Jodi Taub

🌟 Zionist Gen X-ers 🌟

Join us with Jodi Taub, LCSW for a supportive community gathering!

🗓️ Tuesdays at 6pm or Wednesdays at 4pm

This group is for individuals aged 45-60 who are passionate about Zionism. Connect with others, share experiences, and strengthen your commitment to the cause. Let’s build solidarity and deepen our engagement together.

Register here now: https://buff.ly/3yHkOqC

Managing chronic illness can be tough, but reaching out to others and being open about your experience can strengthen bonds and reduce feelings of isolation. Community support is important and possible.

When your symptoms are dismissed or ignored by healthcare providers, it can be incredibly upsetting. The patient provider relationship should be based on trust and mutual respect. The current health care climate encourages limited appointment times. Patients with complicated health care conditions often do not receive that attention they need. Be your own advocate, communicate your needs, and seek a second opinion if necessary.

I had the opportunity to present "Serenity Within: Stress Management for PI" at the Immune Deficiency Foundation 2024 PI Conference.

I explored how to understand and better manage the unique stressors that come from living with a primary immunodeficiency disease. It's all about improving mental health to better handle the challenges of living with rare disease.

The following topics were explored:

1. Recognizing and managing stress and trauma responses
2. Coping with loneliness, managing relationships and caregiving relationships
3. Medical and caregiver burnout
4. Developing coping strategies and resilience
5. Managing mental health and mental health resources

https://buff.ly/4cdxbIA

Serenity within: stress management for PI: 2024 PI Conference Heightened stress is not uncommon in the rare disease community. You are not alone in this feeling! Learn to define strategies for effectively managing perio...

Building strong relationships is vital for mental health. Acknowledge that your loved ones may not always understand your needs, but fostering connections and community care can provide essential support, strengthen bonds, and therefore reducing stress.

Activating your parasympathetic nervous system is key to reducing stress and enhancing your mood. Engaging in movement, creative expression, or simply listening to music can increase dopamine and endorphins while lowering cortisol levels. By incorporating these activities into your daily routine, you can foster resilience against stress and improve your overall mental health.

Connecting with others and enjoying nature are powerful ways to stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system. Activities like seeking therapy, meditating, or spending time outdoors not only reduce stress but also promote well-being by increasing feel-good hormones. Embrace these practices to cultivate a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Understanding the fight, flight, fawn, and freeze responses is essential for mental well-being. Recognizing how your body reacts to stress can empower you to manage overwhelming feelings and regain control. By identifying these responses, you can implement strategies like mindfulness and grounding techniques to navigate life's challenges more effectively. Knowing your response helps you respond intentionally rather than react impulsively, allowing you to cope better with stress and anxiety.

Practice self-awareness and use breathing exercises to ground yourself in moments of distress.

I had the pleasure of joining the Lovesick Podcast to discuss relationships and dating with a chronic health care condition.

We explored topics like sharing your chronic illness story, the importance of finding and building secure attachments, and the reminder that we all are deserving of love. It's all about creating a supportive environment for ourselves and our loved ones!

Check out the episode and let's keep the conversation going.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_sfaLZlKvw&t=22s

Lovesick Podcast: Jodi Taub Licensed Clinical Social Worker About JodiI graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Minor in Sociology (1997). I attended Loyola University of Chicago...

Understanding the key players of your nervous system—autonomic, parasympathetic, sympathetic, and the vagus nerve—can greatly impact your mental health. By learning how these systems function, you can better manage stress and enhance your overall well-being. Knowing how to activate your parasympathetic system can help you relax, while recognizing the signs of sympathetic activation can help you address anxiety early.

Apply this knowledge to practice deep breathing, mindfulness, and other techniques to maintain balance.

Today, I want to share a powerful DBT technique called STOP that can really help during those moments of stress or overwhelm:

In the STOP method, first, stop what you're doing and gently press pause on those racing thoughts. Next, take a moment to breathe deeply, allowing your breath to anchor you to the present moment. Then, take notice of your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without any judgment—simply observe. Finally, armed with this awareness, proceed forward with intention and mindfulness.

Give it a try next time you're experiencing stress. The STOP method can help to refrain from impulsive moments and help support intentional reactions.

If you know someone who may need a little extra support during these challenging times please forward this informationhttps://www.keshershalom.com/jewish-zionist-groups

Having lived with a primary immunodeficiency and working as a therapist with chronic illness patients, I know firsthand the toll of medical burnout. It’s more than exhaustion—it’s managing daily routines, appointments, and treatments without the usual sense of accomplishment or recognition. Let’s talk about how we can address this together.

Click here to read the article: https://buff.ly/4cnQ4Jj

I am thrilled to announce that I will be speaking at the Immune Deficiency Foundation National Conference, June 20-22. The event will bring together the (PI) community for three days of connection, learning, and networking. Join me and other experts as we share insights and best practices for managing PI.

I will be providing valuable mental health education and resources in my lecture titled, "Serenity within: Stress management for PI". Please follow the link to the session.
https://buff.ly/4clqlB7

There are both in-person and virtual participation options. For more information about the conference, please check out the following link: https://buff.ly/45qzB4P

I am pleased to be featured in the Self.com article in which I offer guidance on finding support and prioritizing self-love when friends don't understand your chronic illness journey.

