Meaningful People

Glenn Cohen | The Former Mossad Psychologist in the Room When the Hostages Returned

Nov 8, 2025
Guest
Glenn Cohen
Glenn Cohen, former chief psychologist of the Mossad and trauma expert, shares riveting stories from his career, including his experiences working with hostages. He discusses how the right support can foster post-traumatic growth, emphasizing resilience and coping strategies. Glenn also explores how hostages overcome adversity, the psychological tools that aid their recovery, and the importance of reframing narratives to view survivors as empowered individuals. His insights reveal the hidden strengths in humanity and the profound impact of shared experiences.
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ANECDOTE

First Contact In Chaos

  • Glenn Cohen describes arriving to meet the first released hostages amid chaos and armed readiness.
  • He prioritized a soft landing for returnees while also gathering life-saving intelligence about other captives.
ADVICE

Script A Low‑Stimulus Soft Landing

  • Use a scripted, low-stimulus 'soft landing' when returning traumatized people to safety and let them set the pace.
  • Pull information rather than push it, avoid overwhelming them and never lie but consider deflection.
ANECDOTE

A Doctor Opened Flight School Doors

  • A British doctor saw Glenn's motivation and got him into flight school despite a low physical profile.
  • That intervention turned Glenn into a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot who saved many lives.
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