Resource Type: Downloads

All Night, Always Honest

By Rabbi Zach Beer | On Shavuot night, while we shouldn’t fall asleep, we should consider embodying the value that the Jewish people brought to Har Sinai and spend the night reflecting on growing and being honest with ourselves as a means of connecting with God.
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Hineni – 8 Ways to Support Your Trans Teen

At the Blue Dove foundation, we recognize that being a parent, guardian or loved one of a teenager isn’t always easy. So much in this world is constantly changing, and it can be hard to keep up. We all want to do right by our youth, but we don't always know how. Adults also need support when it comes to connecting with a trans teen.
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Your Guide to “Arguments for the Sake of Heaven”

In Jewish tradition, arguments with a shared goal are holy and called “arguments for the sake of heaven!” Engaging in spirited debate conveys that both sides believe in the goal and care enough to fight for it. But shared goals don’t always mean constructive conversations, and a destructive conversation can have negative ramifications on your mental health. Here are three tips to ensure your arguments for the sake of heaven stay that way.
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Therapy: Know Your Options

Knowing how to take care of yourself means knowing what options you have in a crisis. However, with the plethora of choices now available to most people, deciding which one is best for you can be overwhelming. We hope this short guide to the options you have for mental health care gives you some clarity about the different types of therapies and treatments are out there.
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Lashon Hara: How to NOT Talk about Mental Illness

Lashon Hara is gossip and hurtful speech that damages communities and relationships. The language we use makes a difference. As you continue to learn mental health terminology, it is important to think about which words and phrases are helpful to say and which should be avoided. This is not an exhaustive list; rather, it serves as a starting point to help us think about the way we are using language and how it affects others.
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Your Red Sea, Your Pursuers, and Your Nachshon Moment

By Ruthie Hollander | We can’t find freedom by outrunning anxiety, anger, or grief. This lesson is captured in the compiled Rabbinic teachings called midrash, which preserves the memory of Nachshon, prince of the tribe of Judah and brother-in-law of Aaron. The sea only splits, according to the midrash, when Nachshon steps forward and enters the sea, “since they (b’nai Yisrael) were standing and taking advice/debating/arguing (over what course of action they should take).” Their salvation came at the hand of a brave man’s choice to step forward. What is your Nachshon Moment?
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Mental Health Mishloach Manot

By Max Hollander | We don’t only preserve community by taking care of our most unfortunate community members when they need us; we do so by also showing the people in our lives we care about them even when they don’t need us. We can’t just ensure the poorest among us don't fall through the cracks; we must also strive to ensure those closest to us don't drift away. This balance between matanot l'evyonim (gifts to the poor) and mishloach manot (gifts to our friends) is what nurtures community, and community is what nurtures us in the aftermath of intense challenges and trauma.
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Staying Grounded to Keep Growing

According to Jewish law, all fruit trees need to be left to grow for a three-year period ending on Tu B’Shvat, the 15th day of the month of Shvat. Then, after a ritual redemptive process in Jerusalem, we may eat the saplings of the fifth year. This process is called “Orlah.” On the surface, this long and complicated process may seem tedious and unnecessary. But if you dig a bit deeper, the law of Orlah offers us a valuable lesson about the importance of patience when undergoing growth processes.
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The Mental Health Hanukkah Journal

Hanukkah can also remind us we, like the rest of the world, need to remember the great miracles we are and have light shed on the innermost parts of ourselves that need attention and understanding. In this book we have devoted space to eight essential reflection prompts we hope will help you reflect on your year — on what brought you light and what dimmed your light — as we add more light to our menorahs this season. We will intersperse these prompts with our mental health Hanukkah resources.
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