From day school to life: After Yeshiva Elementary School, faith helps social worker | Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

From day school to life: After Yeshiva Elementary School, faith helps social worker

 

They say being a mother is a full time job. That means Chanie Delman, LCSW, (nee Cohen) has two full time jobs.

Delman grew up on the West Side of Milwaukee, and later River Hills. She attended Yeshiva Elementary School as a child. Currently, she lives in Queens, New York, with her husband Boruch and three boys, ages 10, 8, 5 and as of Feb. 26, 2017, a newborn boy.

Chanie Delman, and her husband, Boruch Delman. Submitted photo.

 

She got her professional start as clinical director for Madraigos, an organization that provides emotional and spiritual support and job-training programs for adolescents and young adults.

It wasn’t an easy job.

“Although it was extremely rewarding, there were a lot of crises,” Delman said. “Holding the pain of so many families was challenging.” After two and a half years, Delman left Madraigos and started a private practice, now in its sixth year.

Curious about the mind

After Delman graduated from the Torah Academy of Milwaukee — an all-girls high school — she studied in Israel for two years at the Network Neve College for Women. There, she obtained a B.A. in psychology.

“It was in Israel when I became connected to helping others, to trying to understand the workings of peoples’ minds,” she said. “Being able to give of myself to help someone make their life a little bit better is what I always wanted to do.”

When she returned to the U.S., she attended New York University and obtained a masters in social work in 2003.

A difficult job

Delman is an empathetic person, an attribute that makes her good at what she does, but also wears her down at times.

“The hardest part of my job is that I care so much,” she said. “It’s hard to separate what goes on at my job from my personal life.”

It makes sense. Delman specializes in a dizzying array of mental-health topics.

“I specialize in couples, women, adolescents and treat a range of mental health needs, including depression, anxiety, postpartum depression, pregnancy and infant loss, parenting, emotional neglect, family issues, and difficult marriages, to name a few.”

Faith helps

As an observant Jew, Delman said her faith plays an important role in her job.

“I clearly realize I am a messenger of G-d in bringing others peace of mind,” she said. “I am able to be grounded in the sadness I witness and experience because I truly believe G-d gives each person their lot in life for good reasoning.”

Delman said the education she received at Yeshiva Elementary School provided the groundwork for who she grew up to be.

“The foundation of the school was built by some very special people,” Delman said. “The Twerskis started the school, and they’ve always been a part of my family’s life and continue to be. A theme the Twerski’s built the school on is love of Judaism and Torah learning.”

Delman added that the teachers were excellent, and one — Chani Werther — became her role model.

Advocates self-care

Aron Delman, 10, with his mom, Chanie Delman. Submitted photo.

 

Despite her busy life, Delman makes sure to care for herself, too.

“When I can, I try to spend time with good friends,” she said. “I go also running and take vacations. Those are important things that help keep me going.”