http://www.goodtherapy.org/different-side-of-treatment-article.html Latest articles Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:45:14 GMT en-us http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/put-them-chiefs-desk-0207124/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/put-them-chiefs-desk-0207124/ Tue, 7 Feb 2012 18:47:11 GMT How is this a story of triumph and choice from an anonymous inmate in an anonymous prison in an anonymous year? First, the story (as written by the inmate): http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/emotionally-focused-couples-therapy-0203122/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/emotionally-focused-couples-therapy-0203122/ Fri, 3 Feb 2012 22:13:46 GMT Emotionally focused couples therapy (EFT) is an emotional approach used to help couples address problems within their relationships. Clinicians who deliver this type of therapy undergo intense training to be able to effectively use all of the components of the treatment in a productive way that maximizes treatment outcome. EFT training strives to increase a therapist?s ability to process emotions and identify and address attachment styles, and it enhances self-compassion. However, most clinicians report that their own personal development has not been addressed in previous EFT training sessions or through supervision. Because a clinician?s emotional intelligence and relationship skills are critical factors that directly influence treatment, Michelle Montagno, Ph.D., of the Wright Institute in Berkeley, California, conducted a study that evaluated the knowledge and competence levels of clinicians following a 4-day intensive EFT training session. The skills and growth achieved in EFT training can enhance a clinician?s curiosity and acceptance and increase his or her motivation to explore issues that are pertinent to clients. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/b-vitamin-depression-anxiety-0202123/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/b-vitamin-depression-anxiety-0202123/ Fri, 3 Feb 2012 03:00:27 GMT National statistics for the prevalence of adult depression vary but suggest that at least 15% of all adult Americans have had at least one depressive episode in their lives. Depression can be a severely debilitating illness that results in decreased physical health, impaired functioning, lost productivity, and overall negative well-being and quality of life. There are many different treatments for depression including therapy, diet, exercise, and medication. Vitamins, specifically folate and B12, are commonly used in conjunction with other treatment methods to help clients with depression improve their moods. Although there has been extensive research on depression and medication, until now, there has been little attention given to the rate of vitamin use in clients suffering with depression. In an effort to better examine this trend, Guixiang Zhao of the Division of Adult and Community Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta conducted a study analyzing how often vitamins were used in female and male clients with depression. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/letting-go-fear-of-loss-0201125/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/letting-go-fear-of-loss-0201125/ Wed, 1 Feb 2012 20:46:25 GMT Not long ago, a friend of mine suggested that the greatest fear humans experience is the fear of death. I disagreed, saying that I believed their greatest fear is fear of loss. Death is something that is very abstract to most people, in my opinion, unless they have recently tended to a dying loved one or been otherwise exposed to the actual end of life. However, most people, in my experience, live in fear of loss, to a greater or lesser degree. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/gifts-of-trauma-survivors-0201124/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/gifts-of-trauma-survivors-0201124/ Wed, 1 Feb 2012 18:28:07 GMT Traumatic experiences along with the mending process can expose the shrapnel from what feels like perpetually open wounds. Time lost to history and recovery, missed opportunities, broken relationships, and a delay in building life?s foundation are side effects of these experiences. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/does-sexual-distress-indicate-dysfunction-0131123/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/does-sexual-distress-indicate-dysfunction-0131123/ Wed, 1 Feb 2012 03:00:59 GMT According to the International Consensus Development Conference, female sexual dysfunction (FSD) must be characterized by anxiety about sexual performance together with feelings of distress and other symptoms of dysfunction. However, according to a new study led by A. Burri of the Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology at King?s College in London, many women who experience sexual distress are not sexually dysfunctional. To understand why distress is present in some women with FSD and some women without, Burri examined data collected from 930 British female twins. The twin model was chosen because it allowed the research team to examine similar environmental and genetic risks. Based on questionnaires filled out by the twins, Burri also assessed the participants for history of abuse, relationship status, obssessive-compulsive disorder, general anxiety, emotional functioning, personality, and sexual distress. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/victims-dont-acknowledge-stalking-0131122/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/victims-dont-acknowledge-stalking-0131122/ Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:00:30 GMT Acknowledgement of victimization is the first step on the road to recovery. Yet many individuals who are victims of stalking don?t ever acknowledge that they have been victimized. Although there is much research examining this phenomenon in sexual assaults, little research has been devoted to the psychological ramifications of unacknowledged victims of stalking. To address this void, Christine M. Englebrecht, Ph.D., in the Criminal Justice Program at Bowling Green State University in Ohio led a study examining what conditions men and women deemed necessary to warrant the acknowledgement of stalking. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/taking-love-in-0113125/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/taking-love-in-0113125/ Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:41:57 GMT Love is one of the most elemental of emotions?it is a building block to some of our deepest relationships and a component in many of our happiest days. Yet the ability to freely give and receive love is a fragile skill, which traumatic experiences can all too easily dent or damage. Learning how to be loved is a vital part of your healing, and here are a few tips on how to regain your ability to accept someone?s care, concern, and nurture. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/age-matters-in-the-client-therapist-relationship/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/age-matters-in-the-client-therapist-relationship/ Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:16:38 GMT A strong therapeutic bond is imperative in order to achieve a successful outcome in psychotherapy. This bond must begin with the initial intake session. Research indicates that clients who feel disconnected from the clinician due to cultural, ethnic, or even religious differences, are more likely to terminate treatment as early as the first session. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cancer-survivors-handle-stress-0127122/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cancer-survivors-handle-stress-0127122/ Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:00:37 GMT The emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis is overwhelming. People who undergo cancer treatment come through recovery having learned how to deal with an immense amount of stress. Some individuals cope better than others. Research examining reactions to stress in cancer survivors has provided mixed results. Several studies suggest that cancer survivors are more resilient than their healthy counterparts, due to the fact that they have faced enormous stressors during their ordeal. Other evidence implies that people who have overcome cancer are hypersensitive to life stressors as a result of being traumatized from the course of their treatment. Because stress is known to have negative physical and psychological consequences, both extremely deleterious to recovery and future health, Erin S. Costanzo of the Department of Psychiatry and Carbone Cancer Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison wanted to find out if this segment of the population was at increased risk for negative stress outcomes. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/protecting-spouse-with-cancer-0127125/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/protecting-spouse-with-cancer-0127125/ Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:14:44 GMT ?Sam? and ?Ellen? have been married for 42 years. They have had a good life together. They?ve raised 4 children and have 11 grandchildren. They?ve had their ups and downs but have always managed to get through the hard times, until now. