Workshop - Boundaries

Boundaries with Compassion

Supporting Your Adult Child While Preserving Your Wellbeing

Date: Sunday September 7 @ 7:15 PM

Location: JCFS  Seigle Building  - 5140 Golf Road, Skokie, IL 60077

Panel experts include

Rabbi Dr. Joseph Ozarowski; Dr. Stephanie Kutzen; & Bonnie Lane MS

Moderators

Abigail Rabinowitz, Wendy Singer & Tamar Mishkin

Key Takeaways from the Discussion

1. Unique Challenges Families Face

• Social stresses and stigma
• Agnosia (when a loved one doesn’t realize they have a problem)
• The process of where to start feels unclear
• Feelings of isolation and alienation
• Difficulty finding community and resources
• Struggles to meet your own needs while caregiving
• Lack of control over the situation

2. Strategies for Setting Boundaries with Compassion

• Build social support through groups, family meetings, and by educating relatives
• Foster trust with your loved one using LEAP (Listen, Encourage, Acknowledge, Partner)
• Remember that mental health challenges affect the whole family, including chosen family
• Develop CARE Plans for support and consistency
• Address isolation by reaching out to chaplains, community supports, and delegating within the family
• Love and support your loved one while also advocating and educating in the community

3. Resources

• Seek out support tailored to your family’s needs - resources vary and often start with asking

4. Control & Time Constraints

• Recognize when to relinquish control
• Follow through on the boundaries you set to create trust and stability

The Panelists
 

Rabbi Dr. Joseph Ozarowski  - Counselor and Chaplin - JCFS 

Rabbi Dr. Joseph S. Ozarowski is Rabbinic Counselor and Chaplain for JCFS Chicago. He is also an adjunct professor at Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership as well as the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles.  Rabbi Ozarowski was cited by Chicago Jewish News as a “Top Jewish Chicagoan of 2013,” and received the “Rabbi Mordechai Simon Award” from the Chicago Board of Rabbis in 2014.   He served as president of the Board of Rabbis from 2015 to 2017 and now serves as Immediate Past President of Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC).  An engaging, nationally known teacher and speaker, Ozarowski has served congregations in Pennsylvania, California, Minnesota and the New York area.  

Rabbi Dr. Ozarowski is a Board-Certified Chaplain.  He received his undergraduate degree from Loyola University of Chicago, his rabbinic ordination from Skokie’s Hebrew Theological College and his doctorate from Lancaster (PA) Theological Seminary.  He has served on the Jewish Federation of Chicago (JUF) Board and on the North Shore University HealthCare System Institutional Ethics Committee.  

A prolific author, Rabbi Ozarowski co-authored Common Ground, (1998, Jason Aronson) and has written numerous articles.  His first book, To Walk in God’s Ways - Jewish Pastoral Perspectives on Illness and Bereavement, (hard cover 1995, Jason Aronson, paperback 2004, Rowman and Littlefield) is considered a standard in the field of Judaism and Pastoral Care.

Rabbi Ozarowski is married to Ashira (nee Rapoport), has four children and nineteen grandchildren. 

Dr. Stephanie Kutzen PhD, LCSW - Therapist Hinda Institue

Prof. Dr. Kutzen is Founder and Director of Employee Consultation Services, a comprehensive human resources firm specializing in designing and managing occupational health services.

Her background and experience focus on guiding organizations in policy evaluation and developing practices related to corporate social responsibility, specifically their relationship between corporate activity and social issues. Additional services include implementing and managing workplace Employee Assistance Programs, trauma /critical incident debriefing, conducting programs in human resource development and family business consultation.

Dr. Kutzen is a cum laude graduate of the University of Chicago. School of Social Service Administration. She received her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Jane Addams College of Social Work.

Nationally recognized as a pioneer in the delivery of social services in the workplace, she is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers, the National Association of Social Workers and its Illinois Chapter.

She is Adjunct Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Jane Addams College of Social Work and the Dominican University, River Forest, IL Graduate School of Social Work.

Her academic and teaching interests are in the areas of addiction, crisis intervention and skill development for graduate student interns. Dr. Kutzen is also the Employee Assistance Program Area Clinician for the Chicago Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a contract position she has held for sixteen years.

