What's your first thought when you hear about a house fire or mass casualty? It's likely to run out of the building or immediately get to safety. For our first responders, their instinct is to run into the burning building and towards the gunfire. This week's episode features Chaya Deitsch, of the Baltimore City Sheriff's Office department of Emergency Management, in which she shares the adrenaline that comes with an emergency and how solutions to different emergencies come about. To learn more about emergency management, you can simply do a quick search of your local government and emergency management opportunities in your area! Thank you again to Chaya for joining us for this conversation! And thank you to our loyal listeners (and for sharing this with your local ice cream man). Shmuel Fischler, LCSW-C www.cbtbaltimore.com

At least once in our lives, we will experience loss, whether it be loss of a career, a family member, a sense of security, or a significant other. Today's podcast co-host, Capt. Kelsie Hancock, shares her story of love, loss, and resilience, when she lost her fiance, Capt. Nick "Sloppy" Losapio and the crew of Swift-11 in an MV-22B training exercise in Holtville, CA on June 8, 2022. Kelsie has a unique story, but unfortunately, not a unique experience as a significant other who has lost their partner due to a line of duty death or mishap. If you want to further connect with Kelsie and learn more about The Purple Skies Foundation, you can visit their website, thepurpleskiesfoundation.com or follow them on Instagram @thepurpleskiesfoundation. Today's episode is in memory of the crew of Swift-11, including Capt. Nicholas Losapio, Capt. John J. Sax, Cpl. Seth D. Rasmuson, Cpl. Nathan E. Carlson, and LCpl. Evan A. Strickland. Views expressed here are opinions and are not representative or on behalf of the DoD. Thank you for taking the time to listen, like, and subscribe to Mental Filter. If you'd like to sponsor an episode of Mental Filter, please reach out to us using the email info@cbtbaltimore.com. Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C https://www.cbtbaltimore.com/

If you've seen the news at any point since October 7, 2023, you are more than well aware of what's been happening in Israel. Both the events happening and the response to the events worldwide can be difficult to process, but what's even harder is being on the frontlines. This week we sat down with tour guide and army reservist, Arky Staiman, to hear about his experience working with the IDF. When Arky isn't on the frontlines, he is helping to spread the love and connection between the Jewish people and their ancestral homeland of Israel. You can learn more about Arky via his website, israelwitharky.com, or connect with him on Instagram @israelwitharky. Today's episode was sponsored by our very own practice, CBT Baltimore. CBT Baltimore really supports the mission of disseminating and sharing meaningful, helpful content for the public. Thank you for all of your likes, shares, subscribes, and running after your mailperson to tell them all about Mental Filter. Until next time! Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C https://www.cbtbaltimore.com/

Have you ever wondered what fuels the fire in the heart of individuals who run towards crisis and disaster, whether it be man-made crisis or natural disaster? Have you ever thought to yourself, "I'm going through the worst of it right now, how do people make it out of these things unscathed"? Have you ever wanted to know more about crisis response and how to mitigate the onset of long-lasting trauma? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you are in for a treat! This month, we hosted Avi Tenenbaum, MA, CASAP, EMT, Sgt., an expert in Disaster Behavioral Health and Psychological First Aid. Avi provides international training to mental health & medical professionals, first responders, and the general public in psychological disaster response and grief leadership. His experience includes providing aid for people coping in the wake of numerous large-scale disasters and wars including the Second Lebanon War, Hurricane Harvey, Pittsburg Tree-of-Life Massacre, Haifa 2016 Fires, Covid-19, Operation Cast-Lead, Meron Civil Disaster, Karlin Bleacher Collapse, Operation Guardian of the Walls, and the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, as well as over 2000 small-scale tragedies in the role as a psychological first aid provider, trainer, & supervisor. Learn more about him & his work at www.psychotraumaunit.com. This episode was sponsored by the CNSLT Real Estate Group. CNSLT is a strategy, design, innovation, and building consultancy. We partner with commercial and residential owners and developers to streamline each project by defining, clarifying, and edifying the entire design and build process. From the pre-architecture phase through project completion, CNSLT ensures every piece of the puzzle is perfect and the final picture profound. Our unique programmatic systems, owner representation, specialty services, know-how, and punch lists cover every variable and finesse each detail. If you are interested in sponsoring a Mental Filter episode of your own, please email info@cbtbaltimore.com. If you enjoyed today's episode, please consider sharing it with a friend, family member, or your neighborhood mail carrier. Thank you for supporting Mental Filter! Shmuel Fischler, LCSW-C https://www.cbtbaltimore.com/

