Author: Alan M. Singer, Ph.D, LMSW

June 3rd, 2021

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 …
0 comments

Author: Sara Teichman, PsyD

June 3rd, 2021

 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 …
0 comments

Author: Yehuda Krohn, PsyD

June 3rd, 2021

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 …
0 comments

Author: Danielle Dragon, PsyD

June 2nd, 2021

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 …
0 comments

Author: Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, DHL, LCSW-R

June 2nd, 2021

The Recent daf Yomi, daily Talmud reading, (Yoma 23) discusses the prohibition of revenge and grudge bearing:   â�¦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 …
0 comments

Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.

February 25th, 2021

Dear Readers Welcome to the February edition of Mind Body and Soul, titled “Conquering our Fears”.  Whereas anxiety may be considered a constant companion to only some of us, COVID has brought some degree of fear and uncertainty to virtually all of us. In this vein, I hope you, our readers, experience the following articles, in a soothing, calming manner.  In this edition, Rona Novick walks us through the steps of providing …
0 comments

Author: Dvorah Levy, LCSW

February 25th, 2021

There’s a storm raging outside. Finally, a familiar reason for staying at home. I’m sitting at my kitchen table, watching melted snow fall like tears along the sliding kitchen doors, while snowdrifts make mountains out of molehills. It’s been a year since life was disrupted by a microscopic enemy. It’s as if our world is a snow globe that’s been turned upside down, and we are still trying to find our footing. We&rsqu …
0 comments

Author: Douglas Balin, LMSW, MPA

February 25th, 2021

There are so many myths about aging that have become stereotypes, to the point that even older adults have come to believe they are true. Well, our mission is to debunk those myths and give you the truths about what happens as we all, G-d willing, become older.  It is important, as these stereotypes frame prejudice against older adults. It will often result in ageism, which is discrimination against the older population.  Much worse, ma …
0 comments

Author: Rona Milch Novick, PhD

February 25th, 2021

Children are scaredy cats!  They are anxious in the dark, may shrink from costumed characters at birthday parties, and even in their school and teen years have numerous worries about their academic performance and social standing.  How do children conquer their normal or potentially debilitating fears?  Sometimes, they outgrow them and sometimes the efforts of caring, reassuring adults are needed to help them move past the fear. &n …
0 comments

Author: Alan M. Singer, PhD

February 25th, 2021

Estrangement is commonly defined as the intentional choice by one or more relatives to end contact because of an ongoing negative relationship. Primarily based on emotions, not facts, estrangement can bring unimaginable heartbreak to families.  I implore you to seek help if the above describes you, as the numbers are staggering. Twenty-seven percent of Americans eighteen and older have cut off contact with a family member: 10% parent/child, …
0 comments

Author: Adina Segal, LCSW

February 25th, 2021

Since the beginning of COVID-19, I have consistently been receiving calls from clients asking for help controlling their anger. With concerns around social distancing, less assistance is available to families. In my line of work, helping those caring for relatives with dementia, I see fewer resources available to assist with care. At home, school closures leave parents, such as myself, with little respite. When schools do open, the anxiety around …
0 comments

Author: Moshe Norman, LCSW

February 25th, 2021

Confidential: Psychotherapy behind the Scenes Gestalt Therapy: Empty Chair Technique “I can’t do it anymore.” “Therapy is getting to you, isn’t it?” “No, I’m not talking about therapy.” I raise my eyebrows. “I’m talking about living. Yoel had been the victim of abuse for two and a half years during his elementary school years. His parents struggled with their own marital strife, …
0 comments

Author: Yehuda Krohn, PsyD

December 4th, 2020

By: Yehuda Krohn, PsyD   Dear Readers Welcome to the November issue of Mind Body & Soul, themed “The calm within the storm”. Let’s start with a basic question: What is a storm? Some would say that a storm is simply a meteorological event. Then again, the term storm is also used when a position held by one group is overwhelmed by members of a different group. “Storm” could also refer to a surprisingly strong …
0 comments

Author: Dr. Alan Singer

December 4th, 2020

No-Fault divorce was supposed to calm the storm of marital dissolution; well, it didn't. States that adopted no-fault divorce experienced a decrease of eight to sixteen percent of wives' suicide rates and a thirty percent decline in domestic violence. That is encouraging data. The Two Types of Marriages that End Some statistics are welcome news, but the “thirty three percent and sixty six percent” are not good news. Of …
0 comments

Author: Esther Gendelman, MS, LPC

December 4th, 2020

            Sounds of helpless, pitiful cries kept wafting through my backyard window as I gently refocused my attention on the clients sitting in my therapy office.  At the next pause, I met the owner of the cries. An adorable, little, black and white kitten looked imploringly at me, hungrily begging for food and comfort. Wondering if it was lost or abandoned, I fed it, held it and post …
0 comments

