Through personal experience and existential reflection, participants are invited to examine their values, identify their personal “why,” and consider how a sense of meaning can strengthen resilience during periods of uncertainty, crisis, or loss.
Suitable for organizations, academic institutions, communities, and audiences aged 18 and above.

Truths My Daughter Taught Me: The Power of Empathy

A values-based lecture inspired by Gila’s life and the lessons she left behind. The program explores the influence of empathy, sensitivity, and everyday human interactions, showing how small gestures and genuine attention can strengthen others and shape the communities in which we live.
Suitable for community events, organizations, youth and adult audiences, and groups seeking inspirational and values-driven content.

Painful Lessons: Sexual Trauma and Its Damaging Impact

A testimony-based lecture addressing the psychological effects of sexual trauma and the long-term consequences that can develop when trauma remains unrecognized or untreated. Participants learn to identify possible signs of trauma and gain a deeper understanding of how families, educators, and professionals can respond in an informed and supportive way.
Suitable for professionals, parents, educators, and support organizations. Ages 18 and above.

There Are No Words: How to Speak with the Bereaved

A practical and emotional guide to supporting people living with grief and loss. The lecture explores the often-invisible emotional needs of bereaved individuals, the reasons people may hesitate to approach them, and what can help create a compassionate and meaningful connection.
Participants receive clear guidance on what may be helpful to say, what should be avoided, and how to remain present even when there are no perfect words.
Suitable for communities, workplaces, volunteer organizations, and adult audiences.

Interactive Program

Hear 2 Help: Understanding Mental Health and How to Help

An interactive educational workshop designed especially for teenagers and young adults. Through videos, guided discussion, and practical exercises, participants gain a basic understanding of depression and suicidal thoughts and learn how to respond when a friend or peer may be in distress.
The program strengthens empathy, peer responsibility, and young people’s confidence in seeking help for themselves or others.
Suitable for participants aged 15 and above, high schools, youth movements, and gap-year programs.

Building a Tailored Program

Communities and organizations can select one lecture focused on a specific need or build a multi-session program combining several complementary topics.
A tailored series may include:
● Training community leaders and staff to recognize and respond to distress
● Giving parents practical tools for communicating with children and teenagers
● Helping young people understand mental health and support their peers
● Strengthening empathy, meaning, hope, and community responsibility
● Supporting communities coping with grief, trauma, or loss
By combining several lectures, communities can create a shared language and provide relevant tools to leadership teams, parents, educators, volunteers, young adults, and community members.

Our Approach

Gila’s Way combines personal testimony with practical knowledge and clear, applicable tools. The programs are designed to help participants:
● Recognize signs of emotional distress and suicidality
● Approach difficult conversations with sensitivity and confidence
● Respond responsibly when someone may be in crisis
● Reduce stigma surrounding mental health and help-seeking
● Strengthen empathy and mutual responsibility
● Build safer and more supportive organizations and communities

Gila’s Way works with educational institutions, community organizations, healthcare settings, workplaces, military frameworks, and Jewish communities in Israel and around the world.
Contact us to discuss a stand-alone lecture or a tailored program for your community or organization.