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.
30episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Mental Health Decoded Episode #1323
4w ago01:09:36Tap to summarizeQuestion 1 – When can you trust your body and your feelings, and when should you be cautious about them? Question 2 – What is Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)? Question 3 – Why does it seem like so many people are being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) today? Question 4 – My 7-year-old daughter does things that really bother me. What bothers me even more is how strongly I react. How can I work on both her behavior and my reaction to it? Question 5 – If I did not receive the love and emotional connection I needed as a child, nothing seems to fill that emptiness. How can I begin to heal?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1322
4w ago01:08:54Tap to summarizeQuestion 1 – I often find myself feeling very lonely in my struggles, even though I have a community and people who support me. How do I cope with that sense of loneliness? Question 2 – As both a therapist and a client, I have learned how important good supervision is. How important is quality supervision for therapists? Question 3 – What are your thoughts on using AI, particularly an IFS-style AI model, between therapy sessions as a tool for reflection and support? Question 4 – I recently started with a new therapist and was honest about some things that were not working for me. She said my comments hurt her feelings, and now I feel nervous about meeting with her again. Does this reaction make sense?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1321
Jun 101:11:46Tap to summarizeQuestion 1 – My child has PANDAS and complex challenges. After years of research and treatment, how do we know what to try next? Question 2 – Should I continue therapy during the summer, switch to Zoom or phone sessions, or take a break? Question 3 – My child's PANDAS labs were not very elevated, but antibiotics helped. How much should symptoms matter compared to test results? Question 4 – How do you know when you are the problem in therapy? Comment 5 – I connected with caller #2's question about continuing therapy over the summer. I noticed two opposing parts in me—one wanting to leave therapy and one wanting to stay. I would like to share a diary entry about this experience. Comment 6 – The first caller on Radio Kol Bramah (June 1, 2026, Program #1320) came across as disrespectful. I was triggered by the way he spoke, but I was impressed by how calmly and professionally you responded.
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1320
Jun 101:07:47Tap to summarizeQuestion 1 – Is it wrong that therapy costs so much when families are struggling financially? Question 2 – Am I traumatizing my 2-year-old by letting him cry at bedtime since the new baby arrived? Question 3 – I ended an unhealthy friendship three times. Now that I am engaged, how do I stop myself from going back again?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1319
May 2501:03:54Tap to summarizeQuestion 1 – Can we discuss the highly sensitive child book? How do you help a child like this, and is it more nature or nurture? Question 2 – My 10-year-old daughter is very confident, but I have a neighbor her age who is manipulative toward her. She pressures her, excludes her, and tries to control situations to fit her own agenda. How can I guide my daughter in handling this? Question 3 – My parents still tell me how I should dress, even though I am already a mother of teenagers. I’ve tried asking them respectfully to stop and to respect our differences, but they make me feel like I’m being disrespectful. How can I develop a thicker skin around them? Question 4 – I struggle with social anxiety and was told that exposure therapy would help. I’ve tried it, but I don’t feel it’s working. Why might exposure not be helping me?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1318
May 2501:06:00Tap to summarizeQuestion 1 – Why are there no more programs on Kol Mevaser? Question 2 – Regarding last week’s program: Why did you recommend not staying with the same therapist for more than two years? Are there ever exceptions? Question 3 – How can I help ground an 11-year-old child who becomes very dysregulated? He says he enjoys getting hyper and making other children hyper. At seudos, he starts throwing things and says he can’t control himself. Question 4 – Is it okay to allow children to get hyper and silly? My kids tend to become more energetic than others, and I sometimes encourage playful behaviors like jumping in puddles and playing in the mud.
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1317
May 1801:09:47Tap to summarizeQuestion 1A: Regarding being in therapy for 5 or 6 years (5-18-26 program 1), what are the exceptions where long-term therapy may still be appropriate or beneficial? Question 1B: When interacting with difficult or complicated people, how can I set limits and say no without feeling hurt or guilty afterward? Question 2: I had a general question about anorexia and how it develops emotionally and psychologically. Question 3: I am starting therapy and want to know how to tell whether the therapist is the right fit for me. Question 4: How do you deal with a friend who is overly pushy or demanding? Question 5: If someone struggles with anorexia, is full healing and recovery truly possible? Question 6: I was asked to help support a child from a very difficult home environment in building self-esteem. Is that something I should take on, and how can I know if I am the right person for that role?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1316
May 1801:01:27Tap to summarizeQuestion 1: How can I tell the difference between simply feeling down and experiencing depression? Question 1B: I worry that I may struggle in therapy because I tend to be emotionally closed off and may have difficulty opening up. Question 2: How do you know when it may be time to end a friendship? Question 3: I would like a deeper understanding of how a marriage can be impacted when a sibling separates just a few weeks before their wedding. Question 4: I wanted to share an awareness regarding therapy. If someone has been doing trauma work for five or six years and still feels emotionally raw, and the therapist’s approach has been more conceptual than emotional, would it be advisable to seek a therapist that is more emotional and will support the person better?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1315
May 1101:03:15Tap to summarizeQuestion 1: Someone in my family is viewed as wonderful by the public, but in their personal life they deeply hurt the people closest to them. How can I cope with the anger and resentment I feel toward this person? Question 2: Trichotillomania improved for several months during therapy but later returned. Why might that happen? Question 3: I have a three-year-old who is afraid to use the bathroom. I notice that when I am anxious, he becomes more anxious, and when I am calm, he seems calmer. Can a parent’s emotions impact a child’s ability to use the bathroom comfortably? Comment 4A: I related to the mother whose three-year-old was struggling with using the bathroom. My daughter went through the same thing, and it was very stressful and frustrating. Eventually, I learned to let go of the pressure, used a laxative when needed, and one day things finally improved naturally. Question 4B: I also wanted to ask another question. We have a yesom staying in our home for about a year. Initially, he struggled significantly with functioning, but over time he became much calmer. Recently, however, I discovered that he has been stealing money from my purse, and I also received a call from a grocery store saying he stole from there as well. My husband was advised to respond very strictly. Do you agree with that approach?
Transcribe →Mental Health Decoded Episode #1314
May 1101:02:29Tap to summarizeQuestion 1: For most of my life, I struggled with low-grade anxiety. After experiencing several difficult life events, I began therapy and was eventually encouraged to consider medication. Thanks in part to your program, I decided to try it, and it has helped significantly. A psychiatrist also helped normalize the experience for me and reassured me that I was not “crazy.” I am on a low dose and functioning much better, even with trauma reactions. However, part of me misses feeling emotions as intensely as I once did, including during davening, and I sometimes question the tradeoff of being on medication. Question 2: How do I balance my role as someone’s physical aide without enabling dependence or avoiding tasks that I believe they are capable of doing on their own? Question 3: I wanted to know whether you are familiar with cranial sacral therapy and your thoughts on it. Question 4: What should a client do if they were told during intake that sessions would last an hour, but the actual sessions are only around 20 minutes? Question 4B: I previously went to a coach but did not feel a strong connection. How is therapy different from coaching, and can a therapist help me in ways a coach may not?
Transcribe →