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Showing Results 200 - 240 (271 total)
Standing Your Ground
Author: Zahavah Selinger, LMHC
2016-05-25 00:00:00
What do you do when you have a friend going through a difficult time and is relying on you too much for support? It could be difficult letting them know this because you want to be there for them, yet your tolerance slowly dwindles until you get to the point where you are so frustrated, you remove yourself completely from the situation. Being on either side is not comfortable. Someone who needs so much support is likely not getting it from the ri …
How to be Part of the Solution
Author: Dr. Yaakov Siegel
2016-05-25 00:00:00
Lately, behavioral addiction has been in the forefront of the psychology world, and with good reason. Behavioral addiction covers a wide range of behaviors that can be devastating to marriages and to other relationships. When this occurs, otherwise functional people find themselves repeatedly engaging in unsafe behaviors to their own detriment. Oftentimes, they seem to be fully aware of the consequences, yet continue to return to the same old beh …
After Mother’s Day: Musings on Bereaved Mothers
Author: Dvora Entin, LCSW
2016-05-25 00:00:00
Historically, Mother’s Day involved a mother, her mother, and maybe her grandmother as well. Today, with Facebook, social media, and a multitude of blogs, Mother’s Day exposes us to everyone else’s mother-child relationships. We scroll through our newsfeeds and see photo after photo of mothers and their kids, as well as adult children celebrating their older moms. As a therapist with my heart immersed in the world of those who h …
Introduction May 2016
Author: Lisa Twerski, LCSW
2016-05-25 00:00:00
It’s that time of year again. Spring is in the air, summer is soon to follow. Everyone is out more, enjoying the nice weather. Children are playing ball, riding bikes, and maybe opting out of the stuffy school bus and walking home with their friends instead. Time to talk about safety. Have you made sure your children wear a helmet when they ride their bike? Check. Talked to them about not darting out into the street after a runaway ball? Ch …
Four Ways Psychotherapy Can Change Your Life
Author: Liz Wallenstein, LMHC
2016-02-29 00:00:00
Psychotherapy is built on the premise that if you are struggling with something, feel stuck, or are having strong feelings or reactions to something, it’s because there’s more going on in your life than you realize. According to psychotherapy, the problem you are dealing with is, in actuality, only a symptom of a bigger conflict going on inside you. Through expert-guided conversation, therapists help clients gain the awareness they ne …
Confidentiality: Not Just for Therapists
Author: Ilana Rosen, LCSW
2016-02-29 00:00:00
Chana* was clearly shaken when she came into session. After a childhood of abuse and significant trauma, she has been painstakingly working to become the best mother she could be. As a mother of five and approaching middle-age, Chana and I had spent months exploring her hopes and fears of having another baby. In addition to her therapy, Chana sees a chiropractor who gives her “corrections.” Recently her chiropractor, a …
Identifying and Selecting Your Career
Author: Michael Simcha Lax Psy.D.
2016-02-29 00:00:00
“My son, the doctor” has been the pride and joy of many Jewish parents back in the day, and has no doubt been a motivating factor for many “sons” who have entered the field of medicine. The goal: do something society views as respectable and make my parents proud. Today this trend has taken on a new face. It’s going for a degree in Special Ed when you’d be more interested in a career in interior design, or doin …
Managing Mood Disorders
Author: Michael J. Salamon, Ph.D.
2016-02-29 00:00:00
Moods are a psychological state of mind, and are different from personality. Personality traits linger, varying very little over decades, while moods tend to not remain rigid. A mood is best described as both a general and an internal state of feeling. People have good moods and bad moods, and these moods can and should change. Everyone experiences variations in their mood. If a person has mood shifts that are mild and the shifts occur only on oc …
“Overstanding” Your Child
Author: Sara Teichman, Psy.D.
