Blogging on Good Therapy

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Jolyn Wells-Moran, PhD, MSW

What if we were able to identify who is at risk for development of bipolar disorder even before it occurs? What if we were then able to prevent the illness from ever occurring in those lives? What if we could individualize treatment for bipolar disorder according to the precise genes contributing to the person’s disorder? It now appears that with genetic testing, prevention and better treatment may be attainable in the foreseeable future, thanks to a major study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.

The group of neuroscientists initially gleaned data from genome-wide association research and other results on the activity of genes in humans and animals. Alexander B. Niculescu III, M.D., Ph.D., Indiana University, said, “The process was similar to a Google approach, the more links there are to a page on the Internet, the more likely it is to come up at the top of your search list.” In other words, they looked at genes that had already been identified as contributing to bipolar disorder, in the existing research literature, and prioritized them on the strength of evidence. The investigators were then able to create a genetic map of the disorder, a landmark development. Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

It has long been known that depression increase the risk of heart disease by as much as 50%. A new study of Veterans in San Francisco indicates that the reason for this may be surprisingly simple: depressed people rarely exercise, and lack of exercise is well-known contributor to heart ailments.

Doctors at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco tracked the behaviors of 1,017 patients with heart disease, and about 10 percent of depressed heart patients had additional heart problems, compared with only 6.7 percent of other patients. That relatively small difference became a 31 percent higher risk of heart problems among the depressed people once confounding variables were removed. However, once the variable of exercise was removed, the difference vanished. Patients who didn’t exercise had a 44 percent higher risk of heart problems, whether or not they were depressed. Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Jolyn Wells-Moran, PhD, MSW

A new study at Howard University, Washington, DC, has discovered that having a purpose in life may protect against the potential psychological effects of trauma and be helpful to recovery for those who do develop a trauma-related psychiatric disorder (Alim, Feder & Graves, 2008). Principal investigator, Tanya N. Alim, MD, said the findings show a significant relationship between purpose in life prior to trauma and resilience — lack of development of a psychiatric disorder related to the trauma, and between development of a purpose in life and recovery from psychiatric disorder related to trauma (Cassels, 2008). Study participants were 259 African-Americans who had experienced at least one major traumatic incident in their lives. The study was conducted in order to address the lack of evidence for effective treatment of trauma-related psychiatric disorders. Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

Several studies demonstrate the profound benefit of meditation on emotions, the brain, and mental health. The use of sophisticated technologies has made it possible to prove empirically what many therapists have believed for years – and what Buddhists, Hindus, and other religious and spiritual schools have taught for millennia.

Regular meditation in particular has a measurable effect on a several brain structures related to attention, and can actually change the physical structure of the brain.

In September, a team of Emory University researchers reported that people using Zen Buddhist techniques were much better than control subjects at refocusing their attention on their breath. The study, “‘Thinking about Not-Thinking:’ Neural Correlates of Conceptual Processing During Zen Meditation,” was published in the Internet journal PLoS ONE. Its conclusion that “meditative training may foster the ability to control the automatic cascade of semantic associations triggered by a stimulus and, by extension, to voluntarily regulate the flow of spontaneous mentation,” added force to similar findings at Emory last year. Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org Featured Column written by Cedar Barstow, M.Ed., C.H.T.

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

“The task is to recognize our interdependence, honor boundaries and differences, and remember connectedness.” - Dyrian Benz

“Find the optimum closeness/distance to enable you to experience your OWN unique center of aliveness and awareness, as well as the other’s unique center.” - Mukara Meredith

Good boundaries are a centerpiece for safe and successful relationships. Boundaries are, as well, the space that people consider part of their identity. Skin is the physical boundary. People also have energetic and emotional boundaries. Inadvertent boundary crossings can be very upsetting. Boundaries are very individual, can be negotiated between people, are often communicated non-verbally. They are influenced by cultural values, styles and expectations. Try checking with your clients about precisely what feels to them like the right distance from you. You may be surprised about the amount of variation. Boundaries serve well to provide a consistent container that can define, contain, and limit relationships. Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

A new study from the University of Maryland sociology department provides evidence for what many teachers, parents, and therapists have long suspected: Happy people watch less tv.

John Robinson, UM sociology and the author of the study, and his colleagues relied on 35 years of data collected by the University of Chicago General Social Survey from about 45,000 Americans. The UM study looked at peoples’ level of happiness and then drew correlations with 10 activities, including going to church, visiting friends, reading newspapers and watching television. All of the activities were more likely engaged in by happy people, with the prominent exception of watching tv. In that case, the happiest people watched the least tv, and the least happy people watched the most. The data is correlative, not necessarily causal. Does unhappiness lead to more time in front of the tube, or vice-versa?

