Tag: mental health
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This Ad Is Going Viral For Its Important Message on Body Image
Dove released a 3-minute PSA examining the devastating impact social media can have on children as they develop their body image. Written by Rowan Lynam In a stunning 3-minute PSA for the Dove Self-Esteem Project, Dove examines the cost of toxic beauty standards on the mental health of developing minds. The video emphasizes the cascading…
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Depression, Serotonin, and the Gut
Team Biotic – Nicole Cain, ND, MA New findings explore SSRI efficacy and dysbiosis in major depressive disorder. A new report indicates a direct correlation between gut dysbiosis, major depressive disorder, and SSRI efficacy. Although the gut makes more than 90% of the body’s serotonin, gut-derived serotonin does not cross the blood-brain barrier. Instead, a…
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How to Feel Less Stressed as a Parent
Cara Goodwin, Ph.D. Parents are currently experiencing an unprecedented level of stress. Not surprisingly, research finds that parental stress, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression, increased significantly following the pandemic. The stressful disruptions of the pandemic may have also increased the likelihood of families experiencing more traumatic incidents. For example, 29 percent of parents report that their children have witnessed more domestic violence, and 42…
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How to Deal With Morning Anxiety
Andrea Wachter LMFT If you commonly wake up in the morning filled with anxiety, you are not alone. Many people wake up with fight-or-flight sensations and feel baffled as to how they can already feel anxious when their feet haven’t even touched the floor yet. A variety of factors can play a part in morning anxiety: excess stress,…
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Understanding the Limits of Psychiatric Diagnoses
Daniel Marston Ph.D. Psychiatric diagnoses often do not say much about what is happening with a person. Psychiatric terms do not carry much meaning if all they focus on is symptoms and not how conditions impact a person’s functioning. There are alternatives to the widely-used DSM-5 for better understanding the causes and impacts of psychiatric…
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5 Reasons Why Writing Lists Is Good for Your Mental Health
Sean Grover L.C.S.W. There’s good news for people who love writing lists: Evidence suggests that writing a list is more than just good clean fun; it’s also great for your mental health. That’s right: There are lots of reasons to keep checking those boxes. Your First List You may not remember your first list, but…
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Why Are Old Habits So Hard to Break?
Jessica Koehler Ph.D. Behavior change is a challenging endeavor, requiring intentional and consistent effort to modify actions and habits to attain desired objectives. The field of psychology offers valuable insights into the factors that make behavior change a challenging endeavor. By understanding these underlying concepts, we can better comprehend why altering our habits can be…
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Advancing the Delivery of Mental Health Care With Technology
Susan J. Noonan MD Technology in mental health care can improve access to services for some. The use of technology in providing mental health care has increased dramatically. Virtual appointments and mental health apps can improve access to services for some, but not all, persons. Barriers exist to the use of technology and virtual appointments,…
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The Urgency for Love as a Healing Force
Jan Bonhoeffer M.D. Love. We all talk about it, but how much do we really understand this mysterious force field? We refer to love frequently in poetry, religion, and mysticism. “The universe would disappear without the existence of the force [of love],” said Gandhi. When the Beatles released “All You Need Is Love,” more than…
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Teaching Vulnerability in Clinical Supervision
Amir Levine Ph.D. A newer clinician I supervise recently asked me, “What do you believe is the most important quality a therapist should have?” Reflexively, I answered, “Access to our vulnerability.” Source: wowowG/Shutterstock In all my years of supervising clinicians and observing my own process, I have found that our ability to tap into and…