Food is one thing that is ever present in our lives. From birthday and holiday celebrations to meals with friends we haven't seen in years, food can bring us together and bring us joy. But what happens when we put too much thought into what goes into our bodies? For this episode, we were joined by Dr. Ilana Levin of Wildflower Therapy to have a candid conversation all about eating. To further connect with Ilana, you can visit https://www.colleenreichmann.com/meet-our-therapists/. Thank you for your continued support and coercing your mailperson to listen :) Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C https://www.cbtbaltimore.com/

Have you ever felt like no matter what you do, you can't focus on the task at hand? Maybe it's the ten minute task of filing your taxes, but the latest TikTok trends have you scrolling your For You Page for hours. Or maybe it's that homework that you know will only take you a few moments to crank out and submit, but your brain is wandering to what you're going to wear to the Barbie movie this weekend. If this has ever happened to you (I think it's happened to all of us at least once), then this episode is for you. This week we sat down with Dr. Nachi Felt, a psychologist who specializes in ADHD and is a current professor at Columbia University. If these topics interest you and you'd like to learn more, and possibly connect with Dr. Felt, please feel free to visit his website, https://adhddoctor.org/. As always, we appreciate you listening (and watching). So much passion goes into Mental Filter and our hearts light up with every like and subscribe! Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C https://www.cbtbaltimore.com/

Whether you come from a military family, are enlisted yourself, have a friend in the service, or simply support the troops, this episode is for you. We sat down with Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) Michaela White, a Public Affairs Officer in the United States Navy to hear about her experience in the Navy and how her experience has come to intersect with her advocacy for mental health. Michaela also volunteers with Patrol Base Abbate as their volunteer marketing director. To further connect with Michaela, you can find her on Instagram at @michaela.white3, and to find more about Patrol Base Abbate and how to get involved, you can visit their Instagram, @pbabbate or their website, pbabbate.org! The views and opinions presented here do not represent the views of DoD. As always, thank you for listening, subscribing, sharing, and coercing your mail person to listen :) Shmuel Fischler, LCSW https://www.cbtbaltimore.com/

Loss in life is inevitable. Whether it be a monumental loss, such as the loss of a parent, or a smaller loss, like dropping the coffee you were really looking forward to - loss is part of the human condition. On this episode, we sat down with CBT Baltimore's psychologist, Dr. Josh Gonsher, to get his take on the various types of losses we experience throughout our lives, and just how to approach them. If it's one thing that's true, we are all losers, and it's not a bad thing. To further connect with Josh, you can email him at drgonsher@gmail.com, or visit our website cbtbaltimore.com to learn more about him! As always, thank you for listening, subscribing, sharing, and coercing your mail person to listen :) Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C https://www.cbtbaltimore.com/

When you chose to listen to this episode, chances are you are curious to know what I think we all want to know - is sleep really overrated? Do we actually need that golden 8 hours a night to get through the day? Or can you sustain getting less sleep by making up for it with your favorite coffee or energy drink? In this episode, we sat down with Dr. Jade Wu to hear all about the do's and don't's of sleep hygiene, getting enough sleep each night, and sleep routines. Although this episode is about sleep, we guarantee it's intriguing enough to keep you from yawning or nodding off while listening at your desk, in the park, or in your favorite chair ;) Dr. Jade Wu PhD, DBSM, is Board-certified sleep psychologist, researcher, and speaker. Dr. Wu’s research focuses on treating sleep disorders in those with chronic illness. To connect with Dr. Wu, you can visit her website, https://drjadewu.com/, follow her on Instagram @dr_jade_wu, and keep an eye out for her book, Hello Sleep, coming in February 2023. And as always, thank you for your support! :) Shmuel Fischler, LCSW-C https://www.cbtbaltimore.com/