Click here to read the article: https://buff.ly/45yVCP7

Living with a rare or chronic illness means experiencing grief and loss in a nonlinear way. In my latest article, I explore how to identify and cope with the different types of grief and loss which specifically impact the chronic illness community.
Click here to read the article: https://buff.ly/3KqknDk

If you need support during these challenging times, please join Malka Shaw, LCSW, and myself in our upcoming virtual support groups to learn coping strategies for managing antisemitism. Sign up and share with anyone who could benefit.

Register here: https://www.keshershalom.com/jewish-zionist-groups

Very excited to offer some direct services in addition to our professional trainings! You can hold down the QR code to take you to registration or use our link here https://www.keshershalom.com/jewish-zionist-groups

I'm pleased to share insights featured in Self.com. From finding your tribe to navigating vulnerability, I provide expert tips on fostering meaningful connections while living with chronic health care conditions.

https://www.self.com/story/how-to-make-friends-chronic-condition

How to Make New Friends as an Adult When You Have a Chronic Illness There are others out there who will support you. Here’s how to find them.

I am honored to have presented on mental health and caregiver fatigue in a recent video series hosted by Project ECHO at Penn State College of Medicine and the Immune Deficiency Foundation. It's crucial to support caregivers and prioritize mental wellness in communities affected by primary immunodeficiencies.

Patient Advocacy Tools: Mental Health/Caregiver Fatigue Over six million people are affected by primary immunodeficiencies (P*s), among which 70 to 90% remain undiagnosed. Individuals with undiagnosed PI are at in...

This month, I am joining the National Alliance on Mental Illness to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month with the Take the Moment campaign. Your journey towards wellness begins with a single moment of courage – take it, and reach out for the support you deserve. Together, let's prioritize our mental well-being.

Are you a caregiver to someone diagnosed with a primary immunodeficiency? Are you seeking a supportive community where you can share experiences and find understanding? Join me, Jodi Taub, LCSW, PLLC, as I lead virtual caregiver support groups tailored just for you.

In our sessions, we create a safe, judgment-free, and confidential space to address the emotional challenges of caregiving while tackling PI-specific obstacles. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle, or guardian, you're welcome!

Let's navigate this journey together. Sign up now for the support you deserve.
https://buff.ly/4b33QRu

As a licensed therapist who works with young people with primary immunodeficiencies, I was happy to contribute to Christine Bahls' insightful article on prepping for college with a chronic illness. It's crucial for students and parents to plan ahead and emotionally prepare for this transition. Let's navigate this journey together!

Read the article here: https://buff.ly/4aMZOw6

Prepping for College When You Have a Primary Immunodeficiency For both parents and students, start the planning now to ensure a smooth and healthy transition to life away from home.

Please join me in bringing awareness to Primary Immunodeficiency (PI) Awareness Month. What is Primary Immunodeficiency? Over 450 rare, chronic conditions where a part of the body's immune system is missing or does not function properly. They are known as inborn errors of immunity (IEI). Individuals living with PI often do not mount an adequate vaccine response and frequently require immunoglobulin replacement. Patients living with Primary Immunodeficiencies are susceptible to serious and life threatening infections.

Living with a rare, chronic condition impacts not only one's physical heath, but mental health as well. That is why awareness for Primary Immunodeficiencies is so very important. The average age of diagnosis is 9-15 years from the onset of symptoms,
resulting in many individuals not being diagnosed until adulthood. Most people have never heard of Primary Immunodeficiencies, which leads to misunderstanding and sometimes a lack of support.

You are not alone! I stand with the entire Primary Immunodeficiency community to honor all the patients and families who live with PI. I know how hard you fight to have a quality of life with this rare and complicated health care condition .

Please join me to spread awareness and hope.

With gratitude,

Jodi

Over the last three years, I have been volunteering with the NASW New York Social Workers Special Interest Group to combat antisemitism partnered with several other Jewish Social Work support groups in North America. We meet monthly, and I encourage anyone to attend.

In North America, Jewish mental health professionals have been experiencing harassment and discrimination from their supervisors, peers, and clients. Under the guise of "anti-Zionism'', Jewish Social Workers, therapists, and clinicians have been told that they will not work with them, and many fear their jobs may be threatened if they speak out.

I have been meeting with the New York and New Jersey Anti-Defamation League representative along with Annette Poizner, who leads Hineni: Jews in Social Work, to discuss the ongoing issues of antisemitism in social work. He asked that I share the importance of reporting these incidents on the ADL website: https://www.adl.org/report-incident

Reporting helps provide validity and traction. Annette and I will be following up with the ADL national representative soon. From a therapeutic perspective, it is really disheartening and unacceptable that any of us should be experiencing antisemitism in any type of therapeutic circumstance, but that is the world we are living in now.

Please note there are many wonderful social workers in the US and Canada who are fighting for us all.

If you are in need of consultation, supervision, support, or resources for therapists facing antisemitism, I am here to help.

Please feel free to contact me at [email protected].

https://www.joditaubtherapy.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodi-taub-lcsw-pllc-26902a10/
https://www.instagram.com/chronicillnesstherapist/

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Feeling overwhelmed? Try these simple steps to boost your mood: Reach out to a friend, take a stroll, jot down your thoughts, engage in activities that bring you joy, or plan quality time with loved ones. Your mental well-being matters!

Let's break the silence and stigma surrounding mental health among young adults. Your simple act of asking how they're truly feeling can make all the difference.