“I don’t know that turning off the TV will make you more happy,” Dr. Robinson said. The best predictor of how much time one watches television is whether one is employed. Unemployment can lead to unhappiness, and to more tv time. A controlled study would be very difficult, so causation may never be demonstrated.

Still, the study is certainly an indication that excessive time watching tv will usually be an indicator of dissatisfaction.

Click here to contact Daniel and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile ©Copyright 2008 by GoodTherapy.org All Rights Reserved. Questions or concerns about the following article can be directed to the author or posted as a comment to this blog entry. Click here to contact Daniel and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Jolyn Wells-Moran, PhD, MSW

A research report released in late October by the VA (Veteran’s Administration) states that 15% of military personnel who received some medical service from the VA suffered sexual trauma while in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to Reuters. The majority of those who screened positively for sexual trauma were women, one in seven who sought some form of VA service after leaving the military. The VA documented that one percent of men discharged from the military reported sexual trauma. All VA medical service users are screened for sexual trauma, defined as psychological disturbance related to an unwanted sexual advance, including sexual assault and severe sexual harassment.

The study found that this group were one and one-half times more likely to require mental health treatment. Rachel Kimerling of the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in California, where the study was conducted, noted that not only can sexual trauma result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but also in substance abuse, depression and anxiety. Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

A new study by the MacArthur Foundation contains good news for stressed parents: the Internet, as used by teenagers, does not appear to be as dangerous a place as conventionally assumed in most cases, and may in fact have benefits.

“It may look as though kids are wasting a lot of time hanging out with new media, whether it’s on MySpace or sending instant messages,” said Mizuko Ito, lead researcher on the study. “But their participation is giving them the technological skills and literacy…They’re learning how to get along with others, how to manage a public identity…”

The study began in 2005 and ended this summer, and describes new-media usage but does not measure its effects. However, based on the patterns discovered by the study, enhancement of teen happiness and productivity appears more likely than, for example, sexual predation or exposure to destructive influences. Read the rest of this entry »

By Sherry Gaba, LCSW

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

If you are like most people, you are feeling the effects of the economy. The fears of a failing economy, fallen house prices, banks going out of business, and high gas prices cannot be alleviated by an “economic rescue package.” What most people are needing is instead, a “mental health rescue package.” My private practice has never been busier and the issue du jour is anticipatory anxiety over an uncertain financial marketplace. Perhaps our parents and grandparents can remember days gone by of soup kitchens and people throwing themselves out of tall buildings because of the depression. I don’t know if we are not that far off from similar desperate measures due to desperation in these frantic times.. Certainly, my associates are seeing more depression and signs of helplessness and hopelessness with their clients. If managing stress was the buzz before the economic downturn, it is most definitely needed in today’s financially disastrous times.

Some people get confused with the differences between pressure and stress. Pressure is what is happening to you, while stress is how you react to those pressures. Stress is composed of the thoughts that we believe are happening, although there is not always any reality related to those thoughts. For example, you may have a boss that is in a bad mood but you instantly believe he is going to fire you and that may not be necessarily true. Therefore, be careful what you think because that may be what is causing you unnecessary stress in your daily life. Read the rest of this entry »

By Aylee Welch, LICSW

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

In the world of western psychotherapy “Body Oriented Psychotherapy” appears to be a new trend. But in reality Body-Psychotherapy dates back to the days of Sigmund Freud. Body-Psychotherapy was pioneered by Wilhelm Reich, who lived from 1897-1957. Reich grew up on a farm in what is now the Ukraine. He was tutored at home and spent most of his time outside. He was a natural scientist, known to experiment with breeding insects and animals as a child. He fled his home in 1914 because of WWI. After the war He went to medical school and by 1920 he was active in Freud’s inner circle and considered one of Freud’s most promising students. By 1922 he had his own “bio-psychiatry” practice and was an astute researcher and lecturer.

At this time Freud was hypothesizing that “neurosis” was caused by denial of our natural sexual instincts which leads to frustration. He called this sexual energy “libido”. It is well known that Freud later diluted this idea, in part because of his reaction to patients telling him about sexual abuse, and because of the complicated social implications of the discovery.

