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Discrimination: Is It Me or Is It Them?

By Gordon C. Nagayama Hall, Ph.D. on January 05, 2018 in Life in the Intersection
It is common to blame yourself for discrimination. But discrimination is not your fault.
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Online Programs Confront Suicide in Indigenous Communities

By Robert T Muller Ph.D. on December 28, 2017 in Talking About Trauma
Can technology alleviate the leading cause of death among indigenous peoples?
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How Helpful Are Interventions for War-Affected Civilians?

By Kenneth E. Miller Ph.D. on December 21, 2017 in The Refugee Experience
A new report casts intriguing light on the impact of mental health interventions for refugees and others affected by war or disaster.
Pixabay. And existentialists.

When to Quit Therapy

By Ryan Howes PhD, ABPP on December 19, 2017 in In Therapy
In an ideal world, all therapy would provide a good ending, where loose ends are tied up, take-away points are clarified, and we share a clean goodbye. Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

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You Don’t Really Want to Get Better

By Robert Firestone Ph.D. on January 04, 2018 in The Human Experience
Of course psychotherapy clients want relief from their symptoms. Yet, they are reluctant to change the defenses that would allow them to overcome their psychological maladies.
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Do Therapy Dogs Suffer from Stress When They Are Working?

By Stanley Coren PhD., DSc, FRSC on January 03, 2018 in Canine Corner
Worries that therapy dogs get stressed during treatment and intervention sessions appear to be unfounded.
3dman_eu from Pixaby

How Therapy Works: What it Means to ‘Process an Issue’

By Noam Shpancer Ph.D. on January 03, 2018 in Insight Therapy
People often are advised to go to therapy to “process” some issue. But what does “processing an issue” actually mean?
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How to Recommend Therapy

By Ryan Howes PhD, ABPP on December 31, 2017 in In Therapy
Therapy can be incredibly helpful. Unfortunately, we're still in a time where recommending it can seem like an insult. Here's one gentle approach.
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Art Therapy and Digital Technology: Digital Art Therapy

By Cathy Malchiodi PhD, LPCC, LPAT, ATR-BC, REAT on December 31, 2017 in Arts and Health
Digital art therapy is a relative newcomer to the field of art therapy that includes digital communication, devices, apps and social networking; here is a brief introduction.
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The Impact of Compassion-Focused Self-Help on Well-Being

By Grant Hilary Brenner M.D. on December 29, 2017 in ExperiMentations
Research on using guided self-help to deliver Compassion-Focused Therapy shows it is effective and useful as a home-based, structured approach.
cory-bouthilette, used with permission

9 Tips for Awkward Silences in Therapy

By Ryan Howes PhD, ABPP on December 29, 2017 in In Therapy
All the good stuff has already been covered (or so it seems). Where should you go from here? What should you talk about in therapy? Awkward.
Women's March

A Cultural Necessity: The APA's New Multicultural Guidelines

By Mariel Buque M.A. on December 28, 2017 in Unpacking Race
New multicultural guidelines for the APA.
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Why Do We Misunderstand Depression?

By Jean Kim M.D. on December 28, 2017 in Culture Shrink
Depression is an illness that reflects the complex relationship between brain biology and life stressors. But coping with it is never as simple as "snapping out of it."
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Sex Work and Therapy

By David J Ley Ph.D. on December 27, 2017 in Women Who Stray
Therapists often assume that a person involved in sexwork is "damaged." That assumption prevents many therapists from being able to actually help.
Duncan McNeil/Flickr, used under CC license.

Four Reasons Why Potential Patients Do Not Seek Treatment

By Michael S. Scheeringa M.D. on December 27, 2017 in Stress Relief
It is common to blame individuals for not seeking professional help, but it is likely not their fault. Mental health providers are more to blame for being poor at marketing.
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Can Group Therapy Help With Relationship Problems?

By The Contemporary Psychoanalysis Group on December 26, 2017 in Contemporary Psychoanalysis in Action
Can Group Therapy Help With Relationship Problems? Perhaps therapeutic love clears a path to romantic love. By Naomi Snider, LLM
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Dickens' "Christmas Carol"

By Robert Berezin M.D. on December 23, 2017 in The Theater of the Brain
Charles Dickens, in " A Christmas Carol", taught us all we need to know about character formation, the effects of trauma, and the healing process of mourning.
John Leech [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The Curse of 'A Christmas Carol'

By Steven Stosny, Ph.D. on December 22, 2017 in Anger in the Age of Entitlement
The story of a cold and cynical heart turned compassionate and kind is a blessing of literature, an inspiration of hope, and a curse on realistic expectations of change.

