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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Fundamentals of Trauma Recovery, Part 4

By: Chava Lederer

Forgive yourself for not having foreseen, protected, or responded more effectively during the trauma.

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Am I Depressed or Just Sad?

By: Jeni Danto

Growing up, I remember people saying, “I’m so depressed.” What made them so depressed? Various…

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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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Fundamentals of Trauma Recovery (Part 1)

By: Chava Lederer

In trauma recovery, being mindful of your personal gauge will inform you what’s helpful, what is not, what soothes, what activates, what feels good, what is uncomfortable. Listening to your gauge is essential in deciding what’s the best for your recovery.

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How to Track Anxiety and Help Resolve It

By: Ruth Shidlo

We need our ‘signal’ anxiety, because otherwise, we’d be more vulnerable to danger.

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Opening the Emotion Valve: Challenges and Strategies

By: Yonatan Schechter

Emotional growth is hard-won, but with the right approach, it is within anyone's reach.

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Separation Anxiety

By: Jeni Danto

When we hear the term “Separation Anxiety,” we often think of young children off to pre-school, crying because they don’t want their parents to leave. But Separation Anxiety can come any time your child leaves the nest — especially at college age. And it’s not just limited to the child — parents can also experience Separation Anxiety when their child leaves them.

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Canary in the Coal Mine

By: Hadassah (Johanna) Hazan

This article is essentially a tool of empowerment for people who may identify as highly sensitive or perceptive; who have grown up in dysfunctional or abusive systems, and who have found themselves treated as if they are the problem.

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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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Making the First Call: A Guide to Choosing the Right Therapist for You

By: Yisroel Picker

Deciding to seek therapy is a courageous first step, but the initial phone call to a potential therapist can feel daunting. This guide is designed to empower you during that crucial conversation, moving beyond logistics to help you find the right fit. Discover the key questions that reveal a therapist's experience, approach, and, most importantly, their ability to create a safe and trusting connection with you.

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Can Adolescents Act Abusively?

By: Aviva Zahavi-Asa

Parents are often reluctant to admit that their teenager is acting in ways which are abusive due to their own feelings of guilt, shame or a sense of failure. In some of these cases, the adolescent was exposed to domestic violence or experienced abuse within the family at an earlier age and then repeats familiar family patterns at a later stage. In other cases, however, no history of abuse exists within the family.

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Can You Commit to Love Without All the Facts?

By: Micki Lavin-Pell

When we choose to marry, we often don't know everything. There are often things that are missing. After all, we haven’t seen how our partner behaves in a variety of circumstances, many of which they haven’t yet encountered. But more importantly we don’t always know ourselves. So we search for things to worry about in our partner in hopes of having some level of control. Not wanting to come to terms with the fact that we can't control the other. However, there is one element of control, and this lies within ourselves.

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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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Encopresis: A Four-Pronged Treatment Approach

By: Sara Feinberg

Encopresis, more commonly called “soiling” or fecal incontinence, refers to the involuntary passage of feces. Typically, this condition results from chronic constipation, but it can also be triggered by emotional issues. Encopresis, which has a 9% occurrence rate worldwide, is not considered to be a medical condition until a child is 4 years old. While encopresis is often very distressing to both the child and the family, it is treatable. The earlier treatment begins, the better the outcome. In my years of private practice as an art therapist, I have successfully treated many children with encopresis using the following four-pronged treatment approach.

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Earth, Water, Air, and Fire

By: Chava Lederer

The four classical elements are channels through which we make contact with the present moment reality, and engage our uniquely human mind – a mind capable of creativity, of connecting to others, of faith and spirituality.  I offer you these four elements as resources in moments of stress, panic, fear, or any other overwhelming experience.

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Why You Should Go to Sleep Angry

By: Yonatan Schechter

Contrary to popular wisdom, going to sleep angry is often the best strategy for couples in conflict. Time and rest allow emotions to settle and perspective to return, making successful reconciliation far more likely than late-night attempts when both parties are exhausted and agitated.

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The Art of Communicating Honestly and Responsibly (Part 1 of Winter Series 5786)

By: Yonatan Schechter

Expressing feelings in marriage is essential, but it must be done honestly and responsibly to strengthen rather than damage your relationship.

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Can You FIX her?

By: Daniel Fund

The short answer? You cannot "fix" your wife. But you don't need to. You need something else a whole lot better...

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Vulnerability Just Ahead

By: Nancy Schwartz

Is feeling vulnerable a good thing?   Many of us see it as a sign of weakness, as we’re not being good enough!!  We’re afraid of not being seen by others as the “perfect” mother/father, spouse, child, worker, etc.   

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