Author: Dr. Sara Teichman

December 4th, 2020

There are many disruptions and interruptions in our fast-paced society, and we are all guilty of losing it at times. Though it is human to react to things, being reactive and being overreactive are two very different things. When we overreact, we lose it- literally. Not just our temper, but our sense of proportion, and control of our emotions and behavior. We lose perspective, and our judgment is impaired. We feel out of control in the moment, an …
1 comments

Author: Evan Steele, LCSW

December 4th, 2020

In these troubling times, we hear quite often about how much strain the current environment places on our mental health.  We can see this when we self-introspect, when we observe others, and in the myriad data points in larger society, such as the current demand for mental health services, increase in suicidal episodes, increase in violent crime, and maybe even political intolerance. Still, as mental health providers, we’ve also observ …
0 comments

Author: Jefferey Singer, PhD

December 4th, 2020

Dealing With This Depressive Dystopia: Ecclesiastes, COVID, and the Paradoxical Commandments   By Jefferey Singer   Before you think there is a new diagnosis being hoisted on the public, please rest assured that “depressive dystopia” is my own term for how I view our current collective condition. COVID life has helped create a societal malaise that has pushed our emotional tolerances to a state of constant, uncomfortable su …
0 comments

Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.

August 31st, 2020

Dear Readers, We are six months into a pandemic that has impacted almost every facet of our lives. Many of us have emerged from the more extreme forms of lockdown and are encountering an outside world that bears, at best, a limited resemblance to the world we once knew. Simchos are being celebrated on a size and scale that seems familiar; yet not all of us can safely attend. Some of us have been able to return to work; others have not. The childr …
0 comments

Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.

August 31st, 2020

Author’s note: The privacy and confidentiality of individuals found in this narrative were safeguarded, by modifying identifying details.    It didn’t dawn on me during the first week of the shutdown, or even during 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. …
0 comments

Author: Tina Kahn, LMHC, LMFT

August 31st, 2020

Stories have always intrigued people of all ages. They  engage and stimulate us on both a cognitive and emotional level, leaving us open to receive their deepest messages, whether they are how to achieve self-esteem, experience personal growth, or gain a connection with the Ribbono Shel Olam. Welcome to my storybook, which you can interpret and relate to on any level. There is a story told about a rebbe giving counseling to his followers. Th …
0 comments

Author: Fraidy Zeidman M.S. Ed, LMHC

August 31st, 2020

Resilience is touted by scientists as one of the prime ingredients necessary to navigate life’s challenges. Merriam Webster dictionary defines resilience as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change."  We often look towards children, with their positive outlooks on life, as a great example of resilience, to understand its benefits. While the advantages of resilience are numerous, let’s look at the …
0 comments

Author: Adina Segal, LCSW

August 31st, 2020

Shani is at her wits end. She is the only child of Holocaust survivor parents. Over the years they have faced a great deal of difficulty with memory issues, forgetting to pay bills, failing to take medications properly and not remembering doctor’s appointments. Her mother calls her several times a day, forgetting that she spoke to her 10 minutes prior. Her father expresses concern about strangers coming through the window. He leaves random …
0 comments

Author: Sarah Levy, PhD

August 31st, 2020

It started to spread like wildfire in Israel. No, I’m not referring to the coronavirus itself, but to the phenomenon of kids in isolation, or what is known in Hebrew as “bidud.” My daughters’ friends who lived in another city called to inform them of how they were preparing for a 14-day bidud after some classmates had tested positive for coronavirus. Some of these friends sounded excited as they described the mini fridge t …
0 comments

Author: Rachel Slochowsky LMFT, CSAT

August 31st, 2020

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that wearing masks have been proven to help protect us from Covid-19. In a world that feels so chaotic, unstable and unknown, many of us have been holding on to this theory. Just wear the mask and you’ll be safer, wear the mask and you won’t be exposed. As difficult and painful as this pandemic has been, it has brought to the surface something profound. Masks seem to be for the …
0 comments

Author: Dr. Sara Teichman

August 31st, 2020

Do you ever worry that your kids have it ‘too good?’ They are carpooled to wherever, have their own rooms [well, maybe with one sib], and their own personal lawyer [you!] to help them deal with any issues at school. They have unlimited credit [your credit cards!] and by virtue of their very birth, are entitled to sleep-away camp and a gap year in Israel. How different this is from our childhood where we walked everywhere, shared a roo …
0 comments

Author: Moshe Norman, LCSW

August 31st, 2020

Elul. It is a powerful and sobering time of year, a time for introspection, commitment and growth. For many it brings back memories of warm holiday spirits and long hours spent in shul davening and singing the heartwarming, seasonal songs. But for others, Elul has a completely different meaning. “I feel my whole body tense up as soon as I hear the words, ‘Rosh Chodesh ELUL.’  I constantly worry that I am going to do somethi …
0 comments

Author: Alan M. Singer PhD

August 31st, 2020

            The “latest research” gets copious amounts of media attention as trends come and go. Remember way back in the 90’s when parents used to put their infants to sleep on their stomachs? Now, in 2020, you wouldn’t dare do such a thing! How about some years ago when large amounts of beta-carotene could supposedly prevent cancer? Now, in 2020, it’s beta-what …
0 comments

Author: Elisheva Liss, LMFT

August 31st, 2020

Well, it seems like it's finally happening; after all of these surreal days and weeks and months, we are starting to reopen. But how do we prepare for a post-traumatic stress-flavored world? With all the talk about reopening, we still find ourselves just as torn and conflicted as we’ve been for the past three months. Along with an ideological civil war acting as the icing on the pandemic cake. The only consistent theme of this COVID-19 era …
0 comments

Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.

