A GoodTherapy.org News Update

GoodTherapy.org was born out of the desire to reduce harm to consumers of therapy. The more training, consultation, and personal work therapists do, the less likely clients will suffer an abuse of power or a boundary crossing. Although there are many healthy and conscious therapists providing safe and ethical psychotherapy services, there unfortunately remains a large number of therapists who unknowingly cause harm to their clients, often as a result of the therapist getting their own emotional needs met at the expense of a client.

In the short 2.5 years GoodTherapy.org has been present on the web our association has made great strides in advocating for healthy therapy and reducing harm. By providing a wealth of information to the public about psychotherapy and making the process of psychotherapy less mysterious to non-professionals, we’ve helped millions of people to become better equipped to start therapy and to evaluate the quality of therapy they are already receiving. So, we’ve made a dent and we’re happy about. Yet, there’s more our organization wants to do. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Plano Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

In the medical professions, making an exact diagnosis can sometimes be a difficult task. But a team of researchers from the University of Leicester has recently stumbled upon a remarkable fact: general practice doctors mis-diagnose cases of depression more frequently than they correctly identify it in their patients. While feelings of depression traditionally present a challenge for health professionals in terms of diagnosis, the study, which worked with over fifty thousand patients, shows that a close attention to the diagnostic process is crucial to ensure that people get the help they need –and that they aren’t medicated unnecessarily.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Irvine Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

It’s generally agreed among most teachers, coaches, mentors, therapist and related mental health professionals that the benefits and results of positive reinforcement are far more effective than punishment. However, there are clearly some influential circles of professionals who continue to advocate for the use of punishment in the behavior modification of children or adults. Recently, a study produced in part at the University College London has firmly sided with positive reinforcement through showing that when people are presented with positive results or rewards when learning or performing, they are more likely to improve. The study, which focused its investigation on adults, may help to establish a greater adoption of rewards-based learning and training, especially in critical rehabilitation and therapy environments.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Washington, DC Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

A short period, such as a few days or weeks, without a natural amount of sunlight and exposure can produce a gloomy mood in many people, and some may experience especially low thoughts and feelings during the winter months. But while feeling a little blue when the weather won’t clear up may be common, losing a fair amount of cognitive ability during such periods may seem far-fetched. A new study performed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has found that people who report feelings of depression are likely to become disoriented and experience a drop in memory and other basic cognitive abilities when briefly deprived of sunlight.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist San Francisco Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

The consequences, both physical and mental, of domestic violence and related abuse can be debilitating for many people, and the addition of substance abuse problems can make it an incredible challenge to extricate oneself from a harmful situation and seek help. Still more challenging is the ability to organize a group dedicated to discussing these issues and supporting those concerned about themselves and family members, yet this is the precise mission of an organization in North Carolina that has recently celebrated its first year of operation. Tea Talk Thursday, facilitated by former substance abuse and domestic violence sufferers, has been bringing a non-judgmental place to vent, along with tea and snacks, to the local community for twelve months, a noteworthy achievement in the progression of the power of people to grow from even the most difficult of circumstances.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Minneapolis Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

First aid training is a great way to add something extra to a resume, prepare for potentially dangerous situations, and to enable a greater opportunity to be of service to others, and many people have decided to participate in training workshops for these benefits. But mental health first aid is a less popular prospect, in part owing to the relative novelty of the idea. Recently, a charity organization in Wales has developed a specialized course for businesspeople interested in bringing the concept of first aid to the mental health arena.

The program, largely designed to help professionals in supervisory roles learn about mental health and possible related challenges in the workplace, has been delivering basic knowledge about the field of psychology to participants for many months. The charity notes that while traditional first aid training is commonly found in office and other professional environments, the ability to understand and effectively interact within the context of mental health concerns is usually lacking. The program hopes to help those in management positions be prepared for potentially stressful situations, such as changes in work, disciplinary action, and other aspects of professional life that can leave some employees feeling less than enthusiastic about their jobs. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Baltimore Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

Click here to contact Anne and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

Trust is essential for a good enough relationship. It is possible to be naïve and trust someone too much while at the other end of the continuum is not being able to trust someone. Building trust in a relationship with a partner is a process that takes time.

