In the recent past, there has been a general resurgence of investigative interest in the myriad relationships between psychology and Judaism, and more specifically between the latter and psychotherapy that has greatly enhanced our understanding of the interface between them. This book contributes to that worthwhile goal. Between its covers, one can find a collection of articles by orthodox rabbis, educators, and mental health professionals, which discuss and explore a wide spectrum of relevant and topics of concern to professionals and laymen. Controversial issues, such as the attitude of rabbis towards psychotherapy, clerical-clinician cooperation, and Judaism's view and attitude toward homosexuality are discussed in an open and forthright manner. It is expected that some readers may take exception to the views presented, which will, hopefully, enhance further deliberation on these topics. Throughout the book, rich clinical material is presented to guide the practitioner in treating the ultra-orthodox community; in depicting successful collaboration between rabbis and clinicians; and in enlightening the reader regarding the psychological wisdom and insights of the Jewish sages and religious leaders. Mental health professionals, religious leaders, and the general lay public who are interested in the interface between psychology, psychotherapy, and Judaism, will find this work informative, interesting, and stimulating.

"The articles in this slim volume deal with the interface of psychotherapy and Judaism and encourages collaboration between mental health practitioners and rabbis. The articles contribute to a deeper understanding of a variety of halachic questions involved in mental health issues and the practice of psychotherapy and in defining the specific roles and functions of rabbis and psychotherapists in helping people with emotional and psychological problems. Mental health practitioners, rabbis and religious and secular readers will find the book an interesting and worthwhile read.

This Reader focuses on the interface between psychotherapy and Judaism. The twenty-one articles (with one exception) that were authored by orthodox and haredi rabbis and mental health practitioners are varied and relate to theoretical as well as practical issues. The book is divided into three parts: Issues, Case Studies and Halachic Deliberations. In the first part, issues such as attitudes of ultra-orthodox rabbis to psychological treatment, unique challenges in treating haredi patients, and relationship between rabbis and psychologists are analyzed and discussed among other topics. Part two presents case histories of the treatment of haredi and religious patients which include the participation of rabbis in specific situations and charming anecdotes demonstrating the psychological wisdom, sensitivity and insights of ancient and contemporary Jewish sages. Part three contains responsa of respected contemporary arbiters to questions raised by religious psychotherapists and articles discussing the relevant and sensitive issues of cross-gender therapy and honoring abusive parents, by mental health practitioners. -- The appendix contains three articles in Hebrew - responsa regarding Jewish Law and psychological treatment and two articles by prominent rabbis on the relationship between rabbis and psychologists and ethics of the religious psychotherapist.

This book contains a selection of interesting and informative articles authored by orthodox rabbis and psychotherapists that are highly relevant and pertinent to religious psychotherapists, veterans and novices alike. The highly significant topics and issues discussed include the relationship between clergy and clinician, special considerations in treating the haredi patient, attitude towards and treatment of homosexuals, and responsa by prominent contemporary rabbis regarding the issue of halachic constraints and treatment options, among others. The latter contains anecdotal examples of conflicts and dilemmas that religious therapists encountered in their work that were presented by the editor to various rabbis for their halachic (religious law) rulings. Among the questions raised are: Is the therapist obligated to rebuke a patient when the latter is transgressing serious religious commandments?; Is the therapist permitted to encourage a patient to express his negative feelings towards his/her parents?; Can a therapist continue doing marital therapy after learning that the husband is a Cohen and his wife is a divorcee?; Is cross-gender therapy permissible?, amongst others. --- Religious therapists, rabbis and laymen will find the book stimulating, informative and a worth-while read.

This book explores the diverse manner in which family dynamics shaped Jewish identities in ways that were unique and directly connected to their experiences within their families of origin. Highlighted is the diversity of experience of ethnic identity within members of a group of women who are similar in many respects and who belong to an ethnic group that is often invisible. Jewish people, like members of other ethnic groups are often treated as if their identities were homogeneous. However, gender, social class, sexual orientation, factors surrounding immigration status, proximity of family members to the holocaust or pogroms, the number of generations one's family has been in the US and other salient aspects of experience and identites transform and inform the meaning and experience by group members. The book explores these diversities of experience and goes on to highlight the way in which the intermingling of family dynamics and subsequent Jewish identity in these women is manifested in the practice of psychotherapy. In 2012, the book had been awarded the Jewish Women Caucus of the Association for Women in Psychology Award for Scholarship, for that year. This book was published as a special issue of Women and Therapy.

This interesting and informative book addresses fascinating issues that are not addressed elsewhere. Amongst the topics discussed include issues of guilt and how the ultra-orthodox world look upon the notion of being helped by a psychologist. Another issue that stands out is the place of creativity in psychotherapy. In this book, the mental health provider was extremely creative. In traditional psychotherapy schools, creativity is frowned on. I hope that psychotherapists working with ortho-dox and secular clients will be able to learn how to creatively facili-tate mental health in their clients. Professor Yaakov Hoffman, Dept Social and Health Sciences, Bar Ilan University Dr. Seymour Hoffman, a clinical psychologist with many years of expe-rience in treating patients from the general, dati and chareidi commu-nities, has again produced an impressive col-lec-tion of professional articles and essays that will interest and benefit both Halachic authorities as well as mental-health therapists. Dr. Hoffman should be applauded for his tireless efforts in making Halachic-psychological material accessible to the public. Rabbi Naftali Bar-Ilan, former communal rabbi in Rehovot, Israel, authored "Government and State in Israel According to the Torah" and numerous articles on psychotherapy and Jewish Law. The editor recently published, "Essays On the Interface of Psychotherapy, Psychology and Judaism", Golden Sky Books, 2021.

This volume contains articles by a prominent rabbi and veteran mental health professionals who have been involved in working with and counseling people from the ultra-orthodox and religious communities for many years. The topics discussed include the different, and at times, opposing views and attitudes that rabbis and mental health practitioners hold regarding their roles in catering to the needs of the people who seek their help. Also discussed are halakhic (Jewish law) issues and controversies that arise in the practice of psychotherapy between therapists and rabbis and between rabbis themselves. Anecdotal examples are also brought describing the psychological wisdom and sophistication of rabbis and their productive and effective contribution and involvement with psychotherapists in psychological treatment. Rabbis and mental health professionals, religious and secular, as well as lay people interested in the interface of Judaism and mental health/psychotherapy, will find the book informative, enlightening and a worthwhile read.