2016-02-29 00:00:00
Is your daughter a drama queen who holds you hostage with her tales of woe? Does your son want you to fight his battles with the hanhala of his yeshiva? Do your kids expect you to provide entertainment when they bleat “Maaa, I’m so bored…”? Do you sometimes long for the days when kids were “seen but not heard”? In our rational moments, we know that we do not want to go back to that old mentality. We do want ou …
Parental Approval and the Adult Child
Author: Sara Schapiro-Halberstam, MHC-LP, CASAC
2016-02-29 00:00:00
“I don’t know why I cry... I cry because for the first time since I hated you, I remember that I loved you…” (Lyrics by Gwen Stefani). Adolescents and adult children often openly defy their parents’ wishes. Be it religious differences, career issues, or lifestyle matters, adult children make different choices than their parents, hoping that their parents will someday agree with the decisions they’ve made. When …
Understanding Dissociative Disorders
Author: Lili Grun, LCSW-R
2016-02-29 00:00:00
Emotional, spiritual, and physical struggles faced by individuals who come for psychotherapy frequently find their origins in painful, frightening childhood experiences. People whose minds and bodies are still in a state of trauma, or who are living according to childhood survival tactics and rules of cause and effect, often lack the skills needed to lead healthy lives and have satisfying relationships. A common defense mechanism employed to cope …
Finding Acceptance: Remembering Ronnie, Z”L A Tribute to Rabbi Ronald Greenwald
Author: Hindie M. Klein, PsyD
2016-02-29 00:00:00
The world and I awoke on Wednesday, January 20, the 10th day of Shevat, to the devastating news that Rabbi Ronnie Greenwald was gone. Impossible to imagine, since for so many and for so long, the world was so often supported and sustained by Ronnie’s strength, compassion and benevolence. Ronnie was a champion of the human spirit, a man who always sought out truth, goodness and decency. He was passionate about helping his fellow Jew; h …
When to Worry About Your Child’s Worries
Author: Regine Galanti, PhD
2015-11-25 00:00:00
Sam Cohen* is a bright 7-year-old boy who notices everything. If a paper clip is out of place on my desk, Sam is the first to comment. Though he’s always been intelligent, Sam’s parents have also noticed that their son has been a worrier for as long as they can remember. His thoughts often include fears like: What will the other children at school think of him? What if his parents’ car crashes on the way to the grocery store? Wh …
Nature versus Nurture: An Age-Old Debate
Author: Marlene Greenspan, MA, LPC
2015-11-25 00:00:00
Part of the great debate of nurture versus nature includes the question of: who influences the student more, the family or the school? How important is it for children to be coddled and guided both at home and at school? Nowadays, children attend school almost as soon as they can walk, starting with a toddler program at just two years old (or younger). Some families prefer to have small groups of children rotating houses with parents serving as & …
Forgetting Father’s Day: Perinatal Mood Disorders in Men
Author: Dvora Entin, LCSW
2015-11-25 00:00:00
As the field of maternal mental health is growing and expanding, we are becoming more alert to the shifting family dynamics as parents and extended loved ones welcome new members of the tribe. After the initial celebrations of the shalom zachor, bris or kiddush have passed and shortly after the first car ride home in the cute new outfit selected for just this event, parents are introduced to a completely new reality. Even as couples welcome baby …
Choosing Life
Author:
2015-11-25 00:00:00
They tell me that my grandfather loved life. I never met him – he passed away many years before I was born. But I've always wondered what it's like to love life. If I could just get through life without too much pain, I would be happy. Happy. That might not be the right word. Do I really know what being happy feels like? Satisfied is more like it. My childhood home was not a happy one. Growing up in the shadow of "the War," there was a lot …
Helping Children Cope with Terrorism
Author: Dr. Sarah Lewis-Levy
2015-11-25 00:00:00
As a neuropsychologist who recently moved to Israel, I have been inundated with questions from parents about how to deal with their young children’s questions and fears stemming from the recent slew of terror attacks. Tthe truth is that my response to terrorism in Israel is different from my response to terrorism in the United States. When I worked as the director of guidance at a school in America, I recommended that, for 9/11 memorials, t …
Facilitating Acceptance, Part II
Author: Kalman Canant, LCSW, CSAT-c
2015-11-25 00:00:00
The Serenity Prayer The serenity prayer is central to various 12-step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous and the other “anonymous” groups. Outside the context of the 12-steps as well, the prayer helps many people to handle daily life issues. With the prayer’s concepts, one learns to “live life on life’s terms” and cope with reality. Instead of using a substance, a process, or a relationship for instant grat …
Depression in Our Community
Author: Michael J. Salamon, Ph.D.
