Ep. 4: Religion and Mental Health

The idea of the Moshiach/Messiah is often misunderstood in Judaism. Even leading, historically, to episodes of untold disappointment and disillusionment. In this episode, Levi and I discuss what we believe to be a grounded and sensible understanding of the idea and how we can contribute to its coming to fruition. Have a question or comment on this discussion? Send us a private voice message in the link below and we may discuss it on the next episode. Or email [email protected] for thoughts & feedback.

In this episode of our podcast, we explore the revolutionary use of AI in mental health support. With the advancement of technology, chatbots like OpenAI's GPT have been developed to mimic human interactions, leading to the possibility of them being used as a substitute for human therapists. Join us as we delve into the potential benefits and drawbacks of using AI for mental health, and hear a real-life test study done with people who, unknowingly, utilized chatbots as a source of support. Are we ready to trust AI with our mental well-being, or is there still a need for human connection in the therapeutic process?  Btw, the title and description here were created for us by Chat GPT. Sorry, couldn't resist :) Have a question or comment on this discussion? Send us a private voice message in the link below and we may discuss it on the next episode. Or email [email protected] for thoughts & feedback. Co-hosted by Rabbis Shaul Rosenblatt and Levi Goldgrab. Produced by Levi Goldgrab - GenesisCreate.com

We live in a world of increasing mental distress. However, you don’t need to be a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist to help. You have so much to offer people simply by sharing your own humanness. This is how Dr. Bill Pettit sees the field of alleviating mental suffering. Bill worked as a board-certified psychiatrist for over fifty years. He has been sharing a revolutionary spiritual understanding of mental well-being - based on three simple principles —  that has offered peace and wellbeing to those suffering from anxiety, stress, trauma, PTSD, and other diagnostic labels for mental distress. We discussed how every human being’s default setting is mental wellbeing and that it can be pushed down with our innocent misuse of thought, and how this small realisation causes a paradigm shift in people’s lives, as well as a few amazing stories of personal recovery. Have a question or comment on this episode? Send us a private voice message in the link below and we may discuss it on the next episode. Or email [email protected] for thoughts & feedback. Co-hosted by Rabbis Shaul Rosenblatt and Levi Goldgrab. Produced by Levi Goldgrab

This episode we met with writer, performer, creator, passionate feminist and good friend Tova Leigh. Tova is dedicated to promoting gender equality and women's rights through her live performances and books, as well as her work as a podcaster and digital creator. We enjoyed a lighthearted and insightful conversation around the relevance of gender roles today, entitlement and rights vs responsibilities to each other, and the ability to get past our philosophies and opinions to be able to just listen to one another. Have a question or comment on this episode? Send us a private voice message in the link below and we may discuss it on the next episode. Or email [email protected] for thoughts & feedback. Co-hosted by Rabbis Shaul Rosenblatt and Levi Goldgrab. Produced by Levi Goldgrab

What’s it like to experience a psychedelic assisted therapy session? Can it have long lasting effects to help heal PTSD, depression, OCD and improve one’s general wellbeing and enjoyment of life? David Drapkin LCSW is a man on a psychedelic wellness mission and a thought leader in the field of psychedelic medicine and therapy. He joined us to discuss these questions and more. Have a question or comment on this episode? Send us a private voice message in the link below and we may discuss it on the next episode. Email [email protected] for thoughts & feedback. Co-hosted by Rabbis Shaul Rosenblatt and Levi Goldgrab. Produced by Levi Goldgrab

In this episode, Jonny Simmons joins us again, this time to talk about his personal experience with attempting suicide, the dark place to which a person in that mindset goes, what a person in that situation can do to help themselves, and simple but powerful things others can do to support someone suffering in this way. Email [email protected] for thoughts & feedback or leave a private voice message below. Co-hosted by Rabbis Shaul Rosenblatt and Levi Goldgrab. Produced by Levi Goldgrab

Divorce is such an upsetting and unsettling time. For the kids it can be just as challenging, and even more so. Should couples stay together just for the children? What about a person’s own wellbeing, should children come before that? Is there such a thing as kids coming out unscathed from a divorce? Sarah David and Ari Shainfield joined us this episode to share with us their experience, why they believe that the primary focus of divorce should be the children, and what their grassroots organisation ‘Our Kids First’ is doing to help out families going through divorce in the community. Email [email protected] for thoughts & feedback or leave a private voice message below.

The legalisation of marijuana, psychedelics and other substances has become commonplace throughout the world. Along with that, there has been more and more experimentation using these substances along with spirituality, therapy and self development. This episode Shaul and Levi discuss if they can complement each other, potential pitfalls, and what place they may have as an enhancement in religious circles and in our wellbeing. Email [email protected] for thoughts & feedback or leave a private voice message below.

Making history in Jewish news as ‘the first woman in the UK to be appointed to a rabbinic leadership role in an Orthodox community’, Miriam Lorie is passionate about bringing Judaism to life for young people and adults alike. Cambridge University theology graduate and co-founder of the Borehamwood Partnership Minyan, Miriam joined us for an open discussion about Orthodox Jewish gender equality, specifically in regards to Orthodox Women Rabbis. Is this not changing the Orthodox framework? What about Halacha and Tradition? How does one see Judaism, or any religion, adapting whilst preserving tradition and authenticity?  Email [email protected] for thoughts & feedback or leave a private voice message below.

Is mental health connected with faith and religion? Can one compliment the other? Are they any different? This episode we met with Chana Rosenblatt, Director of CR Practice, where she shares the Three Principles understanding - guiding individuals to see what is behind all of their experience in order to discover new levels of understanding, freedom of thought and choice. We discussed the genuine mental health available to everyone at every moment, its connection to religion and spirituality, and how our communities can be more open to embracing it into our education. Thoughts? Email [email protected] or leave a voice message below.