Meanwhile, Reich was conducting experiments that led him to conclude that life energy can be qualitatively measured in the body and that the natural build-up and discharge of this energy heightens one’s sense of well-being. Or, if it is frustrated, it can lead to the development of physical armoring and psychological problems. Reich was able to confirm the existence of this biological energy (which is more than sexual excitation) that he called “orgone energy” in the human body. He also verified its presence in the earth’s atmosphere; he developed instrumentation to observe and collect it in plants, and he harnessed it for a variety of purposes. It is because of Reich’s work that science made progress in areas such as cancer treatment, motor power and weather experimentation. But Reich’s passion and his life study was human behavior. Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org Featured Column written by Sarah Jenkins, MC, LPC

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

“When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” - C.S. Lewis

After my childhood, then teenage years, my musings and passion for creative writing “grew up,” succumbing to the norms that college and graduate school required. My journals, having unceremoniously insisted that they be my comfort and companion through every experience, were buried under my “adult” responsibilities.

I meant to write and I was inspired to. Nevertheless, I rarely did. My muses stood by, impatiently, in the unemployment line, eagerly waiting for the next job. Mostly, they waited for me to find the “right” time to pit pen to paper. Granted, words would often materialize, unexpectedly, as if apparitions out of thin air. Joyous and full of energy, they eagerly sprung into step, as if dancing around a maypole, circling me in celebration of me joining them. But, there were many times that I consciously ignored them. At least they trusted that I would return to play with them. I did, albeit twelve years later.

As we “grow up” the playful and creative activities we once loved are often the first to be tossed overboard if the ship goes down. Yet, is in the act of playing that you can find what your spirit hungers for. The most playful, creative, inspiring and “childish” activities can offer a life preserver, to carry us from all of those “have to’s.” They ask that we remember what it feels like to have fun and color outside the lines of expectation and judgment.

Writing is good for me; it feeds me. At the same time, perhaps like you, there are so many other things to juggle. This phone call. That person. That deadline. This meeting. You name it; there is always “something” that has to be done. Nevertheless, we should also allow ourselves to do what is playful and nurturing; we need it to find balance in our lives. At the same time, some activities are just good for us, period. Kind of like broccoli, you know? You don’t ask “why,” you just know it is.

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” - George Bernard Shaw Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Jolyn Wells-Moran, PhD, MSW

New York State has just joined the movement for evidenced-based best practices in a big way. The state is currently developing the Evidence-Based Practice Technical Assistance Center (EBP-TAC) to help upgrade New York State’s mental health services. The State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Columbia Medical Center’s New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) are collaborating to “improve mental health services, insure accountability, and promote recovery-oriented outcomes for consumers and families,” according to a press release from (State of New York OMH, 2008). It’s hoped that improved physical health outcomes for people with major mental health disorders, a serious issue, will also be a result. Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

A new study suggests yet another use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in helping people change their behaviors, this time in the treatment of smokers who suffer depression after a heart attack and are using tobacco to cope. Smoking is a severe risk factor in cardiac arrest, but quitting can of course be very difficult. CBT plus good social support seems to significantly enhance one’s ability to abstain from tobacco.

Dr. Mickey Trockel of Stanford University Medical School report that CBT alone isn’t generally enough to assist smokers in quitting, but that CBT in the context of a good social support system does greatly improve the chances of people trying to quit smoking. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Members and Visitors to GoodTherapy.org,

Today the GoodTherapy.org Team and many GT members enjoyed the third event in our Fall Teleconference Series: ‘Addictions, Compulsions, & Self-Sabotage: A Multi-level Approach to Trauma’s Legacy’ presented by Dusty Miller, Ed.D. Big thank yous to Dusty for presenting on her approach to helping people with trauma.

Dusty Miller, Ed.D. is a psychologist, consultant and writer. She is the Director of the ATRIUM institute in Belchertown, Massachusetts. She is the author of the pioneering book for therapists and consumers on self harm and trauma, Women Who Hurt Themselves (1994; Tenth Anniversary Edition, 2005). Dr Miller’s other books include: Addictions and Trauma Recovery: Healing the Body, Mind and Spirit (2001, co-authored with Dr. Laurie Guidry); Your Surviving Spirit: A Workbook of Spiritual Resources for Coping with Trauma, (2003); Stop Running From Love: 3 Steps to Overcoming Emotional Distancing & Fear of Intimacy, (2008); and numerous journal articles on addictions and trauma, including featured articles in Psychiatric Quarterly and Psychotherapy Networker

Dusty Miller’s approach to addictions, compulsions and self-sabotage has been successfully implemented in a variety of settings, including community centers, hospitals, outpatient clinics, correctional systems, and private practice. Dr. Miller provides training in the U.S. and Canada in trauma and addiction programs. Dr.Miller’s presentations have been hosted by The Hazelden Foundation, The Renfrew Center Foundation conferences, The Annual Psychotherapy Networker Symposium,The New England Institute for Learning seminars (Cape Cod & Santa Fe), and Leading Edge Seminars.