2015-11-25 00:00:00
In the United States, roughly 12 million women suffer some form of depression. Symptoms of depression include changes in mood, sleep patterns and eating habits, along with decreased pleasure in many activities, fatigue, agitation, feeling worthless, helpless and alone, and difficulty concentrating. Although not everyone suffers from all these symptoms, women who have some of the symptoms should get proper care. Unfortunately, only about half of w …
Building Our Marriages through Torah
Author: David Mark, MS, LMSW, Certified Gottman Therapist
2015-11-25 00:00:00
It is not uncommon for all books of faith to honor and respect marriage. In Judaism, two sources of the Living Bible were given to Moses on Mount Sinai some 3,328 years ago. Both of equal importance, they are known as the Written Law (also referred to as the Torah, the Five Books of Moses, or the Old Testament), and the Oral Law (also known as the Mishna). This article will share some examples of how the wisdom in the Living Bible can be used to …
All in the Family
Author: Shaya Hecht, LMSW
2015-11-25 00:00:00
As many parents can attest, oppositional and defiant behavior can be quite difficult to manage. I have encountered parents who are eager to develop behavior plans from our very first meeting, as well as parents who report that behavioral interventions do not seem to work for their child. While research shows that behavioral interventions can be very helpful in reducing a child’s negative behavior, it is also important that the parent-child …
A Parenting Guide for the Chanukah Frenzy
Author: Sara Teichman, Psy.D.
2015-11-25 00:00:00
You don’t have to be Orthodox or even Jewish to know about the commercialization of Chanukah in our time. What with too many parties, too much fried food, endless doughnuts and an abundance of gifts, the holiday starts to lose its meaning. The surplus of stuff (some families give a gift every night!) makes some children grabby and whiney, and liable to lose appreciation for each individual gift – and its giver. For the parents of thos …
Introduction November 2015
Author: Lisa Twersky LCSW
2015-11-25 00:00:00
Dear Readers, Sarah*, a single young woman in her twenties, was talking to me about needing to make some changes. She described an incident that she was deeply uncomfortable with, which she felt she needed to do something about. Sarah and her friend Tzippy* got into a disagreement, and Tzippy said something that Sarah found very hurtful. Sarah’s response was to break down crying, unable to relay what she was feeling and express herse …
Teenagers: Mission Impossible
Author: Alexander Rand, LCSW-R CASAC
2015-08-26 00:00:00
Raising teenagers in 2015 requires education, skill, luck, practice, and of course, prayer and God. Even with all that, it’s still not enough. We need more prayer and more God, and if you’ve ever raised a teenager, you’ll understand exactly why. Adolescence is a time when a child naturally starts to experiment with rules, challenging authority, and beginning to form his/her own identity. While that can be terrifying for parents, …
Raising Resilient Children: Rising to the Challenges of Today and Tomorrow
Author: Chaya Drucker, MSW, LCSW, ACSW
2015-08-26 00:00:00
As loving parents, we understandably long to protect our precious children from all suffering, risks, hardships, and adversity. Yet we recognize that this is neither possible nor ultimately desirable, since we will not be permanently available to serve as their shield against the demands and difficulties of life. Furthermore, we realize that each person’s challenges constitute a customized crucible, divinely ordained to actualize his …
Praiseworthy Children
Author: Shaya Hecht, LMSW, CASAC-T
2015-08-26 00:00:00
Praise can be a very effective tool in reinforcing your child’s actions. Many parents seem to be resistant to praising their child, arguing that: “Praise doesn’t work… I don’t want to praise him too much because then he/she will get spoiled… I sound like a broken record when I tell my child “good job” every few minutes…” and similar excuses. It is important to note that although …
Parenting a Child with Mental Illness
Author: Sarah Kahan, LCSW
2015-08-26 00:00:00
