Mental Health Decoded with Mordechai

Feedback 1: I called about a year ago, afraid that a therapist might control your mind or turn you against Hashem and your family. In reality, it’s not like that at all. Therapy helps you make your own decisions, come out of your cocoon, and grow. It encourages you to face and express feelings you once avoided, and to acknowledge what’s really inside. Question 2: My child’s therapist suggested tha...

Question 1:I have a 19-year-old daughter with special needs. We’ve seen many professionals, and while she shows several ASD symptoms, she doesn’t meet full criteria for a diagnosis. She often asks why she has these challenges, and I don’t know how to explain it. How can I help her understand her situation and make sense of her delays? Question 2: Why do we see so many different specialties and the...

Question 1- sharing an experience of someone divorcing and not being open to listen. Question 2: Are there real benefits to taking popular workshop courses that claim to help everyone? It sounds unrealistic that one approach works for all. Should I just continue with individual therapy instead? Question 3: I’m calling about the program from September 29, 2025 (Program #1265) — the mother asking ab...

Question 1:  I’m about to start therapy and want to make sure I get the most out of it. How can I prepare myself to benefit as much as possible? Question 1B:  I have a friend who always agrees with me. I actually want her to be more honest and share her real opinions — even if she disagrees. How can I tell her that in a nice way? Question 2: I’m struggling to stay organized and often forget to eat...

Question 1 – Aryeh, what do you do when the parents themselves are complicated? Feedback 2 – From a caller on the 9/8/25 program (Program 1, #1260, Question 5): I took your encouragement and spoke about it with my therapist. It worked out really well—the therapist explained that I can reach out and that it was simply a misunderstanding. Question 3 – How can I build a better relationship with mysel...

Question 1 – How do cell phones impact family life and relationships? In particular, when a couple uses them excessively, what advice would you give to young couples about healthy cell phone use? Question 2 – Do you have any guidance for dealing with moderate OCD, especially when it comes to religious anxiety around Rosh Hashanah? I often feel like I’m not doing teshuvah properly and can only see...

Question 1 – What is the difference between the Sarno method and somatic therapy? Question 2 – What is the most appropriate method of therapy for someone who has experienced trauma? Question 3 – What is the difference between Radical Acceptance and ACT therapy? Feedback 4 – The caller who asked about Radical Acceptance (#3) felt like it was a personal message from Hashem. I now realize I need to a...

Question 1 – I’ve been in therapy for the past five years. Now that I’m past the major struggles, I wish someone had told me what to expect moving forward and reassured me that it’s okay. Why isn’t this kind of guidance given more often? Question 2 – My son is being bullied in class, and we don’t fully know what’s happening. What can we do as parents? Question 3 – Why do I find it difficult to sho...

Question 1 – I have tried many different therapy modalities, and somatic work helps me the most. However, I’ve noticed that the last 10 years of my life feel cloudy and fuzzy. Why is that? Question 2 – When I don’t remember things, such as forgetting appointments or tasks I need to do, what is causing that? What might be wrong with me? Question 3 – I am in therapy, but I constantly doubt myself. T...

Question 1 – Why would people share positive information before a shidduch and then this girl goes off the derech a few months after getting married? Feedback 2 – This is in response to the previous question. Question 3 – I have been seeing a therapist and doing a lot of somatic work. Over time, I developed a strong connection to my therapist. Because of the intensity of the work, I find myself co...

Question 1 continued from last program: 8/25/25 program 2 (1257) Q4 The therapist says he feels that he understands the client, but the client doesn’t feel the therapist truly gets him. What should be done? Feedback 2 – Aryeh: “ The horse is officially getting trauma therapy for his trauma.” Question 3 – I struggle with a behavioral issue. I am a child of divorced parents. I was told by Daas Torah...

Question 1 – I am an MSW student and learning a lot. A 16-year-old child diagnosed in 8th grade with ADHD. With a lot of effort we found the right medication. He isn’t very cooperative and doesn't feel good about needing medication. They are oppositional and resistant. What do I do? Question 2 – I have trauma and my first therapist was gentle but progress was slow. A year ago, I switched to a new...

Question 1: Is it common for complicated people to rewrite reality, criticize, make sharing difficult and have you believe that you are the issue? Question 2: My daughter’s school trip requires a waiver saying they aren’t responsible for any harm. This scares me. Is it okay if she’s the only one not going? Question 3: After a car accident, when and for how long is it okay to be a “backseat driver”...

Question 1: My 7-year-old with social anxiety, transitioning from special ed to mainstream yeshiva, says “I want to die, it’s so hard.” Should I worry? Question 2: What is the function of denial, and how can you protect yourself from someone in denial? Question 3: As a bochur, I find I rely on my therapist for everything instead of handling things myself. Is this healthy?

Question 1 I am calling on behalf of a friend who suffers from OCD. She has tried both therapy and medication, but neither has worked. Could she try TMS? Listener Feedback (related to TMS) I wanted to share my thoughts on TMS. It can help a person get out of the loop, but it is still important to combine it with therapy so they can do the necessary work. Question 3 Last week, you discussed a mothe...

Question 1 I was accepted into the MSW field but had also applied to an MHC program. What is the difference between these two programs? Question 2 I’m working on my assertiveness and have a question: When there is a choice for a therapist between two clients, how does the therapist decide which client to choose? Question 3 How can I share with my therapist what happened between our sessions? My th...

Question 1:  Aryeh called in about a horse that experienced trauma.  Question 2A: Is it true that people who are less self-aware often seem more confident, simply because they’re not noticing all the potential pitfalls? Question 2B: I have a child who is very intuitive and emotionally aware — she constantly feels and absorbs what’s going on around her. How can I help her find balance and not be ov...

Question 1:  Someone had a minor car accident and now feels anxious or afraid to be in a car. Can that reaction make sense from a psychological perspective? Question 2:  Why is it that when I know I’ve been fired, I feel calmer than when I’m uncertain whether my boss might fire me? Why is the unknown often more anxiety-provoking than a known negative outcome? Question 2B  It’s interesting that in...

Why Would a Therapist Validate a Teen for 10 Sessions Without Pointing Out that they Might Be the Problem?

Doesn't Rewarding Children Spoil Them?

Question 1 – I’m interested in the group titled “How to Talk to Your Children About Safe Touch in a Frum Manner.” Can you explain what’s covered and how it’s addressed in a culturally sensitive way? Question 2 – By nature, when I get involved in a project, I tend to lose focus on everything else. How can I stay on a schedule and still keep track of other responsibilities? Question 3 – I’m seeing c...

Question 1 – I’ve been in therapy for over a year. Why might I still have a hard time cooperating? I tend to space out and often don’t respond much, even when my therapist asks me questions or invites me to share. Question 2 – How do you deal with someone who has BPD? In this case, a mother told her mother-in-law to stop yelling at her daughter. Now the mother-in-law is demanding an apology, sayin...

Question 1: I’m leaving my Mini Cooper for 14 days and I’m nervous. How should I manage this? (From Aryeh Autistic) Thank you 2: Thank you for answering my question about two years ago on how to speak more calmly and express myself better. It really helped. Question 3: Why do you take other people’s calls but not mine? I’ve tried calling in a few times. Question 4A: I’m in a relationship with some...