My now ex-therapist provided very little support during the past 6 months. She used progressive buzzwords and pretty much ignored the anxiety I felt. I called her on it and she asked if I thought I would do better with a Jewish therapist.
She is now my ex-therapist. I need to find a Jewish therapist— or at least one who is impartial.
Yes but that is sort of the point. A lot of people who care about us will have very good intentions but very flawed advice. A therapist is an objective health professional who can help us understand what advice is bad. No one enjoys recounting their daily diet or exercise habits to their PCP. No one enjoys recounting the hurts in their mind to a therapist. But it’s all very important to do. I think hurts in the spirit are great ones to recount to rabbis while OP is at it.
i don't know what you are going through, but I've always found this line from the Talmud comforting:
"It is not up to you to finish the task, nor are you free to desist from trying."
I hope that helps to lighten the load on your shoulders.
1) speak to a professional. The Torah says we should accept the guidance of doctors.
2) IN ADDITION to therapy / some sort of professional help, tehilim is comforting. David HaMelech went through every possible trial and tribulation and many of them are lamenting his painful emotions around betrayal, heartbreak, feeling alone, scared etc which I'm sure we can all relate to currently. I have read tehilim at some of my lowest points and found them to he very cathartic for dealing with some of the difficult emotions. Identification is important.
Please make sure that your refuah shleimah (which I am wishing for you) includes psychiatric and psychological support from the medical community. There are lots of great suggestions here, and almost none of them will work if the chemistry in your brain isn't lined up right.
Hello!
I’m so sorry you are struggling OP. My top recommendation would be medication (if needed) and therapy, but I know that is absolutely a process. I’d recommend anything by Rabbi Alan Lew (z’l). Perhaps Be Still and Get Going? I also recommend music which always makes me feel more connected- the Hadar Ensemble, Rabbi Deborah Sacks Mintz, Nefesh Mountain, Batya Levin, or Aly Halpert all have beautiful Jewish music.
The only scriptural lesson i can share is all of our forebears were flawed. Each of them did something to upset hashem. No one is born perfect. We are all a work in progress. We all make mistakes and work through them .
Look at king david or solomon. They both are regarded as among our best, but they made many missteps.
Well pikuach nefesh is pretty much the highest commandment so you could consider that the Torah commands us to seek therapy and take care of ourselves.
I'd use Rabbi Rachman's advice: Friends Dancing Music Nature And Rabbi Nachmans Tales!
Therapy is #1 but I will say I’ve had a lot of people I’ve met find it extra comfort in Rebbe Nachman’s teachings and stories too!
My now ex-therapist provided very little support during the past 6 months. She used progressive buzzwords and pretty much ignored the anxiety I felt. I called her on it and she asked if I thought I would do better with a Jewish therapist. She is now my ex-therapist. I need to find a Jewish therapist— or at least one who is impartial.
Also look into cognitive behavioral therapy, more practical.
Therapy never helped me... Compared to talking to good friends at least A therapist will never care for me as much as my friends do
Yes but that is sort of the point. A lot of people who care about us will have very good intentions but very flawed advice. A therapist is an objective health professional who can help us understand what advice is bad. No one enjoys recounting their daily diet or exercise habits to their PCP. No one enjoys recounting the hurts in their mind to a therapist. But it’s all very important to do. I think hurts in the spirit are great ones to recount to rabbis while OP is at it.
i don't know what you are going through, but I've always found this line from the Talmud comforting: "It is not up to you to finish the task, nor are you free to desist from trying." I hope that helps to lighten the load on your shoulders.
1) speak to a professional. The Torah says we should accept the guidance of doctors. 2) IN ADDITION to therapy / some sort of professional help, tehilim is comforting. David HaMelech went through every possible trial and tribulation and many of them are lamenting his painful emotions around betrayal, heartbreak, feeling alone, scared etc which I'm sure we can all relate to currently. I have read tehilim at some of my lowest points and found them to he very cathartic for dealing with some of the difficult emotions. Identification is important.
Please make sure that your refuah shleimah (which I am wishing for you) includes psychiatric and psychological support from the medical community. There are lots of great suggestions here, and almost none of them will work if the chemistry in your brain isn't lined up right.
Hello! I’m so sorry you are struggling OP. My top recommendation would be medication (if needed) and therapy, but I know that is absolutely a process. I’d recommend anything by Rabbi Alan Lew (z’l). Perhaps Be Still and Get Going? I also recommend music which always makes me feel more connected- the Hadar Ensemble, Rabbi Deborah Sacks Mintz, Nefesh Mountain, Batya Levin, or Aly Halpert all have beautiful Jewish music.
See a therapist. Scripture is not about mental health
TRUE i guess i just meant like comforting things
The only scriptural lesson i can share is all of our forebears were flawed. Each of them did something to upset hashem. No one is born perfect. We are all a work in progress. We all make mistakes and work through them . Look at king david or solomon. They both are regarded as among our best, but they made many missteps.
Yishai, David's father, never sinned according to tradition. But I recommend the book Living Mussar Everyday to inspire love and fear of God.
perhaps his sin was not sinning.
You can do both! I’ve been doing daf yomi, which is not exactly comforting in the words but in the ritual of it, I find.
Well pikuach nefesh is pretty much the highest commandment so you could consider that the Torah commands us to seek therapy and take care of ourselves.
Exodus 3-4 is good especially since it’s Passover
*Dedicated in memory of Dvora bat Asher v'Jacot* 🕯️ See [Exodus 3-4](https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.3-4) on Sefaria.
I'm always on the lookout for books on the intersection of mental health and Judaism. I like The Handbook of Torah and Mental Health.