Rachel Weinstein, Clinical Social Worker

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.

05/11/2025

Life lessons and clean teeth!

You have one job in this life: BE YOU.
03/11/2025

You have one job in this life: BE YOU.

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

"You can't pour from an empty cup."You've heard this a bunch of times, right?I bet you've heard about burnout, not putti...
31/10/2025

"You can't pour from an empty cup."

You've heard this a bunch of times, right?

I bet you've heard about burnout, not putting others' needs before yours, and giving more than you have, yes?

But what does taking care of yourself mean, like REALLY mean?

For starters, it's more than *not doing* for others but about *doing for yourself.*

Engaging in music (listening, singing, playing), watching funny shows, hanging out with friends blowing bubbles (there's no age limit!), holding babies (I call it "baby therapy"), petting fuzzy animals, or anything else you can legally, consensually, and accessibly do are all fantastic options. And what they all do for you? They regulate your nervous system, boost oxytocin (a hormone that decreases anxiety and increases calm) and stimulates the vagal nerve which in turn helps you relax.

If the science of it doesn't speak to you then just know this: when you do things you enjoy and have fun your quality of life goes up and you and everyone in your life wins.

Fill your cup, nurture your soul, find your passions, and live YOUR life. Pleasure is serious business so take care of yourself; take good care of yourself.

Eli Sharabi was held hostage by Hamas for 491 days during which he was starved, tortured, and lost 40% of his body weigh...
30/10/2025

Eli Sharabi was held hostage by Hamas for 491 days during which he was starved, tortured, and lost 40% of his body weight. The day he was released he learned that his wife, two daughters, and brother had been murdered months earlier.

Eli Sharabi's poignant, heartfelt words are not born of fairy tales or Polyanna-esque experiences. They are born of existential and literal pain, the darkness of tunnels, the inhumanity of evil itself, and unimaginably real torment.

I am not sharing his words from an "if he can, you can" perspective. Rather, my hope is that like Eli Sharabi, we are able to see the light in our lives and in turn choose to see ourselves within it.

Sometimes life is scary. No "but," no "and," truth. Fear doesn't fade on its own nor does it tend to back down. If we le...
30/10/2025

Sometimes life is scary. No "but," no "and," truth.

Fear doesn't fade on its own nor does it tend to back down. If we let it, fear can take over and separate us from all the ways we can grow and move forward.

I cannot imagine what it was like for Yuval Raphael, 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. I cannot fathom how afraid she was in those moments, knowing that they could have been her last. And I cannot imagine how much courage, determination, and will it took to get up on an unwelcoming stage and ultimately come in second at Eurovision '24.

There are so many opportunities we lose out on when we stand in our own way. Fear happens. Sometimes, so does terror. If you can move within the limits they set, there's a solid chance you'll be able to move past them.

Its OK to feel the fear. The take away though? Do your best to do it anyway.

Today was hard. I knew what was going on in the news and that watching it would frustrate and sadden me. There are thing...
30/10/2025

Today was hard.
I knew what was going on in the news and that watching it would frustrate and sadden me.

There are things I don't think I'll ever understand and perhaps, its because they don't make sense. You see, I am familiar with the circus and somehow connected to the monkeys. And while neither are mine to grapple with directly the issues at hand are on albatross on many a neck.

During the course of the day I went to my mirpeset/ porch and spent time with my flowers. I love to watch their growth and colors and all the neat ways they simply exist.

I often look to them for inspiration and they did not fail me today. Nothing is as depressing as fights between "brothers" especially when they desperately need to be on the same side. My flowers seemed to "know" that and offered me valuable reminders of hope and possibility.

The sweet potato that sprouted wildly, collapsed on itself, and is now growing heart shaped leaves...

The wandering tad whose small white flowers are just beginning to form and "pop..."

The leaves that are wound tightly as if hiding in place, only to burst boldly...

And the celosia that had died a painfully soggy death and then re-sprouted unapologetically.

Today I was reminded that all is not lost in the darkness and that sometimes life appears in the places you least expect.

Today I was reminded that hints of light can flower and occassionally, what's hidden just needs a little time before it makes an entrance.

Its good to reconnect with nature. Especially on a day when the utterly unnatural has taken over.

May we rally together, unified, strong, and in solidarity.

More on this later, but MAN does this resonate!You?
16/10/2025

More on this later, but MAN does this resonate!

You?

16/10/2025

I met with a young man earlier this week who, after detailing ways in which his life has felt out of control, shared a change in his perspective.

When we think about things becoming unmanageable we often describe them as spiralling downwards or out of control. For many months this gentleman has felt like his life was spiralling into oblivion. His very existence has been frought with questions of identity, acceptance, and purpose with nary an end in sight.

Describing how his life has begun to show promise and a glimmer of light though, he unassumingly said, "Y'know spirals don't just go down, they go up, too. Maybe things are starting to spiral upwards for me."

The change in perspective was so simple yet so mind blowing. His insight into not only the paths his life may take but the fact that he has the power to conceptualize them as he sees fit stopped me in my tracks.

The truth is that sometimes things come crashing down before we get the opportunity to rebuild. And sometimes things swirl into a dark abyss only to create an entirely new picture somewhere else.

I'd be lying if I said I knew why things had to fall apart, spiralling downwards and out of control in the first place.

But then I'd also be lying if I didn't admit that the idea that we can spiral upwards, slowly and intentionally rather than tumbling down face first, is profoundly moving.

One could say that life is a series of spirals moving up or moving down.

Which way are you going?

It's all so big.So much uncertainty and so much hope,So much pain and yet, so much recovery.We are being forced to hold ...
12/10/2025

It's all so big.
So much uncertainty and so much hope,
So much pain and yet, so much recovery.

We are being forced to hold two things, a thousand things, at the same time
With dignity, grace and superhuman courage.

Today I felt neither superhuman nor courageous.
Today I sat under the sky and let myself feel the vastness, the open spaced-ness, the majesty and awe.

I felt small in size,
Able to respect that I am just one speck of a universe that is wider and wilder than I will ever understand.

When I let myself get lost in the clouds and the ways the light danced about, I felt reassured that somehow it would ultimately be ok.

That somehow we'd all be ok.
Somehow,
Some way,
Some day.

When I stopped trying to control the bigger narrative and focused on what mine is I felt free; still cautious, still worried, and still unsure, but free all the same.

Wherever you are I recommend looking up at the sky and getting lost in the clouds.

Who knew letting go could be so comforting.

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

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Rachel Weinstein, Clinical Social Worker posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Rachel Weinstein, Clinical Social Worker:

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category