A few episodes prior we discussed the journey to creating a family, along with the ups and downs that may come with it. But what happens once you become a parent? In a literal split second, your life completely changes and suddenly, you are now the caretaker of a new life. Today, we sat down with Eli Weinstein, LCSW, to discuss how parenting changes us, and who we become as a result of our new role as "mom" or "dad". To connect with Eli, you can visit his website, https://www.eliweinsteinlcsw.com/, follow him on Instagram at @eliweinstein_lcsw, and check out his podcast, The Dude Therapist, streaming anywhere you find your favorite podcasts! As always, thank you for listening, subscribing, and coercing your mail person to listen :) We appreciate each and every individual who takes the time to listen to Mental Filter. Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C https://www.cbtbaltimore.com/

Moving, whether it is down the block, a few states away, or in our most recent guest's cases, to another country, can be quite the experience to say the least. Packing up years worth of memories to, in a sense, start over somewhere new can bring up both positive and negative emotions for those moving, and those with whom we have made connections with in the town or city we are moving away from. Today we were joined by our friend and colleague, Shaya Sussman, to hear about his experience in moving his family to Israel. Shaya very candidly and wish a dash of humor shared all about the ups and downs associated with such a big step. You can connect with Shaya via Instagram (@shaya_sussman_lcsw) or his website, shayasussman.com. As always, thank you for listening, liking, subscribing, and coercing your mailperson to listen :) Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C https://www.cbtbaltimore.com/

The term "family" takes many on forms, but the most common we hear about comes when two individuals decide they want to have children. For some, it comes quite easy. But others hit many roadblocks, wrong turns, and detours along the way. For our guest on this episode, she and her husband began the journey to starting a family, only to find out it wasn't going to be as easy as she once thought. We were joined by Dr. Colleen Reichmann (https://www.colleenreichmann.com/), a licensed clinical psychologist and mental health advocate, to hear about her journey through fertility treatments that finally allowed her to start the family she's always dreamed of. Colleen talks candidly and openly about the roadblocks, and the moments that were downright heartbreaking. Most importantly, she talks about having hope, which is something we could all use a little more of these days. To connect with Colleen, you can follow her on Instagram @drcolleenreichmann, or send her an email at colleenreichmann@gmail.com. As always, thank you for listening and subscribing to Mental Filter :) Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C https://www.cbtbaltimore.com/

No matter what denomination you associate with, we all know that those in clergy positions have tremendous responsibility to serve their communities. This week, we sat down with Rabbi Yisrael Motzen of Ner Tamid Congregation. Since joining his synagogue in 2012, Rabbi Motzen has introduced many Torah classes, youth programs, special events, and holiday programs. You can connect with Rabbi Motzen via email at yisrael.motzen@gmail.com. As always, thank you for your continued support by subscribing, reviewing, rating, and coercing your mailperson to listen 🙂 Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C www.cbtbaltimore.com

Whether it's a memory from middle school that you would most certainly like to forget, or the result of the seemingly endless pandemic world we are currently living in, it's safe to say we can all relate to the feelings of loneliness when the topic of friends are involved. After a TikTok by a stranger went viral, Marissa created the ultimate project - No More Lonely Friends. No More Lonely Friends was Marissa's way of creating community and connection between those that need it the most, and it has grown into something bigger than she ever imagined. You can connect with Marissa on Instagram (https://instagram.com/marissameizz) (https://instagram.com/nomorelonelyfriends), and TikTok (https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPd6XkWpf/). As always, thank you for your continued support by subscribing, reviewing, rating, and coercing your mailperson to listen :) Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C www.cbtbaltimore.com

We have all seen the glitz and glam of Hollywood when celebrities walk the red carpet. For some, the red carpet fulfills their lifelong dream of being a Hollywood star, while others struggle with the expectations that come along with this role. For this episode, we sat down with Chris Trondsen, a news host, therapist, and advocate for mental health. Chris shared pieces of his journey struggling with BDD and OCD, which eventually led him to pursue a psychology degree to become a therapist to help those just like him. You can connect with Chris on Twitter (https://twitter.com/christrondsen), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/christrondsen/), or via email (chrisTrondsen@gatewayocd.com). As always, thank you for your continued support by subscribing, reviewing, rating, and coercing your mailperson to listen :) Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C www.cbtbaltimore.com