June 2nd, 2020

Dear Readers When we published our last edition of Mind, Body & Soul, back in February, the world looked very different. The coronavirus was still perceived as a far-off threat. The terms social distancing and flattening the curve did not mean anything to us. Most of us did not think of our country as having limited healthcare resources, from PPE to hospital beds to ventilators. Few of us imagined that the industries and vocations we once cho …
0 comments

Author: Esther Gendelman MS, LPC

June 1st, 2020

                Living with constant uncertainty affects us deeply. Our perceptions of ourselves are either strengthened or turned upside down. Our true values become evident to ourselves and to those in our immediate vicinity.                   For example, perhaps we viewed ourselves as hard- …
0 comments

Author: Menachem Hojda LMSW

June 1st, 2020

                Where are their BRAINS?!?! I am hearing that question now all the time as we deal with the threat of Covid-19. I have friends who tell me that they watch reports of the protests to end stay-at-home orders and think how could those people do that? Where are their brains? Others ask the same questions about those putting the orders in place. “Don’ …
0 comments

Author: Sara Teichman, Psy.D.

June 1st, 2020

Getting to know our children is a very gradual process and an imperfect one as well. Though parents vary in their ability to read their children—some of us do better than others—there is no fool-proof way to know what another is thinking or feeling, even if that someone is our child. In general, a parent who has a high EQ (Emotional Intelligence) who is self-aware and attuned to their own thoughts, feelings, motivation, and behavior h …
0 comments

Author: Chana Mark LCSW

June 1st, 2020

“When will this be over?” “I am running out of patience with the kids. It’s too much.” “They say the state is re-opening soon. Then what?” We know that the Covid-19 era will eventually come to an end. It has certainly imposed substantial material hardship on many families. Yet all of us are waiting and waiting, feeling more and more worn down with each passing day. Waiting does not come naturally to us. A …
0 comments

Author: Tzipora Shub, LCSW

June 1st, 2020

It’s a well-known fact that the sorry fate of most eagerly purchased exercise bikes is to end up as a glorified clothing hanger—and not just for the clean clothing. In having pondered this life’s mystery at length, I have come to the conclusion that one potential reason for this is the futility of the activity of pedaling on a stationary bike. The idea of working so hard and getting nowhere fast, seems to go against the nature o …
0 comments

Author: NEFESH

March 8th, 2020

Dear NEFESH Community, There are many resources available to help navigate the coronavirus.  Below are links to a number of them which you may find useful.  PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD ANY RESOURCES IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. We wish a refuah shelaima to all those who are ill, refuas Hanefesh and refuas Haguf. Rabbi Dr. Fox Lecture Rabbi Dr. Fox Lecture 2 Dr. Aaron Glatt and Dr. Norman Blumenthal (Ohel) https://www.yutorah.org/lectur …
2 comments

Author: Yehuda Krohn, Psy.D.

February 27th, 2020

Dear Readers, Welcome to the newest edition of Mind, Body & Soul. Its theme is Surviving and Thriving. In this issue, we consider the lifelong journey from simply surviving to actually thriving.  Sara Teichman points us toward a form of empathy that supports our children when they face bullying and teasing. Rachel Roshenholtz reminds us to model resilience for our children. Eitan Zerykier provides us with tools and meditations to ge …
1 comments

Author: EITAN ZERYKIER, LCSW

February 27th, 2020

Will you have enough money for retirement? How long will your loved ones live? Will it rain on the day you planned your vacation? Will your next project be a failure? Did you choose the right career? What if you had gone to a different university? Should you have made that investment? Are you really married to the right person? What is it like to try and think about the past and the future?  Are you feeling anxious just by reading these ques …
0 comments

Author: Sara Teichman, PsyD

February 27th, 2020

Your five-year-old comes home and says that the other kids say he is fat. He is big—tall and muscular. He also is chubby in the way that many adults might find lovable—the teddy bear effect. The point is he is way bigger than his friends. He does not look five. But you are not worried per se as he and his older brothers take after your husband who is over six feet. The pediatrician feels confident that his weight will adjust, just lik …
0 comments

Author: Pamela Siller, MD

February 27th, 2020

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines survival as “to remain alive or in existence.” This requires the very basic necessities of life, such as food, water, oxygen, shelter, and sleep. However, humans are quite complex beings; they may be able to survive with when their fundamental needs are met, but they require far more in order to thrive. Thrive, as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, encompasses “flourish, prosper, an …
0 comments