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-treatment-and-recovery-problematic-0106114/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-treatment-and-recovery-problematic-0106114/ Fri, 6 Jan 2012 16:43:24 GMT The decision to contact a therapist, set up an appointment, interview the therapist and agree to move forward with treatment might seem to imply that a client is ready to pursue their goal of feeling better. Unfortunately, ambivalence surrounding the therapeutic process as well as its outcome occurs far more commonly than clarity around this pursuit. Healing would presumably be the obvious goal for all of us; why wouldn?t we want that, right? Clients have offered fairly good reasoning as to why not; if we hope to be able to move beyond the ambivalence and into confronting the trauma, providing a space to acknowledge where the individual is in regard to their process would be a necessary first step. Common reasons for not pursuing treatment from the client?s perspective will be discussed here as a means of normalizing hesitation while validating concerns about process and outcome. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hypnotism-for-sexual-concerns-0105115/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hypnotism-for-sexual-concerns-0105115/ Thu, 5 Jan 2012 20:15:16 GMT Hypnotism can be a useful and versatile tool for addressing sexual concerns, including several types of sexual problems (such as non-medically caused erectile dysfunction and low desire) and negative body image, shame, and sexual inhibitions. Hypnotism can help discover and correct inner obstacles to sexual health and pleasure. As a skill set, hypnotism is used in a complementary way by many types of helping professionals. Hypnotism also provides the foundation for a growing group of professional practitioners variously known as consulting hypnotists and hypnotherapists. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/achieving-better-health-emotional-balance-contentment-1208114/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/achieving-better-health-emotional-balance-contentment-1208114/ Fri, 9 Dec 2011 16:00:30 GMT Around this time of year, many of us reflect on the triumphs and tribulations of the past twelve months and begin thinking of what we hope to manifest in the coming year. At the most basic level, I think what a lot of us want falls under the broad headings of good physical health and emotional balance. Thus, I?ve come up with a list of six low-to-no cost complementary medicine strategies for achieving the above. Each approach addresses at least one of the following: mind, body, or spirit. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/externalization-trauma-ptsd-symptoms-healthy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/externalization-trauma-ptsd-symptoms-healthy/ Wed, 7 Dec 2011 20:25:21 GMT Trauma symptoms are often experienced and viewed as invasive and malevolent.  Helplessness, hopelessness, confusion and a condemnation of self for their existence also appear thematic.  The initial layer of trauma treatment is frequently the unraveling of self-loathing for the expression of symptoms themselves; survivor and therapist collude in their endorsement of them as being inherently destructive and are to be eradicated.  A divergent perspective could be that symptoms are an expression of health versus illness.  Viewing the manifestation of PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder) as having utility may offer an alternative understanding of the client?s presentation as offering direction to treatment, internal compassion, decreasing fear of symptoms and can foster a relationship between survivor, therapist and Trauma.  Additionally, the externalization and personification of Trauma may illuminate the individual functions of client presentation while offering precise direction for treatment. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/rumination-manic-depressive-episodes-bipolar-126113/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/rumination-manic-depressive-episodes-bipolar-126113/ Wed, 7 Dec 2011 00:00:44 GMT Rumination is often associated with depression. People who ruminate about negative events tend to be more susceptible to develop depression. But little research has been conducted to explore how rumination affects the manic or depressive states of bipolar disorder (BD). To fill this void, June Gruber of the Psychology Department at Yale University, led a study to determine how negative and positive rumination influence the onset of episodes in people with bipolar. Emotional regulation is a main component of bipolar and strategies used to regulate emotion directly impact how an individual will respond to a mood induction. ?The cognitive model of BD proposes that the use of amplification versus dampening strategies largely depends on one?s appraisals of changes in one?s internal or external state,? said Gruber. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/treatment-centers-social-climate-predicts-outcome-1116111/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/treatment-centers-social-climate-predicts-outcome-1116111/ Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:05:55 GMT The two most popular residential treatment settings for substance abuse recovery are therapeutic communities (TCs) and Oxford Houses (OHs). Both of these climates provide social support as a tool for recovery. ?Sharing a living space with others in substance abuse recovery might encourage mutual self-help participation and increase social support, which are associated with longer periods of abstinence,? said Ronald Harvey from the Center for Community Research at DePaul University in Chicago, and lead author of a recent study comparing the social climate of TCs versus that of OHs. ?Supportive social relationships within such settings might protect people in recovery from relapse and improve overall substance abuse recovery rates.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/omega-3s-better-mental-health-1111115/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/omega-3s-better-mental-health-1111115/ Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:50:27 GMT By now, most people have at least heard of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are commonly found in fish but are also in flaxseeds, walnuts, and products like eggs from hens who have consumed an Omega-3 rich diet. Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fats that are also essential nutrients ? this means that our bodies cannot produce them on our own, and we thus need to obtain them from dietary sources. Omega-3s are often described in terms of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and you may see these descriptors on fortified foods or supplements containing them. DHA is believed to play a role in the brain?s structure. EPA and EPA plus DHA supplementation have been associated with decreased inflammation and improved mood. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/harness-marriage-bond-power-1109114/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/harness-marriage-bond-power-1109114/ Wed, 9 Nov 2011 21:05:58 GMT I knew a couple whose divorce cluttered up the Broward County Courthouse for 10 years. That was before I went back to grad school for my doctorate but I kept thinking, ?Surely something could have been done to release this couple from each other?s clutches.? There was. One party escaped the country and I never heard the rest of the story. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/text-messages-help-depressed-people-1108113/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/text-messages-help-depressed-people-1108113/ Wed, 9 Nov 2011 02:00:08 GMT Nearly everyone has a cell phone with text messaging capability. For people with depression, this method of communication may help them maintain their treatment regimen. ?Poor adherence to the elements of depression treatment presents a major barrier to effectiveness in real-world settings,? said Adrian Aguilera, Ph.D. and assistant professor of the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley. ?Mobile phone-based text messaging (short messaging service; SMS) is a widely available and cost-effective tool, used by people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, that holds promise in improving adherence to mental health treatments.? Clients are often assigned homework between therapy sessions, and non-adherence to the work delays treatment. Practicing and monitoring mood regulation in real-life situations are necessary to move forward from a depressive state. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/virtual-therapists-help-clients-treatment-adherency-1107111/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/virtual-therapists-help-clients-treatment-adherency-1107111/ Mon, 7 Nov 2011 16:00:53 GMT For clients with schizophrenia, maintaining their antipsychotic medication and clinical evaluations is sporadic and frequently results in non-compliance. ?Factors contributing to non-adherence and partial adherence include medication side effects, severity of psychotic symptoms, impaired cognition, and inadequate understanding of the role of medication in preventing relapse,? said Kathryn Puskar, Ph.D. and Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. ?Non-adherence to antipsychotic treatment is associated with lower global functioning, impaired insight, and greater number of inpatient days (44.8 days versus 20.6 days) compared with those who adhere to their antipsychotic treatment regimen.? New research has suggested that relational agents can improve client compliance. ?Relational agents are typically deployed as software humanoid animated agents that can simulate face-to-face conversation with patients so that real-time dialogue, speech, gesture, gaze, and other verbal and nonverbal channels can be used to communicate therapeutic information,? said Puskar. These agents focus on caring and empathy and help clients stay on task with their medication and evaluations. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/certain-music-lowers-anxiety-1101111/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/certain-music-lowers-anxiety-1101111/ Tue, 1 Nov 2011 15:00:45 GMT Anxiety can cause feelings of worry, panic and apprehension. Physically, people who experience high levels of anxiety also have elevated heart rates, muscle tension and increased cortisol production. Many of the treatments used for anxiety include relaxation and meditation techniques designed to address the physical and emotional symptoms of the problem. ?As well as being a potential benefit in circumstances such as those mentioned above, music as a relaxation aid is also used extensively within receptive music,? said Dave Elliott of the University of Cumbria in Carlisle, UK. ?Indeed, the American Music Therapy Association (2010) cites stress reduction as being one of the major goals of music therapy.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/love-versus-object-personification-synesthesia/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/love-versus-object-personification-synesthesia/ Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:01:32 GMT Perhaps you?ve come across one of the many articles or videos with titles like, ?In Love with the Eiffel Tower?, or a recent National Geographic Taboo program called ?Forbidden Love?? The topic is Objectum Sexuality (OS), a rare sexual orientation which includes affectionate, romantic, and sometimes erotic attraction and relationships with objects. The beloved objects can range from transport to landmarks, from sporting equipment to fisheye buttons. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/processing-grief-over-autism/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/processing-grief-over-autism/ Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:11:18 GMT I have just finished having my yearly tradition of what I like to call, "a good cry". It's my son's 14th birthday, and for the past ten years, I have set aside the morning hours of this day to participate in this cleansing ritual. My son, Ben, isn't deceased; he has autism. Not the "you-wouldn't-know-it-if-I-didn't-tell-you" kind. Ben has "full-blown-could-melt-down-any-moment-take-off-all-his-clothes-and-run-into-the-woods-requiring-search-helicopters-and-bloodhounds-to-find-him" kind. You get the picture. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/what-men-want-from-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/what-men-want-from-psychotherapy/ Sat, 1 Oct 2011 01:00:25 GMT : http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/video-games-decrease-nightmares-soldiers-ptsd/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/video-games-decrease-nightmares-soldiers-ptsd/ Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:44:25 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adhd-working-memory/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adhd-working-memory/ Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:00:41 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-reduce-stress-anxious-individuals/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-reduce-stress-anxious-individuals/ Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:22:56 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-affect-brain/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-affect-brain/ Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:53:48 GMT What does therapy actually do? How does it work? Does anyone really ever change? The field of neuroscience has exploded in recent years, revealing a number of findings about the human brain; how it develops, how it operates, and how it changes. Neuroplasticity explains that the brain is not a rigid organ, but is malleable, and changes throughout life, both in structure and function. This change happens through our experience. We actively change our brains by the way we respond to our environment. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mood-swings-weather/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mood-swings-weather/ Sun, 21 Aug 2011 15:00:29 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anxiety-sensitivity-genetic-environmental/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anxiety-sensitivity-genetic-environmental/ Sat, 20 Aug 2011 15:00:33 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/becks-cognitive-integration-depression-theories/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/becks-cognitive-integration-depression-theories/ Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:45:24 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/risk-factors-alcohol-misuse/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/risk-factors-alcohol-misuse/ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:50:10 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/poor-health-ptsd-depression-college-students/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/poor-health-ptsd-depression-college-students/ Tue, 16 Aug 2011 20:50:48 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/manual-guided-therapy-client-alliance/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/manual-guided-therapy-client-alliance/ Sat, 13 Aug 2011 15:00:13 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/effective-therapy-therapist-likes-client/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/effective-therapy-therapist-likes-client/ Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:55:29 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-professionals-terrorist-attack-victims/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-professionals-terrorist-attack-victims/ Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:42:43 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ptsd-cardiac-risk-male-veterans/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ptsd-cardiac-risk-male-veterans/ Tue, 9 Aug 2011 20:55:52 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relationships-cardiac-stress-women-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relationships-cardiac-stress-women-depression/ Thu, 4 Aug 2011 14:53:59 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/study-suggests-people-with-eating-issues-respond-based-on-personality-type/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/study-suggests-people-with-eating-issues-respond-based-on-personality-type/ Mon, 1 Aug 2011 23:00:34 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anti-depressant-medication-increase-relapse/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anti-depressant-medication-increase-relapse/ Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:04:13 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-is-sought-more-when-optimism-is-at-a-low/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-is-sought-more-when-optimism-is-at-a-low/ Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:00:58 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/intense-exercise-anxiety/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/intense-exercise-anxiety/ Sat, 16 Jul 2011 15:00:26 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/shadow-work-emotional-suffering/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/shadow-work-emotional-suffering/ Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:05:34 GMT If you read last month?s blog, Creativity vs Shadow, you will remember a brief mention of Deepak and Gotham Chopra?s book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Superheroes. In the book Chopra identified shadow as a ?force of the unconscious that can be destructive, divisive and/or self-sabotaging if it remains unconscious?. Shadow is difficult to recognize because left to it?s own devices it remains unconscious. Shadow is a zapping energy that lurks in the area of emotional suffering caused to oneself or to another. The concept can be broadly applied to families, groups, religions, governments, countries, etc. if we consider them bodies of energy. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/life-experience-predisposition-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/life-experience-predisposition-depression/ Fri, 8 Jul 2011 17:02:50 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/optogenetics-advanced-addiction-treatment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/optogenetics-advanced-addiction-treatment/ Thu, 7 Jul 2011 23:00:42 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/premature-birth-adolescent-mood-issues/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/premature-birth-adolescent-mood-issues/ Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:07:24 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/battles-within/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/battles-within/ Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:23:50 GMT In my quest to continue my education surrounding the fascinating concepts that examine the inner workings of the mind and more specifically in my journey to become an increasingly effective practitioner in the face of resistant and entrenched clients, I stumbled upon "Working With Resistance" (J. Aronson, 2002). I found the text concise and practical in its approach and imminently applicable. I was able to see with crystal clarity how concise word usage and mindfully placed statements within the therapeutic environment can elevate what Bertha Pappenheim, aka Anna O. coined in 1893 as ?the talking cure,? from an aphorism to a precision tool skillfully woven to bring clients to catharsis. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/women-menopause-mindfulness-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/women-menopause-mindfulness-therapy/ Mon, 27 Jun 2011 23:00:02 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/brain-reward-system-cocaine-addiction/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/brain-reward-system-cocaine-addiction/ Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:23:42 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-stroke-loss-independence/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-stroke-loss-independence/ Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:17:48 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/negative-emotions-improve-memory/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/negative-emotions-improve-memory/ Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:00:11 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/link-food-issues-postpartum-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/link-food-issues-postpartum-depression/ Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:00:00 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-and-eating-disorders/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-and-eating-disorders/ Wed, 15 Jun 2011 13:49:46 GMT When you hear someone has experienced a trauma, your initial thought is they were involved in some catastrophic event. Rarely does the image of an everyday problem or situation enter your mind; in most cases the later doesn?t even make it on your radar. The smaller traumatic events, which have been labeled by some as small ?t? traumas, are just as important to consider when it comes to working with people with a mental health issue (C. Patterson-Sterling, personal communication, November, 2010). http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/facing-reality-chronic-illness-disability/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/facing-reality-chronic-illness-disability/ Tue, 31 May 2011 15:48:34 GMT Are you ill with some chronic condition but refuse to acknowledge it? Do you attempt to maintain all semblance of normalcy despite the obvious physical and emotional toll the chronic illness takes on you and your marriage? If it?s not you personally, do you know someone who fits this description? I do. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-acceptance-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-acceptance-depression/ Mon, 30 May 2011 14:01:27 GMT Being human means that we can experience serious bouts of depression, which can make life feel seriously out of balance. There is a sense that we have lost sight of our own vitality and purpose. Depression, however, does not mean that we are ?sick,? as much as it means we may be coping with difficulties in such a way as to avoid feeling badly or dealing with problems. Often, in our attempt to not feel painful feelings, we avoid dealing with difficulties regarding our health, our relationships, our work, and our play. We avoid, withdraw, isolate, numb ourselves (through unhealthy behaviors), and paradoxically make ourselves feel worse. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-balance-bipolar/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-balance-bipolar/ Fri, 27 May 2011 06:00:50 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/comorbid-mental-illness-addiction/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/comorbid-mental-illness-addiction/ Thu, 26 May 2011 20:28:36 GMT 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 because that?s what I knew and we tend to go where we feel comfortable. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/more-women-mental-health-professionals/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/more-women-mental-health-professionals/ Thu, 26 May 2011 19:00:09 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/bipolar-misdiagnosis/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/bipolar-misdiagnosis/ Tue, 17 May 2011 06:00:03 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-better-critical-thinking/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-better-critical-thinking/ Tue, 10 May 2011 19:00:56 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adhd-siblings-emotional-regulation/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adhd-siblings-emotional-regulation/ Tue, 10 May 2011 14:00:46 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/virtual-phobia-therapy-flying/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/virtual-phobia-therapy-flying/ Tue, 10 May 2011 06:00:54 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapists-in-therapy-self-growth/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapists-in-therapy-self-growth/ Fri, 6 May 2011 19:59:25 GMT Is psychotherapy purely a medical treatment warranted only for treating specific mental health disorders? Can psychotherapy also be used to address the multitude of emotional, cognitive, and physiological ways in which people suffer, ways that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for categorically-based syndromes? Additionally, is psychotherapy of any use to those seeking self-growth, wisdom, clarity, compassion, self-esteem, and consciousness? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eliminate-traumatic-memories-science/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eliminate-traumatic-memories-science/ Sun, 1 May 2011 14:00:46 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/spouse-doesnt-believe-chronic-illnes/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/spouse-doesnt-believe-chronic-illnes/ Fri, 29 Apr 2011 20:45:10 GMT 1 out of 2 people in the U.S. has a chronic illness and in 96% of these cases, the chronic illness is invisible. This means the illness is not readily apparent to others because the person doesn?t use an assistive device like a cane or a wheelchair. Most people with an invisible illness can tell you story after story of family members, friends, co-workers, bosses, etc. who don?t actually believe they?re ill. They?ve been given snide looks when exiting their car after parking in a handicapped spot. They?ve been told by their friends that they look too good to be sick. They?ve been questioned by bosses as to why they miss so many days of work when even a doctor can?t determine an appropriate diagnosis. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-boredom/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-boredom/ Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:59:37 GMT Lois has five minutes left to her fifth session and is now having a flash of insight; ?I'm bored to death with therapy,? she thinks. ?This is getting me nowhere.? She feels close to her therapist and decides that he deserves more than a false excuse. ?Look?, she says, ?I think we can both agree that we're nearing the end here.? Unsure about how to respond to his neutral facial reactions, Lois plunges forward. ?Believe me, I'm as bored by myself as you probably are. But there's no reason to pretend that we're making progress here when I'm just going over the same issues, again and again. You've been trying. I know you have. But I've got nothing else to discover about myself. I'm done. That's all there is. I'm just done.