“Hello Yehudis, how can I help you?” “I heard you have a residence for adults with mental illness. My son, who just turned 20, is in the psych ward for the third time this year. I am no longer able to care for him at home and I am imploring you for help. Do you know what it’s like to have a child who doesn’t want to take his medication and doesn’t come out of his room for days, doesn’t shower, and on …
Impulse Control Disorders in Children
Author: Jonathan Bellin, LCSW
2015-08-26 00:00:00
When observing and diagnosing behavior in children, it is very important to differentiate between aggression and hyperactivity. Hyperactivity is not synonymous with being oppositional or aggressive. Whereas hyperactivity is a defining feature of ADHD, aggression is not. Similarly, a child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is oppositional with rules at home and/or in school, but they are not physically aggressive. There are d …
Finding the Teachable Moment
Author: Sara Teichman, Psy.D.
2015-08-26 00:00:00
Many a parent believes in the power of constant discipline, providing further proof that “when you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” However, in my mind, strong discipline is overkill – and subject to the law of diminishing returns. In other words, when it comes to discipline, more is less. Like any system, overuse may breed ineffectiveness and even resentment. And the last thing a parent wants to do is compromis …
Facilitating Acceptance
Author: Kalman Canant, LCSW, CSAT-c
2015-08-26 00:00:00
Life seldom gives us exactly what we want or the way we want it. Disappointment can be difficult for us in many ways, causing a lot of disturbance. The way we expected reality to turn out just doesn’t match the way that it does turn out, and this incongruity produces much suffering. Expectations are like entry ramps into our journey through the spiral of non-acceptance. We experience at least two stages on this journey, and enter into …
Can Two Wrongs Make One Right?
Author: Marlene Greenspan
2015-08-26 00:00:00
Two wrongs do not make a right, as the old saying goes – and this usually works quite well when parents encourage their children to get past a fighting mode. But in fact, two negatives do make a positive in the disciplines of math and grammar. So why doesn’t it apply to a person’s consideration of morality? Don’t the two principles seem to contradict each other? Math and grammar are challenging subject skills for many. On …
Introduction August 2015
Author:
2015-08-26 00:00:00
Recently a very tragic – very public – suicide has become fodder for countless news outlets, front page stories, blogs, and even more conversations. People who knew the young woman who jumped twenty stories to her death only tangentially, or not at all, expressed very strong ideas about what had happened, why it happened and whose fault it was. Everybody seems to have an opinion and something to say. When a tragedy such as this one oc …
The Power of Dreams
Author: Marlene Greenspan, MA, LPC
2015-05-31 00:00:00
Dreams come to us in different waves of experience. In the days of old, cavemen and women left pictures of dream fantasies; Shakespeare talked about his characters’ portrayal of dreams in a number of his plays. Today’s scientists have noted that individuals have different periods of dreaming in their sleep cycles, some of which are remembered while others are forgotten. Dreaming can refer to hopes that individuals have for their futur …
The Cell Phone Parent
Author: Michael J. Salamon, Ph.D., FICPP
2015-05-31 00:00:00
An earlier version of this article appeared on the Times of Israel. When parents ask me directly at what age they should get their children a cell phone, I generally do not answer. Despite the specificity of the question and regardless of what I say, parents make their own decisions, and these decisions usually fall into reasonably well-defined categories. Overprotective parents justify purchasing cell phones for their children while they are st …
Tall Guys Don’t Jump
Author: Shimmy Feintuch, LMSW
2015-05-31 00:00:00
No disrespect to sports fans, but sports discussions are not known for their wealth of theoretic wisdom. Certainly, sports are great fun, and the pull of professional sports has even the attention of the Wall Street Journal. Articles on sports are full of analysis and postgame hindsight, but rarely philosophical insight.
