Posts from Professionals

Raffi Bilek
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Raffi Bilek
Director at The Baltimore Therapy Center, LLC
Rabbi Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C, is the director of the Baltimore Therapy Center and also works with Jews across the globe on Frum Counselor . He recently founded K’nafayim , a nonprofit organization providing family services to the Jewish community of Baltimore and beyond.
Raffi Bilek
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If you are married to someone with a mental illness, you don’t need me to tell you that it’s a tough job. As a therapist, I have worked with many families where mental illness has put an inordinate strain on relationships. There’s no way to make it simple – but perhaps a few pointers will Read More …

A dating story exploring when and how to divulge your personal secrets. Viewed properly, your deepest fears may be your greatest strengths.

Have you ever wondered why some people have traumatic experiences and recover uneventfully, while others go on to develop PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)? The answer to this question is complex with several factors at play. Before we list these determinants, let’s describe PTSD.

Aryeh Goldberg MD MA
Aryeh Goldberg MD MA
Aryeh grew up in Toronto, Canada. He studied in Yeshivat Har Etzion in Israel and completed a bachelor's degree in Philosophy at Yeshiva University. He received his medical doctorate from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and pursued a master's degree in Medical Humanities and Bioethics from Northwestern University's Graduate School. He is currently at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. He is committed to decreasing societal stigma around mental illness and to promote mental health awareness and access throughout our communities.
Aryeh Goldberg MD MA
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Mental illness is an organic illness of the mind. Something about this sentence sounds inherently contradictory and it deserves to be carefully unpacked.

Andrew Waters
Andrew Waters
Addiction Advisor at Refuat Hanefesh
Andrew Waters is a native of Toronto and currently resides with his wife and two children in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. He is a licensed addiction counselor working at the world-renowned Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: Addiction Treatment Center with adolescents and young adults. As a graduate of the Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies, Andrew is passionate about sharing his knowledge and helping people understand the science of addiction. He looks forward to using his skills to help people on the journey to recovery.
Andrew Waters
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How is Chemical Addiction Diagnosed? According to the American Psychiatric Association, one meets criteria for a substance use disorder when they have an increased need for substances and fail to cut down, despite negative consequences. These consequences include damaged relationships, decreased performance at work or school, and increased psychological problems.

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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“I’ve been thinking about jumping off a bridge. I haven’t told my parents because they’ll think I’m crazy.”

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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“My good fortune is not that I’ve recovered from mental illness. I have not, nor will I ever. My good fortune lies in having found my life.” Elyn Saks- Successful lawyer who has schizophrenia   When people hear of a Schizophrenic, they generally have a strong, fearful reaction. Many view these individuals as dangerous, unpredictable, 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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“When you are happy you enjoy the music. But, when you are sad you understand the lyrics” -Frank Ocean What is Bipolar Disorder? The phrase “That person is so bipolar” is pejoratively used to describe someone who rapidly gets angry. But, what does it truly mean to be “Bipolar”?

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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“We can not change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand” – Randy Pausch   Ok, so I understand that depressive disorders are common and that there are many factors that contribute to its development. But, what can I do about it and does it even need to be treated?