Sacred Therapy: Jewish Spiritual Teachings on Emotional Healing and Inner Wholeness - Paperback

by Estelle Frankel (Author)

In Sacred Therapy Estelle Frankel travels to the heart of Jewish mysticism to reveal how people of any faith can draw upon this rich body of teachings to gain wisdom, clarity, and a deeper sense of meaning in the midst of modern life. In an engaging and accessible style, Frankel brings together tales and teachings from the Bible, the Talmud, Kabbalah, and the Hasidic traditions as well as evocative case studies and stories from her own life to create an original, inspirational guide to emotional healing and spiritual growth.

Front Jacket

In "Sacred Therapy, Estelle Frankel takes a fresh look at the central myths, metaphors, and spiritual practices of the Jewish tradition, explaining how people of any faith can draw upon this rich body of teachings to gain wisdom, clarity, and a deeper sense of meaning in the midst of modern life. In an engaging, accessible, and compassionate style, Frankel brings together tales and teachings from the Bible, the Talmud, Kabbalah, and the Hasidic tradition as well as evocative case studies and guided meditations to create an original, inspirational guide to emotional healing and spiritual growth.
Frankel demonstrates the universal applicability and wisdom that is hidden in Jewish sources, and she also presents a way to incorporate these spiritual insights into the practice of psychotherapy. Showing us how to skillfully weave together personal and sacred narrative, she reveals how we can transform our vulnerabilities into strengths and restore a sense of coherence in our lives even when things seem broken or shattered.
The ultimate goal of both psychotherapy and spiritual practice, she says, is to open our hearts fully to life-to the raw and painful as well as to the beautiful, joyous, and sacred dimensions of existence-for wholeness is reached only when we can embrace and integrate the contradictory and often fragmented aspects of our being. At a time when so many people are searching for ways to bring greater spiritual depth and meaning to their lives, Frankel offers a powerful and authentic vision of how to do just that.

Author Biography

Estelle Frankel is a practicing psychotherapist and a seasoned teacher of Jewish mysticism and meditation. She was ordained as a rabbinic pastor and spiritual guide (mashpiah ruchanit) by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and is one of the spiritual leaders of her local Jewish Renewal community. Estelle has taught widely in the United States and in Israel, where she lived for over eight years, and is currently on the core faculty of Chochmat Halev: Wisdom of the Heart Meditation Center. She lives in Berkeley, California, with her husband and two children.