And so it was to my great surprise that an innocuous conversation about basketball turned up a philosophical gem. A child …
Mothers and Daughters: Open Communication
Author: Sarah Lewis-Levy, PhD
2015-05-31 00:00:00
In my generation, many girls found out–not from their mothers, but from talking to friends–about what to anticipate when their body changes. In the backs of buses, during private moments with friends, whispers, giggles, sleepovers, sleep-away camp–that’s where much of the education still takes place today. As Jewish mothers, don’t we want to be the one to impart the joy and holiness of our femininity to our daughters …
Sparks of Light
Author: Shaindy Urman
2015-05-31 00:00:00
You should hear the stories. My G-d, if only you heard some of the stories. The mother who punched her small child in the chest. The father who threw his daughter down a flight of stairs. The man who has nightmares, decades later, about the counselor in camp who violated him. Women who are afraid the moment their husband comes home from work. Newborn babies in intensive care, detoxing from their mother’s drug use. Toddlers left home alone f …
Does Alan Turing have Asperger’s Syndrome?
Author: Sarah Kahan, LCSW
2015-05-31 00:00:00
The recent release of the movie “The Imitation Game” is about the life of Alan Turing, who lived from 1912-1954. He was a British computer scientist, mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher, mathematical biologist, and marathon and ultra distance runner. He was highly influential in the development of computer science, providing a formalization of the concepts of "algorithm" and "computation" with the Turing machine, which …
Can't vs. Won't
Author: Dr. Sara Teichman
2015-05-29 00:00:00
Do you ever wonder about your children: they can’t orthey won’t? Are your children unable, or are they unwilling to meet your expectations? Are they deliberately sabotaging your Shabbos meal, or are they not ready to handle the challenge of a lengthy and structured seudah? The “can’t vs. won’t” conundrum comes up frequently in child rearing. There is a tremendous difference between the child who can’t do …
Bonding with Our Children
Author: Chaya Drucker
2015-05-29 00:00:00
Since my own childhood, I have had a passion for positive parenting, for which I credit my mother, of blessed memory. Perhaps because she lost her own mother at the tender age of five, she did not take being a mother for granted and consciously devoted herself to growing as a parent, by reading and attending lectures. As a little girl, I would lie on my mother’s bed, poring over the parenting manuals of that era. When I was older, she invit …
Black and Beautiful
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2015-05-29 00:00:00
I’m washing my hands mindlessly when I look into the mirror. Just out of habit. To stare at that annoying pimple, I guess, or search for blackheads that keep popping up. Something makes me stop. And stare. There is something… so symmetrical. I stare, and it is true. It takes my breath away. That skin is marred by pimples, it is true. Malnourishment and not washing enough and fluctuating body temperature does that. That hair is messy …
Introduction February 2015
Author:
2015-03-01 00:00:00
Today, a frum person has so many options to choose from about the kinds of mental health services he or she needs. When once there were only a few providers, today there are more and more frum professionals training in psychiatry, psychology, social work, nursing, coaching and pastoral counseling. In addition, specialty fields such as trauma, sex abuse, addiction, marriage counseling, sex therapy, CBT, DBT and many others have grown, and Jewish m …
Victim of Abuse or Just a Bad Marriage?
