Category: Mental Illness
-
Small Steps to Improve Your Mental Health in 2023
By Hannah Seo – NYT Hyosun Hwang This year may not have been the sea of calm you had hoped for after the tumult of 2020 and 2021. The pandemic continued; war broke out in Europe; we experienced natural disasters and troubling shortages; and more viruses stoked fears. But 2022 was also a year of…
-
Understanding Emotional Abuse
John Kim LMFT The damaging effects of emotional abuse can often go unnoticed. Unlike physical abuse, emotional abuse leaves no visible scars, making it harder to recognize and address. However, its impact can be just as detrimental, affecting an individual’s self-esteem, mental well-being, and overall quality of life. Emotional abuse refers to a pattern of behaviors…
-
Recognizing Our Barriers to Self-Compassion
Bernard Golden, Ph.D. “Taking this program will be transformative.” That’s what I was told when I registered for Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy (SCIP), a 10-month program offered to psychotherapists by the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, which was founded by Chris Germer and Kristin Neff. I had previously become acquainted with their work through reading their books and attending…
-
How Alcohol Affects Sleep
Shelby Harris Psy.D. Many of us have been there: After a long day at work, we’re looking for something to help us wind down, and many of us might reach for a glass of wine or a favorite cocktail (even more so on the weekend). The majority of Americans report drinking alcoholic beverages, and as is the…
-
Why We Get Bored and How to Overcome It
Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. People seek out novelty and excitement. We explore, discover, and create. At the same time, we all experience moments of boredom. Whether it’s during a long meeting, a tedious task, or a lazy afternoon, boredom can have negative effects on our mood or energy levels and leaves us feeling…
-
Why Mattering Matters
Susan J. Noonan MD I recently came across an interesting project based at Temple University that I believe resonates with many people, including me, and is particularly relevant to those who experience social isolation, loneliness, depression, and suicidality. The project comes from the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities and is entitled “You Matter… But What…
-
The Best Advice I Ever Got About Being a Therapist
Elizabeth Heaney MA, LPC “Hey, what’s the best advice you ever got about being a therapist?” I get that question from younger therapists when I teach grad counseling students, supervise interns, and facilitate case consultation groups. Over the course of 40 years in clinical practice, I’ve had some outstanding mentors, and my skills have developed…
-
Observing Juneteenth and Supporting Mental Health Equity
APA Leadership This weekend, we acknowledge and observe Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the day that the end of slavery was announced in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. Juneteenth has been celebrated by the Black community since the late 1800s. Now, pending President Biden’s signature, expected this afternoon, it will be a federal holiday…
-
6 things you can try to overcome not being motivated
Steven C. Hayes Ph.D. *The original title of this blog is “When You’re Just Not Feeling Motivated” but we are talking about 6 strategies that is a proper motivation for you. Some days, you are just not feeling it. You don’t want to get out of bed. You don’t want to make that difficult call,…
-
Narrowing Down The Choices: What Treatment Is Best for Me?
Claire Wilcox M.D. If there’s one consistent truth in behavioral health treatment, it’s that one size does not fit all. Cookie-cutter treatment often doesn’t work, even if an accurate diagnosis has been made and standard-of-care interventions are applied. In the case of major depressive disorder, for example, numerous options are available. In terms of pharmacotherapy,…