{"id":623729,"date":"2026-10-07T21:58:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T21:58:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/623729\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T21:58:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T21:58:14","slug":"how-oct-7-tore-apart-a-dallas-counseling-practice-ending-in-firings-lawsuits-and-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/623729\/","title":{"rendered":"How Oct. 7 tore apart a Dallas counseling practice, ending in firings, lawsuits and a"},"content":{"rendered":"

The small counseling practice in the Dallas area used to hold weekly staff lunches. About 10 therapists worked there, two of them relatives, and the business, D2 Counseling, helped clients navigate relationships and conflict. After October 7 and the war in Gaza, the practice fell apart: firings, lawsuits, resignations and two relatives who became estranged.<\/p>\n

As with many workplace disputes, it all blew up over email. \u201cHave you ever hit send on an email and immediately thought, \u2018Maybe I should have waited until tomorrow after I calmed down\u2019?\u201d Daniel Gowan, one of the practice\u2019s owners, asked during a guest sermon at a Dallas church. It was only weeks after he and his business partner, Dina Hijazi, were sued by two Jewish employees they had fired.<\/p>\n

\"\u05d3\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4<\/a>\"\u05d3\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4<\/p>\n

Dina Hijazi, one of the owners of the firm <\/p>\n

(Photo: Screenshot from psychologytoday.com)<\/p>\n

The war in Gaza has remained an especially sensitive subject in communities and workplaces, dividing even groups that agree on almost everything else. At D2, the dispute crystallized around the question of which political subjects should be off-limits at work. The story is based on hundreds of pages of court filings and testimony, along with hours of video documentation, as part of an investigation published by The Wall Street Journal.<\/p>\n

Hijazi and Gowan founded the practice in 2018. Most of its work focused on interpersonal relationships. Hijazi had years of experience working with private clients and in schools, while Gowan had ties with local leaders. The practice\u2019s website said it specialized in \u201cconflict management, relationship policy and emotional development within the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of the staff relationships were especially close. Jacqueline Katz, one of the first employees, was married to Gowan\u2019s brother, Sam. The two families lived under one roof at Gowan\u2019s home while Sam was being treated for cancer and for several months after his death in 2018.<\/p>\n

Several staff members had something else in common. Katz is Jewish, as is Jackie Junger, who joined the practice a few years later. Gowan later said one reason D2 wanted to hire Younger was that she was Orthodox. \u201cShe was going to be a window into an underserved population,\u201d he said. The father of Hijazi\u2019s children is Jewish, while her own father was Palestinian. An attorney for Gowan and Hijazi said they respect employees and clients of every religion and background and that D2 has deep ties with the Jewish community.<\/p>\n

\"\u05d2'\u05e7\u05d9<\/a>\"\u05d2'\u05e7\u05d9<\/p>\n

Jackie Junger is an Orthodox Jew <\/p>\n

(Photo: Screenshot from Jackie Junger’s Instagram account)<\/p>\n

At the weekly staff meeting after October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists carried out deadly attacks in Israel, emotions were running high. Katz and Junger have relatives in Israel and were distraught, staff members said in testimony. At the same time, Hijazi was worried about two of her children, who were about to fly from Jordan to visit relatives in Tel Aviv.<\/p>\n

Hijazi and Gowan opened the meeting with a discussion about marketing, and then someone brought up the Hamas attacks. Junger began describing the killing of Israelis in graphic detail, Hijazi and Gowan alleged. According to the owners, that violated an unwritten rule: Tuesday staff meetings were not the place for material that could destabilize therapists emotionally, because they met clients immediately afterward. Hijazi, shaking, left the room. Gowan followed her.<\/p>\n

The next day, Hijazi emailed Junger, who was then in her first full-time counseling job. She offered to meet for coffee or suggested she take time off \u2014 anything that might help. \u201cI know you are hurting,\u201d she wrote on Oct. 11, 2023. \u201cPlease let me know and I\u2019ll make myself available. My heart goes out to you and your loved ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few days later, she reminded the entire staff that the weekly meetings were intended for professional matters. On October 16, she wrote that there was also room for personal and emotional subjects, but that staff should come to the meeting \u201cwith clarity around what kind of support you are wanting.\u201d<\/p>\n