For more information about Dusty and her work, please visit her website: http://www.dustymiller.org/

Thanks to all of you who attended today’s event,
Noah :)

Noah Rubinstein, LMFT
Executive Director
http://www.GoodTherapy.org

A GoodTherapy.org Featured Column written by Mary Ellen Barnes, Ph.D. & Ed Wilson, Ph.D., MAC

Click here to contact Mary Ellen and/or see her Profile
Click here to contact Ed and/or see his Profile

“Two things will be believed about any man whatsoever, and one is that he has taken to drink.” -Booth Tarkington

It isn’t unusual for people to seek treatment for their alcohol abuse problems when divorce is looming on the horizon. Indeed, probably two thirds of our clients come to us with crumbling marriages. What is surprising is that at a few of these clients don’t really have an alcohol problem and many of the rest are abusing alcohol, but aren’t alcoholics.

How does that happen?

Simply put, the treatment industry has promoted a Catch-22 model: if you’re accused of being an alcoholic and you agree, then obviously you are. But if you don’t agree then you still are – you’re just in denial. As Mr. Tarkington observed long ago, it’s a label that can be hurled at anyone and it will stick. And divorcing spouses like to use it just for that reason, it will stick and they will be able to leverage it to get what they want or at least make your life miserable for a while longer.

What is the reality? At a recent conference in western Canada, one presenter after another pointed out what a few of us have known for a long time, most people seeking help with their alcohol problems aren’t alcohol dependent “alcoholics” - they’re alcohol abusers who can be cured. But you won’t hear that if you go looking for help, or, God help you, an honest evaluation.

Why not? Because over 95% of all alcohol treatment programs are based on the assumption that you’re a powerless and diseased alcoholic, or you’re an alcoholic who’s in denial. Regardless, the outcome of any evaluation will be to put you in one of those two categories and “treat” you accordingly. It’s not an attractive prospect for anyone who actually cares about their future. Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine supports the effectiveness of combined medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy for children with anxiety. The study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, utilized sertraline, which is sold under Pfizer’s brand name Zoloft, to treat a majority of 488 kids, aged 7-17. Some of the subjects also received CBT, and some got CBT alone. The rest were given a placebo

The results were quite convincing. While just under 60% showed improvement with either medications or CBT alone, over 80% improved with combined therapy. Under one quarter showed improvement with a placebo alone. Read the rest of this entry »

By Judith Barr, MA, LMHC

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

People don’t generally want to look at how politics and psychology are joined. But if we don’t, we will miss the seam that allows us to utilize what is happening in our world for the deepest healing and transformation possible!

When something brings up intense, deep, raw feelings for you . . .
It means something in your past has been triggered.
It means something within you has been evoked.
It is becoming more commonly known in our world that this is true in our personal lives and our professional lives.

For example . . . Read the rest of this entry »

The GoodTherapy.org Team is very pleased to announce that the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) has awarded GoodTherapy.org with Approved Continuing Education Provider Status. This status is a high compliment to the GT Continuing Education Team who over the last year has produced nearly a dozen excellent events. Thanks to Whitney Whitman, MS, our new Continuing Education Provider, for all of her work scheduling some excellent events for the 2008 and 2009 calendar. We look forward to announcing our upcoming events. Click on the following link for more information on our live teleconferences for therapists

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

Researchers at Brown University in Rhode Island are reporting that children as young as four can meet criteria for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). This condition, associated with anxiety, has been studied in older children and adolescents, but this new study was the largest ever study of OCD in preschool age.

“OCD, if left untreated, can significantly disrupt a child’s growth and development and can worsen as the child gets older,” said Abbe Garcia, PhD, director of the Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center (BHCRC) Pediatric Anxiety Research Clinic at Brown, and chief author of the new study. “[E]arly diagnosis and intervention are critical to reducing the severity of symptoms and improving quality of life.” Read the rest of this entry »

By Jeanine Austin, Ph.D.

