THE
ROEPER
SCHOOL
jews d
in
the
sponsored
by our
community
partners
Unmasking Anxiety
Program to feature fi lm and panel
to raise awareness of anxiety disorders.
JOYCE WISWELL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A
Is your kid a #RoeperKid?
Join us for an Open House
Lower School (preschool – grade 5): April 20 at 9am
~ or ~
Schedule a Personal Interview & Tour
teen
n
You’ll fi nd 12-year-old Julia either fl ipping through
the pages of a science fi ction book or reading sheet
music in orchestra at Roeper. The avid reader is
involved in book club and has been playing the violin
she since she was fi ve years old. Julia also participates
in forensics, Roeper’s summer theatre camp and
volleyball. English and 3D printing are her favorite
classes. Julia says she loves the freedom that students
have in classes at Roeper to ask questions that spark
meaningful discussions. She wants to follow in her
grandfather’s footsteps and become a doctor when
she’s older. “I just don’t want to be a pediatrician
and have to give shots to screaming babies,” says
Julia. She imagines she’ll specialize in internal
medicine. She’s a #RoeperKid.
middle school and high school
nxiety has become as
tlight o makes it easier for them to
o
much a part of teen-
p
s
consider moving forward with
age life as going to
treatment.”
prom and learning to drive,
mental health
Other panelists include
and mental health profes-
Rabbi Yarden Blumstein, teen
sionals say it’s essential to
director of the Friendship
raise awareness. That’s the
Circle; Perry Ohren, chief exec-
mission of a movie night and
utive officer of Jewish Family
panel discussion presented
Service of Metropolitan
by the Jewish Community
Detroit; and Rabbi Jeremy
Center’s Opening the Doors
Baruch, M.D., psychiatry resi-
program on Sunday, March
dent at Michigan Medicine.
18.
Ellen Maiseloff, M.A., senior
The evening at Adat
director of special needs
Shalom Synagogue in
at Opening the Doors, said
Farmington Hills includes a
two lay organizations asked
screening of the documenta-
Ellen Maiseloff
her to show Angst as part of
ry Angst: Raising Awareness
Jewish Disability Awareness
Around Anxiety and a panel
and Inclusion Month, which
discussion with five profes-
began in February and has spilled
sionals emphasizing the film’s mes-
over into March.
sage that anxiety disorders are real,
“This is part of our mission of
common and treatable — and need
empowering, inspiring and sup-
to be talked about.
porting our children and families,”
“This is super-relevant. Anxiety
Maiseloff said. “The documentary
affects nearly one-third of adults
shows how people can be empow-
and adolescents,” said Jessica Purtan
ered and seek help. We would love to
Harrell, Ph.D., a psychologist who
have teens attend as well as parents,
specializes in OCD (obsessive-com-
teachers, social workers and mental
pulsive disorder) with a private prac-
health professionals.”
tice in Farmington Hills. “What I see
Blumenstein-Bott hopes the event
in my practice is an overwhelming
pressure for young people to perform raises awareness about the pres-
sures young people face “to push it
academically, athletically, profes-
out more so it’s not talked about in
sionally and on social media, and
hushed tones.”
the competition seems to be getting
Purtan Harrell said attendees will
stronger every year. It’s much more
learn a lot about anxiety and ways to
prevalent than in the past, and there
treat it. “This program will let people
is also more reporting of it.”
know there are options beyond medi-
Another panelist, Lori
cation, such as exposure-based ther-
Blumenstein-Bott, MSW, LMSW,
apy,” she said. “Therapy and medica-
agrees. “Anxiety has taken over our
young people and is creating all sorts tion can work beautifully together.”
Doors open at 6 p.m. for registra-
of havoc,” said the executive director
tion. The 56-minute film screens at
of the Andrew Kukes Foundation for
7 p.m. and the panel discussion and
Social Anxiety in West Bloomfield.
dessert follow. There will also be a
“This movie is really well done and
resource fair with information tables
this is the perfect event for teens to
from sponsors. Admission is $5. For
attend. They don’t have to talk or
more information, contact Shoshana
participate but can take things in at
Baruch at (248) 432-5543 or
their own pace. Just that ability to
sbaruch@jccdet.org. •
talk about mental health issues in
www.roeper.org
Educating and inspiring gifted students
to think as individuals and to engage as a community
with compassion for each other and this world
THE ROEPER SCHOOL IS AN EQUAL-OPPORTUNITY INSTITUTION
18
March 15 • 2018
jn
Rabbi Yarden
Blumstein
Jessica Purtan
Harrell
Lori Blumenstein-
Bott
Perry Ohren
Rabbi Jeremy
Baruch, M.D.