Home | Tag:Trauma

Post-October 7th: Supporting the Jewish Community

2024-04-08T17:24:40-04:00April 8th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

The October 7th massacre committed by Hamas terrorists in Israel has stung all those in the Jewish community as well as many people who are just plainly appalled at the barbaric savagery and kidnapping that took place. The Jewish Programs division at WJCS has been actively supporting youth, adults, and the elderly during this frightening and devastating period in numerous ways. Our focus has been on addressing mental health and building resilience, which includes offering education about trauma and building coping skills. WJCS partners with over 25 synagogues, Jewish nursery and day schools, JCCs, and assisted living facilities. We have ...

Trauma Treatment Across the Lifespan

2024-03-06T16:02:33-05:00March 6th, 2024|Categories: , |Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Date: 4/9/24 & 4/16/24                   Time: 9-10:30am Contact Hrs: 3                  CEU’s:  3  Enrollment Limited to:  20  Trauma is becoming more prominently identified in clinical and mainstream rhetoric. Even if clinicians do not work as “trauma therapists,” they will more than likely encounter survivors of trauma in their practice. The DSM-5-TR diagnoses of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders are complex in their criteria and differentials. Beyond that, the clinical picture is further complicated by the different presentations of survivors of complex ...

Mental Health & Substance Use: Overcoming the Challenges

2024-02-07T16:44:16-05:00February 13th, 2024|Categories: Mental Health, Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , , |

The number of people suffering from mental health and substance use problems are skyrocketing. More than 20% of Americans, including youth, teens, and adults of different socioeconomic groups, are living with a mental illness. Only about half of adults receive treatment. More than 20 million Americans 12 years and older are affected by substance use disorder. These conditions don’t discriminate. They affect people in all socioeconomic groups. "I came to WJCS for therapy at a time of serious distress in my 20’s. I couldn’t afford much, and was able to pay just a very modest amount thanks to financial ...

Building Trust in Community

2024-02-22T09:54:26-05:00February 7th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

To quote Mr. Rogers, “All of us, at some time or other need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world.” WJCS helps people in our community of all ages and backgrounds who face difficult challenges in life and need additional support to build a strong foundation of well-being to strengthen their ability to weather life’s storms. Whether people are experiencing mental health, trauma, disability, aging, educational, or often systemic challenges, we all know that accessing support can be very difficult. Being a champion of WJCS means you ...

Edythe Kurz Educational Institute Conference 2023

2023-11-08T10:50:45-05:00November 6th, 2023|Categories: , |Tags: , , , , , , , , |

The Intersection of Trauma & Developmental Disabilities Thursday, December 7, 2023 9am - 12pm, via Zoom Keynote Speaker: Jason Fogler, Ph.D. Senior Psychologist/Co-Director: ADHD Program | Division of Developmental Medicine; Director | Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental & related Disabilities; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics & Psychology | Harvard Medical School; Boston Children’s Hospital | Brain, Mind, & Behavior Center Workshops: Supporting our Patients’ and Students’ Success: A Practical & Trauma-Sensitive Approach by Jason Fogler, Ph.D. Trauma-Focused Treatment for an Adolescent with Developmental Disabilities: A Case Example by Gail Corneau, Ph.D. REGISTER HERE 2.5 CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS ARE AVAILABLE Westchester Jewish Community Services ...

Response to Trauma in the Face of Attacks Against Israel

2023-10-20T15:49:19-04:00October 20th, 2023|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Trauma has been described as an overwhelming physiological response in which an individual experiences a loss of control, vulnerability, and immobilization. This week, 75 WJCS employees and board members came together online to share and process their sadness, grief, and anxiety about Hamas attacks against Israel, including the kidnapping of over 200 people. In gathering together as a community and in hope, members of our WJCS staff focused on what experts say about responses to trauma and opened up about their own reactions to recent horrific news reports. We are sharing these insights in the hope that they may help ...

WJCS Domestic Violence Resources

2023-10-19T13:33:15-04:00October 18th, 2023|Categories: Gala, Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

October is designated Domestic Violence Awareness Month. If you or someone you know who lives in Westchester is a victim or survivor of domestic violence, please consider contacting WJCS. Our WJCS Trager Lemp Center for Treating Trauma & Promoting Resilience provides comprehensive outpatient, evidence-based treatment programs to help adult and child survivors of sexual abuse, sexual assault and harassment, and domestic violence. We also have programs for youth who have experienced or witnessed domestic violence as well as programs to help high school students cultivate the skills to build healthy relationships. Founded in 1982, our WJCS trauma center has ...

Domestic Violence: Myths vs. Realities

2023-10-19T13:36:28-04:00September 4th, 2023|Categories: Mental Health, Feature, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. While most of us recognize how devastatingly dangerous domestic violence is, both physically and emotionally, few of us are as knowledgeable as we should be about this vitally important social problem. Here are some common misconceptions about domestic violence...and the reality: 1. Myth: Most people report instances of domestic violence to the police. Reality: Half of abused women do not tell the police, according to the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2. Myth: Acts of domestic violence are generally physical or sexual. Reality: Any pattern of coercive behavior—whether it's physical, ...

