Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D. Where Psychology and Judaism meet
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Showing Results 0 - 40 (49 total)
You'd be better, if you listened too, Dad!
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2018-03-21 22:07:05
This post is a follow up to my “You better listen to your dad” post, in which I described an evocative parenting video, making the rounds on social media. The video is shot through the windshield of a moving car. It opens with a father narrating how his bullying son was suspended from using the bus to school. “Dad” demonstrates, on camera, how he now makes his son run to school. At various points, Dad sha …
You better listen to your Dad, 2018
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
You better listen to your Dad!
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2018-03-20 13:50:01
There is a remarkable video that has, of late, been making the rounds, on social media. The video is shot through the windshield of a moving automobile. The wipers are operating; it is raining outside. A father, whom we can’t see, narrates, as he drives. He draws our attention to a 10-year-old child, wearing a backpack, who is running a short distance ahead of the car. "Dad" informs viewers that his son …
Winnicott and the Wailing Wall
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2017-05-24 02:02:20
I am not the kind of person who cries at the drop of a hat. I have experienced, over the decades, more than one sudden, profound loss and have found myself almost unable to shed tears. My stoicism has led others and, at times, myself to wonder whether I was capable of caring. A number of years ago, I came across a history series produced by a prominent American Rabbi. One of his tapes (yes, it was that long ago) foc …
Whose body?
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2017-05-05 13:19:11
I’m going to ask you an important question. (It’s kind of personal.) Who owns your body? Did you answer that you own your body? Perhaps you answered that Hashem/G-d owns your body. A good many Orthodox pre-teens would, in fact, answer just that – “Hashem owns my body,” and it seems that they are correct. After all, Hashem is the Creator of the world and Hashem is present in the c …
When Pandemic Leads to Abandonment
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2020-06-05 14:14:30
COVID-19 has turned our lives upside down. It’s killed many and sickened many more. The safety measures adopted to limit the spread of the coronavirus have greatly restricted our freedom of movement, shutting down community events, family visits, and play dates. Government-based restrictions have, until recently, shuttered businesses, schools, and houses of worship. Not surprisingly, the COVID-19 crisis also impacts on ou …
Whatever it takes
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2022-01-09 14:25:44
At a recent address to a group of mental health professionals, Rav Dovid Cohen shared his perspective regarding the very disturbing events surrounding the sexual predator, Chaim Walder. Rav Dovid made more than one point, but I’d like to focus on what I believe is the most important, most essential one. Many of us have become so caught up in the question of whether Walder is evil or not, or whether he was mentally ill or not, that we …
Valentine's Day: An Orthodox Therapist's perspective
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2020-02-14 13:43:01
A number of years ago, an Orthodox Jewish teenager described for me in session how he and his friends “ditched” their evening Study Hall, in order to participate in a Valentine’s Day tryst with their girlfriends. Toward the end of his narrative, he grinned and wondered aloud how his religious teachers could not have anticipated that their students would try to “get some action” on this day. I co …
The Pain of an Individual
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2020-07-09 11:01:16
Author’s note: The privacy and confidentiality of individuals found in this narrative was safeguarded, by modifying identifying details. It didn’t dawn on me the first week of the shutdown, or even the second or third week. The pandemic had shuttered our schools and synagogues for more than a month, before I recalled my earlier conversation with Hank. Hank is a bright, sensitive young man. …
The Katrina Effect
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2016-02-01 00:00:00
“Excuse me, is that the Torah that you are studying?” The woman who posed this question was looking across the way into my Gemara, as our plane prepared for takeoff. She was modestly dressed and wore a headscarf. In the dim cabin light, her complexion was mocha. I tried to answer in as factual a manner as I could, as to the different layers of text that were present on the page. The woman, wh …
The bind of Avraham
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2019-11-14 14:23:35
The Torah reading, around this time of year, includes a unique and remarkable narrative – The binding of Yitzchok. It is a story that illuminates, first and foremost, the values of fidelity and sacrifice. A careful reading of the text and its commentaries, though, yields a bonus lesson. There is a clear illustration of how an individual can meaningfully address a bind in which he’s been placed. A bind is a situation that …
