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Monday 09:00 - 19:00 Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00 Wednesday 10:00 - 19:00 Thursday 09:00 - 17:00 Sunday 10:00 - 17:00

Rachel Weinstein, Clinical Social Worker

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Beit-Shemesh
Rachel Weinstein, Clinical Social Worker

I work with folks in one-on-one, group, & family settings experiencing transitions & change. My clients feel hopeful and supported by our work together.

They look forward to not only being heard, but leaving sessions with practical, relatable, and doable problem solving techniques. I value honesty, integrity, and meaningful connections both within and without clinical settings.

11/12/2025

Stand tall and be proud- even if you're different.

10/12/2025

I read something yesterday that said when you push through storms you come out stronger.

That got me thinking because frankly, I don’t know if I believe that’s true (yes, that’s a “Wicked” reference). Pushing through some storms can be important, necessary even. But sometimes doing so can leave you feeling drained, water logged, tired, and worn out.

Why is pushing through or past the storm seen as the wisest choice?
Do we always have to tough it out, fight through it, or move beyond our limits in order to feel stronger and more steadfast?

Some storms are best weathered by battoning the hatches and waiting for them to pass.
Some storms are best handled without struggle and added chaos.
Some storms beg us to watch the rain, listen to the thunder and be the calm within.

Not all storms require us to engage “beast mode,” forcefully trekking through downpours and wrangling torrential rains.

Some storms are meant to be witnessed from a safe distance.

Knowing what is and is not ours with which to contend can be the bravest thing we do.
Sometimes you can find tranquility in the rain- and we miss it when we force our way beyond the drops.

Not all storms are meant for us.

Sometimes riding them out is where real strength lies.

08/12/2025

As soon as "this" is all figured out, it'll be smooth sailing.

Between my job, my parents, my kids, & my house, I just need things to calm down!

Everytime I think I can come up for air something else happens- Enough already!
***
Fact: Life is messy and difficult & sometimes bumpy as hell. There are times that feel hard, too hard, and we wonder how we're going to get through. The desire to have calm, peace, & a day where your loudest critics aren't screaming, money isn't tight, loved ones aren't dying, & politicians (all of 'em) just-stop-talking is real & valid.

I was introduced to an idea a few weeks ago that centered on an EKG. I don't know what each peak & valley on the graph mean but I do know this: no ups & no downs give you a flat line & that means only one thing: death.

The ups & downs can be downright impossible (I didn't relish losing a close friend & my mother-in-law 8 weeks apart).

They can feel surreal (surgery followed by the outbreak of war was NOT on any of my Bingo cards) and they can feel downright cruel (how can anyone believe that October 7th didn't happen).

And somehow, despite the ups, the downs, & the relentless hits that keep comin' we persevere. Most of the times we get knocked down we stand back up- over & over again.

I believe that railing at G-D, a higher power, karma, or whatever has its place. But railing endlessly doesn't solve the ache.

A life without problems is a fairy tale none of us will ever experience. There are terrible, awful things that should not happen but they do. They force us to figure out who are, who we can turn to, how we grieve, & how we put one foot in front of the other. There's no denying that some days are brutal.

And yet.

A life with highs & lows isn't a sign of failure or punishment or judgement even when we're convinced otherwise.

Despite what we think life should be, those ups & downs are a sign of life itself. Life in its misery, its glory, & its unpredictability.

Here's to ups, downs, and hopefully, living well.

28/11/2025

Those who do the caring and those who are cared for ALL need self care.

One of my favorites? Beating the bejeebers out of the heavy bag!

Enjoy your weekend, Shabbat, Thanksgiving holiday, and all the ways (I hope) you take care of yourself.

Shabbat shalom ❤️

21/11/2025

I cannot begin to tell you how many people I meet in a week who, underneath their hurt, their discomfort, and their pain, just want to be heard;

Who want their voices acknowledged instead of ignored.
Who crave connection over distance,
Understanding over judgement,
Peace over conflict,
Acceptance over rejection.

The ability to respect the space each of us takes up on the planet, the quiet act of letting another know you see them, and the willingness to stand in each other's presence especially when we don't agree with one another speaks volumes.

It creates new worlds.
It humbles and teaches.
It helps to prevent chaos and create spaces in which all of us can thrive.

Shabbat shalom and happy connecting to all.

18/11/2025

Trauma happens to all of us; its a consequence of being human.

The pain we experience never really leaves us but it doesn't have to take up permanent residence within while simultaneously trying to set our nervous system on fire.

When we work through our trauma (with a qualified, trained and compassionate therapist) we have the ability to not only process what happened but learn about ourselves, the world, and how the two intersect.

Let's be real though: no one wants to experience traumatic events *just so* they'll be able to say they learned from them. That said, trauma happens and makes us face it either by plowing through it or turning away. Both are choices we get to make and both have the power to teach us who we are and what we're made of.