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

Part of my job as the Department Head of Social Services when I worked for a skilled nursing facility was to have regular client contact. One morning, I stopped by to see how Mr. and Mrs. Carol (not their real names) were doing. As soon as I stepped in the room I felt I was entering into a combat zone. The couple was sparring loudly about which television program they were going to watch: People’s Court or Sally Jesse Raphael. Not five seconds into the debate, in horror I watched a cup of hot tea, launched by Mr. Carol, fly past my head only to narrowly miss Mrs. Carol, his bride of more than 60 years. Not to be outdone, Mrs. Carol chucked her full tray of gooey hospital food towards Mr. Carol. For someone in her final days of a terminal illness, she surprisingly mustered enough strength to create a giant mess with food landing on the ceiling, windows and walls. Indignant and incensed, I looked at my 90-something year old patients and exclaimed with all the authority a 23 year old might command and said, “You two should be ashamed of yourselves!”

Back in my office, I reviewed the couple’s intake and psychosocial assessments. Their marital history was unremarkable and by all accounts it was a happy liaison. What was up with these two crazy characters? Then it hit me. They didn’t know how to say goodbye to each other. Of course, it is much easier to contemplate leaving someone who is on your last nerve than someone whom you feel a warm fuzzy connection with. I was able to bring this up later with Mr. and Mrs. Carol and they both acknowledged that their bickering the last few weeks had to do with their fears of losing each other. Read the rest of this entry »

by Noah Rubinstein, LMFT
Executive Director GoodTherapy.org

The phrase “good therapy” encourages a misconception: the idea that there is such a thing as pure good therapy, a process exempt of any problems or issues. In the same way that a good marriage is not one without problems, but rather one that works through problems – so is good therapy. No therapist is perfect and no therapy can be provided perfectly, no matter how ideal a therapy may be in theory. Even those of us who do the best we can to be conscious of our inner world and attuned to the therapeutic process have aspects we are unaware of, pieces of ourselves unhealed, and mistakes we make. Good therapy is the sum of all the experiences, internal and external, occurring as a result of the imperfect psychotherapy process; and it leads toward self-awareness, growth, and the release of extreme feelings, energies, and beliefs. And what a blessing it is that even the best therapy can be lined with areas of unawareness, mistakes, challenges to the therapeutic relationship, and yet still turn out good…like a marriage. Perhaps we even need a little bad therapy mixed in with all the good? As paradoxical as that sounds, think of the beautiful repairs you and your life partner may have made, the important problems you’ve worked out with friends, and perhaps the repairs you’ve made in therapy with the people you work with. A solid repair improves the connection and deepens the trust. So, cheers to road bumps in therapy, within all relationships, and within ourselves! Read More about ‘Good Therapy, Bad Therapy, & Everything in Between.’

Click here to contact Noah and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

If you thought telephone therapy was going too far from the human touch, wait until you read this: Astronauts will receive computerized therapy during space flights under a new NASA project, called the Virtual Space Station, which gets underway next month with some terrestrial-bound clinical trials on civilians in Boston.

The cost of the program is just under two-million dollars.

Space flight can also be stressful, isolating and depressing. The job is dangerous and comes with tremendous pressure. Colleagues may spend days, weeks, or even months living in extremely close quarters without a break, and are separated from friends and family for extended periods. And the normal comforts and coping skills of home – a delicious meal, a walk in the sunshine, a long bath, or a night on the town, are unavailable.

The new project is sponsored by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, and will provide a recorded video therapist to provide the popular therapy called “problem-solving treatment,” helping astronauts identify depression, its causes, and possible solutions they can implement while in space flight, before symptoms grow too intense and interfere with their mission. Then astronauts can type in a description of their problems and feelings and the video therapist responds. Astronauts can also practice conflict resolution with role-playing, and will have access to virtual psychology text books.

Twenty-nine current and former astronauts have been consulted for the project, but it has great potential for many populations, such as scientists or soldiers at remote outposts, or anyone who has physical or emotional difficulty getting to appointments in person.

The program comes in response partly to past experiences. In 1985, a mission on Russia’s Salyut 7 space had to aborted when the commander become depressed and lethargic. Three years earlier, another Salyut mission was almost abandoned due to conflicts between two astronauts.