Sister Jean
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2018-03-27 17:31:40
So, I am a Chicagoan, and I probably care more than most people about the fate of the Loyola Chicago Ramblers, an NCAA men’s basketball team that has reached The Final Four – that is the semi-finals of the national championship. There is, though, something (or more accurately someone) remarkable about this team that has much broader appeal. Any of us who experiences disability and the effects of aging, whether in hi …
Protective Gear
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2021-02-21 13:07:15
There are lessons nestled not only in what the Torah tells us, but how the Torah speaks to us. A prime example occurs around this time of year, when we read the detailed instructions for fabricating the Bigdei Kehunah – Priestly Garments. One of those garments is the Me’il, a poncho of sorts, that is worn underneath the Ephod - Apron. The most salient features of the Me’il are its shape, its brilliant blue pig …
Not Just Walder's Books: A conversation about abuse and prevention
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2022-02-23 12:20:49
It’s been only a few months since the shocking revelations about popular children’s author, Chaim Walder, first emerged. Walder was accused of sexual assault and/or child sexual abuse by tens of women and girls, the vast majority of whom he’d been entrusted with helping. Soon after the abuse was reported, some store owners stopped selling Walder’s books; Charedi media outlets took away the platforms they&rsquo …
Not even a target
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2017-07-02 13:40:40
“Gabriel” is one of the higher functioning residential clients I treat. He is tall and has an athletic build. Gabriel is articulate: He can deliver razor sharp sports analyses. (Decades ago, Gabriel attended college on a sports scholarship.) He speaks with sensitivity, intelligence and wit, on a wide range of other topics. Gabriel holds a Community Pass. He takes long walks, shoots baskets at a local park and interac …
TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2017-10-09 14:01:44
The ancient Jewish custom of Hoshanos focuses our attention on crops, rain and vulnerability. It includes the act of parading around the Bimah, (synagogue's centrally located table) once a day, for each of the first six days of Sukkos (The Festival of the Booths), and then circling the Bimah seven times on the seventh day. The seventh day is referred to as Hoshanah Rabbah. The above parallels the manner that Joshua led the Jewis …
Mothers Day with a twist
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2017-05-12 13:23:02
In honor of those who are mothers and those who were mothers In honor of those who’ve longed to be a mother In honor of those who, by way of teaching mentoring or counseling, have mothered their young charges but also For those who have a mother or had a mother (and most of us fit into one category or the other) For those who celebrate this day religiously For those who are too religious to celebrate it For those w …
Mirrors of Desire
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
Mirrors of Desire
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2017-03-17 17:54:41
What does the Torah have to say about sexuality and eroticism? More specifically, how does the Torah view the passion and desire that occur within a marital relationship? Is eroticism viewed as dangerous –something to avoid? Are passion and desire viewed simply as necessary preconditions to bringing children into the world? Then again, might desire, passion and eroticism hold intrinsic value, in a loving marita …
Lokshon Hara
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2016-08-21 13:39:18
Author’s note: The privacy and confidentiality of individuals found in this narrative was safeguarded, by modifying identifying details. I’ve been meeting with Beth and Arnie for a number of years, on issues related to parenting, shared responsibility and intimacy. The two are insightful, articulate and able to access humor, in ways that reduce tension and allow for playfulness. …
Korbon Copy
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2017-06-27 14:34:10
Around this time of year, we read the Torah portion of “Chukas” and are shown two contrasting models of parenting. We encounter the first model, when the Torah relates the narrative of Aharon’s death. Moshe is commanded “קח/take” Aharon and his son, Elazar, to a secluded mountain spot. Moshe is told to remove Aharon’s special garments and dress Elazar with those selfsame garme …
Kiddush Hashem, from the inside out
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2018-05-24 12:47:32
A short while ago, a student I know informed me of a Kiddush Hashem that occurred at his Yeshiva. The administration found out that a local police officer who’d been helping the school with dismissal, for years, was about to retire. In appreciation, staff hosted a school-wide assembly in which they recognized the officer’s service and dedication. The event was videoed and widely shared on social media. In relating t …
Just in Time!
