This is the first blog post on the new Nefesh website, so I think an existential question is in order. Why does this page exist?

As professionals in the mental health field, we have much to share with the world. And especially as Orthodox Jews in this profession of giving, we are in a unique position to contribute to our community.

But as psychotherapists, we have a responsibility to carefully maintain our public image. We take much care in what we share with our clients. Our interests, family life, and personal struggles must be kept to ourselves, lest they inadvertently affect our ability to be helpful. Self-disclosure is to be done with great care and on a case-by-case basis.

How does this mesh with blogging? To me, blogging, or any kind of writing, is deeply personal. I am most effective as a writer when I write using my own personal experiences. Think about attending a lecture. Wouldn’t you be more attracted to a speaker who speaks about his or her humanity? Isn’t it more powerful to share vulnerably, rather than plain lecturing?

In my writing I try to strike a balance, engaging the reader while minimizing disclosure. I read many writings of my colleagues on blogs and in newspapers. Some choose to write from a distance, engagingly but impersonally. Others write more personally, and I must admit that one of my favorite mental health columnists often shares personal struggles in his writing. But it is in that humanity that I see myself.

So, here’s the question. We have a responsibility to share our wealth of knowledge and experience. We can share blandly, perhaps alienating our audience. Or we can engage by sharing a bit of ourselves, by admitting we are human too, and in that way draw our readers in so they may better be helped.

I ask you, and I ask myself, is that a risk worth taking?

I look forward to your feedback. Please comment, or, if you dare, write a post of your own!

Shimmy Feintuch, LCSW CASAC-G maintains a private practice in Brooklyn, NY, and Washington Heights, NYC, with specialties in addictions and anxiety. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University. Contact: (530) 334-6882 or shimmyfeintuch@gmail.com. 

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