Last Sunday, I gave a lecture about the expression of Memory in Art related to the Holocaust at the opening of the exhibit “Generations” at the JCC in Whippany, NJ. The artists who present their work in this exhibit represent individuals at different distances from the epicenter of the cataclysmic catastrophic events of the Holocaust. Milton Ohring and Hanna Keselman… READ MORE>>
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Holocaust Memories in Art: Slides of My Lecture from September 16, 2017
Posted by on September 22, 2017
REMINDER: “Generations” Art Reception and Exhibit on September 17/2017 at the JCC in Whippany, NJ
Posted by on September 15, 2017
On September 17, 2017, just before the Jewish New Year, the Holocaust Council of Greater Metro West will open “Generations”, an art exhibit consisting of paintings, sculpture, conceptual art, and photographs created by artists Hanna Keselman, Milton Ohring, Joanie Schwarz and Lev Gal Wartman. The exhibit will be open from September 17 through the end of November. As part of… READ MORE>>
Videos of My Lecture “The Impact of Early Trauma on Holocaust Survivors” Available on Youtube
Posted by on September 13, 2017
On June 22, I gave a lecture in New York for community professionals and healthcare providers of the MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care, as part of a program about the impact of the Holocaust and its aftermath on survivors and the Second Generation. Videos of the event are now available online. The videos can be found by following this link… READ MORE>>
Loneliness – What Do Studies Teach Us About How to Fight It
Posted by on September 10, 2017
Why is it that certain people struggle with the effects of chronic loneliness, while others do not? A recent article in Psychology Today called “Solutions for the Solitary” offers an interesting perspective about the subjective contribution to feeling lonely. The article concluded that feelings of loneliness are not directly tied to objective measures such as a person’s number of relationships… READ MORE>>
“Generations” Art Reception and Exhibit on September 17/2017 at the JCC in Whippany, NJ
Posted by on September 4, 2017
On September 17, 2017, just before the Jewish New Year, the Holocaust Council of Greater Metro West will open “Generations”, an art exhibit consisting of paintings, sculpture, conceptual art, and photographs created by artists Hanna Keselman, Milton Ohring, Joanie Schwarz and Lev Gal Wartman. The exhibit will be open from September 17 through the end of November. As part of… READ MORE>>
Starting teaching again at Yeshiva University, for Fall 2017 Semester
Posted by on August 20, 2017
The Fall 2017 semester at Yeshiva University in the Bronx is about to get underway. This semester I am teaching a graduate level psychology course at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. The course is “Couples and Family Counseling” (Course #6440), and starts on Wed. Aug. 30. Irit Felsen
“Atypical”: A New TV Series About an Autistic Adolescent and His Family
Posted by on August 19, 2017
The Netflix TV series “Atypical” (here is a link to the trailer) centers around the life of a suburban middle-class family, and particularly of Sam, a high school senior on the autistic spectrum who has recently decided that he wants to start dating. The show follows Sam as he warily confronts a host of new challenges, from learning how to… READ MORE>>
Hate, bigotry and discrimination don’t solve problems, they make bigger ones- Lessons learned from the Holocaust
Posted by on August 15, 2017
As I got on the treadmill at the gym this past Saturday, I watched in disbelief the pictures that met my eyes. For a moment I was hoping I clicked on the wrong TV channel and was watching a movie, rather than the breaking news. The sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach informed me, even before the fully… READ MORE>>
Sinead O’Connor’s Viral Video: #OneofMillions – Mental Illness Doesn’t Discriminate
Posted by on August 13, 2017
I recently came across “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer Sinead O’Connor’s viral video, in which the tearful musician describes her years-long struggle with mental illness and her feelings of profound isolation and abandonment left in its wake. The 12-minute video, which was uploaded with the hashtah #OneofMillions, can be seen from this link. The video, which has since been viewed… READ MORE>>
Slides Posted from Presentation on “War-Related Traumatic Reactions in Veterans and Their Impact on Families”
Posted by on August 12, 2017
Some time ago, I gave a presentation entitled “War-Related Traumatic Reactions in Veterans and Their Impact on Families” at a conference for an audience of directors of nursing homes and directors of social services in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The presentation focused on the impact of war trauma on veterans and their family members, especially as the veterans… READ MORE>>
Audiorecording Now Available: Lecture on Sibling Relationships in Holocaust Survivor Families
Posted by on August 9, 2017
I just posted on my Youtube channel an audio recording of a lecture I gave on March 30, 2017, under the auspices of the Claims Conference in partnership with JF&CS, Atlanta and the Bikur Cholim Chesed Organization in Brooklyn. This lecture, on the topic of Sibling Relationships in Holocaust Survivor Families, took place in the form of a teleconference, and… READ MORE>>
TOMORROW: “Helping Parents Towards Growth-Promoting Parenting”: Workshop for Mental Health Professionals at Chemed, Lakewood, NJ on July 27/17
Posted by on July 26, 2017
On Thursday, July 27, 2017, I will be giving a day-long workshop at Chemed Center for Health in Lakewood, NJ. The workshop is entitled “Helping Parents Towards Growth-Promoting Parenting”, and will address parenting issues and suggested guidelines for parents in their relationships with children and adolescents. The workshop is intended for the mental health professionals within the Chemed system and… READ MORE>>
REMINDER: TUESDAY: Tenth (and Final) Meeting of the Discussion Group for Children of Holocaust Survivors, Tues. July 25 at the Boro Park Y, Brooklyn NY
Posted by on July 23, 2017
On Tuesday July 25, I will host the tenth meeting of the Discussion Group for Children of Holocaust Survivors at the Boro Park Y in Brooklyn, NY. The series of meetings is entitled “Survivor Families: Our Parents, Ourselves, Our Changing Lives”. The meeting will begin at 7 pm. More details are available below. This will be the final meeting in… READ MORE>>
“Helping Parents Towards Growth-Promoting Parenting”: Workshop for Mental Health Professionals at Chemed, Lakewood, NJ on July 27/17
Posted by on July 21, 2017
On Thursday, July 27, 2017, I will be giving a day-long workshop at Chemed Center for Health in Lakewood, NJ. The workshop is entitled “Helping Parents Towards Growth-Promoting Parenting”, and will address parenting issues and suggested guidelines for parents in their relationships with children and adolescents. The workshop is intended for the mental health professionals within the Chemed system and… READ MORE>>
REMINDER TOMORROW: Presentation for Teachers at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in NYC on Fri. July 21
Posted by on July 20, 2017
I will be presenting a lecture entitled “Child and Adolescent Survivors” at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Living Memorial to the Holocaust, in NYC this Friday (July 21) at 12 noon. The museum is offering a summer course to NYC public and Catholic school teachers focused on “Children During the Holocaust”. This course, organized by Elizabeth Edelstein, vice president for… READ MORE>>