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2020-11-15 14:46:05
Author’s note: The privacy and confidentiality of individuals found in this narrative was safeguarded, by modifying identifying details. Mordy, a 40-something father of three, has been meeting with me, for about a year. We focus on issues of intimacy, productivity, and accountability. His wife, Leah, works downtown, in an executive position. Mordy’s graphic design job allows him to work part-time from home. He is pr …
Is the Wheel just a Spiel: A conversation about personal responsibility
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2021-03-01 13:48:12
A number of people have puzzled over why some observant Jews seem unconcerned about contracting COVID and/or following medical recommendations, while other observant Jews seem very concerned. I believe that a key factor relates to a discussion, within Judaism, as to the relationship between two seemingly opposing beliefs. In Jewish thought, we are given the conceptual tools, on the one hand, to feel safe and secure, and, on the other hand, …
Heart and Shoulders: Why civil law matters
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2024-02-23 14:16:23
When studying the Torah, it pays to attend not just to the recorded content - be it the narratives or the Mitzvos, but also to the language that the Torah uses in conveying its content. In particular, we can tap and mine the rich veins of Biblical wisdom, when we are willing to examine the Torah’s linguistic parallels and contrasts. A case in point is the wording found in Parshas Tetzaveh, as the Torah introduces the firs …
Hallowed Grounds and Suffering: Part 2
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2020-03-04 10:37:04
In my first post, I started a discussion about suffering and holiness. I focused on the narrative of Moshe and the S’neh to identify particular models of transcendence that lead to holiness. I concluded the first post with the question: Can holiness occur, in suffering that was neither preceded by choice, nor followed by a transcendent response? The pathway to answering this question leads through a particular detail – actually a comm …
Hallowed Grounds and Suffering: Part 1
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2020-02-26 13:19:54
It happened a while ago, but I vividly recall the scene. It was Yom Tov, and a middle-aged member of the Shul had, months earlier, suffered the loss of an adult child. Even from a distance, I couldn’t help but notice the sense of pain that seemed to radiate from him. The congregants sitting nearby tried to make conversation with him. He answered politely but in a manner that not too subtly conveyed his preferen …
Hallowed Grounds and Suffering: Part 3
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2020-03-11 12:51:03
In the last post, I introduced a Chassidic approach to Hallowed Grounds in which holiness allows for vulnerability. The converse is also true; vulnerability oftentimes precedes and leads to holiness. Let’s start with an illustration: …
Hallowed Grounds and Suffering: Part 4
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2020-03-16 22:40:27
A brief note on timing: The foundations to this series, on suffering, were laid months, even years before I started posting. I don’t believe that I or anyone else could have foreseen the uncertainly, the fear, and the disruption that accompany COVID-19, the new coronavirus, as it spreads across the world. As I review parts of this, the last installment, I read new meaning into such sections as those that describe Hagbalah – the …
Had you come knocking at my door...
