This Sunday May 10 will be the 6th session of the new therapy platform hosted by Coach Menachem Bernfeld; a therapy group meeting providing psycho-education, awareness and in-depth conversations about distressing emotional symptoms that are arising due to the current crisis.
“Let’s get real with Coach Menachem” is a group that organically emerged from a neighborhood Torah shiur and quickly became a platform to discuss important issues and discover different perspectives as a group. This shift happened as Usher Parnes, one of the shiur-goers, noticed that people were too distressed to join the usual shiur. Usher then asked his friend, certified life coach Menachem Bernfeld, to host an interactive platform where people can freely discuss emotional issues during this pandemic. The group started with twenty log-ins and now has hundreds of people joining the conversation weekly.
Previous sessions covered topics such as discovering meaning, coping with change, chinuch, financial loss and familial discord. This week the session will be focused on anxiety and OCD. Mr. Matis Miller LCSW, ACT the founder and director of The Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy of New Jersey and author of soon to be released book “The Uncontrollable child: Understand and Manage Your Child’s Disruptive Moods with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills” will be joining the meeting this coming week with his colleague at The Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy of New Jersey Mr. Menachem Friedman LSW.
The uncertainties that exist due to the coronavirus are causing people all types of distressful emotional and psychological symptoms. Covid19 is the cause of an uncomfortable reality. Limiting social interaction, staying mostly at home and the financial strains are now a part of regular life and it is no secret that people are struggling to find some sort of relief.
The current loss of control that people are experiencing now is enough to make even the most even-keeled person anxious. The usual predictable course of life has changed and with it people are left uncertain of their futures. The current situation is exacerbating anxiety all around. The confidence that people have in their regular life is shaken and the zoom meeting is a safe place to have an open conversation with professional therapists from our community. 
Other benefits of the program are that it provides validation for the way people are feeling and the awareness of how prevalent these issues are. This week will also include a brief education about anxiety in general, making people more informed to better understand their symptoms. Matis and Menachem also plan on sharing practical strategies and tips of how to best manage anxiety during this difficult time.
“Let’s get real with coach Menachem” has the ability to balance heavy topics with a light atmosphere. The unspoken reality of sadness, grief, and anxiety are all approached head-on and discussed openly. The hurt that is going around does not have to be suffered alone. It Is true that in order to prevent the spread of a virus, people are now physically distant. However, it is still possible to be socially connected and maintain not just our physical health but our emotional health as well.
 
Upcoming schedule 
May 17 – R’ Shimon Russell
May 24 – Dr. Meir Wikler
May 31 – Dr. David H. Rosmarin, PhD, ABPP / Mordachi Weiss LCSW
 
For personal meetings with Coach Menachem Bernfeld, feel free to reach out to him directly at bernfeldm@gmail.com. 
To access previously-recorded meetings, please go to https://menachembernfeld.com/.
With any sponsorships or to donate your professional time as a guest on this special chessed program, please feel free to reach out to Usher Parnes at 848-525-0066.
       
This article was written by Daniel Kranz
732-534-1640 
daniekranz94@gmail.com
Daniel is a graduate from Beth medrash Gavoah and a psychology major at T.U.W