Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. is a retired psychologist, best-selling author, international speaker, and a highly sought after cognitive behavioral coach whose actionable, valuable and practical work has been featured on Fox News, ABC-TV, NBC-TV, CBS-TV, The New York Times, and The Huffington Post. He has been teaching how Torah’s wisdom can lead to optimal living for many decades. You can follow him on Facebook and in other social media, where he has posted the #MantellDaily5 everyday for years.
His books, available on Amazon, include:
Are the doors of our synagogues honestly and completely wide open, inclusively and warmly, genuinely accepting all on equal footing, even modern day “Reubens and Gads”? After all, who is perfect? Are we missing parts of our community today, indeed are we turning away members of our community, explicitly or implicitly, from our synagogues? [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Are our synagogues sufficiently inclusive? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellInstead of acknowledging that all of life is uncertain, accepting it and growing through it, many find themselves anxious, apprehensive, and filled with destabilizing fear when faced with uncertainty. But when are we not NOT faced with ambiguous, unpredictable and” novel, uncertainty? There is no crystal ball of certainty. (Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D)
Here’s to whatever comes: the uncertainty of life Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael MantellThere’s a Jewish maxim, “Every generation receives the leader it deserves.” Parasha Pinchas seems to provide a foundation for this old adage. The parasha distinguishes between the leadership of Moses, who in today’s language would be described as a wise, dauntless, self-aware, “we” not “me,” conscious leader, and Joshua, of whom the Talmud, in Baba Batra 75A, says, “The Elders of that generation said: The countenance of Moses was like that of the sun; the countenance of Joshua like that of the moon. Alas, for such shame!” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Moses knew how to relinquish leadership Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellBy itself, coronavirus is a respiratory disease. Add to coronavirus one’s particular thoughts and it may become a roiling emotional and social pandemic as well. Recognizing the indicators of mental distress in yourself and in others can often lead to creating internal strength and a healthier community around you. [Michael R. Mantell, PhD]
How to be a COVID Battle Buddy Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael MantellWe learn in this week’s Torah readings that judging others favorably is essential. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov composed a short prayer for assistance in finding the good in others (Likkutei Tefillot 117): “God Above, help me give each person the benefit of the doubt, even those who disagree with me… And may this lead to true peace and unity among all of Israel!” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Many reasons to celebrate this coming Shabbat Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellIs it “safe” to go to shopping malls, grocery stores, bars, gyms, movie theaters, churches and synagogues, attend gatherings at private homes, or travel in commercial airplanes? Yes? No? May we safely get haircuts? And oh my goodness, those masks. Should we wear them? Yes, we should? No, we don’t have to wear them? Who really knows? It seems the answer is, nobody. (Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Bothered and bewildered no more Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael MantellIt’s time for a fresh, humanizing perspective on RE-silience. It’s time for a real transformation that includes a stark awareness of what truly matters and of how adversity can bring a sense of meaning and wellbeing to your life. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Say goodbye to RE-silience Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael MantellLike many slanderers do according to our sages, they [ten spies] begin with flattery, from “the land flows with milk and honey,” it’s bounteous and fertile, and end with evil, to the people in it are nefillim, giants, and compared to these terrifying people who could cause our hearts to collapse “We looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so we must have looked to them.” From their lack of trust in Hashem they spread lies, calamities, fear, dibah (defamation) leading to the people wanting to overthrow Moses and Aaron. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Torah portion condemns gossip, negative tale-telling Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellAs so many have said in one way or another, to create our lives, we’d be wise to control our minds. For me, I know I was created to create. My focus is not on my purpose, but on my creation. James Allen in his As a Man Thinketh, observed, “You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.” In other words, stop with the “change your outlook,” and start with your “inlook.” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Inlook is the New Outlook Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael MantellOy! There’s a lot of whining in this week’s Torah portion, B’halot’cha. Come to think of it, it appears to be the basis of one of my mother’s oft-repeated sayings, “Keep complaining and I’ll really give you something to complain about.” Seems the Israelites grew tired of their repetitious diet of manna, pining for fish and other foods they ate “for free” as slaves in Egypt. Were they pining for the good old days of slavery? Our sages question whether the Egyptian taskmasters really gave the Israelites fish “for free” and suggest that the “freedom” that they are recalling in Egypt was actually a freedom from morality and responsibility (Midrash Sifrei 11:6). [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
When Israelites thought their souls were ‘dried out’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellNotice how so many people are “re-ing” these days? They’re rewiring, rebooting, reorganizing, renewing, refreshing, reaffirming, reassessing, and readjusting. I suggest it’s time to recant. Yes, recant your can’t. “Why can’t things ever go right, just once in my life?” “I’m such a ________.” “I’ll never be as good as ___________.” “Why do things never go my way?” “Why can’t I ever succeed, just once?” “What’s the point of trying? I’ll fail again. I’m cursed!” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
How to Recant Your Can’t Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael MantellIn this week’s parasha, Naso, we are introduced to the Birkat Kohanim, the “Priestly Blessing.” We’re all familiar with it. We’ve heard it said, recited it ourselves, and given it to others, many times. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
In contemplation of the ‘Priestly Blessing’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellPresident John F. Kennedy once observed, “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” Stress begins in the brain, in the way we think about our life. We are experts in creating our own stress. We aren’t expert in preventing, reversing or treating our own creation. This emotional education column may turn that around for you. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Stress is of our own making Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael MantellOne of the distinct pleasures I’ve found that serving as a contributing author for San Diego Jewish World brings, is the opportunity to review material related to psychology and mental health. When I was asked to review Anti-Semitism and Psychiatry edited by H. Steven Moffic, John R. Peteet, Ahmed Hankir and Mary V. Seeman and published by Springer this year, I welcomed the prospect. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Anti-Semitism and psychiatry Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Michael Mantell, Science, Medicine, & Education