Virtual Workshops + Groups for
Anxious Jews to Connect With Calm
Say goodbye to nervous isolation
and hello to
loving community.
Virtual Workshops + Groups
Healing ancestral trauma and teaching mindfulness
for anxious Jews in North America.
All anxious Jews are welcome.
My clients are Jews across the spectrum, from religious to secular, yet despite dietary, custom, and ritualistic differences, everyone can relate to having similar thoughts and fears.
The concern for humanity.
The worry for Jews.
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The history that's been triggered.
The frustration that gentiles just don’t understand.
You don't feel safe.
Even for those living in North America, life as a Jew is stressful right now.
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You feel shocked and horrified by the events of October 7th and the ongoing actions of Hamas.
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You're nervous about rising antisemitism around the globe.
You are concerned about the pain and loss of innocent lives in Gaza, too.
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You feel betrayed, angry, and alone.
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You suddenly don't feel safe with your peers, whether that’s on a college campus, among your usual exercise crew, the ladies who lunch, or even colleagues in the office next door.
How long after October 7th did you have the thought,
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“Who would hide me?”
You might have even had the chutzpah to ask a trusted friend, “Would you ever hide me?” as an attempt to be pragmatic based on historical realities yet secretly hoping this is just a stupid thought and moment of craziness.
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Still, you wondered, "Who would stand up with me?"
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You thought about learning self-defense, signing up for martial arts classes or getting a gun.
Overwhelmed with the news.
Vision
You've been obsessively reading or watching the news, mind racing from the reports of protests and rising derogatory comments about your people.
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You are horrified at what the American news hasn’t been reporting.
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And then, even when you try to stop reading the news or pull away from social media, you feel nauseated by upsetting emails, posts or stories from institutions, colleagues, professionals, artists, and influencers you once respected.
Or worse: There has been complete silence.
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You feel on edge, shocked, and enraged.
Flooded with disappointment and anger that more people just don’t seem to truly understand the politics -- Israel is the only place in the middle east that has been safe for LGBTQ rights. In Israel women have the freedom to be pro-choice.
You feel hurt by the politicians, by your naïve friends and neighbors.
You feel disappointed and furious at your non-Jewish friends who just don’t seem to get it.
It feels like the world has gone insane.
My groups are for you if:
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You can relate to any of the thoughts or feelings above.
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You want a community that isn't limited to your biological family or synagogue, to safely converse with others who have been going through the same challenges and dealing with the same worries.
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You are curious to discover how your Jewish genetics might be contributing to your reactions to present-day events.
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You are ready for a sacred space to practice mindfulness and attend to big emotions in a compassionate way.
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You are willing to be respectful of your fellow Jews, regardless of their level of religiosity or political views.
The Workshop:
Understanding Trauma for
Anxious Jews
What you get:
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Connect with Community: Engage with other Jews who can relate and support you in a shared space.
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Validation and Support: Name and acknowledge the trauma and repercussions of October 7th.
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Safe Space: Openly discuss your pain and feel validated in a safe, non-judgmental environment.
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Biological Insights: Gain a deeper understanding of the biology behind intergenerational trauma.
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Behavioral Understanding: Learn how "weird" anxious or depressed behaviors can be primal defense mechanisms.
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Guided Practices: Experience guided exercises to help you reground when overwhelmed by big emotions.
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Calming Tools: Learn practical tools to work with your body to calm down more effectively.
What It Is:
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Identity and Trauma: A space to acknowledge and address the trauma related to your Jewish identity, including ancestral trauma and personal experiences of antisemitism.
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Voluntary Sharing: While sharing is encouraged, there is no expectation or requirement to share personal details.
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Respecting Privacy: If you choose to share, you will not be expected to share intimate details of your personal or family history.
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Anti-Racist Zone: While we will discuss our disgust with Hamas and the Palestinian civilians engaged in acts of hate, bigoted speech towards any group will not be tolerated.
What It’s Not:
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No Kvetch-Fest: This is not a place for comparing war stories or one-upping experiences of antisemitism.
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Not for Immediate Crisis: This workshop does not provide tools for those in acute crisis situations.
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Not Therapy: This is an educational workshop, not a therapeutic session. It's open to anyone, anywhere who identifies as an anxious Jew or ally.