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2015-03-01 00:00:00
Lisa Twerski, LCSW Differentiating Between Dysfunction, Disorders and Domestic Abuse When people feel abused in their marriage, it can be very confusing to try and determine if the cause is a dysfunctional relationship that may have some abusive features, a spouse with a mental illness, or domestic abuse. In fact, some of the abusive ways one may be treated by their spouse may be similar from situation to situation; what determines which type of …
Overview of Addictions
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2015-03-01 00:00:00
Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski We know that people may become addicted to alcohol or drugs. There are a number of other common addictions: cigarettes, food, gambling, sex, shopping, the internet. Although addiction cannot be precisely defined, we may say that anytime a person loses control over a behavior that he wishes to control (or should wish to control), that is addiction. We do not know what causes addiction.In addition to psychological/emoti …
Mussar or Marriage Counseling?
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2015-03-01 00:00:00
Chaya Feuerman LCSW-R Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R The frustrations people experience in marriage are actually opportunities. According to Chazal, when Man was first created, he was a double being, with two faces and two sides. One side was male and the other was female (Rashi, Bereishis 1:27). This suggests that a human being is not complete unless he or she has successfully integrated both the male and female aspects of his or her perso …
Getting the Help You Need: Who Can Provide Treatment?
Author:
2015-03-01 00:00:00
Hindie M. Klein, PsyD Beginning psychotherapy can be very liberating. It is often the first step in a therapeutic process that hopefully ends with a decrease in disturbing symptoms, improved relationships and a restored sense of well-being. Getting to that first step takes strength and courage. It requires recognition that there are vulnerabilities, problems, and challenges. It requires a true desire for change. A frequent question may ari …
Depression or Ordinary Sadness?
Author:
2015-03-01 00:00:00
Pamela P. Siller, MD All of us know what sadness feels like. Some may feel disappointment with a less-than-perfect grade in school. Others get upset after an argument with a spouse. Many of us have cried after a loss, whether a death, argument, or even a geographic relocation. Sadness is expressed differently by each of us, as we are individuals. Yelling, crying, and irritability are the most common reactions to loss or unhappiness, but so …
Understanding Assessments
Author:
2015-03-01 00:00:00
Dr. Judith Guedalia, PhD As a parent, teacher or mental health professional, we have surely, at one point or another, been bombarded with referrals to do testing or assessments. “Testing” may refer to every area in our anatomy and psyche. Some are physically intrusive, and others emotionally so. Most are expensive in time and money. What is the purpose for, and what exactly are, assessments? When a child or adult is referred fo …
Anxious? Or Just Jewish?
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2015-03-01 00:00:00
Shimmy Feintuch, LMSW Being Jewish would make even a Buddhist monk anxious. There are so many laws and rituals that are part of our daily lives. Did you eat enough matzah? Is it time for davening yet? Or worse, is it too late? Did you say the words just right, or was it slightly off? Better say it again, then. Young children learn particular laws, such as those regarding hand washing, early, to form routines that will last a lifetime. But …
All Care is Not Equal: The Advantage of Treatment by a Psychiatrist
Author:
2015-03-01 00:00:00
Shalom Feinberg, MD But they are both MD’s… Moshe hasn’t been feeling well for months. He has a growing list of medical complaints and worries. His family doctor examines him and finds no illness to explain his symptoms. Moshe is no longer able to help his wife Leah with their children as he withdraws into bed whenever he is at home. With the help of a credible referral agency, Leah finds a competent psychiatrist nearby and cal …
Introduction: November 2014
Author: Lisa Twerski, LCSW
2014-11-25 00:00:00