A little more than a year later, in November 2024, as a Tuesday meeting was nearing its end, therapist Kari Knott asked for guidance in working with a Jewish client who was distressed by what she later called things \u201cgoing on in the world.\u201d The sides disagree over exactly what happened next.<\/p>\n

According to several therapists who were in the room, the Jewish staff members suggested podcasts and other materials that could help Nutt better understand the client. The discussion turned into an argument, Hijazi later said. According to Knott, Katz and Junger, Hijazi dismissed the suggestions as one-sided, though Hijazi denied using that phrase. She suggested that Nutt ask the client what he needed and left the room to meet a client.<\/p>\n

The next morning, one of the owners emailed the entire staff about the issue. \u201cI have great pain around this as I know some of you do.For me to work and be present with my clients, I have asked that this be kept out of the noon meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\u05d3\u05e0\u05d9\u05d0\u05dc<\/a>\"\u05d3\u05e0\u05d9\u05d0\u05dc<\/p>\n

The other firm owner, Daniel Gowan <\/p>\n

(Photo: Screenshot from Daniel Gowan’s Instagram account)<\/p>\n

Junger replied to everyone: \u201cThis was not an Israel\/Palestine debate, this was \u2018Help me understand your trauma.\u2019 I humbly decline your request and actually would love to have a space where everyone is allowed to ask questions pertaining to bettering their understanding of their clients.\u201d<\/p>\n

From there, the discussion split into private messages. Hijazi wrote to Gowan, who was on vacation in Canada, and they discussed firing Junger. \u201cShe is grandstanding again and making this political and professional and ethical when it’s an issue of safety at the workplace,\u201d Hijazi wrote.<\/p>\n

Gowan replied: \u201cWe do want a safe place to come together. A place to learn and grow and be challenged. If we let her go I\u2019d like us to be clear in our message for other staff to \u2018get it\u2019.”<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in the group email, Katz also replied to everyone and sided with Junger. \u201cCultural competency related to our clients\u2019 trauma is a must to be an effective therapist,\u201d she wrote. Addressing Hijazi, she added: <\/p>\n

\"\u05e7\u05d0\u05e8\u05d9<\/a>\"\u05e7\u05d0\u05e8\u05d9<\/p>\n

Kari Knott <\/p>\n

(Photo: Screenshot from psychologytoday.com)<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it was essential for you to be able to manage the inquiry without adopting the victim role.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katz also wrote that \u201cDenial of the reality of any members of the team is not appropriate and, in this case, furthers the marginalization that many Jews have felt the entirety of their lives.\u201d She said she would not want to keep attending meetings if she were required to censor herself.<\/p>\n

Hijazi wrote to Gowan: \u201cI\u2019m ready to fight or run. The distortion is incredible.\u201d Gowan replied that the subject was the place \u201cwhere the zealots come out,\u201d and that it was \u201ctheir lifelong passion and defensiveness and part of the victim story and they get to feel self-righteous about it.\u201d He added: \u201cWe move forward, state our principles for the business meeting, and move on.”<\/p>\n

The next morning, Hijazi sent a message to the staff: \u201cThe noon Team meeting is not a forum to present political or religious opinions. If these principals don\u2019t line up with your values, please set a time to meet with us.\u201d She added that the discussion was being removed from the staff email.<\/p>\n

Katz replied to everyone: \u201cYour failure to see that this was not a political conversation is a huge blind spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katz said she replied to everyone in part because D2 had no human resources department to which she could complain. The owners argued that her message violated Hijazi\u2019s request.<\/p>\n

In court filings, Gowan and Hijazi argued that other sensitive issues, such as gun control, had also been steered away from staff meetings. Not everyone agreed. In a message to Katz, Junger recalled that the staff had once devoted an entire meeting to President Trump and the 2024 election. \u201cSpare me the \u2018we don\u2019t talk about politics,\u2019\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Gowan sent messages to Hijazi. \u201cCalm me down, Dina.\u201d She replied: \u201cShe\u2019s so over the line taking my inventory.”<\/p>\n

Gowan emailed Katz and Junger: \u201cWe closed this topic on the TEAM email. Back up and find some containment – you are way over the line.”<\/p>\n

