Feedback 1A: About a year ago, I reached out regarding my fear of starting EMDR, and you encouraged me to allow myself to let go. It have a major impact on me.  Question 1B: Can you help me understand why, after I processed my feelings of anger , now I find myself feeling pain. How does this work?  Question 1C: I feel drawn to explore certain painful parts of my trauma history and the emotions that come with it. At the same time, I hesitate because I’m afraid revisiting it may trigger anger toward family members. How should I approach this? Question 2- why are children and teens from dysfunctional homes fight to go back to the dysfunctional home/environment? Question 3A- My son’s therapist recommended doing a few sessions with me, explaining that this work would help my son. How does working with a parent create change in the child?Question 3B- Additionally, why would my son hit me but not hit my husband? Question 4- I recently read an interview about Spravado, and it sounded like a medication that can address almost everything. If it’s so effective, why isn’t everyone using it? 

Question 1 – How do cell phones impact family life and relationships? In particular, when a couple uses them excessively, what advice would you give to young couples about healthy cell phone use? Question 2 – Do you have any guidance for dealing with moderate OCD, especially when it comes to religious anxiety around Rosh Hashanah? I often feel like I’m not doing teshuvah properly and can only see what I’ve done wrong. Question 3 – Can you speak about the termination process in therapy? I’ve been in therapy for two years and made significant progress. At one point I thought I was ready to finish, but now that I have, I’m finding it very difficult and feel I need support. Question 4 – A close family member has a 16-year-old son who dropped out of yeshiva about six months ago. He spends all day on the internet gaming and does nothing else. While the parents are trying to stay connected to him, I believe this is an addiction. Should I suggest that they see an addiction therapist? 

Question 1 – Aryeh, what do you do when the parents themselves are complicated? Feedback 2 – From a caller on the 9/8/25 program (Program 1, #1260, Question 5): I took your encouragement and spoke about it with my therapist. It worked out really well—the therapist explained that I can reach out and that it was simply a misunderstanding. Question 3 – How can I build a better relationship with myself? Because I don’t feel connected to myself, I also struggle to connect with others. This bothers me even more. How can I change this? Question 4 – My therapist offered to see me three times a week. Is that common? Question 5 – My son attended a yeshiva where the boys went to therapy several times a week. It actually bothered him that they went so often. Discussed the differences between therapy and mentorship?Question 6 – My yeshiva is asking me to leave. If I transfer to another yeshiva that “helps boys with issues,” I’m afraid I’ll go downhill because of the environment. I don’t want that. What should I do? 

Feedback 1: I called about a year ago, afraid that a therapist might control your mind or turn you against Hashem and your family. In reality, it’s not like that at all. Therapy helps you make your own decisions, come out of your cocoon, and grow. It encourages you to face and express feelings you once avoided, and to acknowledge what’s really inside. Question 2: My child’s therapist suggested that we, the parents, go to therapy. At what point do you say that the child should go instead? I’m asking about my 5-year-old, who avoids expressing emotions and often acts out. Question 3: What does it really mean when people say someone is a narcissist? Question 4: How can a mother help her 17-year-old son wake up in the morning? 

Question 1- sharing an experience of someone divorcing and not being open to listen. Question 2: Are there real benefits to taking popular workshop courses that claim to help everyone? It sounds unrealistic that one approach works for all. Should I just continue with individual therapy instead? Question 3: I’m calling about the program from September 29, 2025 (Program #1265) — the mother asking about her 17-year-old son going off the derech. Why isn’t that just considered normal teenage behavior? Question 4: I went to visit my mother and stepfather for Shabbos. He often puts her down and speaks to her disrespectfully. As a guest at the table, what is my role? Should I defend her, distract him, or stay silent?

In this episode, Mordechai Weinberger, LCSW, answers listener questions ranging from parenting and therapy to emotional resilience and community challenges: When a teenager simply says “OK” and walks out of the room, how should parents respond? What might that behavior be communicating? After a year of somatic therapy, IFS, and parts work, I’ve made progress but now feel stuck. Do I need a more directive therapist, or should I stay the course? A listener shares feedback from a previous episode, describing how he faced major life challenges by taking small, steady steps: “Whatever I was able to do, I did.” How can you help someone open up emotionally when they seem disconnected or unwilling to share? There’s a girl in the neighborhood who bullies others, and her mother refuses to intervene. What can I do to protect my daughter? I’m currently in therapy at Serenity, but my therapist doesn’t want to involve Mordechai. Can he still help? And how long does it typically take to come out of depression? Real-life challenges. Thoughtful answers. Always grounded in compassion, clinical insight, and Torah values.