Any kind of trauma, whether micro, macro, big picture or little, is no joke. Being able to cultivate an understanding of it and grow as a result is a gift.

None of us wants to go through the muck but how we handle it and what we gain from it is up to us.

*Yuval Raphael is a young woman who hid in a bomb shelter under dead friends, all of whom were killed at the Nova Festival on October 7, 2023. Less than 2 years later, she stood on an unwelcoming Eurovision stage and came in in second place.

14/11/2025

A simple yet powerful wish from me to you.

Shabbat Shalom 🥹

13/11/2025

Are you the person who when asked how they are, says, "I'm fine"?

Are you the person who puts everyone before themselves, proud of their ability to do for others because "I can handle it"?

Are you the person who, when they don't get what they want or need, says "It's OK"? and

Are you the person who deals with disappointment with a half smile, downwards glance, and a quiet, "Whatever"?

Are you the one who after hours and days and weeks and years of saying "It's OK, whatever, I'm fine, I can handle it" feels like no one sees you? That in all your dedication to be there for others, it feels like you're invisible, forgotten?

When we set boundaries for what we will and won't accept, we quietly and actively let others know that we deserve to be seen.

When
"I'm fine" becomes "I'm having a hard time, thanks for asking,"
"I can handle it" becomes "I can't help you right now,"
"Its OK" becomes "I really wanted to do that and I'm upset that I didn't," and
"Whatever" becomes, "I don't like that and would like to do something else,"

we show others and ourselves that we are not only visible but deserve to be seen.

There may be people in your life who don't see you for who and what you are or what you need and want. Setting boundaries by making your needs known goes a long way in making sure you're not among them.

11/11/2025

This was written by a friend who understands the topic of su***de all too well.

"A few days ago, a post circulated on LinkedIn about the tragic death of a teenage boy in Jerusalem.
The post argued that su***de is a “crime,” a “cowardly act,” and that too much empathy toward those who die by su***de encourages more of it.
That post has since been deleted, rightfully so, but the ideas it expressed are still out there, and they are dangerously wrong.

As a parent who lost my daughter to su***de, and as an Orthodox rabbi, I want to share what I wrote in response:
"Suicidal ideation is not a crime or a cowardly act. It’s the tragic result of unbearable psychological pain that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope and erodes their capacity to believe in themselves or their will to live.
Research from survivors like Kevin Hines, shows that most people who attempt su***de do not want to die. They want their pain to stop, but they no longer know how. We tragically learned this firsthand from our daughter, Gila, who undoubtedly wanted to live.

Posts that label people who die by su***de as “guilty,” “cowardly,” or “criminal” don’t save lives. They endanger them. The phrase “committed su***de” is outdated and harmful. It reinforces stigma, deepens shame, and silences those who are suffering.
Someone commented [on the original post] and wrote that su***de is an aveira (transgression). Jewish tradition distinguishes between a person who deliberately ends their life in a state of full awareness and someone who acts under the influence of illness or unbearable distress. Someone suffering from mental illness is not a murderer any more than someone who dies from cancer is. Mental illness is often an invisible disease, the “cancer of the spirit,” and it deserves the same empathy and urgency as any physical illness.
Behind nearly every su***de is not moral failure, but profound pain. What saves lives is not condemnation but rather conversation, compassion, and understanding.
I invite all of you to learn more about Gila's story through , an organization born from personal loss and dedicated to replacing stigma with education, & condemnation with compassion.

05/11/2025

Life lessons and clean teeth!

03/11/2025

You have one job in this life: BE YOU.

02/11/2025

Alon Ohel was held in Hamas captivity under the earth for 737 days, from October 7, 2023 until October 13, 2025.

Alon was beaten, shot at, starved, and left with shrapnel in his right eye. His co-former hostages shared that one of the ways he coped in the underground tunnels was by playing piano in the air or on his person. You see Alon is a concert pianist who is blessedly back at his piano and recovering from eye surgery that may likely save his vision.

Lest you were wondering, I didn't post this to give you a (very recent) history lesson or a medical update. I am sharing this small bit of Alon's story because of his directions, if you will, to the world at large: "Don't call me a captivity survivor, I represent hope."

There is no question that Alon will require a variety of therapies and support in order to truly integrate back into society. But there is also no question that he is choosing not to identify as a victim, a survivor, or even a former hostage. He IS all of those things but he is also living proof that change is real and possible, and that life circumstances, even the absolute worst of them, don't have to mean interminable doom. His gratitude to everyone who prayed and cared about him, his humility in accepting that love, and his drive to be more than what he was are downright miraculous.

His father quoted him as saying, “I want to show that from the worst situation, from the darkest place, you can grow and rise.”

Indeed, Alon.
Indeed, indeed, indeed.

(Picture originally posted by )

Address

Beit Shemesh
Beit-Shemesh

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 19:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	10:00 - 19:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Sunday	10:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+972528745589

Website

https://www.rachelweinsteinmsw.com/

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