Hijazi went from employee to employee in the office and found an unsettled staff. According to her notes, some said the internal conflict was unnecessary. At the same time, she and Gowan consulted an attorney. He asked whether the rules governing discussion topics had been written down. They weren’t, according to Hijazi.<\/p>\n

They wanted to know how to protect themselves from a possible lawsuit and discrimination claims if they fired the therapists. The attorney responded: \u201cAs long as you are not directing the message at a specific person based on their protected class, a private employer can limit speech in the workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gowan wrote to Hijazi: \u201cAsk him what the hell a protected class is.\u201d She replied: \u201cIt means it is very, very hard to fire a minority.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Junger\u2019s testimony, she wrote to Katz that she wanted to leave D2. Katz advised her to leave, but to get fired so she would \u201cnot have to pay out.\u201d The therapists at D2 were bound by noncompete agreements requiring them to return part of their earnings if they worked at a competing practice within two years of leaving.<\/p>\n

The tension spilled over. Knott, whose question had sparked the confrontation, wrote to Junger, referring to the practice owners: \u201cI am extremely curious how she handles the stuff in Therapy. Perhaps she does not take any Jewish clients?\u201d Younger replied: \u201cI wonder that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shortly afterward, Junger sent another email to everyone: \u201cThe contradictory and inconsistent messaging leaves me feeling quite confused. Would wanting more clarity on a Black client experiencing racism violate that policy as well? How about talking about a client who is part of the LGBTQ community?” She also wrote that she would no longer refer Jewish clients to D2.<\/p>\n

Katz replied to everyone in support of Junger. That night, the two exchanged messages. \u201cYou are a warrior,\u201d Katz wrote. \u201cIt’s crazy what we’re contending with. As if we’re being petulant children,\u201d Junger replied.<\/p>\n

The following afternoon, Gowan left Junger a voicemail: \u201cJackie, this is Daniel. We\u2019ve come to the realization that this is not a good fit for you to continue working here at D2 and we\u2019re going to part ways.\u201d Katz was also fired.<\/p>\n

Gowan later said the reason was that they had continued sending emails despite being asked not to.<\/p>\n

Junger turned to a local Jewish Facebook group looking for a lawyer, \u201cone who can fight wrongful termination due to antisemitism.\u201d One of Hijazi\u2019s clients, Goldie Schuster, saw the post.<\/p>\n

Schuster, the daughter of Holocaust survivors, had worked with Hijazi to process trauma. She said the two had gone together to see \u201cSchindler\u2019s List\u201d and to visit the Dallas Holocaust museum. \u201cIt was divine providence that she was brought into my life,\u201d Schuster said in an interview. To this day, she still supports the practice owners.<\/p>\n

Katz andJunger sued Hijazi and Gowan, alleging discrimination and retaliation, and even held a news conference. Afterward, one-star reviews appeared on D2\u2019s Google page, including one that read: \u201cRun. Don\u2019t walk away from this group.\u201d<\/p>\n

Junger began working remotely for a practice outside Texas. D2 accused her of violating her noncompete agreement and said she owed the company about $14,000 from her earnings. The claim against Katz was larger \u2014 about $31,000.<\/p>\n

Later, another Jewish therapist at the practice resigned. So did Knott, who was pained by the conflict. \u201cThis transition will give me space to put this behind me and not be reminded of it every day,\u201d she wrote to Hijazi and Gowan about a year ago.<\/p>\n

Last fall, Hijazi went to the emergency room with heart problems that she attributed to everything that had happened, according to a message she sent Knott. Gowan and Hijazi filed a countersuit, alleging that Katz and Junger had defamed them by claiming D2 did not allow employees to seek support regarding Jewish clients.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the sides reached a settlement, whose terms are confidential, and the case was closed last July. D2 lost clients and now has fewer therapists. The relationship between Katz and Gowan, who were once family, was destroyed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The small counseling practice in the Dallas area used to hold weekly staff lunches. About 10 therapists worked…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":623730,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[134,554,555,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-623729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mental-health","tag-health","tag-mental-health","tag-mentalhealth","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623729","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=623729"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623729\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/623730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=623729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=623729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=623729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}