Winnipeg Teen Donates to Anxiety Canada

Efram Loewen Becker knows something about anxiety. The 13-year-old from Winnipeg, Manitoba has experienced social anxiety since a young age. For him, this means worrying about  “what people will think about me”—enough that he’s has passed on party invites and, at times, missed school.

So when the time came to prepare for his bar mitzvah, Efram knew that giving a talk in front of a room full of people (115 to be exact) would mean confronting anxious feelings. “Just a lot of people there,” he says, describing how he pictured the event beforehand, “a lot of people looking.”

But Efram had allies. His parents, Mark Loewen and Marissa Becker, were right by his side. They’d already supported Efram by connecting him with in-person group therapy sessions for anxiety in teens. “You were excited about them,” says Marissa, addressing her son in their home. “Even though a lot of your anxiety is about the social part, you were excited to see other kids you could relate to. Those group sessions helped Efram realize that he wasn’t alone. That was really important to him.”

Efram nods. For him, the group sessions were an eye-opener. “Lots of people have anxiety,” he says.

Efram also had his Hebrew teacher, Gina Chodirker, and his rabbi, Matthew Leibl. Under Rabbi Matthew’s leadership, Efram was tasked with responding to a religious text. “It was about God giving the Israelites a chance to follow him,” Efram explains. “I was thinking of how I could consider that in my life. Like free will, and how you get to make your own decisions in life.”

And Efram had one more anxiety tool all his own. “I use the MindShift App,” he explains.

“You were the one who found it,” his mom reminds him, proudly.

“I like that you can log your day,” says Efram, explaining why Anxiety Canada’s free app, MindShift, has become a regular part of how he manages the signs of anxiety when they come up. “That’s helpful.”

After months of preparation, reflection and writing, the big day arrived. Loved ones gathered at The Leaf, an indoor botanical garden. Efram and his twin brother Noam, who had his bar mitzvah that same day, both wore suits; Efram’s was blue, with a bowtie. As the ceremony unfolded, all of Efram’s hard work paid off. “I read from the Torah and then we did a bunch of blessings, and then I talked about what it meant to me.”

Sure, anxiety was still there. “I felt really, really heavy before I did it, and heavy while I did it,” he reflects, “but then there was a big relief after.”

For Marissa, watching Efram overcome anxiety to deliver his talk was a special moment. “We were super proud of both of the boys. But we know how hard it was for Efram. You did a beautiful job with it,” she says, smiling at her “Kiddo.”

A last step remained. Efram announced an important choice he’d made. “You’re supposed to donate some of your money as a good deed,” he explains. Where did he decide to give? “Anxiety Canada,” he says, adding confidently, “because I know the feeling of anxiety and it would help others.”