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No Professional Training: This workshop is not a professional training and does not offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) at this time.
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Embrace the opportunity to understand and address the unique aspects of trauma within the Jewish community.
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Time commitment: Two hours
Cost: FREE
The Jew Crew:
Calm for
Anxious Jews
What you get:
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A safe space to practice mindfulness and attend to big emotions in a compassionate way.
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Connect with more people who can both relate and support you.
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Discover a variety of body-based, breath-based, and silent meditation practices that help you feel more relaxed.
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Learn Hebrew chants that uplift and energize.
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Since this is a closed mindfulness group, you will get to see the same faces every week and build on the practices together.
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What we cover:
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Week 1: From Kvetching (Complaining) to Kvelling (Bursting with Pride): Transitioning from Human Doing to Human Being
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Week 2: Embracing the Meshugas (Craziness): Facing Discomfort with Grace
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Week 3: L'Dor V'Dor (From Generation to Generation) Awareness: Cultivating Perception and Knowing Across Generations.
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Week 4: Everyday Chutzpah (Boldness): Applying Mindfulness Practices to Daily Life
Time commitment: One hour, for four weeks
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Cost: $597 for all four weeks
Who is Hannah?
Hannah Kanter, LICSW
Trauma Therapist, Meditation Teacher, and
Reform Jew, living in Cambridge, MA
I'm a Jewish therapist who knows how to calm anxiety down.
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I am a virtual psychotherapist (LICSW in Massachusetts, LMSW in Michigan and a registered out-of-state telehealth provider in Florida), mindfulness teacher, yoga instructor, and experienced Reiki practitioner. I've also had training in psychological first aid.
My clients learn the biology of intergenerational trauma and automatic survival defenses.
They learn how to reground when big emotions take over.
How to work with their own physical bodies to calm down faster.
Join the safe haven where you can reconnect with clarity and serenity.
It's time to heal from your
Bubbie's baggage.
You're not alone if you've ever wondered,
"What is wrong with me?"
Here are more signs intergenerational trauma is impacting your life:
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Unruly digestive issues
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Feeling nervous around crowds
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Needing to know where all of the exits are
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Afraid of being separated from your child
If you're sick and tired of your anxiety, I can show you stress-relieving techniques and mindfulness practices proven to change your genetics in order to improve your health.
Reconnect to a sense of peace
Join a safe and supportive space where you can connect with other anxious Jews who want to learn how to gain skills to calm the nervous system in order to function more effectively at work, at home, and in personal relationships.
Sign up for a workshop and take the first step towards a calmer, more grounded you.
You deserve it.
In my community, we embrace our shared experiences while celebrating our differences. Whether you're Orthodox, Reform, secular, or somewhere in between, you'll find support here.
You don’t have to be isolated anymore, alone with your fears.
I can help.
Note: These workshops are not psychotherapy and therefore open to all anxious Jews, regardless of location or background. Therapists, patients, colleagues, and friends are all welcome.
The Background
After October 7th, 2023, I was horrified and disgusted when I read news stories about the trauma Israelis endured from the Hamas attacks and torture -- pains that they are continuing to endure.
On October 8th, I saw Facebook posts and received emails from Israelis colleagues providing therapy to patients from bomb shelters and others trying to think of ways to practice mindfulness while their country went to war.
As a psychotherapist who specializes in helping survivors of sexual trauma, I was appalled by the global lack of outcry and compassion for Israelis, including the young women raped and killed at Super Nova with their assailants sickeningly bragging about their acts. My heart goes out to the hostages sexually assaulted in captivity and their family members struggling with the aftermath.
I have deep admiration and the utmost respect for all of the healthcare workers, including psychotherapists, on the front lines who are providing care to anyone in the Middle East, helping innocent young children to elderly adults.
In Judaism we are taught tikkun olam (Hebrew for "repairing the world").
I have an obligation to help repair this world.
Like many, I, too, gave money to support on-the-ground organizations.
But I wanted to do something more.
My own patients were stressed by this global event.
My American therapist colleagues were suffering and regularly posting in Facebook groups and sending private emails about their ongoing distress - they felt hurt and betrayed by friends, colleagues, and even their own patients whom they discovered were anti-Semitic.
With a background as a psychotherapist, this is my way of bringing help, hope, and connection to a community that is hurting.
