EPISODE‌ ‌59 Rabbis at Risk: Clergy and their Mental Health

“The rabbinate is often a precarious place to be, from an emotional and psychological point of view.”— Dr. Elliot MalametBurnout is an issue that may affect people across all types of occupations, but people working in high-stress professions, such as doctors, nurses, teachers and mental health workers, tend to get the most attention when it comes to wider discussions of burnout.While not as widely acknowledged as healthcare workers and police, the clergy are also at very high risk for not only burnout, but depression. Their vocation carries enormous expectations in terms of their availability, empathy, wisdom, hopefulness, and ability to make things right — no matter what they may be dealing with themselves.This episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of Across the Sea, a podcast about Judaism and mental health, and it is the first of a two-part series focusing on the clergy and their mental health.Dr. Elliot Malamet speaks with Rabbi Yossi Sapirman and Dr. Michelle Friedman about the particular stresses that rabbis experience, their challenges in accessing mental health care, and what congregants do not understand about the lives of their spiritual leaders.“I don't think people truly realize that the person they’re dealing with is as vulnerable as they are.”— Rabbi Yossi SapirmanThis‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌

• The isolation and loneliness of being a designated source of comfort for a community
• Guidelines and policies that synagogues could implement to improve their working lives of their rabbis
• The lack of Shabbat in the lives of rabbis and the importance of rest to mental health and emotional wellness

‌Highlights:‌ ‌00:51 Intro03:06 Rabbi Yossi Sapirman & Shabbat06:17 Effects of stress on family07:12 Always connected, always on11:34 Gratitude & expectations13:50 Synagogue guidelines17:20 Isolation & loneliness19:05 Challenges of seeking mental health care23:21 Dr. Michelle Friedman & mandatory therapy28:01 Resistance to support31:29 The risk of speaking outLinks:‌ ‌To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.orgVisit our learning community: https://www.schooloflivingjewishly.comFollow us on Instagram: @living.jewishlyWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzwor send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.Shalom!