Author: Linda N. Baron Katz

November 27th, 2013

One of the issues I grappled with after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, was being accepted, particularly in the Orthodox Jewish community. You see, I am an Orthodox woman – I keep my head covered, dress modestly, keep kosher, observe the Sabbath and Jewish holidays, and am readily identified as an observant Jewish woman. Community has always been very important to me, both as a Jewish woman, and as a woman in recovery.   Sa …
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Author: Multiple

November 27th, 2013

I’m So Confused, Am I Being Abused?   By Lisa Twerski, LCSW   Domestic abuse is a reality that some unfortunately face in their marriages, and one that can be quite confusing and difficult to grapple with. In her book, I'm So Confused, Am I Being Abused?, Lisa Twerski, LCSW explains how to differentiate between dysfunction, disorders and domestic abuse. According to Twerski, it is important to discern "whether the emotional ab …
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Author: Dvora Entin, LCSW

November 27th, 2013

The months before a baby’s birth are filled with excitement and the anticipation of a life-changing event. Your body is adjusting to creating new life and your mind is adjusting to the new role you are about to assume. For the birth of a first child, you spend the months planning, dreaming about the new baby, names, sleepless nights ahead and the thrill of becoming a mother, while preparing for a growing family includes months filled with tho …
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Author: Shimmy Feintuch, LMSW

November 27th, 2013

It takes a lot of courage to walk into a therapist’s office. Many people think of asking for help for months or years before they actually reach out. Finally, you’ve taken that first step. Congratulations! Now, once you’re inside, how can you make the most of your experience? How can you make sure you are getting what you truly need?   Therapy is not a miracle drug. It requires work; you get out of therapy what you put into it. Th …
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Author: Michael J. Salamon, Ph.D.

November 27th, 2013

In a 1943 paper entitled “A Theory of Human Motivation,” Dr. Abraham Maslow, a prominent psychologist, proposed what has come to be known as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The Hierarchy, often pictured as a pyramid, contains five levels of needs thought to be common to all. These five levels are a road map that each individual must fulfill as they progress to the pinnacle of self-actualization, the goal point of need at which a person overc …
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Author: Martin E. Friedlander, Esq.

August 28th, 2013

Children who were raised by religious families in religious environments are subjected to a degree of psychological torment when confronted by unknown environments due to one parent’s decision to longer live a religiously observant lifestyle.
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Author: Sarah Levy, Ph.D.

August 28th, 2013

Have you ever wondered why your daughter, who looks beautiful to you, complains of being “fat” or “ugly”?
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Author: Sarah Kahan, LMSW

August 28th, 2013

In my work with grief counseling, I observed that some people have difficulty getting in touch with painful emotions, so they either avoid facing their feelings or pretend they don’t exist.
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Author: Michael J. Salamon, Ph.D.

August 28th, 2013

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a very real and frightening malady that can last decades with symptoms that include flashbacks, sleep disturbances, difficulty trusting relationships, depression, and anxiety.
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Author: Mind Body and Soul

August 28th, 2013

Domestic violence is a psychological game, one where the abuser has everybody fooled.
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Author: Dov Wilkes, LCSW

August 28th, 2013

While the havdalah candle is still being dipped into the wine and has yet to burn out, several family members start to scramble in various directions.
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Author: www.ezermizion.org

August 28th, 2013

“Hello, Ezer Mizion calling…” When a call comes in from Ezer Mizion, it means something serious. My knees buckled. My blood ran cold.
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Author: Hindie M. Klein, PsyD

August 28th, 2013

Here’s a brief self-diagnostic quiz: • Do you buy things you want, whether or not you can afford them at the moment? • Do you buy things to cheer yourself up or to reward yourself? • If you have to say no to yourself, or put off buying something you really want, do you feel intensely deprived, angry or upset?
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Author: Rabbi Sheea Langsam, LMHC, LPC

August 28th, 2013

In this article, I will be talking about fostering a healthy and positive parent-teen relationship, which along with its many other benefits, can often serve as a preventive measure for at-risk behavior.
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Author: Shuli Sandler, Psy.D.

