The gap year program is a great experience. It allows young adults to become independent, mature, and expand their education. However, this year is also a major transition for most students, which can lead to anxiety amongst themselves and their parents. Some students develop temporary anxiety during their year because they are in a foreign country by themselves for the first time. Others come to Israel with pre-existing conditions that are being managed by medication or a therapist. These conditions should not prevent young adults from coming to Israel because they are very manageable.

Over the years, we have seen many students excel with the transition because they knew how to take advantage of their resources and they were honest and direct with our health care providers. However, if a student isn’t honest about their conditions we won’t be as effective. Therefore, we encourage all gap year students to be open about their condition and reach out to us when they need help. We recommend that students:

• Take advantage of the resources that EMA Care has to offer
• Are honest about the state of their condition
• Ask for help if needed

Parents often stress about sending their child to Israel for the year, but EMA Care will help the students find any medical care they might need. At EMA Care we do an intake with our students and help them find therapists and psychiatrists that are a good match for them. In addition, we help students manage panic attacks and teach them valuable skills in order to prevent future attacks.

EMA Care wishes you an amazing year in Israel