Changing Attitudes Towards Mental Health in Orthodoxy

“It’s very important that I not conflate my position as a support beam for people in the community with real therapy… if someone needs real therapy, I need to turn them in that direction.”— Rabbi Yoni Rosensweig

When a community views mental health problems — and the professionals who treat them — with suspicion, what does that do to its members who may deal with these issues?

While the stigma around mental health has begun to be challenged, many people still face an uphill battle when it comes to seeking treatment, or even being open about their struggles, without facing social consequences.

This episode of The Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of Crossing the Sea, a podcast about Judaism and mental health. Dr. Elliott Malamet’s guest is Rabbi Yoni Rosensweig, Rabbi of the Netzach Menashe community in Beit Shemesh and author of a number of books about the nexus between mental health and Jewish law.

This conversation explores the growing understanding of mental health care, the evolving responsibilities of rabbis in our modern world, and the sacrifices we need to make as a community to create a safe space for our struggling members.

“The thing that we need to care for the most is that we don’t doom a gay individual to a life of loneliness.”— Rabbi Yoni Rosensweig

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌

• How to identify and honor the line between pastoral counselling and professional therapeutic work
• Whether older Jewish texts hold any use in modern conversations about mental health
• How we may support and serve LGBT members in our communities

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:52 Intro

02:45 Rabbi Rosensweig & Gen Z

05:22 Evolving responsibilities & boundaries

08:09 Rabbinic training

11:01 Should rabbis be in therapy?

15:00 Jewish texts & mental health perspectives

20:27 Mental health & returnees

22:51 LGBT, guilt & Orthodoxy

29:03 Communal treatment & sacrifice

35:09 Conclusion

Links:‌ ‌

Sanity and Sanctity: Mental Health Work Among the Ultra-Orthodox in Jerusalem by David Greenberg & Eliezer Witztum M.D.

https://www.amazon.ca/Sanity-Sanctity-Mental-Ultra-Orthodox-Jerusalem/dp/0300071914

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Shalom!