August 28th, 2013

This article will attempt to give insight into why children play and what function it serves, both in general and in therapeutic settings.
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Author: Sarah Kahan, LMSW

August 28th, 2013

Tensions often emerge within families once children enter the adolescent stage of development, and the process of building a good relationship with your teenager can be a very challenging experience.
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Author: Jaime DelGrosso, LCSW

August 28th, 2013

Mental illness is, unfortunately, a widespread problem throughout our nation. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 1 out of every 17 people suffers from a seriously debilitating mental illness.
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Author: Dr Batya L. Ludman

June 29th, 2013

Choosing a therapist can be a very difficult and scary task. At a time when perhaps you are not feeling at your best, you are suddenly forced to choose from too many names, too many choices and still not know which kind of professional might even be the right choice for you. At various times in your life, you may need help dealing with problems that seem beyond your control. This can all feel quite overwhelming. For some, when you are honest with yourself, you acknowledge that you may not have been feeling well for days – or even weeks. Your symptoms are vague and it is really more that you have not been sleeping well, and you feel anxious, alone and down. The kids, your partner and even your reflection in the mirror at times, seem to bother you and you find yourself short-tempered
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Author: Barry S. Horowitz, LCSW-R

May 31st, 2013

The most important message regarding signs and symptoms of possible victimization is that these possible indicators may be nothing more specific than hints of high reaction to stress. There are many sources of stress in the lives of children which can range from starting a new school year; bullying from peers; looming final exams; upcoming family simchot; or illness/death in the family. Current or past abuse or neglect is only one possibility. Any individual symptom doesn't mean the child was abused, but several of them, or one which is dramatic, may mean that you should begin assessing more closely.
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Author: Dr. Judith Guedalia

May 17th, 2013

Ok, I’m not the patient you would wish for as an oncologist. I guarantee you I did not choose to be an oncology (cancer) patient. It’s not like going to choose a gynecologist who will deliver your babies, nor even a dentist or root canal specialist. No, you are someone we go to in the worst of times, never in the best of times. For this, the psychologist in me has great empathy for you. After over 26 years of working “up close and personal” as director of the neuropsychology unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center here in Jerusalem, I have a read on various medical professions. They each draw out the strengths of those who have chosen, or whom fate has chosen, to their specific specialties.
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Author: Fred Penzel, Ph.D.

May 13th, 2013

I have been actively involved in the treatment of OCD since 1982, and have treated over 650 cases of the disorder. During that time, I have come to many valuable understandings that I believe are important tools for anyone planning to take on this disorder. Putting together this type of list always seems arbitrary in terms of what to include, but suffice it to say, however it is presented, there is a certain body of information that can make anyone's attempts at recovery more effective. Some of these points may seem obvious, but it has always struck me as remarkable how little of this information my new patients, who are otherwise intelligent and informed people, are seen to possess coming into therapy.
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Author: Martin E. Friedlander, Esq.

May 13th, 2013

In today’s society is the internet causing divorces? The answer to this question is an unequivocal, “yes.” In the community at large and specifically the Orthodox community, authors and lecturers constantly forewarn the many dangers that the internet poses to children. Very little information, however, is published as to the danger that adults face while using the internet and viewing online pornography and the harmful effects that the internet has on marriages.
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Author: Dr. Steven Brodsky

May 13th, 2013

Many children with severe social phobia are never identified because they masquerade as extroverts. They "have to" be the center of attention, but suffer tremendously internally. Often of above average intelligence, they overcompensate by cleverly controlling situations to mask insecurities. They are frequently among the most popular kids and highest achievers who "no one would ever know" suffers painfully with extreme feelings of embarrassment and isolation. They fall under the radar of teachers and parents, who assume popularity and a smile equals confidence.
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Author: Sara Kahan LMSW

May 13th, 2013

Do you enjoy meeting people? Do you find yourself searching for something to say when you meet someone new? What if you don’t know what to say? What if you do something awkward and people laugh at you? How will you react if you get rejected?
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Author: Yehuda Lieberman, LCSW-R, QCSW, DCSW

May 13th, 2013

I don’t believe that anyone can reach the peak of true self-esteem. We all view ourselves externally at least to some extent. The goal is to reduce externally based feelings about ourselves and to increase those intrinsically based. Some people will focus on building self-esteem so as to reduce or eliminate depressive or anxious feelings. Others can continually work toward an increasingly better sense of self.
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Author: Sarah Kahan, LMSW

May 13th, 2013

Harry Chapin who wrote the famous song cats in the cradle wrote another song called flowers are red. He describes a kindergarten teacher teaching her students that “flowers need to be colored red and green leaves are green and that there's no need to see flowers any other way than the way they always have been seen.”
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Author: Sara Teichman, PsyD

May 13th, 2013

Tantrums, especially when they are thrown in public, are no fun. Even in private, they frustrate us and make us wonder what has happened to the child we love. Interestingly, tantrums are often cited as the most challenging issue that parents face.
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Author: Susan Vorhand Ph.D.

