Mental Health Decoded with Mordechai

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Mental Health Decoded is a one-of-a-kind, live call-in podcast created for the Frum community, where listeners can ask real mental health questions on air and receive practical, compassionate guidance in real time. Hosted by Mordechai Weinberger, LCSW, this Frum-friendly program provides a safe and respectful space to explore meaningful topics like self-esteem, anxiety, parenting, trauma, OCD, depression, and more — all through the lens of Torah values and clinical insight. Join us — one question, one insight, one podcast at a time.

  1. MAR 16

    Mental Health Decoded Episode #1303

    Awareness 1: I feel very nervous asking a question on the radio because I stutter; I can speak easily with family, but with strangers it’s an ongoing struggle— I want to create an awareness to not let your disability hold you back.  Question 2: Feedback to a caller about IFS journaling: she shared that she started at a very low place about two years ago and has seen growth; Q: I see progress in the children I teach because of my effort and less about their motivation, so why does my therapist say that I deserve the credit for my own growth in therapy? Question 3: Over the past four years I’ve had four different therapists and haven’t felt a strong connection or that they bring out the best in me; I now have a life coach I really like—should I continue trying with a therapist or stick with the life coach? Question 4: I was told that an ASD diagnosis is not from the DSM—is that accurate? Question 5: I stopped seeing my therapist about 4.5 years ago, but I still feel like I haven’t fully moved on and often think about how much I miss her—is this normal, and how can I move forward?

    1h 6m

  2. MAR 15

    Mental Health Decoded Episode #1302

    Question 1: How do you deal with being bullied, or if a child is being bullied? Question 2: I am trying to understand the process of transference therapy; it is very difficult, and I am having a hard time with it. Positive Feedback 3: This program has changed my life—I now understand people better, even those I previously struggled to get along with. Question 4: I am a retired bubby, and due to health issues I cannot make Pesach in my own home. I will be going to my children, but I am taking it very hard and feel like an extra. How can I still feel happy? Question 4B: When my children and grandchildren follow minhagim that are different from mine, I am sometimes able to stay quiet, but at other times I speak up and it ends up bothering both them and me—how should I handle this? Question 5: How can I support a frum relative of the opposite gender who is going through a difficult time? Question 6: I asked a rov a question and feel uneasy with the answer—how can I process that?

    57 min

  3. MAR 9

    Mental Health Decoded Episode #1301

    Question 1 – In IFS, does the process always require tuning into bodily sensations? Question 2 – How would you explain vulnerability, and how can a person learn to express it? Question 3 – Last year before Pesach, MW mentioned the three F’s—fight, flight, and freeze. How might those responses show up during the stress of Pesach cleaning? Question 4 – Many people say it is healthy to be vulnerable and share openly. Why is that encouraged instead of keeping things private? Comment 5 – I believe it is very important to share with others and not keep everything inside. I also want to share that I was in an IOP, and in my experience it seemed designed more for people who are relatively healthy.

    58 min

  4. MAR 8

    Mental Health Decoded Episode #1300

    Question 1 – I went through a situation 26 years ago, and now many of those feelings are resurfacing. I feel an urge to speak to that person again. I recently married off my youngest child three weeks ago and became a widow at a young age. Why might these old feelings be coming up now? Question 2 – When I am in relationships with people who are complicated or struggling, I often resent them and think, “Why can’t they just be healthy and present?” But when I shift my focus to myself—my needs and what I can control—it suddenly feels easier. Why does that work? Question 3 – With IFS, I sometimes have a hard time tuning in to my parts. Can a live demonstration help someone learn how to access their parts more easily? Question 4 – In IFS, when I acknowledged a part, it actually made the feelings stronger and the situation feel scarier. Can this happen in therapy? Question 5 – Someone told me that every therapy modality is perfect, and if it doesn’t work, the problem must be with the patient. Is that accurate, or can it be that a modality simply does not work well for a particular client? Question 6 – I have a strong fear of getting haircuts. (special needs person asking).

