Category: Religious Issues
The Good Therapy Blog
January 5th, 2012 |
The majority of Americans believe in a higher power or God. Eighty percent of people living in the United States are affiliated with a structured form of religion, and the majority of those people consider their faith a significant aspect of their lives. “Thus, religion is likely to impact the lives of many counseling and therapy clients in the United States and may even play an integral part in their therapy,” said Marilyn A. Cornish of the Department of Psychology at Iowa State University. “A number of studies have... Read More
© Copyright 2012 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Pleasant Hill Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
December 27th, 2011 |
Adolescents who have thrill-seeking personalities are more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol. “Among risk factors in the individual domain, sensation seeking consistently has been identified as a positive predictor of health risk behaviors (Zuckerman, 2006), including substance use,” said Alex W. Mason of the National Research Institute for Child and Family Studies in Boys Town, Nebraska, and lead author of a recent study. “An important adolescent protective factor in the individual domain is religiosity.”... Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist San Antonio Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
December 23rd, 2011 |
Intimate relationships provide emotional support and companionship that can result in many positive psychological health benefits. But often, marriage can be a source of stress. For African-American couples, the success of their relationships can be significantly influenced by specific factors, including income and education. In a recent study, Carolyn E. Cutrona of the Department of Psychology at Iowa State University used the vulnerability-stress-adaptation model of adaptive processes, stressful life events and enduring vulnerabilities to gauge marital stability in African-American couples. “Of... Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Pasadena Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
December 13th, 2011 |
Colleges today are faced with many obstacles that can limit treatment to depressed college students, such as budget restrictions, time constraints and too few clinicians. In order to determine if an alternative intervention, the behavioral activation of religious behaviors (BARB), would be an effective tool for treating depression in college students, Maria E. A. Armento of the Department of Psychology at the University of Tennessee, enrolled students from... Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Sherman Oaks Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
October 31st, 2011 |
The tradition of honoring the departed with rituals and sweets exists in almost every culture.
In Mexico, there is Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, which is celebrated in conjunction with the Catholic holidays of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, when prayers and offerings are made to the deceased, and families gather to remember and reconnect with those who have passed on before them.
Halloween, occurring the day before Día de los Muertos, has been combined with the Mexican holiday in certain places, but often fails to focus on the departed while it emphasizes the paranormal... Read More
October 31st, 2011 |
Every so often I will be treating a couple, one of whom says that the other doesn’t care about religion or spiritual matters. The complainant may cite a lack of support for his or her spiritual or religious activities. Sometimes the partner resents the time devoted to religious/spiritual pursuits. Sometimes one or the other person feels alone when it comes to events that are more couple or family oriented (such as holiday celebrations). In my religion, the Yoruba/Lucumi faith, the activities, initiations, drumming, etc. are so labor-intensive, it is hard to imagine being with someone who isn’t... Read More
October 21st, 2011 |
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Divorce can cause emotional and financial distress, and a sense of extreme loss. But for individuals who have deep religious faith, divorce can have a positive and negative effect. “Research suggests that those who divorce experience increased psychological distress, such as greater depression and decreased happiness,” said Elizabeth J. Krumrei, of the Department of Psychology at Pepperdine University. “However, it is also possible for divorce to relate to beneficial changes and personal growth.” There has been extensive research on how various factors, including social, economic,... Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Phoenix Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
September 26th, 2011 |
I took a break from writing my monthly article this past summer because I thought I was running out of things to write about. I also knew that it was going to be a tumultuous time for me, and I wanted to be fully in the experience and not have to be concerned about deadlines. It may seem that 600 words is not a lot, but when you’re struggling, it can be the same as having to write a novel.
As predicted, the summer was difficult for me personally and for the world. There has been a lot of cleaning and clearing going on, most of which has been dramatic and life-changing. Much of it has been... Read More
January 18th, 2011 |
The term “spiritual bankruptcy” is a word used in the rooms of 12 step programs to characterize addicts who have lost their connection to “higher power.” One dictionary definition describes spiritual bankruptcy as “a state of complete lack of some abstract property.” As we begin the year, I’ve been pondering what I believe “spiritual bankruptcy” means and how it appears in the people I know personally and treat in my practice.
If I were to think of the personal qualities of someone who seems to be spiritually bankrupt, what comes to mind is despair. The spiritually bankrupt... Read More
December 27th, 2010 |
Though Christmas is more visibly prevalent, it’s not the only holiday celebrated in the U.S. during December. Far from it. As Americans increasingly identify themselves as members of a diverse, multicultural nation, it’ll be important for kids to be familiar with holidays beyond their own, rights Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D. She provides an excellent primer of just some of the holidays observed by communities in the U.S. and suggests that parents teach their kids about these holidays... Read More
© Copyright 2010 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Phoenix Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
December 18th, 2010 |
Getting treatment for an eating disorder often requires the joint care of a therapist or counselor as well as a medical physician, if the disorder has progressed enough to cause bodily harm. But among some communities, acknowledging eating disorders (and mental health concerns in general) is difficult to do. The Orthodox Jewish community is one example, according to several doctors and counselors who specialize in eating disorders; they say that Orthodox... Read More
© Copyright 2010 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Newport Beach Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
December 13th, 2010 |
As the year draws to a close, I find myself reminiscing about the end of 2010 and the end of the first decade of the 21st century. For me, the year feels like it has gone by quickly. I know that in reality one year is the same as the next in terms of the actual passage of time, but it is a truism that our perception of how much and how quickly time has passed changes as we age, with our circumstances and with our sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.
Personally, the year has been one of change and greater fulfillment, understanding and satisfaction. I have experienced changes in my relationships,... Read More
December 10th, 2010 |
A GoodTherapy.org News Summary
Many people are so unhappy that they find a therapist or counselor to work through their struggles. Plenty more people are content enough with their lives. But some are truly happy. Where does that happiness come from? Does money buy it? Self-confidence? Safety? Support systems? A fulfilling job? Pets? Everyone’s combination of life experience is different, but repeated studies have identified that some groups tend to be happier than others. Recent studies have looked a bit closer at the happiness quotient of two specific (though very different) groups: people... Read More
© Copyright 2010 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist San Antonio Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
September 24th, 2010 |
A new article published by the American Psychological Association looks a numerous studies, published between 1964 and 2008, focused on the mental health and psychological well-being of Holocaust survivors. Most living survivors were children during World War II, and the report finds notable differences in their long term well being based on where they lived after the war. Jewish Holocaust survivors living in Israel had consistently lower levels of PTSD, anxiety, and emotional stress and higher levels of... Read More
© Copyright 2010 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Lafayette Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