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2016-02-28 00:00:00
Perhaps I was a bit giddy. It was the night of the Super Bowl and my oldest son had just returned from a party. He was showing us a video of a “Kosher Halftime show”, and it was quite amusing. We heard a knock at the door. It was someone collecting Tzeddakah. His frock and his wide brimmed hat hinted that he was a Yerushalmi. Our visitor looked about my age. His brow was furrowed. His l …
Frum Fatigue
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2020-12-02 19:33:30
There’s a thought that’s been percolating inside of me. Most recently, it was activated by the surprising response of large segments of the Frum/Orthodox community, to the COVID crisis. The thought actually starts with a question: Why is it that a good many of the most observant members of our community seem almost allergic to rules that broader society tends to abide? In particular, why do a large number of Frum Jews make …
From light to darkness
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2024-12-21 23:44:02
I recently sat with a client and listened to a recording he’d made of himself, years earlier, playing the guitar and singing the song of his favorite artist. My client and I marveled at how meticulously he’d reproduced the riffs, the tones, and the timing of the artist. My client, who is older than I am, is no longer able to play the guitar; his voice is no longer quite able to hit the notes. It was a bittersweet moment. It highlighte …
Forgiving G-d
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2018-09-17 13:09:29
On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, while many Jews recite, in undertone, the formal script with which they ask for forgiveness, some might simultaneously be conducting an even quieter, personalized conversation with their selves. The personal conversation takes on a different tone and tenor than does the forgiveness formula: I’ve been reciting the litany of my sins for weeks, on end. It’s starting to grate on my nerves. I&rsqu …
Find YOUR way back
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2017-09-24 12:34:51
As we stand in the midst of the Aseres Yemai Teshuvah, the ten days of repentance that stretch from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, many of us likely recall what we’ve been taught, over the years, about Teshuvah. For some of us, the lessons remain deeply moving. Others may be burdened by painful memories - the baggage of repeated failure. Yet others may feel unable to relate to Teshuvah, having been numbed to and by the proce …
Face to Face
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2021-10-18 14:36:34
Soon after Sukkos, we are given the opportunity to study the lives of the Avos and Imahos. Some Torah readings are immediately accessible to us; others are more complex. In two consecutive weeks of Torah reading, Sarah Imenu is taken captive by a powerful king. This, after Avraham Avinu portrays the relationship between them as being simply brother and sister. There is, though, a subtle difference between the narratives. When Sarah is taken by Ph …
Crazy-making
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2016-10-23 13:59:45
This election season gives us pause for concern as to how candidates (more than one) sidestep questions about their personal and professional integrity. There comes a point, though, where political discourse strays into a disturbing zone, well known by mental health professionals and the clients they serve. I am referring to a dynamic that surrounds trauma – particularly complex trauma, associated with sexual abuse. …
Confessions of a Chayal's Parent
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2024-02-14 22:19:04
My wife and I are in the unique position of living in between two distinct communities. We spent numerous years in Kollel and have been part of the larger Yeshiva community for decades. Those years and decades were deeply meaningful to us; they remain very much a part of us. We continue to cherish the friendships and connections we formed during our Kollel-plus years. My wife and I, though, also enjoyed upbringings that included a broader …
Beyond earshot
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2016-11-13 11:55:59
Let's study some Torah verses that are read right around this time of year. We would be doing so, with an eye for uncovering the nuggets of wisdom – psychological or otherwise – that lie immediately beneath the surface of the text. Avraham has just sent away, Yishma’el, his eldest son. Sarah had ordered that he be driven away and G-d had endorsed the plan. Hagar, Yishmael’s mother leaves with …
Bar Mitzvah Handbook: Part 4
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2017-08-06 11:17:30
(This is the last post of the series. It continues our conversation about being connected and it then it summarizes.) Choosing connectedness also means identifying who your friends are and forging potentially lifelong relationships with them. Choose friends who are wholesome, who are supportive of you and your growth and to whom you enjoy giving. Invest in these friendships. I’m speaking less abou …
Bar Mitzvah Handbook: Part 3
Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.
2017-07-28 16:04:00
(In our last post, we began to discuss the importance of connecting. There was an understanding that we would not go into specifics, until – this – the next post. What follows is a conversation about connecting with Hashem.) Whether you understand the story of Bereishit in its most literal sense – that everything started a little more than 5775 years ago – or whether you believe in things like the Big Ba …