May 13th, 2013

A dream can provide a perspective unknown to consciousness. Carl Jung saw the dream as a hidden portal to the innermost recesses of the soul, “the utterance of the unconscious.” The unconscious contains the seed, the possibilities for future experience.
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Author: Shimmy Feintuch, LMSW

May 13th, 2013

If parenting is a job, it has to be the worst job ever. Long hours, bad pay, no recognition. Entry level parenting includes perks like spit-up and stinky diapers; a tenured position earns you criticism and the cold shoulder. Severance comes in the form of requests for money and brief holiday visits.
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Author: Being an Educated Consumer of Mental Health Services

May 13th, 2013

In my work as a Clinical Social Worker at outpatient mental health clinics, I have had the opportunity to work with many colleagues, and observe the field of private practice treatment. As a parent of an ADHD child, I have also been “on the other side of the couch,” as a client of such services. What I have seen is a very wide range of quality in the services offered to the community. As such, I would suggest that the consumer of mental health services is much more likely to receive quality treatment if s/he has an idea of how to be an educated consumer.
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Author: Mourning and Melancholia Revisited

May 13th, 2013

The Distinctions between Sadness, Mourning and Depression Having read quite a bit about topics of psychological interest in the Orthodox media, it seems to me that it would be helpful to clarify the differences between sadness, mourning and depression. For those of you who are suffering from depression and reading these words, you know what depression is all too well, and you know that it is something that takes hold of the mind much more aggressively and completely than sadness, or even mourning.
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Author: Seymour Hoffman

May 13th, 2013

Jewish sages have always been acute observers of human behavior. Below are presented several charming and enlightening anecdotes demonstrating the psychological wisdom and sophistication of past and present Jewish sages and their brief psychotherapeutic interventions.
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Author: Dr. Jonathan M. Lasson

May 13th, 2013

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that affects many people throughout the world. Many people observe individuals with OCD and laugh at them for their overly scrupulous behavior, however; OCD is no laughing matter. Those who suffer from this disorder are in severe psychological emotional pain. This pain that can torment other aspects of their lives for many years if gone untreated.
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Author: Reizl Kessin MHC

May 12th, 2013

Shloimy looks lovingly and tenderly over at Rochel, his kallah. He has awaited this moment his whole life. He cannot believe how blessed he is to have found such a sweet and understanding person. He can't wait one minute more til they can be alone at last and share their future together. Rochel is just as eager to wed Shloimy. His kind eyes and empathetic smile make her feel safe at last. She can finally escape the insanity of her family's house and begin a new journey filled with hope and possibilities for a happy new life.
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Author: Susan Vorhand

March 24th, 2013

We recognize that the Exodus story in the Torah, like all biblical narratives, is more than just a historical or political tale of physical bondage and ensuing liberation, it is also a spiritual and psychological drama. The exodus represents the human potential to liberate itself from slavery -- be it physical, mental, or spiritual.
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Author: Allan J. Katz, M.S. CRC

March 4th, 2013

The Orthodox Jewish world continues to seesaw back and forth about the pros and cons of the Asifa on Technology at Citifield in New York that was shown in communities around the world. Debates abound on the best Internet filters, blocks and technological band-aids to repair the dangerous environmental influences of the outside world. Let’s ban or block the Internet and suddenly our children will be less distracted, our communities more heimish and our learning and davening more for the sake of Heaven instead of rote blabbering to get it over with.
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March 4th, 2013

The initial image that came to mind was of a heart surgeon losing
his patient on the operating table. That is what I was thinking when
Sara called me saying she had decided to divorce Avi. They had begun
therapy ten weeks prior. It was to be a last attempt at saving the
marriage, but I knew at the time that my work was cut out for me.
At a certain point in a relationship, when there has been a history of
discord, fee …
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Author: Jenny Sassoon, L.M.S.W.

March 4th, 2013

Last summer, I read one of the best novels I have read in a long time: “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett. I was inspired by this novel in many ways, and there is one piece in the novel that particularly spoke to me as it relates to building healthy self-esteem in children and young adults. One of the main characters in the novel is a maid named Aibileen. Aibileen is responsible for cleaning and watching a two-year old little girl named Mae Mobley. This little girl’s mother often openly criticizes her two year-old daughter for not doing the right thing (i.e. what her mother wants her to do.)
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Author: Candida Abrahamson, Ph.D.

March 4th, 2013

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” Thus begins Jane Austen’s classic marriage-themed novel, Pride and Prejudice. To adapt the line for our world: cross out ”in possession of a good fortune” (not a requirement) and exchange ”should” for ”must.“ For while it is incumbent upon men and women in frum society to marry, it appears that some who want to want to get married are held back by fears of commitment. What are some of the unconscious rules by which these ‘Shidduch-Shy’ live their lives?
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Author: Aviva Barnett

March 4th, 2013

Have you contemplated psychotherapy and counselling feeling unsure which approach to choose? Well help is at hand now with this whistle stop tour of different types of therapies, providing an insight into each approach. So let’s start with a well known name most people have heard of Mr. Sigmund Freud. Freud was the grandfather of the psychodynamic movement. Freud observed women suffering from hysteria and diagnosed them, interpreting their symptoms.
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