Rabbi Resnick,
have you ever been challenged with dysfunction in any area of life? Behaviour patterns that you weren’t able to get out of? In relationships? How did you deal with these issues? Has your marriage been rocky? How did you deal with it? I don’t wish it upon anyone. I’m not saying your opinion is only valid if you’ve been through issues. Maybe you have been.

Everyone,
What I am saying is therapy is really truly helping people that are lubavitcher chassidim that really truly need it, in ways which they perhaps weren’t able to find by speaking to their local chassidisher yid, whether because he didn’t have the time to delve into their issues, whether because he didn’t necessarily have the tools to apply the information in chassidus to make it practical.

More importantly, after chassidus was nisgale, that caused that the goyim should also investigate chochmas hanefesh (also according to the sicha in noach about the zohar that talks about the year 5600). At this point, there exists in velt an opportunity (that costs money) to have someone who has learned a few things (or predictable patterns) within chochmas hanefesh to help people overcome their dysfunction, and become better people. (Why is that a davar assur?) So that lead to their being a question in people’s mind about if its okay and if its desirable to make use of that opportunity. (which is what triggers this article.)

So to write an aritcle which doesn’t adress this question in any way shape or form, just basically quotes a few ideas and Paskens that we should turn to chassidisher yidden, is not really beneficail. Its not illuminating. The people cheering are the people who like to hear the words “torah and chassidus is the best, we are the best.” We need articles that illuminate the issues, that give clarity, not ones that push away thousads of people who are finding peace or who have found peace and still identify as fully farbrente chassidishe yidden and shluchim. thanks!

The fear with mental health is that it validates the person’s feelings, which could lead to losing our core values of Naaseh Venishma, respect for rabbonim and mechanchim, the value of every din in shulchan aruch and ultimately kol davar shebikdusha. But in its purest form, chochmas hanefesh (even if its not toras moshe misinai and its based on sechel and observation) can be very helpfu for people that need it, to help their marriages, their shlichus, their parenting, etc etc etc.

So that’s where a very key and important Bavorenish comes in: (as stated in earlier comments:) make sure that you get an okay from an aseh lecha rav or rov, that you need it, and that you do it with the frame of mind that this is to heal my character and make me a better yid, chossid, shliach [__(mishechist)__]. Therefore also Its imperative and crucial that if possible it should be a frum person and I would go further to say a lubavitcher… FOR lubavitchers. for a satmar chossid I would say the best therapist for him would be a satmar chassid, but a lubacitcher chossid would not be able to help a satmar kid with his issues as much (even he actually spoke a good yiddish). And if you can’t find someone frum then you really need to be constantly in touch with an aseh lecha rav, but either way you should be.

I wish, there were more ashe lecha ravs that were effective inhelping people use chassidus to deal with dysfunction. I’m waiting for that day so that we won’t need exterior chochmas hanefesh…

vehamevin yavin. vedok hetev.

The message of this article is not that one should avoid therapy etc for “everyday” needs and only go to a professional when there is “mental illness” involved.

I will reiterate what others have already said. There is so much nuance involved in all of these things, publishing an article like this is actually reckless and can cause tremendous damage.

It seems some people think that it’s either Torah or professionals. One does not automatically exclude the other. We always need Torah and hopefully we all always have Torah. And sometimes we need an outside professional, while maintaining our Torah standards. It’s not black and white. It’s not this or that.

You carry a tremendous achrayos for all who read this article and the decisions that people may make based off of it. It would be worthwhile to clarify your intentions here and specify what you might be referring to.

In discussing this article with others it was suggested that maybe the author intends to guide us to FIRST consult with daas Torah and then go to professionals … Either way, this is a very close minded perspective that can be ch”v so damaging.

Did the Rebbe refer regular people dealing with everyday challenges to speak to therapists or was it people struggling with mental illness? There’s a big difference.

Let’s stop considering everyone as ill.

The Rebbe did tell people to go to professionals, let us not forget that.

Each situation is different also….

Regarding what you write that “Many rabanim and mashpiim are not safe to be trusted with such issues,” the same can be said about doctors too. There are real doctors and there are frauds. You won’t say all doctors are no good because there are some bad ones, but you will look for someone good.

The same is true with rabbonim. As you yourself write, “Just because someone is a leader in the Jewish world does not mean they have the expertise to advise in all areas.”

While all the answers are indeed in Torah and chassidus, just because someone is a leader in the Jewish world does not mean they have the expertise to advise in all areas.

This article is extreme and omits many important points including the many times the rebbe spoke positively about receiving professional help. If we inspire people to believe in the extremity of this article we are literally endangering lives by encouraging people to not get the help they or their children need

Music to ears!!

So excellently brought forward!!!!!!!

Wow

Thank you Rabbi Resnick!!!!!!!

Wow – Keep the articles coming, this is good stuff!!!

Thank you for bringing to light the Rebbes view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZSyw2OO88u16RI6s4gem536sP5v03uDx/view?usp=drivesdk

From recollections about Harav Dovid Levi a”h Weiss on the occasion of his Yahrtzeit