In contemplating the theme of this issue of Mind Body & Soul, so many possibilities of what it might mean to “face one’s fears” come to mind, both in the general context of life, and specifically, in the context of mental health and mental illness. Our own individual circumstances are the not the only times we find ourselves facing our fears, or trying to avoid doing so. As a community, there are times when we must act colle …
Facing Our Fears
Author: Shimmy Feintuch, LMSW
2014-11-25 00:00:00
What is fear? Is it a monster under your bed, or in the closet? Is it wide eyes, thumping heart, panicked breathing? Is it dangling off a cliff by your fingertips? Fear is all those things, and more. Fear, at its essence, is actually a good thing. Our bodies let us know when we are in a dangerous situation, so we can act accordingly. Do you have an aversion to standing near the subway platform edge? Do you tend to walk faster through a rough neig …
Reward and Punishment when Raising Children – A Second Look
Author: Chana Mark, LCSW
2014-11-25 00:00:00
Many parents use a system of rewards and punishments to help change children’s behavior. This idea has come down to us from behavioral psychology as part of what is known as “operant conditioning.” This phrase is simply the following: Reinforcement means increasing the frequency or duration of desirable behavior. “If you go to bed on time for the whole week, I will give you a prize at the end of the week.” Pun …
FEAR: Controlling the Wide Spectrum of Moods and Feelings
Author: Marlene Greenspan, MA, LPC
2014-11-25 00:00:00
From anxiety to trauma, fear is a feeling of many colors. Colors and musical notes have a certain resonance or intensity that may vary with the emotion the artist wants to evoke. Feelings are emotions and also have stronger or weaker intensities, depending on the way a person is expressing those feelings inwardly or outwardly. Fear may begin with a mild feeling of worry or concern about someone or something that can escalate to the vibrancy of pa …
Coping Successfully with Stress
Author: Chana Simmonds, MSW, LCSW
2014-11-25 00:00:00
In the 12th century, the Rambam (Moshe ben Maimon, Maimonides), addressed the interconnection of the mind, body and spirit. He recognized that an ill person's thoughts and beliefs affected both his emotional state and physical experience. He did not believe in amulets, and yet, he wrote in his Laws of the Sabbath that a patient who believed that charms or talisman were healing should be allowed to wear them, even on Shabbat, because it mig …
Parenting Your Anxious Child
Author: Rachel Factor, MSW
2014-11-25 00:00:00
You have your sweet, intelligent, imaginative and creative child. A child who has clearly been blessed with endless potential and depth, a child that can blow your mind away with the most interesting questions you’ve ever been asked (which you only wished you could answer). The problem, or better said, the challenge, is that your child also has anxiety. You see, it’s part of this package deal. But there is good news; anxiety re …
Finding Humor in Everyday Situations
Author: Joel Verstaendig, PhD
2014-11-25 00:00:00
"A merry heart is a good medicine and a broken spirit dries the bones.” (Proverbs: Chapter 17, Verse 22) The health benefits of humor and a good laugh have long been hypothesized, and recent research has substantiated these assumptions. Norman Cousins, who researched the biochemistry of emotions, was diagnosed with a debilitating and painful illness late in life. In his best-selling book, Anatomy of an Illness, he related how ten min …
Bridging the Gap Between You and Your Teen
Author: Sara Teichman, Psy.D.
2014-11-25 00:00:00
Are you the cool mom? The mom who is young in attitude, spirit, and dress? Can you be mistaken for your teenager’s sister? Have you succumbed to the allure of Forever 21 or are you striving to win points in your teen’s eyes? Well, here’s the thing. Despite well-intentioned efforts to keep up with the times, many a daughter still sees her mom as irrelevant. Being young at heart, it seems, does not bridge the generation gap …
NEFESH INTERNATIONAL 18th Annual Conference
Author: Yeta Solomon, LCSW
2014-11-25 00:00:00
What does a highly successful, international mental health organization do after it has attracted many hundreds of members worldwide, and coordinated 17 outstanding conferences? It does what NEFESH International is about to do. It does it again, of course. NEFESH is proud and very excited to announce the Eighteenth Annual Conference to take place on Sunday and Monday, December 28th and 29th, 2014, at the Hyatt Regency in Hauppauge, New Yor …
How to Choose a Career that is Best for You
Author: Tzvi Pirutinsky, Ph.D.
