2019 Creative Expression Contest Winners

Talya Wittenberg
Talya graduated high school this past year and is headed off to Israel for a gap year. She is open with her struggles with mental health with the hope of encouraging others to speak up and get the help they deserve.
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The following piece was selected as one of the winners of this year’s Refuat Hanefesh Creative Expression Contest. Age group: High School. It has been lightly edited.    Prompt: A substantial percentage of childhood is spent in the classroom. What can our educational institutions do to improve our mental health and well being?     The world Read More …

Yehudis Modes
Yehudis Modes
Yehudis is a vibrant young adult from Brooklyn, NY who is passionate about bringing awareness to mental illness and mental health issues. She believes that reducing the stigma starts here and now - with herself! She runs an active playgroup where she enjoys watching children thrive and grow. Through her work, she has seen the value of getting back up after every fall. Yehudis uses words, language, and writing to help sort out her thoughts and feelings and has self-published many of her poems. She has been diagnosed with C-PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, BPD and EDNOS. Yehudis has had her journey of fighting against therapy and her “need” for therapy, although with much perseverance and determination she prevailed.
Yehudis Modes
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The following slideshow which depicts what it feels like to have depression was selected as one of the winners of this year’s Refuat Hanefesh Creative Expression Contest. Age group: College And Up           Please click here to read other pieces pertaining to depression MAKE YOUR DIFFERENCE: CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A PIECE TO OUR BLOG  

anonymous
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The following piece was selected as one of the winners of this year’s Refuat Hanefesh Creative Expression Contest. Age group: High School. It has been lightly edited.    Message from the Author: This poem is about the impact a short message or real interaction can have and what looking behind the mask of another person can Read More …

anonymous
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The following piece was selected as one of the winners of this year’s Refuat Hanefesh Creative Expression Contest. Age group: High School. It has been lightly edited.      I look just like you.   But I am living in a different world than you. I live in the world of OCD.   You sit next Read More …

Milaine Grossbard
Milaine Grossbard
Milaine Grossbard loves finding creative ways to express to others what it’s like to raise two special needs children. She dislikes cooking but her hobbies are breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She uses humor to make people laugh.
Milaine Grossbard
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The following poem was selected as one of the winners of this year’s Refuat Hanefesh Creative Expression Contest. Age group: College and Up. It has been lightly edited.      My Son   My Son you came in this world giving us so much joy   Your future flashed before my eyes, my sweet little baby Read More …

anonymous
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The following piece was selected as one of the winners of this year’s Refuat Hanefesh Creative Expression Contest. Age group: College and Up. It has been lightly edited.      Stigma is not only found among the family and friends of one suffering from mental illness. It also lies in the head of those suffering. They Read More …