About the Author


Debbie Gutfreund

Debbie Gutfreund is an OCD and trauma therapist. She holds a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania and an MA in Family Therapy from the University of North Texas. In her free time, she is a competitive runner and skier. She lives in Parkland, Florida with her husband and children.


Five Questions Happier People Ask

Discover five simple questions that rewire your perspective, quiet negative thoughts, and help you choose happiness—no matter what life throws your way.

The Whatsapp Gratitude Challenge

Four lessons from one gratitude picture a day.

Five Things Your Children Want You to Tell Them

Parenting isn’t about shaping our children into reflections of ourselves, it’s about loving them enough to enable them become who they are meant to be.

Seven Things You Should Never Say to Your Spouse

Even the strongest marriages can crumble under careless words. Discover seven phrases that quietly damage trust and love—and what to say instead to strengthen your relationship.

A Letter to My Mom on Her Retirement from the NY State Supreme Court

Four lessons you’ve taught me as a Jewish mother.

Five Ways to Make Better Resolutions for the Jewish New Year

Change is possible. These five approaches will help you transform your Rosh Hashanah resolutions into lasting habits.

Driving Into a Terrorist Attack

A shortcut put her in the line of fire. She believes one choice saved her life.

From Struggle to Strength: Three Jewish Stories of Transformation

From grief to resilience, from panic to purpose, from privilege to responsibility—discover how three remarkable Jewish leaders turned challenges into legacies of hope and strength.

Four Jewish Gratitude Formulas

Feeling stuck in routine? Judaism offers powerful formulas for gratitude to reset your perspective and uncover daily blessings.

The Six Skills You Need to Transform Your Habits

Inspired by Atomic Habits, these six skills can help you transform your actions, shape your identity, and prepare for meaningful growth.

Why Happiness Feels So Elusive

Four habits that quietly steal your joy.

Five Misconceptions about Love

This Tu B’Av, uncover five powerful truths that challenge what you thought you knew about love, connection, and lasting relationships.

Four Choices to Fuel Your Soul

Your soul is yearning for meaning. Nourish it with these four powerful choices.

Six Secrets to a Fulfilling Marriage from Longtime Couples

What’s the secret to lasting love? Longtime couples reveal what makes a marriage thrive.

A Father’s Day Story Like No Other

On October 7th, Noam Tibon didn’t wait for help—he became it. This Father’s Day, discover five powerful lessons in love, courage, and what it means to show up when it matters most.

My Stroke of Insight: Four Ways to Rethink Life’s Hardest Moments

The life of Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroscientist, was shattered by a massive stroke. Here are four transformative takeaways from her extraordinary recovery.

This Is Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It

Three inspiring messages from Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning that can help you embrace your mission as a Jew.

What It Means to Be a Jew Today: After the Darkness in D.C.

After two lives were tragically taken in a moment of hate, we are left not only to mourn, but to define what it truly means to be Jewish in today’s world—where pain is deep, but purpose runs deeper.

Clean Up Your Room: 4 Jewish Lessons from Jordan Peterson

Practical insights on responsibility and personal growth.

Five Things Strong Jewish Mothers Do

The strength and resilience of Jewish mothers has kept the faith and hope of the Jewish people alive throughout Jewish history.

Meaningful Questions for Your Seder

Discussion questions for your family, in light of a difficult year for the Jewish people.

My Mother the Judge

Watching Judge Lefkowitz balance the needs of four generations and a seat on the New York State Supreme Court was impressive, especially to her daughter.

Saying Goodbye

Racing across the ocean to my dying grandma's bedside, I cannot bear to let her go.

Fathers and Memories

Daughters never forget.

My Lost iPod Cable

In Egypt, the Jewish people were hanging on by a tiny thread. So was I.

Bat Mitzvah Gifts for My Daughter

Spanning three generations, I want to give you some very special gifts that are close to my heart.

NY’s Israeli Day Parade

We gather for one unifying reason: We love Israel.

Forever Dad

Even though my parents divorced, my father always played a crucial role in my life.

Al Qaeda Threat & Elul

When danger is everywhere, listen to the siren of the shofar.

Answering Rosh Hashanah's Call

The shofar’s cry is God calling out my name, looking for me.

Swastikas in New York

Jewish students face ongoing anti-Semitism and no one is doing anything about it.

Being Jewish on Christmas

Amidst all the talk about eggnog, I realized the special blessing of Shabbat.

Passover: Going Home Again

Coming together as families and as a nation to remember our shared history.

A Letter to the Fallen Israeli Soldier

The words are inadequate, but we thank you.

Four Gifts for Mother’s Day

Appreciating the gifts our children have already given us.

No More Apologies

I am sick of apologizing for Israel when it is Israel that really deserves an apology.

A Land Devoid of Peace

In Israel on a solidarity mission, the mourning is palpable.

Saying Thank You to Israeli Soldiers

Our Israel Solidarity mission visits the wounded and attends heartbreaking funerals.

The Sukkah’s Embrace

Rebbetzin Kanievsky & the sheltering sweetness of a mother’s love.

Terror in the Synagogue

Gaining some perspective on an unfathomable tragedy.

From the Four Widows

In the midst of the most horrific nightmare, these righteous women are reaching out to the Jewish world with a message of hope.

What I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Mother

I stared at her beautiful face and held her tiny hand and thought: I have no idea what I’m doing.

Crushing Pain

The Jewish people ache with the Sassoon family. We cannot speak; we have no words.

From a Stay-at-Home Mom to Her Working Mother

A letter to my mother.

The Spiritual Bystander Effect

The Jewish people needs your prayers.

7 Reasons I am Grateful to Be a Jew

Why I am grateful to be a Jew today.

Living in Israel: Six Lessons

Where the heart of the Jewish people lies, nothing is mundane.

Remembering Staff Sergeant Liel Gidoni

Liel was 20 years old when he was killed in a firefight with terrorists who emerged from a tunnel in Gaza.

Thank You Israel

My top seven gifts I’ve received from my beloved homeland.

Appreciating the Gift of Being Jewish

Four questions to ask yourself.

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