How to Know You're in a Good Therapy for Addiction

By Lance Dodes M.D. on December 21, 2017 in The Heart of Addiction
Finding the right therapy for addiction is critical. Here are some things to watch out for.
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Study Shows Avoiding Emotions Is Better for Some Couples

By Grant Hilary Brenner M.D. on December 21, 2017 in ExperiMentations
How is emotion regulation associated with relationship satisfaction for couples facing challenges? New research provides insight about what helps early on in dealing with problems.
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The Schizoid Vs. the Depressive Personality

By Roberta Satow Ph.D. on December 19, 2017 in Life After 50
The markedly schizoid person cannot compromise, yet, ironically, his whole life is a compromise position (one foot in and one foot out) in order to avoid commitment.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: An Emerging Therapy

By James Lake, MD on December 19, 2017 in Integrative Mental Health Care
Curious about the benefits of weak electrical current for your mental health? Many studies support its use for anxiety and substance abuse.
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Compassionate Evidence-Based Treatment

By Dean McKay Ph.D. on December 16, 2017 in Your Fears and Anxieties
Empathy is emphasized in therapy, but compassion is often ignored. Providing evidence-based therapy allows therapists to be both empathic and compassionate.
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Depression: A Symptom, Not a Disorder

By David M. Allen M.D. on December 15, 2017 in A Matter of Personality
In the popular press and even in articles meant for professionals, the term "depression" is used as if it were a scientific word, when it is a symptom of many different diagnoses.
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5 Reasons Group Therapy Is the Best Choice Struggling Teens

By Sean Grover L.C.S.W. on December 15, 2017 in When Kids Call the Shots
Research shows 73 percent improvement in teens treated in group over other forms of therapy.
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Medical Marijuana for PTSD?

By Robert T Muller Ph.D. on December 14, 2017 in Talking About Trauma
Combined with other therapies, medical marijuana may help those with PTSD.
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Holiday Stress

By Michael Karson Ph.D., J.D. on December 13, 2017 in Feeling Our Way
A major source of stress in life comes from finding yourself in a role you can’t pull off.

Mindfulness and Mind-body Practices in Mental Health Care

By James Lake, MD on December 13, 2017 in Integrative Mental Health Care
Curious about the benefits of meditation and mind-body practices for depressed mood or bipolar disorder? Research findings show improved mood and functioning with regular practice.
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Mental Health and the Holidays

By James F. Zender Ph.D. on December 12, 2017 in The New Normal
Tips for surviving the holidays.
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How Novels Help You Grieve

By American Psychoanalytic Association on December 11, 2017 in Psychoanalysis Unplugged
Freud warned that "unexpressed emotions never die." Perhaps a good book can help you connect to deep emotions.
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How to Mentally Prepare for Surgery and Recover Faster

By Zeev N. Kain, MD, MBA, MA (Hon), FAAP on December 09, 2017 in The Anxiety of Medicine
Anxiety plays a critical role in the success or failure of surgery. Here are some tips for the next time you or a loved one is preparing to undergo a medical event.
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Trauma Psychotherapy, Pilates, EMDR and Sensorimotor Work

By James F. Zender Ph.D. on December 08, 2017 in The New Normal
Chronic pain, fibromyalgia symptoms, and other physical manifestations can reflect unresolved psychological trauma residuals. But maybe Pilates can help?
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Psychotherapy Is THE Biological Treatment

By Robert Berezin M.D. on December 07, 2017 in The Theater of the Brain
Psychiatric problems come purely from traumatic adaptations as digested by our temperament. Psychotherapy deactivates problematic brain mappings and activates healthier ones.
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Not Talkative? Not Emotional? That’s Okay, and Here’s Why.

By Michael S. Scheeringa M.D. on December 07, 2017 in Stress Relief
If you have PTSD, when you talk about your traumatic memories, do you fall into the categories of Expressive, Avoidant, Undemonstrative, or Fabricated?