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sharing-trauma-story/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sharing-trauma-story/ Tue, 12 Apr 2011 22:35:35 GMT We, the human species, are a social bunch; which is of course a wonderful, important and vital component to our existence, however our social nature can also occasion hurt and pain. Such hurt and pain can arise when we do not know how to incorporate the fact and impact of traumatic experiences with our social selves. Often times we swing from the extremes of not acknowledging these events to introducing ourselves as being a survivor of the trauma, with neither of these avenues generating enriching social relations. While there is not a right or wrong way, here are a few points to help you decide how to answers questions or share the traumatic events of your life with new friends/family. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/untreated-depression-accelerate-cell-aging/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/untreated-depression-accelerate-cell-aging/ Fri, 8 Apr 2011 06:00:23 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/low-income-mental-illness/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/low-income-mental-illness/ Thu, 7 Apr 2011 06:00:55 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/alcoholism-label-disease-treatment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/alcoholism-label-disease-treatment/ Mon, 4 Apr 2011 15:10:31 GMT Well, once again it?s my readers who are instructing me just as much as (if not more than) the other way around. Thanks to all who take the time to read and comment on my blog articles. Your feedback is much appreciated. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/panic-issues-genetic/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/panic-issues-genetic/ Sat, 2 Apr 2011 19:00:32 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/child-mental-health-future-relationships/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/child-mental-health-future-relationships/ Sat, 2 Apr 2011 06:00:29 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/human-relationship-good-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/human-relationship-good-psychotherapy/ Fri, 1 Apr 2011 20:12:06 GMT May (1983) wrote that the most fundamental aspect of therapy is being and that, therefore, the value of the human encounter in therapy far outweighs complex understandings about a person?s psychological makeup or the technical skill of a guru. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotropic-medication-nursing-home-patients/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotropic-medication-nursing-home-patients/ Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:00:15 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/visiting-friend-cancer-treatment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/visiting-friend-cancer-treatment/ Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:15:57 GMT ?Dave? is a 72 year old man who recently found out that his friend ?Carl? has colon cancer. Carl had surgery and ended up with a colostomy. His prognosis was not very good.  Dave went to see him in the hospital.  Carl didn?t look so good, but Dave wasn?t about to tell him that.  ?You look great,? Dave said.  Carl smiled wanly.  Fortunately, there was a game on the television.  Dave and Carl watched it as their wives chatted about one thing and another. After about 15 minutes, Dave just had to get out of there. Later, in the car, his wife asked him why he wanted to leave so abruptly. Dave?s answer was a very common one given when people are interacting with cancer patients:  ?I just didn?t know what to say.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/online-depression-followup/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/online-depression-followup/ Thu, 24 Mar 2011 06:00:48 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/diet-affects-adhd-children/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/diet-affects-adhd-children/ Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:00:36 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cardiac-patients-benefit-depression-treatment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cardiac-patients-benefit-depression-treatment/ Tue, 22 Mar 2011 06:00:35 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adhd-increase-creativity/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adhd-increase-creativity/ Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:00:00 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-kidney-disease/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-kidney-disease/ Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:00:39 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/naked-therapist/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/naked-therapist/ Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:56:36 GMT As I say in the prologue to my book, Power, Abused, Power Healed: Every form of power can be used well or misused... Sexuality has been used as a weapon to rape and dominate, as a substitute for unmet childhood bonding and physical touch, and as an exquisite sacred expression of love and union.* http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/yoga-eating-disorders/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/yoga-eating-disorders/ Wed, 9 Mar 2011 04:25:13 GMT In addition to being a psychotherapist, I am a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy practitioner and a yoga instructor. I?ve long been interested not only in movement but in the role of body-oriented techniques in the process of psychological healing. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/positivity-longer-lifespan/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/positivity-longer-lifespan/ Mon, 7 Mar 2011 17:04:10 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-illness-grief-creativity/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-illness-grief-creativity/ Fri, 4 Mar 2011 21:19:11 GMT During my career, I had the privilege of working with adults living with severe and persistent mental illness in an outpatient program at a local behavioral health center.  Although frequently grouped together and labeled as ?crazy? or ?nuts? ? as well as ?dangerous? - in popular parlance, this was hardly a homogeneous population. There were people in their late teens, adults and senior citizens from many different cultural backgrounds, living with varying symptoms and in various stages of the ?disease? process: from newly diagnosed to chronic. Among those I counseled were people with ? according to the DSM-IV-TR, the so-called ?Bible of mental illness? - severe depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, personality disorders, schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder; some had mixed symptoms of a number of different disorders. Few were employable; many had little if any family support; more than half lived in adult congregate living facilities; most survived on Social Security and Medicaid, and many had done so for years. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-few-clients-self-care/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-few-clients-self-care/ Wed, 2 Mar 2011 20:29:37 GMT I?ve got two clients right now. Granted, the most I can fit into my part-time private practice is six per week, but right now I?m averaging less than one per week. Very low.  According to colleagues who work in private practice and mental health agencies, it seems that the early months of the year tend to be slow for new referrals across many branches of the field. I had the double-whammy of terminating with several clients before the holiday season, which brought my client count crashing down. For those who rely on a steady stream of clients in order to pay the bills, times like these can be very stressful and concerning. And they don?t just happen according to set calendar dates. Things can be moving along swimmingly and then suddenly the client load shifts inexplicably and you find yourself with more free time than you might prefer. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/chronic-illness-good-fit/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/chronic-illness-good-fit/ Tue, 1 Mar 2011 00:20:23 GMT I was flipping through a parenting magazine the other day while waiting for my daughter to finish speech therapy when the term ?goodness of fit? caught my eye. I remember this term well from my graduate school days.  Goodness of fit is the degree to which a child?s temperament matches the demands of his or her environment- mainly through parenting. In other words, are the child and parent a good fit for each other given their respective personalities and emotional responses? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-sabotage-alcoholism-recovery/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-sabotage-alcoholism-recovery/ Mon, 28 Feb 2011 23:59:37 GMT Nothing is more discouraging in the process of ending your alcohol abuse than encountering sabotaging spouses, friends, children, colleagues, and others. But it's a common reality it pays to be prepared for. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mens-support-group-sarcasm-male-bonding/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mens-support-group-sarcasm-male-bonding/ Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:57:00 GMT This is the second entry in a series of blog articles about a men?s therapy group that I conduct on a weekly basis. For background information on the group see my first blog entry, ?Notes From A Men?s Group?, dated January 4, 2011. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sexual-side-effects-antidepressant-medication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sexual-side-effects-antidepressant-medication/ Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:39:07 GMT Since my last blog a number of you have asked for more information about possible sexual side effects caused by antidepressants. Before I say more ? a cautionary word ? I?m a psychotherapist/counselor, not a medical doctor/psychiatrist! So what I write in this blog is drawn from my (extensive) experience working with people who have challenges and/or difficulties with sex ? I?m a sexologist, not a psycho-pharmacologist! http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/women-cancer-return-work/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/women-cancer-return-work/ Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:24:00 GMT ?Anna? is a 48 year-old woman who finished chemotherapy for ovarian cancer about a month ago. She came to see me because she was feeling ?kind of depressed? and had very little energy. Prior to her diagnosis, Anna was working full time as a middle school teacher. She was married and a mother of two teenagers. She described herself as hardworking and someone who ?got things done.? Anna initially thought she would go back to teaching part time after her treatment was finished and was very disappointed because it seemed impossible now. She wondered why she wasn?t able to do the things she thought she should be able to do, i.e., why wasn?t she back to ?normal?? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-psychotherapy-promote-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-psychotherapy-promote-health/ Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:46:13 GMT In the last couple of weeks I have had two different people come in that I hadn?t seen for a while and in whom I sensed a recognizable shift. The first thing I noticed with each of them was a gentle radiance around their body, the coloring in their faces was different, not the skin itself, but there was just more color, more light around them. They both also appeared calm, contained. I discovered that both of these women had been undergoing a cleansing diet under the supervision of their Naturopathic doctors. They had both cut out meat and fish and many other foods for a short period of time. One was using special supplements and smoothies to aid the cleanse process. Both were meant to add back foods slowly to test the effect on their systems but one has already decided to remain vegetarian because three weeks into the cleanse and after years of a heavy meat diet recommended by a different health practitioner she felt so much better. I had the sense that the dietary change was positively augmenting their therapeutic work. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/appropriate-conversations-counseling-spirituality/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/appropriate-conversations-counseling-spirituality/ Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:50:32 GMT A client of mine who is currently ?taking a break? for financial and other reasons wrote me an email letting me know that part of the reason for his decision was that he did not feel that our discussions about spirituality were a productive use of his time. Coincidently, we were at the point where he would have had to pay his deductible (meaning he would have out-of-pocket costs for his sessions rather than a small copay). He said he did not think he wanted to spend his time on ??that type of conversation? and that it was not really what he came for (even though he did say he wanted to develop his spiritual self once we got past some very major issues). It was also ironic that he really had no one else in his life to talk about spirituality but me and that as an Ordained Yoruba Priest I was also uniquely qualified. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-cardiac-health-recovery/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-cardiac-health-recovery/ Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:00:27 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/kings-speech-therapy-healing/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/kings-speech-therapy-healing/ Wed, 9 Feb 2011 18:01:42 GMT Recently, I saw the movie The King?s Speech. A touching, powerful example of how politics and psychology are woven together! It?s also a beautiful portrayal of the hard work and the full commitment it takes in a healing venture ? on both sides, that of the therapist and that of the client. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mediterranean-diet-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mediterranean-diet-depression/ Fri, 4 Feb 2011 20:00:05 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-self-care-caregivers/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-self-care-caregivers/ Fri, 4 Feb 2011 19:48:45 GMT Caregivers are people of any age, gender, cultural background, economic level, and health status. The one thing that caregivers have in common is stress. Even in optimal situations, stress is part of most every caregiver?s life. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/paramitas-generosity/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/paramitas-generosity/ Fri, 4 Feb 2011 00:07:48 GMT My meditation class is exploring the six Paramitas, or perfections, the path of the Bodhisattva (one who vows to liberate all beings from suffering). It is simpler than it sounds. In truth, it is the path to happiness, and any one of us can follow it. In the months to come I will write posts about each of the Paramitas and explain how we can make use of them in our lives. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychopathy-sociopathy-frontal-lobe-brain-damage-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychopathy-sociopathy-frontal-lobe-brain-damage-therapy/ Wed, 2 Feb 2011 20:00:08 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/positive-effects-anxiety-sensitive-environment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/positive-effects-anxiety-sensitive-environment/ Thu, 27 Jan 2011 20:00:42 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/connections-between-psychotherapy-science/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/connections-between-psychotherapy-science/ Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:00:24 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/surgeons-high-suicide-rates/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/surgeons-high-suicide-rates/ Sat, 22 Jan 2011 07:00:41 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotropic-medication-decreased-libido/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotropic-medication-decreased-libido/ Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:36:47 GMT I often see people who are in despair because they no longer have much interest in sex ? what a current client calls her ?disappearing libido?. Is she depressed about this? You bet! Did she become more depressed when her medical doctor put her on an anti-depressant to alleviate the depressive symptoms? Quite possibly. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/nike-tennis-shoes-simple-living/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/nike-tennis-shoes-simple-living/ Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:00:01 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/emotional-sexual-communication-connection-relationships/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/emotional-sexual-communication-connection-relationships/ Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:09:36 GMT As the New Year begins, we think about resolutions. Though couples may have resolved to have a better relationship, resolve their differences, have less conflict, it occurred to us that we don?t really ?resolve? issues in relationships. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/empathy-gap-kellogg-school-bullying/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/empathy-gap-kellogg-school-bullying/ Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:00:53 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dsm-bipolar-aspbergers-prescription-medication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dsm-bipolar-aspbergers-prescription-medication/ Thu, 6 Jan 2011 15:00:16 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/men-support-group-loving-relationships/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/men-support-group-loving-relationships/ Tue, 4 Jan 2011 16:39:32 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/facebook-depression-self-esteem-support/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/facebook-depression-self-esteem-support/ Mon, 27 Dec 2010 22:55:54 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/health-diagnosis-identity-resources/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/health-diagnosis-identity-resources/ Mon, 27 Dec 2010 21:25:18 GMT Cancer. HIV. Diabetes. Heart Disease.  