This week we were joined by Bob Tewksbury, retired major league baseball pitcher and mental skills coach. Bob's baseball journey was one for the books, but the end of his baseball career was the beginning of new career in sports psychology. As he describes in his book, 90% Mental, sports are not just about hitting a home run or scoring the winning goal; there are layers to great players, and mental skills are just one. We talked with Bob about his experience in the outfield, and what he is up to now, as well as how the mental skills applied in sports are applicable to our lives, even if we do not play a sport. You can connect with Bob via his website, https://bobtewksbury.com/, or on Twitter, https://twitter.com/bob_tewksbury. As always, thank you for your continued support by subscribing, reviewing, rating, and coercing your mailperson to listen :) Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C wwww.cbtbaltimore.com

From the newspaper headlines, to interruptions in your regularly scheduled programming on television, we are all familiar with the "doom and gloom" that this world has to offer. Sometimes, it seems like it can be easier to get caught up in that doom and gloom, and forget about the sunshine that can (and does!) peacefully exist. Dude. Be Nice. has one mission: treat yourself and others better. All created by a man who wanted to be the anti-doom and gloom, Dude. Be Nice. is known for their awesome videos that highlight people who go the extra mile, and deserve recognition for doing so. This week, we got to sit down with Brett Camalich from Dude. Be Nice. (https://www.dudebenice.com/) to hear about his experiences in giving to others, and ultimately, what he gained from giving. As always, thank you for your continued support by subscribing, reviewing, rating, and coercing your mailperson to listen :) Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C wwww.cbtbaltimore.com

Throughout life, we meet individuals at our favorite coffee shop, or in a class we’ve taken, or even mailing a card at your local post office. What do all of these things have in common? Well, each of those people have things that make them unique, that make them stand out from those around them. This week, we sat down with Ed Latimore, a former professional heavyweight boxer whose life started in the projects of Pennsylvania, which then eventually led him to pursue a degree in physics, develop an interest in chess, and lead a life of practicing stoicism. This episode really packs a lot of punches into one. The best place to find him is at www.edlatimore.com and all SM platforms. As always, thank you for your continued support by subscribing, reviewing, rating, and coercing your mailperson to listen :) As a disclaimer, the thoughts and opinions of every guest co-host vary. While we respect them, they are not necessarily indicative of the values upheld by CBT Baltimore. Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C wwww.cbtbaltimore.com

Each and every one of us has experienced challenges that are unfair, and seemingly insurmountable, sometimes leaving us to question the purpose that this pain is playing in our lives. We may ask, "why me?", feeling defeated by our tribulations, looking for a way out of the darkness. The children of Kids Kicking Cancer have a bit of a different idea. We sat down with Rabbi Elimelech Goldburg, "Rabbi G", (https://kidskickingcancer.org/) a black belt Rabbi and founder of Kicks Kicking Cancer, to hear about how children experiencing pediatric illness and cancer are our true teachers. It is truly an inspiration to listen to Rabbi G describe how the children with the toughest feats face them with a smile on their face, and literally, a breath of fresh air. Thank you for your continued support by subscribing, reviewing, rating, and coercing your mailperson to listen :) Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C www.cbtbaltimore.com

Work Happy?! If that sounds like an oxymoron to you then this episode is what you're looking for! Not only is possible to be happy while at work, but it is also invaluable. Invaluable for the worker and the boss. This may seem like an out-of-reach goal but it does not have to be. Joined by the affable, congenial Greg Kettner (https://www.gregkettner.com/), we dive into the intersection where humor and our 'day jobs' meet. It is an inspiration to hear how Greg used a tragic event as a springboard to bring so much good into people's lives. Smiles are guaranteed in this episode. Thank you for your continued support by subscribing, reviewing, rating, and coercing your mailperson to listen :) Shmuel Fischler LCSW-C www.cbtbaltimore.com