Israeli entrepreneur Omer Golan often jokes that while his colleagues at his mental health platform, MyWhatIf.com, have Ph.D.s, he personally earned his PTSD. His PTSD came from being a suicide bombing survivor, and he’s used the experience as the basis of a novel AI-driven therapy for others who are enduring PTSD symptoms.
When Golan signed up for military service, as required of Israeli youth, he served in a social work unit. “One day, while in the West Bank at a café, I heard someone whisper in my ear,” he remembers. “The next moment, that person detonated 15 pounds of explosives right next to me.”
Flames engulfed his shirt, and, in desperation, he threw himself on the bomber’s body to extinguish the fire. Despite the horror, Golan was able to summon a spark of dark humor. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, I survived a terrorist attack, and now I’m lying on the bloody body of someone who might give me an STD!’”
A Case of PTSD
That was his last conscious thought until he woke up a month later in an ICU. “I looked like Freddy Kruger,” he remembers, half-smiling. But humor could carry him only so far. He didn’t get an STD, but he got a full-blown case of PTSD.
He spiraled into despair, a common experience for PTSD survivors. “It felt like my ‘hope switch’ had been turned off. PTSD can trap the brain in a negative loop, making it nearly impossible to see the positive, and that’s what happened to me.”
He was still able to work, but depression and hopelessness haunted him. He finally achieved some peace when he reframed his experience, working to make sure that his trauma didn’t rule his whole life.
An entrepreneur at heart, Golan decided to deal not only with his own trauma but also to help others who, like him, had lost the ability, metaphorically speaking, to turn “the hope switch” back on. Partnering with colleagues, including psychologists and AI specialists, he developed MyWhatIf.com, an AI platform designed to empower individuals with PTSD to reshape their narratives and regain hope.
Rewriting Trauma with AI
At the core of MyWhatIf.com is a simple idea: What if people could reframe their trauma through guided self-reflection and interactive simulations? The platform uses artificial intelligence to help users address “what-if” questions about their lives, offering them a safe space to explore alternative perspectives.
The goal is to transform trauma from an open wound into a scar—the kind that’s a reminder of the past but that no longer defines the present. “We want people to imagine a future in which their trauma doesn’t control them, where hope is rekindled,” explains Golan.
For example, a man may be overwhelmed with feelings of guilt because of a brother’s suicide. Through the platform, he can explore the feelings in a guided, private environment, using simulations to process and ultimately reframe his attitude. The platform helps him recruit coping mechanisms and get closer to emotional resolution. “PTSD makes you feel stuck,” Golan explains. “But this platform gives people the chance to rewrite their story, to believe that good things can still happen.”
A Community of Growth
Beyond its self-guiding tools, MyWhatIf.com fosters a supportive community in which users can share stories, connect with peers, and learn from one another. The combination of AI-driven personal exploration and peer support provides a holistic approach to mental health, helping people who feel isolated in their struggles.
The Science of What If
The platform’s foundation lies in leveraging the brain’s ability to simulate and reframe experiences. “When we face trauma, our neural networks for hope often shut down. What we’re doing is gently stimulating these networks, encouraging users to imagine positive outcomes and build resilience,” Golan says.
Whether it’s addressing fears, unresolved guilt, or grief, MyWhatIf.com helps users take control of their narratives. In Golan’s own words: “Trauma doesn’t have to define you. It can become part of your story—but it’s only one part of your larger story.”