WJCS Chief Psychologist & Director, Liane Nelson, Ph.D., Presents at NatCon23

2023-06-08T13:51:17-04:00June 8th, 2023|Categories: Mental Health, Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

WJCS Chief Psychologist & Director Presents at National Conference About Importance of Trauma-Informed Supervision to Respond to the Collective Traumas of COVID-19 and Racism   The National Council for Behavioral Health Conference, typically referred to as NatCon, is the largest mental health and substance use conference in the world. Dr. Liane Nelson, Ph.D, Chief Psychologist at Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) and Director of the WJCS Trager Lemp Center for Treating Trauma and Promoting Resilience, and Reverend Daphne Swinton, LMHC, MPA, gave a presentation on Implementing Trauma-Informed Supervision to Respond to the Collective Trauma of COVID-19 and Racism at ...

Domestic Violence: Myths & Realities

2022-11-02T11:22:08-04:00October 31st, 2022|Categories: Mental Health, Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: , , , |

Most people recognize how dangerous domestic violence is, both physically and emotionally. But there are still many common misconceptions about domestic violence. Here are 5 prevalent myths and the reality. 1. Myth: Most people report instances of domestic violence to the police. Reality: Half of abused women do not tell the police, according to the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2. Myth: Acts of domestic violence are generally physical or sexual. Reality: Any pattern of coercive behavior—whether it's physical, sexual, economic, emotional, and or psychological abuse—exerted by one family member or intimate partner over another in ...

WJCS 2022 Gala: A Huge Success!

2022-06-08T11:58:26-04:00January 3rd, 2022|Categories: Gala, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

WJCS-Westchester Jewish Community Services hosted our annual Gala on April 5th, 2022 at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, New York. Attended by more than 200 philanthropic, community, and political leaders from throughout Westchester County, the evening marked a triumphant return to in-person events after two years of virtual galas. The money raised will provide much-needed funds for our agency's 80+ programs that serve 20,000 Westchester residents every year. "It was wonderful to have so many members of our community together to celebrate this year's honorees—New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and WJCS Board President ...

Commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

2022-02-10T16:16:29-05:00December 4th, 2021|Categories: Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. devoted his life to seeking equality and human rights for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged, and all victims of injustice through peaceful protest. He was the driving force behind watershed events, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington, which helped bring about such landmark legislation as the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Dr. King's message is as vitally important now as it was when he lived. While we remember him on Martin Luther King Jr. Day—this year ...

ASSESSING AND TREATING CLIENTS WITH CO-OCCURRING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE CONDITIONS

2021-11-18T09:40:57-05:00November 18th, 2021|Categories: |Tags: , , , , , , |

Dates: 12/21/21 & 12/28/21      Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM                             Enrollment Limited To: 16            Contact Hrs:  4                        CEUs:  4 Clients seeking mental health treatment may also have a coexisting substance abuse problem.  This may be apparent at intake or emerge during treatment.  Symptoms of one disorder are often mistaken for the other.  Treatment of individuals who present with co-occurring mental health and substance use issues can present a myriad of challenges for providers.  Among the challenges faced by providers treating individuals with ...

Remarkable Summer Accomplishments

2021-09-10T15:02:38-04:00September 10th, 2021|Categories: Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As we head into fall, we'd like to look back at some of WJCS's many achievements during the summer. Despite the stresses from the pandemic, we're proud of our clients’ resilience and the dedication of our staff, as they have continued to deliver programs and services for thousands of Westchester residents who have a critical need for our help. Here are just a few of our many accomplishments this summer. Thirty-five girls from Yonkers enjoyed fun, social, and enriching activities, including a visit from Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins at our Wiener Academy for Young Girls Summer Camp. WJCS ...

WJCS Awarded College Wellness Grant from Westchester Community Foundation

2021-04-28T15:36:31-04:00April 28th, 2021|Categories: Featured Homepage|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

WJCS has received a grant from Westchester Community Foundation (WCF) for its College Wellness Initiative. This grant will allow WJCS to continue to deliver critical mental health services to Westchester County’s college students. WJCS and the Westchester County Department of Community of Mental Health (DCMH) created the College Wellness Initiative in 2020 to address the growing mental health needs of college students in Westchester County. The program was initially funded with Cares Act funding. The new funding from WCF will allow the program to continue to support college students beyond the initial pilot phase. The College Initiative supports Westchester County ...

Welcome to our new website!

2021-08-02T14:42:15-04:00April 19th, 2021|Categories: General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As one of the largest, state-of-the-art human service organizations in the New York metropolitan area, it is important to us to make information regarding our services, impact, thought leadership, community trainings, professional development classes, and other events easily accessible for current clients, potential clients, donors, volunteers, government officials, community and corporate partners, media, and staff. Our goal with this new website is to provide you with an easy, user-friendly way to learn about WJCS's programs and to browse information based on your own choice. Among the new features to explore are: Videos that share client stories about how WJCS has changed their ...

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