Coping Strategies For OCD/Anxiety During And After The Pandemic

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 This Sunday May 10 will be the 6th session of the new therapy platform hosted by Coach Menachem Bernfeld; a therapy group meeting providing psycho-education, awareness and in-depth conversations about distressing emotional symptoms that are arising due to the current crisis.

“Let’s get real with Coach Menachem” is a group that organically emerged from a neighborhood Torah shiur and quickly became a platform to discuss important issues and discover different perspectives as a group. This shift happened as Usher Parnes, one of the shiur-goers, noticed that people were too distressed to join the usual shiur. Usher then asked his friend, certified life coach Menachem Bernfeld, to host an interactive platform where people can freely discuss emotional issues during this pandemic. The group started with twenty log-ins and now has hundreds of people joining the conversation weekly.

Previous sessions covered topics such as discovering meaning, coping with change, chinuch, financial loss and familial discord. This week the session will be focused on anxiety and OCD. Mr. Matis Miller LCSW, ACT the founder and director of The Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy of New Jersey and author of soon to be released book “The Uncontrollable child: Understand and Manage Your Child’s Disruptive Moods with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills” will be joining the meeting this coming week with his colleague at The Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy of New Jersey Mr. Menachem Friedman LSW.

The uncertainties that exist due to the coronavirus are causing people all types of distressful emotional and psychological symptoms. Covid19 is the cause of an uncomfortable reality. Limiting social interaction, staying mostly at home and the financial strains are now a part of regular life and it is no secret that people are struggling to find some sort of relief.

The current loss of control that people are experiencing now is enough to make even the most even-keeled person anxious. The usual predictable course of life has changed and with it people are left uncertain of their futures. The current situation is exacerbating anxiety all around. The confidence that people have in their regular life is shaken and the zoom meeting is a safe place to have an open conversation with professional therapists from our community. 

Other benefits of the program are that it provides validation for the way people are feeling and the awareness of how prevalent these issues are. This week will also include a brief education about anxiety in general, making people more informed to better understand their symptoms. Matis and Menachem also plan on sharing practical strategies and tips of how to best manage anxiety during this difficult time.

“Let’s get real with coach Menachem” has the ability to balance heavy topics with a light atmosphere. The unspoken reality of sadness, grief, and anxiety are all approached head-on and discussed openly. The hurt that is going around does not have to be suffered alone. It Is true that in order to prevent the spread of a virus, people are now physically distant. However, it is still possible to be socially connected and maintain not just our physical health but our emotional health as well.

 

Upcoming schedule 

May 17 – R’ Shimon Russell

May 24 – Dr. Meir Wikler

May 31 – Dr. David H. Rosmarin, PhD, ABPP / Mordachi Weiss LCSW

 

For personal meetings with Coach Menachem Bernfeld, feel free to reach out to him directly at [email protected]

To access previously-recorded meetings, please go to https://menachembernfeld.com/.

With any sponsorships or to donate your professional time as a guest on this special chessed program, please feel free to reach out to Usher Parnes at 848-525-0066.

       

This article was written by Daniel Kranz

732-534-1640 

[email protected]

Daniel is a graduate from Beth medrash Gavoah and a psychology major at T.U.W

 


4 COMMENTS

  1. on the topic of OCD & ANXIETY a wealth of material, audio & power points are avail for free on rabbiglassman.com
    much of it is indepth lectures given in lakewood by rav efraim glassman ,

  2. letoeles i copy pasted the titles for folder 1
    OCD – CBT
    01 Intro To Anxiety Disorders 01 Intro To Anxiety Disorders
    02 Healthy Anxiety Vs Disorder 02 Healthy Anxiety Vs Disorder
    03 Recognizing Specific Types Of Anxiety 03 Recognizing Specific Types Of Anxiety
    04 The OCD Cycle & It’s Various Manifestations 04 The OCD Cycle & It’s Various Manifestations
    05 Basics Of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) 05 Basics Of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
    06 Applying CBT 06 Applying CBT
    07 Core Of OCD,Anxiety-The Need For Certainty 07 Core Of OCD,Anxiety-The Need For Certainty
    08 Why Worrying Is So Bad! How And When Is Worry Acceptable Or Beneficial 08 Why Worrying Is So Bad! How And When Is Worry Acceptable Or Beneficial
    09 Cognitive Therapy-How A Thought Turns Into A OCD,Anxiety Disorder 09 Cognitive Therapy-How A Thought Turns Into A OCD,Anxiety Disorder
    10a Cognitive Distortions How Your Thinking Patterns Affect You Part 1 10a Cognitive Distortions How Your Thinking Patterns Affect You Part 1
    10b Cognitive Distortions How Your Thinking Patterns Affect You Part 2 10b Cognitive Distortions How Your Thinking Patterns Affect You Part 2
    12 Pure Obsessions – CBT 12 Pure Obsessions – CBT
    13a Social Anxiety Part 1 13a Social Anxiety Part 1
    13b Social Anxiety Part 2 13b Social Anxiety Part 2
    14 Social Anxiety Part 3 14 Social Anxiety Part 3
    15 Panick Attacks – Panic Disorder 15 Panick Attacks – Panic Disorder
    16 Generalized Anxiety Disorder 16 Generalized Anxiety Disorder
    17 Sfeikos In Emunah Differentiating Between Emunah And Obsessions Treating The OCD Factor. 17 Sfeikos In Emunah Differentiating Between Emunah And Obsessions Treating The OCD Factor.
    19 When Therapy Doesn’t Work I’ve Tried Everything And Nothing Works! 19 When Therapy Doesn’t Work I’ve Tried Everything And Nothing Works!
    20 Psychosomatic Illness Based On The Research Of Dr Sarno 20 Psychosomatic Illness Based On The Research Of Dr Sarno
    PowerPoint Presentations PowerPoint Presentations see site

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