Podcast
Mental Health Decoded with Mordechai
Hosted by JewishPodcasts.fm · EN
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.
18episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Mental Health Decoded Episode #1311
Apr 2701:02:20Tap to summarizeQuestion 1: A 12-year-old girl is being raised only by her father. She comes to my house from time to time, and I try to give her attention and support. Because of her upbringing, she seems to crave a lot of attention, often in immature ways. Should I still give her attention through those immature behaviors? Comment 2A: I wanted to thank you for the chizuk you gave to stay-at-home mothers on Kol Bramah Radio on 4/27/26, Program 1310. Comment 2B: I needed to place some of my children in foster care. We still maintain a connection with them, and I’ve learned that it does not have to be all-or-nothing. I see them growing and doing much better. Question 3: My father-in-law lives outside of Brooklyn, and when we visit, we stay in a gabbai’s apartment. I daven in the gabbai’s shul, which has a very small minyan, and I often feel pressured to daven for the amud. It is very difficult for me, but I feel guilty saying no. How can I deal with that guilt? Question 4: Why would someone be afraid to daven for the amud? Question 5: I have a teenage son who wants to know how to overcome the fear of davening for the amud. Question 6: I especially appreciated the question in the previous program about a mother needing to return to work. As a working mother of two, I found the validation very meaningful. My question is: How can you encourage a sibling to be more communicative when they tend not to share where they are going or what they are doing?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1310
Apr 2701:12:22Tap to summarizeQuestion 1: I have a lot of mixed feelings about unconventional therapy. I recently heard about kinesiology, and I was wondering if you could help me better understand how it works. Question 2: My wife had a baby two months ago and recently returned to work. She is finding the transition overwhelming and feels she is missing out on bonding with the baby. She also does not feel comfortable in her work environment. Question 3: I find myself tremendously triggered by children, from around age 3 through 16. I am especially anxious thinking that my one-year-old will eventually grow into those ages. My mother struggled with this as well, and I wonder if that may be impacting me.
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1309
Apr 2001:08:22Tap to summarizeQuestion 1- What is the role as a parent to their daughter when they see that their son is struggling with alcoholism and behaving in a very narcissistic way? Question 2- I have a 10-year-old child who is afraid to go to many places. She is comfortable going to the grocery store down the block or to a neighbor’s house on the block, but she refuses to go to other places. What can we do to help her? Question 3- What should someone do if they feel uncomfortable being vulnerable with their therapist? Question 4- I’ve heard a lot about attachment theory. What is attachment theory, and how can it be understood in simple English?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1308
Apr 2001:06:12Tap to summarizeQuestion 1- I have a relative who has dementia along with several physical ailments. He needs to be tied to his wheelchair for safety, and he often feels depressed and frustrated. What advice is there for helping calm him and making him feel more valuable? Question 2- I would like to raise a question about awareness and faith. As a bochur I struggled with many mental health challenges, and therapy helped me a lot. Later, after I got married, a major trauma happened and many of those struggles returned. One of the deepest pains for me was feeling like, “How could Hashem do this to me?” At times I even felt that Hashem hated me. I never learned how to shift my view of Hashem so that He doesn’t feel so frightening. How can someone begin to change that perspective? Question 3- I am a long-time listener. In our neighborhood, someone rented out their house to people who are OTD. This is a block with many frum families, and some of their public behaviors are making the neighbors uncomfortable. What can the community do in a respectful way to address this situation? Question 4- If and how does the role of a mother change when a child becomes a teenager? Feedback 5- I am the great-grandmother calling with feedback about the program from 4/13/26, Program 1 (1306), Question 2. My feeling is that when someone keeps returning to the same painful topic, the most important thing is simply to support her and be there for her.
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1307
Apr 1301:08:46Tap to summarizeQuestion 1- I’ve been to therapy in the past for a few years and didn’t see much improvement. I felt like I did the work on an intellectual level, but it stayed in my mind and didn’t really affect my emotions or my heart. Should I consider starting therapy again? Question 2- What is the role of a dating coach? My relative is seeing a dating coach, and she said the coach advised her not to pursue a certain boy. Why would a coach make that kind of recommendation? Question 3- Does medication heal trauma? Question 4- I have a daughter who is about 16 years old. I am seeing a therapist from Serenity, and I would like some clarity about an episode we had this evening. Is it healthy to raise a child without giving them chores? Question 5- I have a six-year-old son who has never been formally evaluated, but we suspect he may have ADHD. He is very cute and full of life. This year he has a rebbe who is helping him learn a lot and is providing strong structure. However, the rebbe is concerned that the frequent punishments—such as sending him out of class—may be harming him. At home, though, he is happy going to Yeshiva. Should we consider medication?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1306
Apr 1301:01:57Tap to summarizeQuestion 1- Before Yom Tov I had to call Hatzalah. Now every time my children see me on the phone, they ask if I am calling Hatzalah. What can I do now to reassure my children? Question 2- I have been involved with someone since she was 13 years old. She was bullied growing up. Today she is married, on medication, and continues to go to therapy, yet she still often talks about that bullying story. She has gone through many difficult situations. Why does she continue returning only to that story instead of focusing on greater experiences? Question 3- My friend was recently fired from his job. He has been a salesperson for over seven years. Since losing the job, he has become depressed. Why would someone become so depressed about losing a job instead of picking themselves up and moving on to try another one? Question 4- How do you deal with a mother-in-law who asks very personal questions and seems unable to let go of her child? What is the best way to handle that situation?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1305
Mar 2300:58:25Tap to summarizeQuestion 1- When I go into the therapy room, I often forget what I wanted to discuss. I freeze up because I feel like I have too much to say and not enough time to say it. Question 2- I’m commenting about the previous program regarding the sister-in-law whose in-laws are complicated. I’m in a similar situation where my mother-in-law calls me and cries about one of her couples, saying that she doesn’t like her daughter-in-law. She often calls me and becomes very emotional about it. Question 3- I’ve recently developed a fear of flying. What would you suggest for a phobia that doesn’t feel so simple? When there is turbulence, I become afraid that my life might end. Question 4- I’m calling to say thank you. I’ve gained so much from the program. Question 5- I have a question about the dissertation process. How do you find participants for your research? Question 6- How do I know whether I am cleaning for Pesach from a healthy place or from a place that may not be healthy for me?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1304
Mar 2201:09:38Tap to summarizeQuestion 1 – Thank you for this program. I am now a year out of therapy and this has become a support for me. My 9-year-old son is the biggest boy in his class and says other boys are making fun of him. How should I support him without making the situation worse? Question 2 – How can you help a teenager change a decision when you believe they are making a poor choice? Can a parent force the change, or is there a better way to guide them? Question 3 – I struggle with making decisions. After I decide, I get stuck doubting myself and regretting the choice. How can I stop this cycle? Question 4 – I’ve been told in therapy to set boundaries with a parent, but when I try it creates even more stress for me. How should someone handle boundaries when the process feels overwhelming? Question 5 – I have a complicated relationship with an in-law. After going to therapy I created healthy boundaries and my marriage improved. Now, younger siblings getting married are noticing the dysfunction in their parents’ home. They turn to me and I feel angry and triggered. Do I need to step in and explain things to them, or should I stay out of it?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1303
Mar 1601:05:46Tap to summarizeAwareness 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?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1302
Mar 1500:57:29Tap to summarizeQuestion 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?
Transcribe →