New York – A new program at Yeshiva University is bringing practical experience into the classroom and insuring a rabbi’s first counseling experience isn’t high stakes with the help of actors.
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“The actors let the students have an experience that is almost impossible to get on an internship. All of our students serve in congregations but it is so hard to give them real life counseling situations,” said Yeshiva University professor Rabbi Marc Penner.
The students take turns talking with the actors, trying to figure out the root of the issue and how they can help. The rest of the class then discusses the mock-counseling session — a technique often used in medical schools.
“They really need to have mental health skills. And we are giving them the skills to lead. In many ways rabbis are really the front line. They really get the people before they get to the psychologists,” Penner said.
Students say that the professional actors bring a level of reality to the situation that helps them feel prepared.
“I think it is very useful because they can act out the part of the people with these issues. Previously, we tried to do this with people in our class, and we do that some of the time as well, and I just think that the actors are so much more effective,” said Yeshiva University student Avi Narrow-Tilonsky.
“Because of this program, because of the actors that we bring in, they are really able to simulate what would happen in their office,” Penner said. “And what happens is, they make a lot of mistakes. And the great thing is, they make them in the classroom rather than in an office and that is what makes this training so important.”
The program has been so successful this year that Yeshiva plans to continue, and expand, its work with the actors. Both the students and teachers say that other theological seminaries, regardless of religion, may want to take note.
It would a great service to the community if the efforts to teach life counseling skills to the rabbi’s of the future would also be made available to the rabbi’s of today who didn’t receive this kind of training in a series of workshop’s .This can be done on a yearly basis and in such a way that rabbi’s doesn’t feel embarrased to attend .The Young Israel workshop’s were a great model but wasn’t geared toward the more seasoned rabbi.
What’s wrong with the skills Rabbi’s have now?
The problem I see in such a program is that it gives the rabbi a false sense of expertise. A rav is not a trained psychologist, and a couple of training sessions won’t make him one. If the issue is beyond basic advise, then the Rav should refer the person to a trained professional.
So where are the anti-YU “MO” comments? Is everybody feeling ok this morning?
It’s great that YU is doing something like this. Rabbis are often ill-equipped to handle tough emotional situations. They’re clearly taking a leaf out of YCT’s book. People can claim other problems about YCT’s curriculum, but their Pastoral Counseling program does a lot to help students who are future pulpit rabbis, and it’s commendable to see YU follow their lead.
The Satmar Rov zya once told Rav Hutner zt”l jokingly: “I work very hard trying to make erlicher baalei batim, and I am not always successful, but at Yeshivah University they manufacture rabbonim like an assembly line – amazing”
Rabbis, and other members of the clergy, are very much in need of this type of training since they are often the first line of defense in dealing with issues of mental illness and family breakdown. They need to be able to recognize some of these issues in order to even make an appropriate referral. A congregant may tell his rabbi that he feels unable to pray meaningfully when what he is expressing is a significant depression that needs attention.