A Practical Guide to Rabbinic Counseling

Provides the requisite knowledge and practical guidelines for some of the most common counseling situations.

Today's rabbis, in addition to being spiritual leaders of their congregations, are also expected to be competent counselors to members of their community. Yet rabbis often feel inadequately prepared for the difficult challenges of their counseling role.

To many, rabbinic counseling appears deceptively simple, requiring no more than good intuition, fair judgment and sincere empathy. Good counseling, in reality, is a complex process requiring a combination of knowledge, skill, self-awareness and an understanding of human dynamics.

This groundbreaking book―written specifically for community rabbis and religious counselors―reflects the wisdom of seasoned professionals, who provide clear guidelines and sensible strategies for effective rabbinic counseling.

Rabbi Yisrael N. Levitz, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, former pulpit rabbi and professor emeritus of Yeshiva University's Wurzweiler School of Social Work, where he held the Bennett chair in pastoral counseling. He was director of the Bella and Harry Wexner Kollel Elyon Program at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and developed its pioneering rabbinic training curriculum. He is currently dean of the Center for Foreign Studies in Jerusalem, and director of the Family Institute of Neve Yerushalayim. He continues to teach rabbinic counseling to semichah students at the Gruss Institute in Jerusalem.

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, MD, a psychiatrist, rabbi and frequent lecturer on a broad range of topics including spirituality and self-esteem, is author of over fifty books, including Happiness and the Human Spirit: The Spirituality of Becoming the Best You Can Be; A Formula for Proper Living: Practical Lessons from Life and Torah (both Jewish Lights); Waking Up Just in Time; The Spiritual Self and Getting Up When You're Down. He is the founder and medical director emeritus of Gateway Rehabilitation Center. For more information, visit www.abrahamtwerski.com.