Jewish mental health is a critical area where support, community, and professional care can help individuals navigate life’s challenges. In this blog post we will talk about Jewish culture and values and implications in seeking help as well as our thoughts on working with a Jewish therapist.
Since the beginning of time, Jews have faced adversity. Enduring parental abandonment like Avraham, surviving the trauma of near-sacrifice like Isaac, or living under relentless anxiety like King David. While the hardships of the Jewish people are historical, it has lasted until this day. These events have caused Jews to have a national strength, the ability to adapt and thrive in the hardest conditions. This emotional resilience is ingrained in the life of the modern Jews. However, no matter how much emotional resilience or grit some people have, life’s occurrences cannot be dealt with alone.
Teshuva as Psychological Healing
Teshuva is the acknowledgment that someone made a mistake, wants to improve their actions, and makes a change. As the Torah teaches (Deuteronomy 30:2-3) that through teshuva, a person can rekindle their relationship with G-d compassionately. This concept is often thought of as spiritual repentance but, with a modern lens, it can be seen psychologically and emotionally.
When someone gets sick, it is clear that they can’t complete their daily tasks with full functionality. However, when someone gets emotionally sick, it is usually a gradual process that goes unnoticed for long periods, maybe years even. Only once the symptoms disrupt functionality does this situation come to consciousness, if ever.
After one completes this process of psychological teshuva, they don’t simply return to where they previously were, but to a more developed, in-tune state. Having a support system that is based on compassion is key to completing this process.
Jewish Stigma
Stigma around mental health is present in every community, and this includes the Jewish community. The effects of stigma on having a growth mindset or willingness to receive care are great. Stigma also directly causes shame. Shame can occur over events that can prolong treatment.
One place that is fighting the stigma is Yeshiva University, a university tailored for modern Orthodox Jews. Yeshiva University has an annual event called “Stomp out the stigma” which allows select students to share their story and help foster a more inclusive community.
Open conversations, therapy, and halachic (Jewish law) understanding are helping reduce the stigma. Another key way to fight stigma is increased education around areas of mental health and the effectiveness of certain therapeutic methods and life practices.
Jewish Law and Mental Health
Halacha is Jewish law and the details of how to keep the mitzvot. Mitzvot are commandments and ways to connect to G-d. A Jew’s daily life is guided by keeping halacha and fulfilling mitzvot.
There is a fascinating phenomenon in the binding nature of halacha. There is a concept called Patur: being exempt from keeping the halacha. This concept started in the times of the Talmud (A book of Jewish text on halacha and theology written by the Rabbis around 500 CE).
There are various times a person loses their obligation to keep Mitzvot; for example, if they are sick or involved in another Mitzvah. In the category of being sick, different categories change one’s level of obligation. Only recently have rabbis applied these categories from the Talmud to modern-day mental health struggles. This mechanism has allowed Jews struggling with mental health issues to work on getting better while putting some obligations on pause, which they can hopefully return to later in full health, body and soul.
Why Therapy?
A goal of therapy is to help with the symptoms one is experiencing, but not only to deal with the symptoms, but also to get to the root of the problem. Symptoms are manifestations of a deeper process going on inside a person. This inner process is difficult to unpack and needs expertise, compassion, and care to resolve.
At Best Within You Therapy & Wellness, all the therapists are highly trained, holding the highest level of credentials being at the doctoral level. They have the training and experience to make sure that the root of the problem is dealt with so that one can return to their full functioning and even better than they were previously.
Confidentiality
There is often a misunderstanding around what confidentiality is, and when clear, it can ease the minds of therapeutic patients. A key distinguishing factor is children vs. adults. Children under the age of 18 have different standards of what can and cannot be kept confidential.
Regarding clients who are above the age of 18, nothing will be shared unless there is an imminent risk of harm to themselves or others, a report on current child abuse, elder abuse, or abuse of a vulnerable person.
In Georgia law, children under the age of 18 need parental permission to receive treatment. During child or teen therapy, everything is kept private unless there is a risk or danger or it is discussed that something is important to share with parents. While keeping the privacy of the child, the parents will be collaborated with during the treatment to ensure effectiveness. Trust and privacy can help build the therapeutic relationship, however, this only goes so far if there is information that would be detrimental to the child’s well-being, then it would be shared with the proper people. All parental input will be taken into consideration to maintain a collaborative therapeutic process.
Should I Only See a Jewish Therapist?
When looking for a successful treatment through therapy, the most important factor is the client-therapist relationship. Being comfortable and feeling understood is essential. If Judaism is a key part of your identity and life, it can be helpful to have someone who is culturally understanding or a Jewish therapist.
Other ethnicities and faiths go through similar rituals, practices, and experiences as Jews, but it is, of course, not the same. For some people, that similarity may be enough to foster a relationship that can become a catalyst for growth. However, for others, they may need someone who is of the same faith to truly be in touch with them.
The matching of same faiths or ethnicities can be a helpful factor towards an excellent client-therapist relationship, but not at all necessary. It is completely normal to seek out a therapist who is of the same or different faith. At Best Within You Therapy & Wellness, psychologists are specifically paired with inquiring clients based on the clinical expertise as well as preferences of the client. Sometimes clients will reach out to us who are Jewish and specifically ask for a Jewish therapist. If that is important to you just share it in our appointment form. We have several Jewish therapists on our team as well as therapists of various other religions.
A Future for Judaism and Jewish Mental Health
While in the past, certain rabbis have opposed psychology and therapy altogether, there is a new wave of rabbis who are integrating the two. For centuries, Rabbis have served as communal spiritual guides, giving life advice to individuals and families. Now, with the help of many organizations and prominent figures in the Jewish world, there is an increasing awareness of the psychology of the modern Jew. This is impacting how people in Jewish leadership positions understand the people they work with.
We want to mention one Rabbi who is pioneering this new field. Rabbi Yonatan Rosensweig brings a compassionate based understanding of human psychology to halachic decisions that are in line with Jewish tradition.
One resource is Rabbi Yonatan’s Rosensweig’s new book Nafshi Bishe’elati, which explores the overlap of Jewish law and mental health in various situations and tries to fight the stigma around mental health within religious communities. This book also brings a novel compassionate understanding to the halachic system and is written in pair with a psychiatrist, Dr. Shmuel Harris. This book and similar projects are the start to a new worldview that allows for access to mental healthcare, compassion, and Love.
Jewish Mental Health and Therapy Conclusion
At Best Within You Therapy & Wellness, all of the therapists approach clinical work from a culturally responsive lens and many work with Jewish clients. In addition, there are several therapists who identify as a Jewish therapist. If this is a factor that is important in your search for a therapist just let us know. When deciding the right fit for a therapist, your culture is an important aspect to bring into the picture.
Thank you to our intern, Noah Meltzer, and Dr. Sindhu Singh, a therapist at Best Within You Therapy & Wellness for this blog post on Jewish mental health. To schedule with Dr. Singh or any of our therapists, please visit our appointment page and submit your information. We look forward to being a part of your healing.
