Month: April 2017

Ariel Mintz, MD
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Ariel Mintz, MD
Dr. Ariel Mintz grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After spending two years learning in Israel, at Derech Eitz Chaim and Shaalivm, he earned his BA in Psychology at Yeshiva Univesity in New York. He went on to obtain his MD at Oakland University William Beaumont School of medicine and trained in adult psychiatry at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. He completed a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic and is a practicing psychiatrist in Cleveland, Ohio. He has received awards for his research, academic performance, and service to the Jewish community. He has a supportive and talented wife and three wonderful children. He is very passionate about destigmatizing mental illness and bringing comfort to those who are suffering.
Ariel Mintz, MD
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This week’s Torah portion (Tazriyah-Metzorah), discusses the disease Tzarat, a punishment for slander. Part of the purification process requires two birds, one sacrificial and the other set free. Rashi elucidates that birds are specifically brought because their chirping represents our negative speech. Rav Eliyahu Schlesinger takes it a step further and emphasizes that one bird is set Read More …

Ariel Mintz, MD
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Ariel Mintz, MD
Dr. Ariel Mintz grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After spending two years learning in Israel, at Derech Eitz Chaim and Shaalivm, he earned his BA in Psychology at Yeshiva Univesity in New York. He went on to obtain his MD at Oakland University William Beaumont School of medicine and trained in adult psychiatry at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. He completed a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic and is a practicing psychiatrist in Cleveland, Ohio. He has received awards for his research, academic performance, and service to the Jewish community. He has a supportive and talented wife and three wonderful children. He is very passionate about destigmatizing mental illness and bringing comfort to those who are suffering.
Ariel Mintz, MD
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Recently, Netflix produced a TV series detailing 13 reasons why a young woman committed suicide. Closer to home, this past week, our community lost a young soul to suicide. Suicide is not glorious as portrayed in the Netflix series. It is a frightening, irreversible act that permanently scars those affected by it and can never Read More …

Rabbi Eitan Eckstein and Shoshana Schwartz
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Rabbi Eitan Eckstein and Shoshana Schwartz
Rabbi Eckstein, trained as a social worker and as a community rabbi, is the CEO of Retorno. Shoshana Schwartz is a therapeutic horseback riding instructor and addictions counselor at Retorno.
Rabbi Eitan Eckstein and Shoshana Schwartz
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Prescription medication spills out onto the floor. Are addicts who abuse this medication acting out of their free will?

Allison Alt
Allison Alt
Allison Alt made Aliyah in 2013 and now lives in Givat Shmuel, Israel. She is studying occupational therapy at Ono Academic College.
Allison Alt
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When I was young, I was selfish, narcissistic even. I thought the world revolved around me. Yet, within that self-centered bubble, I would on occasion feel pain for another, such as the old lady alone on the park bench or the girl I sometimes bullied. Even in the dark mind I had let myself create, the Read More …

Inspiration from Ethics of the Fathers about how to obtain wisdom. This advice transcends intellectual attainment and leads to complete well-being.

Dani Bauer
Dani Bauer
Marriage Advisor at Refuat Hanefesh
Rabbi Dani Bauer, originally from Brooklyn, NY, earned a Bachelor’s of Talmudic Law at Yeshivat Sha'alvim in Israel and a Bachelor's in Psychology at Lander College for Men. He obtained Semicha at Yeshiva University and received an M.S. in Jewish Education from the Azrieli School of Education. He graduated from Council for Relationships with a postgraduate certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. Rabbi Bauer recently joined Bala Child and Family Associates, where he works in private practice and specializes in couples, families, and teens. In addition to private practice, Rabbi Bauer is also a full-time high school Rebbe at Kohelet Yeshiva High School in Philadelphia, where he has been teaching Gemara, Halacha, and Tanach since 2013. Along his journey, Rabbi Bauer also served as a rabbinic intern and youth director at the Roslyn Synagogue in Roslyn, New York.
Dani Bauer
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  The Pesach Seder is often looked at as a model for how we should educate our children. We use experiential models that date back thousands of years and add in parts to the Seder just to get our children interested and engaged. However, many of us are troubled when we get to the part of the Read More …

Macayla Gritz
Macayla Gritz
Macayla Gritz was born and raised in Boca Raton, Florida. She is graduating high school this May from Donna Klein Jewish Academy to spend a year abroad in Israel followed by college at Stern College for Women. Her newfound love for Judaism and passion for kiruv was found through her involvement in NCSY and she currently serves as the Southern NCSY Regional President.
Macayla Gritz
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  “Why  am I like this?” I ask myself this question as I sit at my desk at 3:38 AM struggling to finish a paper which I had nearly a month to do.   “Why am I like  this?” I ask myself this question as I continue to find excuses to stay in bed instead Read More …

Ariel Mintz, MD
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Ariel Mintz, MD
Dr. Ariel Mintz grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After spending two years learning in Israel, at Derech Eitz Chaim and Shaalivm, he earned his BA in Psychology at Yeshiva Univesity in New York. He went on to obtain his MD at Oakland University William Beaumont School of medicine and trained in adult psychiatry at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. He completed a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic and is a practicing psychiatrist in Cleveland, Ohio. He has received awards for his research, academic performance, and service to the Jewish community. He has a supportive and talented wife and three wonderful children. He is very passionate about destigmatizing mental illness and bringing comfort to those who are suffering.
Ariel Mintz, MD
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Why is mental illness different from all other illnesses? Support 1) For with all other illnesses, when you hear someone is hospitalized, you visit, call or offer support. While with mental illnesses, if you hear someone is hospitalized, you pretend you didn’t hear and avoid the person for fear of not knowing what to say.

Avi Gordon, PsyD
Avi Gordon, PsyD
Vice President at Refuat Hanefesh
Avi J. Gordon, PsyD, grew up Toronto, Canada and is currently a pre-Doctoral Intern at Faulk Center For Counseling in Boca Rio, Florida. He is a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate at Loyola University of Maryland and obtained his M.A. in Psychology from Columbia University. Avi’s clinical experiences at college clinics and outpatient mental health centers include anxiety, depressive, and personality disorders, as well as complicated grief, relationships, and various identity and developmental factors. His research interests include emerging-adult religious and spiritual identity. He is passionate about the mission of Refuat Hanefesh and spreading mental health education and awareness in an effort to ensure access to care for those who may need it. When he’s not working, he can be found rollerblading, playing music or ice hockey. Avi can be reached at avigordon@refuathanefesh.org
Avi Gordon, PsyD
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Pious Actions or OCD? With Pesach quickly approaching, everyone is getting ready in their own way. Some cook the food, some make creative representations of the plagues and some prepare Divrei Torah. Pesach can be a time that coincides with many challenges and developing “Me Time” may be necessary. Pesach can also be particularly challenging Read More …