Category: Art & Practice of Psychotherapy
The Good Therapy Blog
May 26th, 2011 |
I was very young when I knew I wanted to be a therapist. I became particularly interested in depression and how people deal with traumatic events. Never in a million years did I think I would be an addiction expert. After my graduate studies I took an internship at a substance abuse outpatient center. This was purely by chance and because they had a good reputation for offering really good supervision. During my internship it quickly became clear to me that my graduate program in mental health had left me ill prepared to work with substance abuse issues. I kept screening for mental health symptoms... Read More
May 26th, 2011 |
When I was a youngster, about eight years old, I played hide and seek with some of the neighborhood kids. As I fervently and keenly scanned for a good hiding place I happened upon a broken down and rusted refrigerator in an old man’s yard. It was the perfect size so I quickly hopped inside and shut the door (which had lost all of it’s suction) behind me and waited out the hunt smiling with eager anticipation. I emerged from that old icebox the victor that day.
As an eight year old, this thing was not just an old refrigerator; it was the perfect hiding spot. To the uptight neighbor across... Read More
May 26th, 2011 |
A recent article reports on the daunting task ahead of psychiatrists: determining which illnesses, issues and disorders will make it into the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-V. At the annual American Psychiatric Association’s meeting in Honolulu, psychiatrists discussed which personality disorders to eliminate from the manual. The proposal calls for reducing the number from 10 to five, eliminating several frequently diagnosed illnesses including... Read More
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May 25th, 2011 |
So often, people talk about the struggles they experience, and how they’ve grown from the pain in their lives. It’s true, but the sentiment is often that it takes pain to grow. What’s not often discussed is how human beings grow from joy, from being in connection; that is, how we heal and grow stronger from the joyous moments in our lives.
These moments might be in the form of comfort: the savoring of a warm cup of hot chocolate on a cool night, or the texture of flannel sheets, sharing a smile with a stranger on the street. Or, it might be in the form of connection: laughing with friends,... Read More
May 24th, 2011 |
I'm a big proponent for pre-marital counseling, although I don't market myself specifically as a premarital counselor, (and there are some therapists who do specify their work as towards this) I definitely believe that taking the time to plan and discuss things, particularly goals and expectations, is absolutely necessary for long term relationships, whether it involves marriage or just cohabitating together. It's important to know what we are getting into, who we are getting into it with, what their expectations are for the short term and the long term, whether they want children, parenting styles,... Read More
May 24th, 2011 |
We are the only species on Earth capable of preventing our own flowering
-David Whyte
The Creative Urge lives and grows
like a tree in the earth from which it draws its nourishment
-CG Jung
Analytical psychology at its core emphasizes the process of individuation, a life-long process of transformation. Each of us is unique and called to grow in maturity through a process of psychic integration. How can we explore and expand our creativity in the process of individuating? What are some ways we can we develop our creative, playful selves? Read More
May 23rd, 2011 |
Yes, May is Perinatal Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S.! That sure sounds like a mouthful, doesn't it? And what is “perinatal” anyhow? Well, I will happily explain...
“Perinatal” pertains to the period of time from conception, through pregnancy and up to a year postpartum (after having a baby) and it is a very important time in a woman's life where she is very vulnerable to the number one complication of having a baby: perinatal depression.
That's why so many important non-profits and task forces are working hard to get the word out about perinatal mental health awareness.... Read More
May 17th, 2011 |
Play is serious business!
-Caitlin 'Cake' Gateaux
I was asked by the US Play Coalition research committee to collect personal statements about ideas and beliefs that are connected to the question, what is play?
How we define play and its value is shaped by many personal, historical, and cultural influences. Darell Hammond, in his recently published book, KaBOOM! How One Man Built a Movement to Save Play, writes about the reality of a play deficit in our communities. He calls on those of us who recognize the value of play (and there aren’t enough of us out there, he says) to take action... Read More
May 16th, 2011 |
For all the research that has been done in the last twenty years attempting to understand the brain, the organ at the top of our spine retains its essential mystery. We know more now than ever how the brain works, how it has developed over the centuries to do the miraculous things it does, and what is happening to it when it gets injured. Doctors, parents, coaches and professional athletes are more alert to the dangers of brain concussion. Neurologists study to become adept at repairing the brain with surgery, cellular transplant, or electrical stimulus. Every one of us has a stake in the health... Read More
May 16th, 2011 |
The following is an abbreviated version of an Art Therapy experiential that I often give to first time clients to help warm them up to how Art Therapy can provide insight into concerns or issues that may not be in the forefront of the mind and thought. This process allows unconscious feelings and memories to bubble up from depths of their being.
If possible, read and implement one instruction at a time. This will give your mind an experience of not knowing what to expect and help your responses to be more spontaneous thereby reducing attempts to influence the outcome. Try to insure that you... Read More
May 13th, 2011 |
Oh no! Not another media medical correspondent saying what Catherine Zeta-Jones is dealing with – bipolar two – is not curable, but can only be managed and controlled. Not only did one more medical editor say this about Zeta-Jones, but he said it about mental illness in general: “When it comes to mental illness, you talk about it more as controlled and managed*…“
There are those adults in this world who are aware and understand that true healing is possible…who have not given up, and who have been working to help bring true healing to our world. There are those adults in our world... Read More
May 11th, 2011 |
Many people curb their nervousness with a nice glass of wine or other alcohol beverage. Whether you’re gathering the courage to socialize with people you barely know, fly on an airplane, or even if you’re just feeling worried about the future, alcohol can help loosen inhibitions and dampen self doubt and fears. While you may feel more relaxed temporarily, using alcohol to tame your anxiety can backfire in the long run.
Immediate Effects
Even though you may be feeling calmer after the first one or two drinks, your body is processing the alcohol and the physiological effects can actually... Read More
May 11th, 2011 |
Last night I dreamt that a woman with long octopus arms was breaking into my house by slipping through the cracks in the door, which I kept shutting, and she kept opening. When I woke up I heard the phone ringing- it was my daughter, who had been out late celebrating her birthday with her boyfriend. She forgot her keys and was locked out, and I was too deep asleep to hear her ring the door bell. The bell sounds had gotten tangled in my dream life, but the phone sounds broke in.
Once awake, I got up to open the door, kissed her and wished her happy birthday. She apologized, and I gestured my... Read More
May 10th, 2011 |
Many of the partners or loved ones (POLOs) of those struggling with addiction often seem reluctant to get help for themselves. I’m not sure why that is, but I’m hoping this article provides some answers.
These beleaguered folks are often fixated on the behavior of the loved one who struggles with drugs or alcohol (or other compulsions). Of course, it’s hard not to fixate on rampantly destructive behaviors. It often seems as though families where addiction is present are always struggling to either avoid or deal with addiction’s collateral damage (financial, emotional, professional,... Read More
