And just like that, Pesach is only one short day away. Between the cleaning, list-making, shopping, and cooking, the question of what Nissan is really about may have slipped into the back of your mind. Like every time in the Jewish year, there are different themes that we can tap into to help us connect to that time. When the month of Nissan comes around, it is a z’man cheiruseinu , a time of freedom. I don’t know about you, but this year especially, I have been struggling to

Lessons From My Visit to מרפאת תעצומות, the IDF’s New PTSD Unit Dr. Ben Langstein visiting the IDF’s New PTSD Unit Living in Israel has opened up some truly unique professional experiences for me as a therapist trained in military and civilian trauma care. Just recently, I was invited to speak to a new trauma unit within the Israeli army, מרפאת תעצומות (Mirpa’at Ta’Atzumot), loosely translated as “Clinic of Strength.” Yesterday, I was able to visit the clinic and see their wo

We now stand at the crossroads of both joy and sorrow.  For many of us, we are experiencing incredible joy at the release of the living hostages, and what is hopefully a close to this painful chapter. However, we also feel deep sorrow for the hostages who have not yet been released, the reality we face in burying the deceased hostages, and for all those who have lost loved ones in battle and throughout this conflict. Somehow, we’re expected to feel both.  The question is, how

I’ve shared about why I love exposure therapy before, from a clinical perspective why it's the gold standard treatment for phobias, OCD, and PTSD. But today, I want to share how I’m using it personally, during the current wartime, in my day to day moments, to stay wholehearted and spiritually grounded. Here’s something I’ve noticed, just an observation, not a judgment. There seem to be two kinds of moms (very generally speaking) during war, sirens, and the ongoing, disorienti

Life gets overwhelming sometimes — and not just in the dramatic, fall-apart kind of way. More like in the quiet, relentless pressure of everything needing to get done right now. You’ve got kids yelling from opposite ends of the house, dinner half-burnt on the stove, a Shabbos menu still in your head, WhatsApps pinging nonstop, and maybe a simmering disagreement you haven’t had time to process. And that’s all before anything really hard even happens. For many women, especially

To all those who say #neveragainisnow because we have our own military. To all those who say #neveragainisnow because we're speaking up, making rallies, wearing blue and white, setting a Shabbat table for the hostages. To all those who say #neveragainisnow because we are donating, we have our own state, we’re sending equipment to our soldiers. This is for you. Moshiach Didn't Come In the summer of 2005, I was in a sleep-away camp for Orthodox Jewish girls. One day, older girl

I am a grandchild of Holocaust survivors, lived in NYC during 9/11, and currently live in Israel. WARNING: SENSITIVE CONTENT

I think Moshiach might actually be coming. I've thought that before, so I'm wary of allowing myself to emotionally "go there" again.

Strengthen Your Emotional Immunity