Click here to contact Daniel and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile ©Copyright 2008 by GoodTherapy.org All Rights Reserved. Questions or concerns about the following article can be directed to the author or posted as a comment to this blog entry. Click here to contact Daniel and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile
Therapist Seattle

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

A new study in the Journal Human Reproduction reports that depression is a measurable risk factor for pregnant women and their infants, leading to higher rates of premature birth. “Depression during pregnancy has been understudied, under- recognized and frequently ignored,” Dr. De-Kun Li, who authored the study, told Bloomberg News. “Now, we have the strong evidence that I hope will raise the alarm.”

Previous research indicates that as many as a fifth of pregnant women will experience depression, with about 1 out of 15 pregnant women having severe symptoms like anhedonia, sleep disturbance, and suicidality. In this new study by Kaiser Permanente, of 791 San Francisco Kaiser members 10 weeks pregnant, 41% had either significant or severe depression symptoms, and women with symptoms of severe depression had twice the risk of early delivery in the new study. Women with less severe depression had a 60 percent higher risk of giving birth prematurely, defined as delivery before 37 weeks. Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

The suicide rate in the United States is increasing for the first time in a decade, according to a new study at Johns Hopkins that relies on CDC data. The study was remarkable not just for this reversal in trend, but for a demographic surprise: The rate of suicide is increasing fastest among middle-aged white women.

The researchers found that from 1999 to 2005, the overall suicide rate in the United States rose 0.7 percent. However, among middle-aged white women, the annual increase was 3.9 percent; among middle-aged white men it was 2.7 percent.

The study did contain some good news: suicides have declined among the elderly, possibly due to more attention to suicide risk in older adults, resulting in successful interventions with depressed individuals, including mental health services and social supports.

The suicide rate also declined for black Americans and remained stable for Asians and Native Americans.

Among women, “this 40-to-64 age group has been neglected,” said Susan P. Baker, public health professor and lead researcher on the study. “The death rates were higher in elderly white males, and there has been a lot of attention to teenagers and young adults.”

The most frequent method of suicide was using a firearm, although the rate of suicide by this method declined. Suicide by hanging and suffocation rose significantly, accounting for 22 percent of all suicides by 2005. Among men, hanging/suffocation rates increased 6.3 percent annually; among women, the yearly rise was 2.3 percent. Poisoning accounted for 18 percent of suicides, the study found.

The report was published online Oct. 21 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Click here to contact Daniel and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile ©Copyright 2008 by GoodTherapy.org All Rights Reserved. Questions or concerns about the following article can be directed to the author or posted as a comment to this blog entry. Click here to contact Daniel and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile
Therapist Seattle

By Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D.

Click here to contact Arthur and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

Attachment is fundamental to healthy development, normal personality, and the capacity to form healthy and authentic emotional relationships. How can you determine whether your child has attachment issues that require attention? What is normal behavior, and what are the signs of attachment issues? If you’ve adopted an infant, when will you see attachment problems develop? These and other related questions are often at the forefront of adoptive parents’ minds. In this article I will help you understand what to look for and how to identify concerns. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jeanine Austin, Ph.D.

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

Years ago, I was working late at my office in social services when two young prostitutes who had just been released from jail knocked on the front door of the building. They were in need or food and clothing. Despite their inquiry, they were somewhat sarcastic and rude. My intuitive feeling was that neither of them was long for this world. They both appeared to be drug addicted and seriously ill.

I got them some both something to eat and then I took them into the storage room to look for some clothes. They both began to choose the clothing they wanted. One of the young women had red hair and when she tried on a blue blouse her blue eyes shone. I told her how pretty she looked in the blouse. Her demeanor instantly changed and I think I knew why. In that moment, I acknowledged her not as a drug addicted prostitute, someone to be thrown away, but as a dignified human being. That lesson has stayed with me throughout the years. Read the rest of this entry »

By Lisa Brookes Kift, MFT

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

From the time we are born, relationships are one of the most important things to all of us. Our behavior has the power to either bring people closer to us - or push them away. Consider for a moment the people in your life; your family, friends and intimate partnerships. What is the quality of relationship you have with them?

Are there people in your life who are behaving in a way towards you that causes distress, sadness, confusion or anger? Is there not a shred of evidence to support the possibility that they take responsibility for this and/or willing to make changes for the sake of the relationship? Ask yourself whether this works for you. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Members and Visitors to GoodTherapy.org,

Today the GoodTherapy.org Team and many GT members enjoyed the second event in our Fall Teleconference Series: ‘Emotional Intelligence in Relationships: Advanced Strategies for Teaching your Clients to Rewire Outmoded Emotional Habits’ presented by Brent Atkinson, Ph.D. A great big thank you to Brent for presenting his fascinating work with couples and sharing his wisdom about applying emotional intelligence and findings from neuroscience to therapy with couples. Read the rest of this entry »

Written by Jeanette Raymond, Ph.D.