2014-11-25 00:00:00
How to Choose a Career that is Best for You By Tzvi Pirutinsky, Ph.D. Choosing the right career can be a difficult and anxiety-provoking process. Will I enjoy it? Will I be good at it? Will it provide an adequate livelihood? Will my family support this choice? On the other hand, it is also an opportunity to actively explore and discover more about yourself and the world, so picking the right career can be exciting, informative, and even fun.
Do You Need a Marriage Therapist?
Author: Ovadia Trepp, MSW, LCSW
2014-11-25 00:00:00
For the purpose of this article, we will be discussing two distinct types of problems that impact marriages, namely, couple problems and individual problems. We will also be talking about two types (or modalities) of therapy: marital and individual. Like the handyman who needs to know the details of a job before choosing the appropriate set of tools, it is helpful to identify the type of issue you are experiencing before choosing one type of ther …
Transcending Adversity
Author: Harriet Cabelly, LCSW
2014-11-25 00:00:00
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Viktor Frankl Throughout life, people transcend their adversities in different ways; some people can go through a lot and be able to rise above and live well, and some people simply succumb to their circumstances. Th …
Dear Brave One
Author:
Dear Brave One, Before you come to your first appointment, I think it’s only fair that I share with you how stepping foot into my office could potentially impact you for the rest of your life. There will be some real consequences to borrowing the name of “client.” And I know you’re not thinking about that now. You just want to feel better. But it’s only right that I be transparent about …
Dear Brave One
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Dear Brave One, Before you come to your first appointment, I think it’s only fair that I share with you how stepping foot into my office could potentially impact you for the rest of your life. There will be some real consequences to borrowing the name of “client.” And I know you’re not thinking about that now. You just want to feel better. But it’s only right that I be transparent about …
Couples Counseling in a Pasuk
Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R
The Recent daf Yomi, daily Talmud reading, (Yoma 23) discusses the prohibition of revenge and grudge bearing: What is revenge and what is bearing a grudge? Revenge is illustrated by the following example: One said to his fellow: “Lend me your sickle”, and he said: “No”. The next day he, the one who had refused to lend the sickle, said to the other person: “Lend me your ax.” If he said to him: “I …
Scared
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Is your child a real scaredy cat? With every noise your house makes, he reacts by crying, hiding under his bed or in the closet. He won’t go into the swimming pool or to a friend’s house. Climbing in the park or going on rides at amusement parks – don’t even think about it! So, how do we help him become brave? We want him to face new things, to trust himself to handle different experiences, and to use his body …
Debunking the Soul Partner Myth
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My interest in this topic dates back to 2001 when the renowned National Marriage Project published its study of 1003 married and single young adults titled, “Who Wants to Marry A Soulmate?” Three findings were enlightening: Ninety-four percent of never-married singles agree that when you marry, you want your spouse to be your soulmate - first and foremost. Secondly, eighty-two percent of young adults agree that it is unwise for a woma …
The Mean Girls
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It’s not just in the movies: The mean girls phenomenon is real and very much a subject of discussion today among professionals and parents alike. Unlike the boys who may be openly – and even physically – aggressive, mean girls use their words. They typically operate under the radar, far from adult view. And, no matter how many complaints there are from the other students, the mean girls continue to exclude, mock and/or tease, an …
How and why community safety matters
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Dear Readers Welcome to the August edition of Mind Body & Soul, themed Safe families; safe communities. In this issue we consider the various opportunities that present themselves, to create safety within ourselves, our families and our communities. In particular, Menachem Hojda advises the larger community how to aim for security, especially when some of its members are at risk. Chana Mark guides individuals toward …
A Glance at Integrative Mental Health at Hope Street
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The pressure is on:
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In today’s fast paced modern world, the experience of life is assaulted upon by a relentless barrage of stress and pressure. Mommy is rushing to get everyone out of the house. Mommy and daddy are getting ready for work and I am hurriedly escorted out of my home onto the school bus. I arrive at school and spend the next seven to eight hours jumping from one subject to another. I have to keep my finger on the place and I am expected to …