Rabbi Arielle Hanien, PsyD

Founder & Principal, Source Wisdom, Inc

About Rabbi Arielle

Recognized for her scholarship in both ancient and contemporary Jewish thought, the resolution of trauma, developmental psychology, education, neuroscience, and AI technology, Rabbi Dr. Arielle Hanien consults on local, national, international, intercultural, and interfaith projects in learning, healing, and institutional development and on multi-disciplinary curricula and practice. She is an award-winning writer, a nationally recognized educator, and an accomplished organizational leader. 

As a teacher, spiritual counselor, and curricular consultant, Rabbi Hanien is acclaimed for "making ancient Jewish tradition amazingly relevant and meaningful" for all ages and for people of all backgrounds, enriching interfaith dialogue and invigorating creative interpretation and ritual practice. 

A certified practitioner of Somatic Experiencing® and Integral Somatic Psychotherapy®, trained also in Attachment-Focused EMDR, Neuroaffective Touch, Brainspotting, and related modalities, Rabbi Arielle holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She integrates expertise in therapeutic modalities with lenses from rabbinic scholarship and intercultural in her practice, wherever it nourishes clients and helps them advance their goals. Her clients include individuals, families, and organizations--from business teams to non-profit boards to community-wide collaborations.

Rabbi Arielle has extensive clinical experience, in outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, and residential programs. Her portfolio includes intake, therapeutic treatment, case consultation and case management, insurance advocacy, and follow-up support to sustain recovery and prevent addiction relapse. At Trauma and Beyond Psychological Center and Reconnect Integrative Psychological Center, she developed and led groups in Spirituality and Intergenerational Trauma for clients with cPTSD and dual diagnoses. At Lifespan Psychological Center, she worked with individuals and groups and organized a complement of therapists specializing in integrative work with children, adolescents, and families, in addition to supporting the international Interpersonal Neurobiology conference that brought together therapists from around the country to enrich their understanding of somatic approaches to psychotherapy.

Founding Director of SourceWisdom, Inc, which brings Jewish wisdom, ritual, and spiritual practice to support integrative, embodied healing, Rabbi Arielle is a fellow of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership (CLAL) in their Sinai and Synapses and Rabbis Without Borders fellowships and a former Research Scholar at the Pardes Center for Judaism & Conflict Resolution in Jerusalem.  Her doctoral research at Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary explored neuroaffective aspects of Jewish ritual and resources within Jewish tradition that nourish individual and collective healing, resilience, and conflict resolution.  Her doctoral research in Clinical Psychology has focused on the efficacy of an integrative somatic approach for work with anxiety, dissociation, effects of developmental and inherited trauma, and post-traumatic stress. Currently, Rabbi Arielle co-chairs the conference of the American Psychological Association’s Division 36: Society for the Psychology of Religion & Spirituality.

Rabbi Arielle earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Ryokan College, was ordained at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies with honors in Talmud, and holds degrees with honors in Philosophy, Sociology, and Physical Science from Brandeis University. She has studied at Cambridge University’s Judge Business School and the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution under the leadership of Morton Deutsch. She has consulted for the International Trauma-Healing Institute, the Jewish Resilience Project, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the Jewish Federation, and healing initiatives around the world. 

Specialties

  • Trauma, PTSD, and Complex PTSD

  • Medical Trauma and Near-Death Experiences

  • Pregnancy, Prenatal, Parenting Support

Counseling Expertise

  • Adolescents

  • Adults abused as children

  • Anxiety Disorders

  • Babies, older siblings, and Parents

  • Birth Trauma

  • Body Positivity

  • Children

  • Chronic Pain

  • Depression

  • Developmental Trauma

  • Dissociative Disorders

  • Dual Diagnosis

  • Embodied Sexuality

  • Feminist Psychotherapy

  • First Responders

  • Gender Identity and Journeys

  • Infants, parents of newborns, expectant parents

  • Intergenerational Trauma

  • Jewish Spirituality, Tradition, and Trauma Healing

  • LGBTQIA+ Identity

  • Life Transitions

  • Mass Disaster

  • Medical Trauma and Near-Death Experiences

  • Motor Vehicle Collisions

  • Native Populations

  • Racial, Ethnic, and other Collective Trauma

  • Religious Trauma

  • School Issues

  • Self Esteem

  • Self-Harming Behavior

  • Sexual Abuse

  • Spirituality

  • Stress

  • Therapists and Care Providers

  • Traumatic Grief

  • Women's Experience

  • You have an old soul, but are modern at the same time. You speak from your soul; it just oozes out of you. You have reached me like no one else. You brought a whole new light to the situation... sense of community and spirituality. You are the warmest, most caring and devoted rabbi.