Bonnie Lane MS - Board Member & Principal Therapeutic Consultant -  No Shame On U 

Bonnie graduated from National Louis University with a Master's Degree, with honors, in Developmental and Counseling Psychology and a Master's degree in Special Education. She is also a Certified Mediator and certified in Domestic Violence Counseling.

For more than two decades, Bonnie has worked privately with families dealing with severe mental health issues, such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder,  bipolar disorder,and substance use disorder. She has counseled individuals and families as they successfully navigate the maze of care and resources available for adolescents through older adults.  Helping families in times of crisis is her mission and her passion.  

Bonnie is currently a member of the NAMI Illinois legislative committee, NAMI CCNS board, and the North and the Northwest Suburban Housing Task Force.  Bonnie also sits on the Healthy Minds Healthy Lives Coalition through Thresholds and the Mental Health Summit. Bonnie is a board member of No Shame On U and facilitates twice monthly support groups for families of the seriously mentally ill at no charge to the community.

The Moderators

Abigail Rabinowitz - Development and Program Coordinator - Hinda Institute

​​Abigail Rabinowitz is the Development and Program Coordinator at the Hinda Institute where she initiated and developed the Hinda Reentry Education program as well as the Casework and counseling program. Both programs have grown exponentially and have had a tremendous impact in the lives of families and their loved ones in our community affected by the criminal justice system. 

Prior to the Hinda Institute, Abigail managed training and coordinated multidisciplinary teams for over 10 years for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. She won multiple awards for her work and was known as a strategic project manager who knew how to empower people while developing high quality innovative training programs and curriculums. Abigail is a multifaceted and creative learning specialist; she has worked in enforcement and diversity training in the Canadian Federal government (over 20 years), developed and led special education programs, and facilitated instruction in schools as well as developing multiple training curriculums. 

Abigail has a degree in Non-profit Project Management and worked in the government in Employment Equity and in multiple non-profit organizations in the Jewish community .  She has coordinated and implemented highly successful programs and won awards for her work. She has experience analyzing population data, conducting government wide censuses, evaluated national programs, coordinated  extensive needs analysis and has led multiple focus groups of over 1000 people. Abigail is passionate about making a difference, helping people and helping to make the world a better place.

Wendy Singer - Executive Director - No Shame On U

Wendy has more than 20 years of experience as a Non-Profit Professional. Wendy served as the Director of Programming for two years when she joined No Shame On U in November of 2021.

Before joining No Shame On U,  Wendy served as the Director of Education at Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, and prior to that, she worked for JCC Chicago for 18 years, where she focused on summer camps, youth development, teachable moments, and mentorship. A passionate educator and connector, Wendy has extensive experience in staff and volunteer development, community engagement, and strategic program implementation.  

Wendy is a graduate of Indiana University and has a Master's degree in Non-Profit Management from Spertus College. She lives in Skokie with her husband Mitch, her two daughters, Josie and Sophie, and their dogs Forbes and Bea.  

Tamar Mishkin , MEd, CRSS - Founder and Director La’briut

Tamar Mishkin is the Founder and Director of La’briut, a mental health peer support network for Jewish women established in 2019. Driven by her own lived experience with mental health challenges, Tamar launched La’briut to provide compassionate camaraderie and connection for women navigating personal or familial mental health journeys. Through multiple monthly facilitated support groups, La’briut offers a safe, empathetic space for participants to share, heal, and feel less alone.

Tamar’s commitment to education and advocacy is reflected in her academic and professional path. She earned her undergraduate degree in Education from Sarah Hartman Women’s College of Touro at HTC and spent a decade teaching students in grades 3–12. She later completed her master’s degree in educational administration from Loyola University, broadening her leadership scope.

As a Certified Recovery Support Specialist, Tamar brings deep personal insight and professional expertise to her peer support work. Prior to founding La’briut, she co-founded Chazkeinu, an international peer-led organization for mental health support within the Jewish community.

Tamar lives in Chicago with her husband Josh and their two children. She is recognized as a beacon of hope and resilience, using her voice and experience to uplift others and champion mental wellness.