    1 hr

  5. FEB 23

    Mental Health Decoded Episode #1299

    Question 1 – What type of therapy is most effective for someone struggling with misophonia? Question 2 – I see a therapist who has not been consistent with keeping the scheduled session times. She does not offer a make-up time when the cancellation is inconvenient for her. I feel hurt and unimportant. How should I approach this situation with her? Question 3 – I went through a major crisis and relied heavily on a close friend for support. She later told me she wants to remain my friend but cannot be my therapist. After I continued reaching out and shared that I ended up in the emergency room, she felt I was putting guilt on her and became upset. How can I repair the relationship and rebuild the friendship?

    1h 10m

  6. FEB 22

    Mental Health Decoded Episode #1298

    Question 1 – I have been reading the IFS journaling over the past few weeks (Date 2/16/25 program 2 (1297) question 3). The first time I called in, it was very difficult. That same part came up again, and it required a lot of work. I feel like I need quiet and at least two to three hours in order to really do the work properly. Is that normal? Question 2 – I have a question about attachment theory. I have a baby, and sometimes I do not always have the patience I would like to have with him, or I may leave him with a babysitter. Could that create attachment problems? Question 3 – I would like to share that after 15 years of dating, I finally got engaged. There were many ups and downs along the way, but sometimes those challenges are part of what shapes remarkable people. Question 4 – I am a mother of several children. I had an acquaintance who used to babysit for us for money. She often asks for money and makes many requests. How can I set a boundary without hurting her feelings? I am also concerned that if I need her help again in the future, she may say no. Question 5 – I come from a large family with many sisters, and I am naturally closer with some than with others. I tend to be a pacifist and a people-pleaser, especially with family members. How can I maintain emotional connection while also protecting my energy? Some family members resent that I am not equally close with everyone.

    1 hr

  7. FEB 16

    Mental Health Decoded Episode #1297

    Question 1 – If someone is afraid of an authority figure, could that fear stem from a painful attachment relationship earlier in life? Question 2 – How can a person heal attachment wounds? Some people around me say that I may be afraid to go out on my own in business because of attachment-related fears. Question 3 – I have a son who is 13–14 years old and is more sensitive. I have always tried not to “rock the boat” and to speak to him gently. How do I know when it is appropriate to be more assertive with him? Question 4 – Regarding the IFS journaling from last week’s program (2/9/25, Program #1295): now more parts are showing up in the journaling, including a macho part, a pushy part, and a worry part that are all speaking and sharing. Is this a normal part of the process? Question 5 – What is my role in this situation? I am close with someone who shares her shalom bayis struggles with me, but I am concerned about her adult daughter who has engaged in self-harm. When I raise the concern, she denies or minimizes it and says it was only for attention. How should I respond? Question 5B- Another issue is that the husband is not bringing in enough income and has approached my husband to borrow money. Is it advisable for us to lend him money? Feedback 6 – I listened again to the IFS journaling segment from the previous program, and it felt very helpful. I find it difficult to practice journaling on my own, and hearing it explained like this is teaching me how to do it.

    1h 3m

  8. FEB 15

    Mental Health Decoded Episode #1296

    Question 1 – My husband and my mother have a very complicated relationship, and for years they have gone back and forth between speaking and not speaking. I am in therapy and learning not to get involved between them. Recently my mother said she would only try to work things out if there is a mediator. Should I find someone? Question 2 – If a person struggles with bitachon and it may be connected to attachment wounds, can therapy help with that? Does a rov need to be involved as well? Question 3 – If someone has been diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, can they ever heal or improve? Question 4 – Can therapists at Serenity Center teach someone how to let go of expectations that another person will change?

    1h 8m
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About

Mental Health Decoded is a one-of-a-kind, live call-in podcast created for the Frum community, where listeners can ask real mental health questions on air and receive practical, compassionate guidance in real time. Hosted by Mordechai Weinberger, LCSW, this Frum-friendly program provides a safe and respectful space to explore meaningful topics like self-esteem, anxiety, parenting, trauma, OCD, depression, and more — all through the lens of Torah values and clinical insight. Join us — one question, one insight, one podcast at a time.

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