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

If you are considering entering into psychotherapy chances are it is because of a strong sense of unease within yourself. There is a powerful urge to get rid of that discomfort no matter how it is manifest. It may be anger, jealousy, guilt, feeling constantly wounded, fear of losing an important relationship, or a sense of frustration/dissatisfaction with the way  life is. Often there is a need to feel in control of your life, or a desire to discover if you are lovable no matter how bad you think you are. Sometimes there is a massive fear of change and needing a place where the world can stop for a while. Whatever the initial reason for seeking psychotherapy the basis for the work will mean exploring the relationship you have with yourself. The process can be long and arduous and it takes courage and forbearance. It requires allowing yourself to pass through many stages of self-discovery while you get relief from your discomfort. Read the rest of this entry »

By Barbi Pecenco Kolski, Marriage & Family Therapist Intern

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

People often come into therapy talking about what bad people they are and go on to describe the “horrible” things they have done. Their language is often extremely pathologizing and they feel they deserve to beat themselves up. They are filled with shame, believing that their behavior shows what a bad person they are.

A good therapist will listen in a nonjudgmental way and help the person to see that a person is not their behavior. We are so much more than our behavior. I also like to explain to clients the difference between “healthy guilt”, “neurotic guilt” and “shame”. When we experience healthy guilt, we are essentially saying, “Ok, I messed up. I violated a value that I have that says….blacking out, cheating on my boyfriend, lying to my parents, you fill in the blank…is wrong. I am not happy with this behavior, so I need to take some steps to self-correct.” Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Members and Visitors to GoodTherapy.org,

Today the GoodTherapy.org Team and many GT members enjoyed the first event in our Fall Teleconference Series: ‘Walking The Healing Walk with Power’ presented by Judith Barr, LMHC. Big “thank yous” to Judith for presenting to GoodTherapy.org members her very important work on healing the abuse of power in our world. It was a unique and supportive gathering that gave participants room to reflect, explore, and share with each other how each of us has been impacted by the recent political and economic events. Read the rest of this entry »

Written by Julie Simons, LCSW

“So what do you do for a living?”

The inevitable question asked at any social gathering. Though typically an innocuous question, I find myself dreading it. This is probably due to the flash of fear I often see upon the word, “Psychotherapist.” Sometimes, people are even bold enough to ask, “So are you analyzing me right now?” Unfortunately, this is reflective of one of the many myths that continue to persist around this profession. So I’ve taken on the task of blasting some of those myths and hoping to provide a clearer understanding of what this therapy business is all about. Read the rest of this entry »

Written by John C. Rhead, Ph.D.

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DEFINITION OF PSYCHOTHERAPY

For the purposes of this essay, I will use the term “psychotherapy” to refer to a particular type of interpersonal process intended to facilitate conscious awareness of that which had previously been unconscious.  It is not meant to include the direct attempt to modify behavior, whether overt as action or covert as thoughts and feelings, through medication or manipulation of the external consequences of behavior.  Similarly, it does not include counseling, coaching, advising, or teaching as its primary goal. Read the rest of this entry »

Therapy for Abortion - Update to Common Therapy Issues

This relatively new area of therapy is emerging as an important part of the process for many women who choose to terminate their pregnancy.

The political controversy over abortion may make the process more confusing or upsetting for some. But even leaving politics aside, research indicates that having an abortion is a very difficult decision for the vast majority of women and that the aftermath is likely to lead to at least some emotional and psychological challenges, whether they are minor and short-lived, or more intense and long-lasting. Having second thoughts, guilt, internal conflict, grief, or other challenging emotions and thoughts is somewhat typical, and the nonjudgmental, compassionate ear of a good clinician can be very helpful in working through these thoughts and feelings.

Men whose partners have an abortion may also experience internal conflict or unpleasant feelings, and should not hesitate to talk about this in therapy. Couples work may be particularly helpful – if also especially challenging at times – when an abortion has occurred in the relationship.

