The Wondrous “Black Sheep”: the Truth Teller of a Family

By: Keren Burgman

How often have you heard someone describing their family and either talking about a sibling…

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Simmering Soup: On the Importance of Asking Questions

By: Robin B. Zeiger

Sometimes the question sits on the back burner like low-simmering stew that has all but been forgotten. An innocent question may ignite a fire in a chilly room and we are off in a new direction. Or sometimes it buzzes around like a nasty mosquito.

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Beginnings & Endings: Making Sense of Life Changes

By: Keren Burgman

The holiday season has ended, the parties and festivities subsided, and we come back to…

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Israel Wartime Anxiety: 3 Emotion-Focused Therapy Tips

By: Daniel Fund

The more we turn towards the pain and express unmet needs, and not avoid them, the less anxious we will be.

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Chewbacca Visits: The Power of a Dream

By: Robin B. Zeiger

Dreams bring images and messages from the depths of our soul. It is our psyche’s way of compensating for our conscious life, which is only one-half of our life-story. Our dream life brings a richness and ebb and flow to our daily existence. Likewise when we are in touch with our unconscious, there is a flow to our daily existence much like the ebb and flow of the waves of the sea. Our unconscious helps bring us light and creativity and vitality.

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Lesson from a Construction Site: Don't Dismiss the Scaffolding in Your Relationships

By: Yonatan Schechter

Marriages, like buildings, sometimes need scaffolding - temporary, unglamorous interventions - that provide the platform needed to repair damage and build a strong, lasting structure.

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New Job Jitters

By: Sasha Weiss

When beginning a new job if you are constantly worried about failing and feeling like you need to prove yourself at every turn that can cause significant stress which will most likely hinder performance.  Rather than engendering positive relationships and being open to learning, the fear of someone discovering shortcomings will be so pervasive that it will be very difficult to acclimate to the new position effectively.  On the other hand, a growth mindset which encourages you to learn from others, think about mistakes as essential to the process of learning and acclimating and being open to a new way of doing things will lead you to have more joy and energy, feel less anxious,  and make a good impression on your colleagues.

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Ways to Manage Worry Instead of it Managing You – Part THREE

By: Daniel Baum

Worry! Ways to Manage Worry Instead of it Managing You
Part Three
Strategies to Help you Manage your Worrying
I am glad you are back again to read the final part of my blog Worry! Ways to Manage Worry Instead of it Managing You. In part three of my blog I will give you some specific strategies to help you manage your worrying.
Here are some specific strategies and tools that can help you avoid toxic worry. Let’s get to it shall we!
Hallowell’s Strategies of Managing Worry

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The Flip Side of Stress

By: Sasha Weiss

Research has shown that when we are able to regulate our emotions in a stressful situation we are able to not only feel calmer but to also become more collaborative, creative and thrive.

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Making Space for Personal Growth

By: Robert Newman

Being too busy is a dis-ease of modern society

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Grief in the Desert: Moshe, Miriam, and Mei Meriva

By: Ariel Penkower

The story of Mei Merivah is among the Torah's most challenging narratives. This reflection offers a fresh perspective on Moshe's act of striking the rock, exploring it through the lens of bereavement, emotional overwhelm, and the human limits of leadership. Drawing on both Torah and psychology, it invites us to consider what this event might teach us about grief, compassion, and our shared humanity.

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Finding Home Within

By: Naomi Zauderer

Moving to a new country can feel overwhelming, but settling in is about more than just checking off tasks—it’s about finding a sense of home within yourself. This post explores the emotional side of acclimating to life in Israel, offering reflections on embracing uncertainty, building small rituals, and trusting yourself through the transition. Whether you're struggling with daily frustrations or seeking a deeper sense of belonging, this guide offers a compassionate perspective on navigating change.

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Re-Frame Rejection so You Can Successfully Move Forward in Relationships

By: Micki Lavin-Pell

I have been rejected more times than I can count. By friends, boys, jobs, my kids, you name it… One of my most memorable rejections happened while in 6th grade. My English teacher encouraged us to write a journal, which I kept "hidden" in my desk. In it, I wrote all about a crush I had on a boy named Joey, a fellow classmate. I forgot that in the morning we sat at one desk and in the afternoon another. A fellow classmate found my journal and proceeded to read that very entry aloud to the entire class during recess.

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Fundamentals of Trauma Recovery, Part 7

By: Chava Lederer

Finding meaning, creating purpose, and gaining control is a recipe that results in greater resilience and fuller recovery.

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Understanding Relational Therapy and Why It Matters in Eating Disorder Treatment

By: Hadassah (Johanna) Hazan

This piece traces the evolution of relational therapy and shows why its emphasis on attunement, authenticity, and connection is especially effective in treating eating disorders. It reveals how the therapeutic relationship itself becomes a corrective emotional experience, allowing clients to access and heal the deeper wounds beneath disordered eating.

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At Home Therapeutic Art Activities for Children During Global Pandemic

By: Sara Feinberg

During challenging times, it is important to encourage children to express how they are feeling. Children often have difficulty articulating their emotions verbally- communicating through art or play is a great alternative. This can serve as a cathartic release, empower them, and help them process new circumstances. 

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Homesick in the Holy Land?

By: Yonatan Schechter

Why even the most idealistic olim may struggle emotionally after fulfilling their dream of aliya.

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4 Ways NOT to Apologize to Your Spouse

By: Yonatan Schechter

Couples occupy the same spaces, literally and figuratively, and it’s inevitable that they will clash or disappoint each other from time to time. When that happens, an apology is a major part of making amends. Here are some of the most common mistakes made when apologizing.

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Fundamentals of Trauma Recovery, Part 3

By: Chava Lederer

While extremely distressing, flashbacks are actually memories. Registering what is a memory, and what is happening now, is essential.

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Embracing Transitions: Finding the MAGIC PAUSE Moment

By: Keren Burgman

Autumn is the season of change.  I grew up in the Midwest, Chicago.    First there…

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