Most of us learn to trust in others during our formative years. Our beloved parent leaves, then returns; the repetition of this experience helps us build trust that we will be taken care of, and that we are lovable and loved. Our parents scold us when we make a mistake, then give us a hug to reassure us that we are loved even though we make mistakes. It is during those early years that we learn that we are lovable and build the self-esteem we need for our adult years. When we have a strong sense of self-esteem and know that we are lovable, trusting others comes in a natural, easy manner.

Two basic truths concerning trust are: (1) most people will do whatever they believe they need to do, in the moment, to take care of themselves; (2) each individual must trust him or herself to take care of him or herself.

Research has shown that most people who have affairs do so because they are looking for love. Being part of a good enough relationship is part of self-care, and helps us build positive self-esteem. If we become aware that we are in a relationship that is hurtful and damaging to our self-esteem, we will be tempted to become engaged in a relationship with someone else when the opportunity presents itself. Read the rest of this entry

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

While the majority of people who report symptoms associated with post traumatic stress disorder confront challenging and sometimes life-threatening difficulties requiring extensive therapy and other treatments, there is a growing concern over the ability of others to claim such symptoms in a sheer effort to receive compensation money. Taking a look at the history of PTSD as well as its recent appearances in the news (many of which are associated with large sums of money for what might seem like fairly regular or expected events), a UK publication raises the question of whether the medical health professions should be given a more active and intense role in discerning the well-being of those who have experienced high stress and trauma.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Hollywood Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

Though an increasing number of people are approaching psychotherapy as an enlightening way to learn more about themselves and their environment, others work with therapy for specific concerns or events, and in the case of children and teens, this later situation is often the case. Coming forward to a therapist about having been abused is a large and mature step for a young person, note the authors of a recent study on England’s postal code waiting list system for victims of child abuse. The system creates a kind of lottery for access to state mental health care. To have courage met with the promise of a long wait for the attainment of professional mental heath care and services –spanning over a year in some instances– is an understandably negative experience.

The study, which sought to examine exactly how long children and young adults were having to wait to receive proper care from the limited number of England’s providers. While sexual abuse, which served as the primary focus for the study, can be very difficult for children to process and healing may benefit extraordinarily from quality mental health services, the study found that the issue is not held as a priority in the country and within its public health sector. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Fort Collins Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

There are many industries devoted to helping people reduce stress surrounding certain events and in the course of day to day life, and with good reason; too much stress can have significantly adverse effects on mental and physical health. But a new study performed at the University of Buffalo with the use of laboratory mice has shown that some instances of stress can actually be beneficial for memory and performance. Aiming to provide evidence for the idea that short bursts of stress, during which the hormone cortisol is released, can be a positive event, the research team found that mice submitted to a brief forced swim were better able to complete a maze both shortly after the stress and a day later than were their unstressed counterparts. While therapists will likely continue to counsel clients on reducing stress, complete obliteration may not be the best answer.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Fresno Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

The rates of anti-depression and related pharmaceuticals is on the rise, as psychotherapists strive to reach clients with deep and meaningful change many, especially those in the medical establishment, choose to treat issues solely with medications. Recently, a research team in Spain sought to discover the relationship between medication use and established family dysfunction. While the team’s research did not return any significant correlation between dysfunctional family relationships and medication use, it did reveal that an alarming 24% of Spain’s women take anti-depressants, and that over 30% take tranquilizers. Though the mental health professions are gaining popularity and credibility in Spain as in many other parts of the world, a clear need for more quality psychotherapeutic care exists.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Lafayette Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

A recent exploration in the New York Times covers the standing of the on-screen psychotherapist, a classic role that seems to have been deteriorating for quite a while, despite a surge of interest in and use of therapeutic services. From illustrious beginnings depicting therapists as highly educated and insightful characters to modern representations that seem to delight in tearing down the credibility of the therapist, roles on television and in films have become less interested in the basics of psychotherapy, and far more focused on complex and often antagonistic characters that are somehow connected with the mental health professions.

