Elijah Levy, Ph.D.
Thirty Years Experience Treating Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Recognized for Distinguished Volunteerism Consultant to Mental Health Programs
University Professor for 33 years
Recipient of Excellence in Teaching Awards
Published Author
​
Thank you for visiting my website where you will find literature on mental illness, anthologies/books of poetry written by individuals living with mental illness and a documentary on Founders House of Hope and my Veterans Legacy Project. If you are interested in enriching your cultural literacy, I have booklets on comparative religion, intercultural awareness, stress reduction, an outline to write your autobiography and more.
​
I offer training to health care/mental health organizations invested in training their employees to become culturally and linguistically competent providers. Since health care providers are at higher risk for developing compassion fatigue, I conduct self-care training to engender self-awareness in providers to create and maintain healthy, wellness lifestyles.
​
​
Consultation for Mental Health Services
I have been working with individuals living with persistent, severe mental illnesses such as Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and Bipolar and Related Disorders in inpatient and community, residential care settings for 35 years. As a consultant, I am available to design psychosocial/psychiatric rehabilitation programs for residential care facilities and inpatient programs.
​
The residential care facilities I design programming for have produced impressive program accomplishments such as self-publishing anthologies/books of poetry, in addition to residents achieving their recovery goals to earn discharges to more independent living programs. For example, residents at Founders House of Hope where I have worked for the last 27 years, have enrolled at Cerritos College and participated in occupational preparation programs to pursue part time jobs. Further, our residents have shortened their length of stay by immersing themselves in our functional, capacity building program emphasizing skill acquisition and illness management. The program philosophy at Founders House of Hope drives self-determination, empowerment and we make sincere, genuine investments in each resident's recovery program by providing the needed services, supports and resources enabling them to lead satisfying lives outside of Founders.
​
Available to Teach Courses at Assisted Living Facilities
I am available to teach specialty courses at assisted living facilities including memoir writing, creative/successful aging or other courses designed to sustain meaning and purposeful living in older adulthood. These courses are very well attended at the senior centers I have taught at the last 23 years. All participants enrolled in my classes receive booklets with the curriculum and exercise sheets to engender investment in the learning process and skill acquisition.
​
Life Coaching/Mentoring
​
Are you dissatisfied with your work, relationships and can’t seem to motivate yourself to set meaningful goals with purpose? If you are then not acting will only continue to erode the quality of your life and you’ll feel hopeless about your future and not experience enduring and genuine happiness. I can help motivate you to set purposeful goals, explore why you’re dissatisfied with work, create a wellness lifestyle and consider re-careering to find your true and fitting work.
​
The coaching relationship will hold you accountable to achieve smart, measurable goals and increase self-esteem, self-determination and confidence. You will empower yourself by challenging assumptions of your abilities; by honestly asking yourself who you are and who you want to become. The coaching relationship will enable you to gain more control over your life and provide you with opportunities to change by expanding your power. Not acting only widens the gap between the real self and the ideal self. The gap needs to narrow so you can reach for the best in you and realize your aspirations and ideal self. The longer you wait to act, the more it hurts the quality of your life. Admit it – you’re aware you need to change but need insight, self-awareness, guidance, confidence and support of a life coach.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Dr. Levy is a deeply thoughtful, caring individual who encourages and inspires all who come in contact with him to pursue their aspirations with conviction and courage. He emphasizes high ethical standards, critical thinking, and respect for diversity. His concern for the needs and well-being of others is rare and genuine. I am and will always be extremely grateful for the support and guidance he has provided me.
I had the good fortune of meeting Elijah when I applied for an adjunct teaching position at the University of Redlands. The university assigned him conduct my in-person interview and teaching demonstration. I had limited teaching experience at the time and, were it not for Elijah's calming, encouraging demeanor, I might not have performed well and, as a result, may have decided teaching was not for me. He was (and is) a model of intellectual vigor tempered with authentic humility and empathy that I took with me when engaging with my students in the years to come. I am deeply thankful to have met him at that critical stage in my personal and professional journey and know that the impact I have had the opportunity to make in the lives of my students is in part due to his influence on me.
What people say about Elijah
Material on Cultural Literacy
The American Mosaic, A Tapestry of Faith, Intercultural Awareness, Philosophical Foundations of Heroism
Literature on Mental Illness
Self-Care
I Deserve to Feel Great About Myself
​
​
Understanding the value of practicing effective self-care to engender a wellness lifestyle is critical for individuals in health care settings. The dimensions of wellness include social, physical, spiritual, emotional and intellectual. To lead a life imbued with meaning and purpose, one must pursue activities that promote and maintain healthy engagement and balance in the domains of life. To live fully and authentically, self-awareness must be generated to design a personal a wellness plan to navigate the undesired changes and challenges inherent in being a competent, compassionate and empathic health care provider. We live in a society where we’re expected to work long hours, volunteer for projects, not vacation, be productive and chase promotions, neglect domains of our lives and operate from an urgency driven paradigm of maximizing productivity. Pursuing this life philosophy ultimately prevents us from engaging in opportunities for self-care and it compromises our health.
​
Self-care is defined as a multifaceted process of purposeful engagement in strategies that promote healthy functioning and enhance well-being. It is vital for building resilience toward stressors in life that can’t be eliminated. Initiating a program to care for your mind and body will lead to a more meaningful life and not leave you feeling overwhelmed, fatigued and ill-equipped to handle life's inevitable challenges. Thus, it is important to assess how you're caring for yourself in several different domains of your life to ensure you are caring for your mind, body, and spirit.
​
Self-Care begins with you asking the questions that matter the most to your life and includes engaging in activities that matter the most to your life; that bring you lasting spiritual, social, emotional and physical happiness. It requires making an investment in YOU; a deep and personal commitment to operating as a whole, integrated you where all of your needs are met. It is a conscious act you take to promote your physical, spiritual, mental and emotional health. Once you feel whole you will imbue your work and life with meaning and purpose.
​
Length of Training: Three Hours
​
Learning Objectives
​
​
-
Understanding why self-care matters; learning to ask the questions that matter the most about your life
-
Creating a self-care plan that integrates the following domains of your life: spiritual, emotional, physical and social
-
Learn how to incorporate leisure skills into your life and how to create genuine, enduring happiness
-
Learn how to balance life-work in our hurried, urgency driven society
-
Understanding why you are entitled to positive emotions
-
Appreciating the physiology of the stress response and how it can contribute to stress disorders, anxiety and cardiovascular disease
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Why Self-Care Matters: I Deserve to Feel Great About My Life
Your Vision is the Distance You Need to Cover
Dr. Levy offers training on the following:
For a no fee consultation, email me here or call me at (562) 230-3334
Welcome to my Website