Just a few of the words no one wants to hear from their doctor. You may have had nagging symptoms for months and come prepared for difficult news. Or you may feel just fine, with no idea that your lab results or physical examination may show worrisome results. Either way, being on the receiving end of a serious medical diagnosis brings a myriad of feelings and concerns. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/chicago-clinic-mental-health-primary-care/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/chicago-clinic-mental-health-primary-care/ Fri, 24 Dec 2010 07:00:35 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/obesity-depression-weight-psychotherapy-reciprocal-relationship/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/obesity-depression-weight-psychotherapy-reciprocal-relationship/ Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:00:24 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/pregnancy-depression-psychotherapy-baby-development/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/pregnancy-depression-psychotherapy-baby-development/ Tue, 14 Dec 2010 07:00:17 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parent-fears-child-psychotherapy-counseling-stigma/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parent-fears-child-psychotherapy-counseling-stigma/ Mon, 13 Dec 2010 07:00:22 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/medicaid-adhd-treatment-ineffective-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/medicaid-adhd-treatment-ineffective-psychotherapy/ Fri, 10 Dec 2010 07:00:32 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relational-psychotherapy-intersubjective-psychotherapy-relationship/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relational-psychotherapy-intersubjective-psychotherapy-relationship/ Thu, 2 Dec 2010 22:20:39 GMT A good place to begin a discussion of Relational Psychology might well be with the all too familiar experience of the ?awkward silence?. At some point in the therapeutic process a moment occurs that seems out of context. A Kleenex box is dropped. An offhand comment gets drowned out by the wail of an ambulance siren. The squeaky chair makes another embarrassing sound. It is during such everyday gaffes as these that the two people in a room are reminded of their shared humanity. Nothing too dramatic has occurred yet, in this moment of meeting, the roles between that of helper and client may appear temporarily confused. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/avatar-applications-mobile-phone-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/avatar-applications-mobile-phone-psychotherapy/ Wed, 1 Dec 2010 20:00:56 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-professionals-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-professionals-depression/ Wed, 1 Dec 2010 07:00:59 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/primary-care-behavioral-health-psychotropic-medication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/primary-care-behavioral-health-psychotropic-medication/ Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:00:14 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-chronic-pain-cbt-psychotropic-medication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-chronic-pain-cbt-psychotropic-medication/ Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:54:02 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/post-traumatic-stress-heart-disease-counseling-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/post-traumatic-stress-heart-disease-counseling-therapy/ Mon, 22 Nov 2010 07:00:46 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/communication-intimate-partner-cancer-sexuality/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/communication-intimate-partner-cancer-sexuality/ Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:02:10 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-cancer-anxiety-depression-ptsd-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-cancer-anxiety-depression-ptsd-psychotherapy/ Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:00:41 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eleventh-step-twelve-step-program-spirituality-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eleventh-step-twelve-step-program-spirituality-psychotherapy/ Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:25:17 GMT The Eleventh Step: We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God?s will for us and the power to carry that out. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/caregiver-depression-mentally-ill-adults-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/caregiver-depression-mentally-ill-adults-psychotherapy/ Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:00:36 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anger-management-motivation-reward-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anger-management-motivation-reward-psychotherapy/ Fri, 5 Nov 2010 19:00:12 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/fibromyalgia-childhood-stress-body-mind-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/fibromyalgia-childhood-stress-body-mind-psychotherapy/ Fri, 29 Oct 2010 15:55:23 GMT Starting the day with fibromyalgia pain made Vera angry http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/pollyanna-mindfulness-meditation-buddhist-psychology/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/pollyanna-mindfulness-meditation-buddhist-psychology/ Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:45:09 GMT Often, in the context of cultivating mindfulness, I heard people emphasize ? ?I don?t want to become a Pollyanna?. As someone who grew up loving Pollyanna ? a child heroine of U.S. novelist Eleanor Hodgman Porter1 - I want to clear her name and claim that there is a lot to learn from her character in our efforts to be mindful. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/alcohol-abuse-choice-recovery-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/alcohol-abuse-choice-recovery-therapy/ Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:29:03 GMT John, our favorite Australian correspondent, wrote to note that a lot of people don't really want to hear that their alcohol abuse is a choice - and so is fixing it. That came as no surprise to us. After all, what better excuse for continuing drinking than having a "disease" over which you are "powerless"?  And for parents wanting to avoid dealing with their adult children's behavior, well, why not decide that it's a "disease" rather than a choice? All in all it's no surprise that many people prefer this option but it doesn't come without costs. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eating-food-issues-self-injury/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eating-food-issues-self-injury/ Wed, 13 Oct 2010 06:00:14 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/long-term-psychology-heavy-combat-military/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/long-term-psychology-heavy-combat-military/ Sat, 9 Oct 2010 19:00:42 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/antidepressants-reduce-aggression-moral-judgment-psychotropic-medication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/antidepressants-reduce-aggression-moral-judgment-psychotropic-medication/ Wed, 29 Sep 2010 06:00:07 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/physical-touch-therapy-reduce-pain/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/physical-touch-therapy-reduce-pain/ Sat, 25 Sep 2010 19:00:56 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/laser-acupuncture-depression-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/laser-acupuncture-depression-therapy/ Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:00:04 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/somatic-experiencing-trauma-resilience/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/somatic-experiencing-trauma-resilience/ Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:14:14 GMT Something that I have found fascinating in working from a Somatic Experiencing framework is the way in which a charge that has been held by the physiology from an unresolved critical incident can impact behavior and thought in unexpected ways. I have mentioned this in my previous entries. It is something that I have experienced personally as well as witnessed in my practice. Seemingly unrelated aspects of one?s life can shift as the physiology is able to dissipate the held, or remembered, charge from previous critical incidents. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/antidepressant-medication-over-prescribed-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/antidepressant-medication-over-prescribed-psychotherapy/ Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:00:23 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/september-11-spirituality/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/september-11-spirituality/ Mon, 13 Sep 2010 19:01:25 GMT As I sit here in my upstate NY cottage on a chilly late summer morning, I am suddenly aware that today is the anniversary of 9/11. It has been floating in and out of my consciousness lately, mostly due to the controversy in the news about the proposed Islamic Center on the site and of the preacher?s threat to burn a copy of the Koran. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychedelic-drugs-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychedelic-drugs-therapy/ Sat, 21 Aug 2010 06:00:34 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/child-custody-mediation/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/child-custody-mediation/ Wed, 4 Aug 2010 14:07:03 GMT Caveat: Because court jurisdictions vary, the information included here is based on Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find out about the rules in your jurisdiction by contacting an attorney or asking the public information office available through the courts. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/spirituality-natural-world/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/spirituality-natural-world/ Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:16:25 GMT A very spiritually oriented colleague recently asked me what I love to do. She had shared that she loved her work particularly as it related to being the container which held other peoples? emotions. I replied that while I derived satisfaction from my work, the things I LOVED to do were: singing and dancing to the Orishas (the divinities we worship in the Yoruba faith), hiking along the river with my dog; gardening; and listening to the birds sing at my little retreat in Upstate New York. She pointed out that the things I loved to do involved nature in some way to which I replied: that is the way we Yoruba connect to the divine. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-treating-eating-disorders/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-treating-eating-disorders/ Tue, 18 May 2010 16:41:01 GMT Eating disorders are complex animals whose treatment requires a variety of approaches. After 20 years in the field, I continue to be amazed by the creativity of health care professionals who work with eating disorders. Last week I had the opportunity to sample some of the wonderful work that?s being done when I traveled to the Chicago area to present a workshop at an eating disorders conference. It was titled, ?Replenishing Our Toolbox: Innovative Therapies for eating Disordered Clients,? a joint venture of Castlewood, a residential eating disorders treatment center in St. Louis, MO, The Awakening Center, an outpatient eating disorders treatment center in Chicago, and the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD). At this one-day conference, there were two keynote speakers and 14 one-hour workshops, broken up into three sessions. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cancer-oncologist/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cancer-oncologist/ Mon, 17 May 2010 17:34:28 GMT From our first appointment with my husband?s oncologist, hours after a CT scan showed large tumors throughout his abdomen, Nolan told me he was sure she was the doctor who was meant to treat him. I didn?t think much of it at the time. I thought he was just trying to reassure himself that things would be ok. But looking back on the year-and-a-half he spent in Dr. Sara Garrido?s care, I can?t imagine him being treated by anyone else. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eating-disorder-treatment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eating-disorder-treatment/ Thu, 18 Feb 2010 23:24:09 GMT When it comes to eating and food-related problems, various philosophies determine how eating problems are defined and addressed. When the eating disorders treatment field was in its infancy, professionals often based their approaches on those used in the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction. The addictions model has been used to salvage the lives of alcoholics since the formation of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), in the 1930?s. AA spawned myriad other 12-Step programs for addressing various addictive problems. One of the earliest of these was Gamblers Anonymous (GA). Overeaters Anonymous (OA), a 12-Step self-help program for people who feel compelled to overeat, was created in 1960, modeled after GA. OA philosophy views compulsive overeating as an addiction to both a substance--various types of food--and to the behavior of overeating compulsively. As OA grew, people suffering from all types of eating problems began attending, and found help there. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hitting-bottom/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hitting-bottom/ Wed, 27 May 2009 13:03:06 GMT Last month we wrote about the first two of the ?6 Secrets Ex-Drinkers Know That You Don?t, And 12 Step Programs Don?t Want You To Find Out." We started with the notation that AA/12-Step based programs, 98% of US treatment programs, are based on premises that both research and experience indicate are not only unfounded, but actually prevent you from getting over your problems and leave you with less than a 5% chance of recovery over five years. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/myth-of-powerlessness/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/myth-of-powerlessness/ Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:56:41 GMT Last year we wrote a free download that we posted on our website entitled "6 Secrets Ex-Drinkers Know That You Don't, And 12 Step Programs Don't Want You To Find Out. It's been popular, though not without controversy. Indeed, one Canadian who described herself as a "Therapist, Counselor, and Alcoholic" declared we were downright dangerous and had to be stopped! http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/women-hormones-menopause-alcohol-abuse/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/women-hormones-menopause-alcohol-abuse/ Thu, 9 Oct 2008 05:01:14 GMT 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. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sabotage-counseling/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sabotage-counseling/ Fri, 1 Aug 2008 03:55:35 GMT We work with clients very intensively ? four or more hours a day for five to seven days ? and with a well defined presenting problem ? alcohol abuse. Following this initial treatment phase, during the ninety days of follow-up, we frequently see family members sabotage progress once clients return home. Undermining progress is rarely intentional, but nonetheless it is the second most common factor in clients reverting to old behaviors. Only clients? self-sabotage is more destructive. Combine the two and any progress will be stopped dead in its tracks. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hit-bottom/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hit-bottom/ Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:00:28 GMT Have you ever been told a person has to "hit bottom" before they can begin to recover? What do you suppose that even means? Exactly what is ?hitting bottom?? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/empowering-solution/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/empowering-solution/ Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:25:48 GMT When we were scratching around wondering what to call our counseling practice we coined and rejected a lot of possibilities. Some names we considered were obscure, some taken, some boring, and a few were just plain silly. Then we took a look at what it is we actually do, and what we don't do. The main thing that separates us from most alcohol rehab programs is the fact that we don't have a "program." What we do have is a lot of experience and research into what works for different people. The primary offering we have for our clients is the certainty that the solution to their specific problems and set of circumstances will be, like themselves, unique ? it will truly be their empowering solution, not ours, or AA's, or Moderation Management's, or someone else's canned prescription. We don't dictate, we help you find Your Empowering Solution. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/welcome-to-a-different-side-of-treatment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/welcome-to-a-different-side-of-treatment/ Sat, 8 Mar 2008 02:28:16 GMT Between us, we have been helping people get over alcohol related problems for over twenty years. Sometimes it?s his or her own use, sometimes a friend?s, family member?s, or employee?s. We?ve always helped each client to find their own unique solution to whatever troubled them. In the course of thrashing around looking for these individual answers we?ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn?t and for whom.