As its case in point, the Times article points to Dr. Hannibal Lecter, the infamous flesh-eating villian from the popular film series initiated by Silence of the Lambs. Following the popularity of this character, who combines sometimes Freudian insights with a brutal and extremely violent “dark side,” creative media outlets have fashioned many other therapists who probably wouldn’t meet modern professional standards. Citing an upcoming movie in which actor Kevin Spacey portrays a drug and alcohol abusing therapist providing off-beat care to his clients, the article questions whether the decline of the on-screen therapist is a result of the need to deconstruct a profession often aimed at deconstructing its clients, or a simple and natural evolution of an archetype. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Tempe Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Headline

While not everybody subscribes to the idea that aromatherapy is all it’s cracked up to be, a study recently performed in Japan has revealed that fragrances can indeed result in lower levels of stress. Working with laboratory mice, the research team tested the efficacy of linalool, a fragrant substance prized for its associations with calming and relaxation, with the result that exposed mice exhibited a normal, relaxed state in contrast to the control group. The study makes no pretense of providing an olfactory miracle cure, but a little lavender or other pleasant scents may go a long way toward aiding therapy sessions.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Naperville Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

It has been said in a number of mediums –though most of them haven’t been too exactly academic– that you can smell another person’s fear. Though the idea that we can sense when other people is afraid is not at all a new concept and has a firm foundation in cognitive science and the study of human relationships, it is not very commonly held that fear can actually, literally be scented. But this may in fact be the case. In a study that reflects the sometimes whimsical world of psychological research, a team from Germany’s University of Dusseldorf has investigated whether the smell of fear is real or simply a fun way to say that we know when there are frightened people afoot.

The study was carried out in a way that might not seem entirely pleasant. In the name of science, however, a group of students were given cotton pads to place in their armpits before an exam. The same group was also given these pads before exercising on a different occasion. After all the pads had been used and collected, students were asked to smell pairs of pads. The smelling took place while subjects were connected to an MRI scanning system. While subjects could not report any difference between the “test anxiety” and “exercise” pads, their brains showed a significant amount of activity in key areas when smelling the “test anxiety” pads. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Kansas City Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

It’s commonly prescribed that when we fail to understand someone, we ought to try “walking a mile in their shoes.” In many situations, we tend to mentally mimic the thought processes, choices, and actions of others, either in a positive or a negative light. We might think ourselves through the determination needed to start an exercise program, or we might fixate on the thoughts that must have been present when someone did something that we didn’t especially appreciate. But while the practice of putting on another’s shoes may help us gain insight, it can also put our minds through the same stress and wear endured by the person who actually engaged in the activity. At Yale University, a psychologist Joshua Ackerman suggests that our willpower is directly influenced by the observation of other acts of willpower, an idea that may be important for mental health professionals who are exposed to such events on a constant basis.

Ackerman and his peers have discussed the idea in an attempt to learn more about the ways in which our relationships to others affect our own mental operation. The idea is readily present behind a common event: observing a friend abstain from eating just one more junk food item or playing just one more round of a video game can inspire us to act in the same way. But it may also be the case that even if we don’t attempt the goal, simply observing it and going through the mental motions behind the event may have similar effects on our consciousness as if we had actually engaged in the activity. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Pleasant Hill Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

For many years, scientists and academicians have worked towards helping to explain the why and how of modern obesity epidemics, both in the United States and in other parts of the world. Recently, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has explored the patterns of thinking about food and eating in relation to behaviors exhibited by those with substance abuse issues, resulting in a significant link between the two. While there are many modern approaches to dieting and weight loss, the assistance of therapy, as in the case of substance abuse, may prove beneficial for overweight clients.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Mckinney Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

There’s been a lot of scandal surrounding the concept of subliminal messages, from their introduction to popular culture in the mid twentieth century to modern ideas about their presence in a number of major brand names and products. The idea that we might be controlled by companies or other agents by means of unnoticed items in advertisements and other forms of media is certainly a sensational one, but for the most part there’s a lack of evidence that we are quite so easily moved. There have been several studies performed on the nature and efficacy of subliminal messages, each with different pieces of wisdom to share about the possibilities of this particular form of mind-control. Recently, Martijn Veltkamp, a dutch researcher, endeavored to add to the body of knowledge on the subject of subliminal messages with a study of his own, and the results may prove comforting for those concerned about the integrity of the mind and our relationship to it.