    Caryn C.

  • Arielle listens to and respects every voice in the room and is able to synthesize multiple narratives into a cohesive vision. All of this is benefitted from a deep love and profound knowledge of Judaism that she carries with her on every step of the journey.

    David Bryfman, Chief Creative Officer, The Jewish Education Project

  • Arielle is, at heart, a community organizer, spiritual leader, and deep listener, all of which come through in the ways she leads--she surfaces others' needs, finds ways to collaboratively address those needs, and gently guides and steers in a way that takes great strength and focus yet feels very organic. I have learned so much through our collaboration... and watched in awe as she has accomplished an incredible amount, all with grace.

    Alisha Pedowitz, Moving Traditions

  • Working with Arielle on major projects was a true pleasure and blessing. Not only does she bring an incredible amount of skill and paying every attention to detail when organizing major events, but she is also able to take major steps back at important junctures in time to ask the very big questions necessary to bring about the results we desire to achieve

    David Bryfman, Chief Creative Officer, Jewish Education Project

  • When you met with us each week you brought language to my feelings where I couldn't. You are so inclusive and warm, so thoughtful and provocative. I am so especially thankful that in such an important time in our relationship, we could turn to you for counseling.

    Elana and Matt

  • She glows with spiritual connection. No one has ever connected me to traditional prayer in this way...I feel like all of the lines to the universe and the divine are holding me.

    Phyllis, program participant, Cincinnai, Ohio

  • You bring both charm and understanding... quickly establish rapport of trust... and your openness and lack of judgmentalism... professionalism and your presentation are qualities of first-class calibre.

    Rabbi Mordechai Kieffer, Anaheim, CA

  • We will always be thankful that you were a crucial part of out most personal journey and that you could share that sacred space with us. Thank you for your love and guidance.

    Tracie and Michael

  • Our uncertainty and discomfort around talking about hard topics is so diminished.  You were able to be a third person in our conversation who is so knowledgeable yet removed from the vulnerability of the conversation so you could advocate on both partners' behalf. In our sessions I was able to say things thoughts that I had in my head and heart for a long time, but didn't feel comfortable saying until then.

    Elana and Matt

  • A creative, thoughtful, and truly visionary professional… connected in both mind and heart… with a rare capacity to blend vision and structure.

    Phil Liff-Grief, Associate Director, Los Angeles BJE

Select Honors & Awards

Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship in Social Entrepreneurship

Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity International Prize in Ethics

Inaugural Aaron Goldman National Young Jewish Activist Award

Nahum Goldman Fellow of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture

Lambda Award for Outstanding Allyship to the LGBT Community, UC Riverside LGBT Resource Center

Jim Joseph Foundation Executive Doctoral Fellowship in Jewish Education

AVICHAI Foundation Day School Leadership Training Institute Fellowship for Educational Leaders

Community Service Award, National Conference of Christians and Jews

Sinai & Synapses Fellow, National Jewish Center for Learning & Leadership (CLAL)

Rabbis Without Borders Fellow, National Jewish Center for Learning & Leadership (CLAL)

Physics Research Fellowship, Brandeis University CERN Muon Detector Project Team

Justice Louis Brandeis Scholar, Brandeis University

Giller-Sagan Women’s Studies Research Prize, Brandeis University

Karpf Peace Prize, Brandeis University

Cunningham Award for Writing, Brandeis University

National Champion Team, U.S. First National Robotics Competition

Captain, Nationally Ranking Junior Engineering and Technical Society (J.E.T.S.) Team