Read More here: therapy for abortion

A GoodTherapy.org Featured Column written by Mary Ellen Barnes, Ph.D. & Ed Wilson, Ph.D., MAC

Click here to contact Mary Ellen and/or see her Profile
Click here to contact Ed and/or see his Profile

Over the past decade research has found that for many women the onset of alcohol abuse coincides with changes in hormone levels – changes that many women are unaware of in the early stages. When this is combined with other stresses in their lives - job changes, health concerns, children leaving home - women can find themselves abusing alcohol for the first time in their lives.

In our teens, 20s and 30s, our ovaries and adrenal glands produce a form of estrogen called estrodiol. Later, during our mid to late 40s and early 50s, our ovaries begin producing less estrogen, leaving more of the work to our adrenal glands. As the adrenal glands take over the job, estrogen drops, spikes and drops again—rather erratically. At this point, many women report that they start to get forgetful and experience “foggy thinking” and moodiness. That’s because our brains work better when estrogen levels are steady. These are the first signs of menopause and, sometimes, the beginning of escalating alcohol consumption as a means of easing various unfamiliar discomforts. Read the rest of this entry »

Anxiety - Update to Common Therapy Issues

Anxiety is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy. Some level of anxiety is normal in human beings; excessive anxiety can interfere with relationships, sleeping and eating patterns, work and school, and all areas of life.

The Basics: Anxiety is defined as nervousness and an inability to relax. In the Body, people with anxiety may experience psychomotor agitation, pacing, shaking, trembling, quivering, sweaty palms, racing heartbeat, insomnia, tension, headaches, nausea, and difficulty breathing. A panic attack occurs when these somatic symptoms are severe and acute, sometimes mimicking the symptoms of a heart attack (though there is no record of panic attacks leading to actual coronary arrest). Read More here: Therapy for Anxiety

Depression - Update to Common Therapy Issues

Depression is a state that affects mind, emotion and body, creating a dysphoric mood, lethargy or anxiety in the body, and thoughts of hopelessness, helplessness and, in a significant number of cases, suicidal ideation. Depression should not be confused with normal grief in the aftermath of a major loss, although extended grief may lead to true depression. Depression that is mild and chronic, with fewer symptoms, is known as dysthymia. Depression may present differently based on age or cultural factors. Adolescents tend to show an irritable and agitated depression; older adults may or may not be irritable; certain cultural groups may mask their feeling to varying degrees; women are known to be more likely to admit to depression than men. Depression is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy. Read More here: therapy for depression

By Jennifer Lehr, MA, MFT

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How many times have we begun a relationship, full of hope, only to have it crash and burn, or one party flee?

Many of us have relational injuries from the past. This often manifests as a “fear of intimacy.” Beneath this phrase, lurks not feeling safe in relationships. Our fathers may have had tempers, or our mothers may have been intrusive. A past partner may have been abusive, or perhaps their neediness or jealousy was a burden. A multitude of possibilities exist. Whatever the case, we found that relating to another could be costly. We learned to defend ourselves, to shut down, cover up, disappear, attack, or protect ourselves in some other way. We learned to not be too vulnerable, to only let the other in so far, or to run if we got scared. We learned to make ourselves safe by controlling the depth of the relationship in a variety of ways. Read the rest of this entry »

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

A review of 23 studies that looked at the results of long-term, psychodynamic talk therapy concluded that such therapy improved the symptoms of chronic mental problems, including anxiety and borderline personality disorder, better than some shorter-term therapies.

The studies included a total of 1,053 clients undergoing weekly, twice weekly, or three times weekly session for at least a year and often much longer. Most of the clients had 50 or more sessions, and all were followed closely by researchers in the original studies.

The authors, writing in the October 1 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, recommended that researchers focus more on psychodynamic therapy, noting that the managed care system has been loathe to pay for such treatment, citing other studies that seemed to show the superiority of cognitive behavioral, short term therapy. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Hutt, Ph.D., MFT

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Yelling at Children

This is a topic that has meaning for everyone. All of us have raised our voices, probably more than once. No, I did not come from a home of screaming parents or siblings. However, I do see many families and couples who yell a lot at each other, and the short and long-term consequences of regular yelling/screaming are not pretty. Those of you who experience yelling know what I’m talking about.

Let’s start with the impact of yelling at children:

First, it teaches them how to yell, when to yell, and that yelling is an effective response to emotionally charged situations. By extension, it teaches them an ineffective way to process anger, as anger is usually associated with yelling.

Second, yelling scares most children—the younger the child, often the more fear they feel. In a state of fear it is next to impossible for a child to think about their mistake or misbehavior. If a child cannot think about their mistake, a child cannot learn from their mistake. Read the rest of this entry »