Veltkamp’s study showed participants a number of media items with suggestive words or comments thrown in, flashing in intervals that are generally accepted as not being long enough to enter the conscious mind. While subjects were sometimes persuaded to act by a certain message, Veltkamp found that these instances only pertained to cases where the subject wanted to act that way in the first place, or when it fulfilled a particular biological need. As an example, Veltkamp cites the tendency of a group of people shown “drinking” and “thirsty” messages to drink from a provided cup of water, but only after they’d been deprived of fluids for a while or had been trained beforehand to associate the words with positive thoughts and feelings. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist St. Louis Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

By Joanna Poppink, LMFT

Click here to contact Joanna and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

For the past two nights I’ve been watching Michael Jackson videos on youtube. Here are a few: Beat It, Billy Jean, Thriller, Michael Jackson & Brittany Spears live, From New York Times: great interactive timeline of Michael Jackson’s life.

I’ve always loved his music and his distinctive and electrifying dance moves. But I had never watched his career unfold chronologically before my eyes from first appearance as a dynamic little boy in the Jackson Five to the creative genius behind Thriller and beyond. His “We are the world” raised millions for starving children in Africa.

Yet at a low Michael was 91 pounds on a five 5′11″ frame. Michael Jackson may have been the ultimate “poor little rich boy.” Did he suffer from anorexia? Maybe. If he did, and I don’t know that he did, it gives me a way to think about his life as well as his death.

Anorexia is not a stand alone illness. It is accompanied by and causes many infirmities. In my opinion, the most troublesome is the thinking distortions that develop from brain cell starvation. This can make a person be powerfully resistant to effective treatment, reach unreasonable conclusions about life situations and create painful chaos in relationships. And, of course, starvation affects every organ in the body with catastrophic consequences. If Michael were anorexic he needed careful and nourishing refeeding.

But living in a more substantial body with more mind clarity would bring him into the reality of a world he could influence tremendously but couldn’t live in personally. Body nourishment, while critical, is only the beginning. Read the rest of this entry

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

There is a fine line between the affliction of a mental or emotional issue that hinders and one that is used to help; while many people who are affected by psychological conditions find themselves unhappy and unable to achieve their desired quality of life, others seem to manifest similar concerns in ways that dazzle us with creativity. The links between genius and pathology are often made, with many famous minds and creative talents pointing to their experiences with a range of issues for which people frequently seek therapy. In a recent issue of The Independent, a prominent UK news publication, writer John Walsh expands upon the history of these links and goes on to seek out their relevance within the context of modern society.

While Walsh touches upon a number of famous figures and phenomenon that might be used to suggest a link between mental distress and creativity or genius, the description of the precise mode in which these two elements sometimes interact is somewhat lacking. While it may be tempting to suggest that someone who is strongly affected by a given mental health issue is more volatile and therefore more likely to produce something remarkable, there seems to be another explanation waiting in the wings. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Anchorage Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

The ability to not let the thoughts and opinions of others interfere with one’s own emotional and mental well-being is an important skill, but the acquiring and refining of this ability isn’t always very easy. Usually associated with a greater degree of vulnerability to peer pressure and other social phenomena, teenagers can sometimes take the opinions of others very seriously. A new study performed at the National Institute of Mental Health has suggested that older teenage girls comprise the group most susceptible to peer judgment, following the use of MRI scanning and data collected from social judgment tasks. The study supports a heightened availability of psychotherapy and mental health services and support for young women, to help foster a healthy and happy personal and social life.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Evanston Bureau - All Rights Reserved.