If I Studied what I Loved

Eyal Ivnitsky – My Inside Story

Eyal Ivnitsky

My childhood memories are deeply etched with vivid recollections of listening to stories. Stories told by my father, by my grandfather, or from the records playing in the living room. I would listen intently and let my imagination fill in the images. 

Another memory that stands out is from the time I lived abroad and wrote letters to friends back home. That was also my first experience with journalistic writing, as my friends encouraged me to write a column from the U.S. for the neighborhood newspaper sold at the local grocery store.

After a long journey around the world, I chose to pursue a bachelor's degree in psychology. The path ahead was still unclear, but I knew that if I studied what I loved, a livelihood would naturally follow. 

My development was guided by two passions of mine. The first is animals. Dogs have accompanied me throughout my childhood and continue to do so to this day. As a child, I remember sharing my deepest secrets with my dogs, confident that they would keep them safe. The other space where I confided my secrets was in the pages of the journals I kept over the years.

This journey led me, after completing my bachelor's degree in psychology, to study animal-assisted therapy, followed by a master's degree in bibliotherapy. About a year after finishing my studies, I founded "Ha-mila"—the Israeli Bibliotherapy Center. This private organization set out with the mission of advancing bibliotherapy in Israel.

After over a decade of work, and years of forming connections and exploring bibliotherapy beyond Israel, I am thrilled and honored to be part of the project known as the Bibliotherapy Academy.

BA in Psychology (Emek Yezreel College)

MA in Art Therapy with Specialization in Bibliotherapy (University of Haifa)

Certifications: animal assisted pychotherapy (Oranim Academic College)

Qualified and experienced in working with individuals recovering from substance abuse, adolescents, early childhood and elementary-aged children, children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Holocaust survivors, and their descendants.