November 8th, 2018
By Phyllis Hanlon
Emotions run the gamut, from sadness and grief to happiness and euphoria and many others in between. But little is known about how and why those emotions change at different times and during different stages of life. A team of researchers at Harvard University recently conducted a study to explore these questions. Leah Somerville, Ph.D, associate professor psychology, and director, Affective Neuroscience and Development Lab, oversaw the study, which involved 143 subjects between the age of five and 25. Clinical psychologist graduate student Erik Nook, the “resident expert” on this work – according to Somerville – has long been interested [More]
Tags: emotion, research, why emotions change, how emotions change, intensity, studies, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, regulate emotions, studing emotions
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November 8th, 2018
By Phyllis Hanlon
The #MeToo movement opened a floodgate, giving a voice to victims of sexual abuse and harassment. While public revelations have empowered some women, others are reliving past sexual abuse incidents, leading to recurrence of psychological issues. In recent years, stigma surrounding sexual abuse has decreased somewhat, according to New York psychologist Julia Vigna Bosson, Ph.D. “It’s not completely gone, but as more come forward, it seems to break down barriers and give survivors courage to seek help,” she said. On the other hand, watching a woman talk about her story could be a trigger. “This doesn’t mean the person should [More]
Tags: therapy, psychologists, sexual harassment, empathy, support, avoidance, #metoo, sexual abuse, trauma survivors, sensory motor psychotherapy, CBT, self-regulation, meditation, journaling
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November 8th, 2018
By Catherine Robertson Souter
With the public testimony and accusations around sexual assault in the national spotlight in recent months, there has been increased attention paid to how these reports may be triggering psychological responses in the general public. Reportedly, reading about or hearing testimony from Christine Ford Blasey, Ph.D, a professor of clinical psychology at Palo Alto University and a research psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, has led women and men around the country to experience their own emotional and physiological responses. Ford testified about her accusations of sexual assault perpetrated during their teen years by Judge Brett Kavanaugh. It [More]
Tags: PTSD, Brett Kavanaugh, traumatic situation, triggers, Christine Ford Blasey, Psychological triggers, sensory input, smell, touch, sound, exposure therapy, avoidance
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October 29th, 2018
By Catherine Robertson Souter
It is perhaps the most important question to answer for anyone just starting out in a clinical practice. Does it make sense to take a “safe” position in a group practice or would it be wiser in the long run to set out on your own, rent an office, and start building your brand? There is, of course, no “right” answer, only many factors to consider. Among them, the administrative benefits of each option, the financial impact, the social impact and the market itself must each be considered before deciding which path to follow. Of course, it’s also important to [More]
Tags: clinical practice, group practice, building your brand, working alone, personal working style, personal career goals, solo practice
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October 24th, 2018
By Catherine Robertson Souter
Texting and driving, opioids, vaping: these are the dangers facing young people that rule the media today. But take a look at a newspaper from 30 years ago and you’ll find a different danger constantly in front of parents’ faces – the prevalence and peril of cults. These stories don’t seem to grip the nation like they once did. While we still hear of occasional groups, such as one in New York that has been branding young women, are cults still as rampant? Yes, they are, according to Eric Sweitzer, M.T.S., Ph.D, a clinical psychologist and director of the Charis [More]
Tags: relationships, cults, Eric Sweitzer, International Cultic Studies Association, ideological organization, religion, cult leader, therapist
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October 6th, 2018
By John Grohol, Psy.D.
Psych Central just reached an amazing milestone in our 23 years online. We’ve just passed 500 million visitors who’ve come to our site to learn more about mental illness symptoms and treatments, psychology, personality, parenting, or a relationship issue. We’re proud of this achievement, but we also realize we have a much longer road to travel. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the annual suicide rate in the United States has increased 24 percent since 1999. During this same time period, the availability of mental health information and support online has increased dramatically. We went from [More]
Tags: Psych Central, Dr. Grohol, mental illness, suicide, editorial, mental health website, support groups, psychology, personality, parenting, relationship issues
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October 6th, 2018
By New England Psychologist Staff
In the middle of labor with my second child, I had a panic attack. It happened when my epidural kicked in and I realized I couldn’t feel my body. I panicked. After spending hours in excruciating pain of back labor and feeling the sweet sensation of the pain subsiding, I realized I couldn’t move. I felt the wave of panic washing over me as the nurse repeatedly asked me to move my legs and I could not. “I can’t feel my body” I said, “I’m going to have a panic attack!” “Ma’am, I see in your chart that you have [More]
Tags: Mental health, mental health bias, clinician, unconscious bias, race, socioeconomic status, gender, health history, interpersonal skills
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October 5th, 2018
By Alan Bodnar Ph.D.
As much as I would like embrace the beauty of autumn with its colorful foliage and bright, clear days, I can never seem to ignore the melancholy chord that this season strikes in my soul and the bittersweet taste of joy diluted by sorrow. This year I might have made it through, gliding into the season on the wings of anticipated good times with family and friends. But this fall, reminders of losses endured in autumns past and others yet to come were intensified by the widely reported deaths of national figures, most notably, Senator John McCain at the end [More]
Tags: John McCain, government, Eric Erikson, integrity, character, Catholicism, organized religion, Republican Party
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October 3rd, 2018
By Phyllis Hanlon
Residential, or boarding, schools serve different populations and have different goals. Schools that address behavioral issues in children admit students with a variety of diagnoses. Those diagnoses include a number of psychological and emotional issues that range from anxiety, mood and eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) to fire setting, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other behavioral problems. In recent years, more children have presented with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum. According to Valentina M. Parchin, Ph.D, director of education for the Adelbrook Learning Center in East Hartford, Connecticut, this agency has moved [More]
Tags: children, residential treatment, Residential schools, boarding schools, behavioral issues, Board-certified behaviorists, student, emotional issues, psychological issues., therapeutic approach
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October 3rd, 2018
By Margarita Tartakovsky, MS
Most people have heard of equine therapy, but the term asinotherapy probably would draw many blank stares. Originally developed in Germany, this lesser-known therapy is actually a successful program that uses miniature donkeys. Since 2009, it’s been an integral part of Latham Centers, a residential care, education, and treatment center for children and adults with Prader-Willi Syndrome on Cape Cod. Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a complex genetic disorder that affects one in 12,000 to 15,000 births. It is characterized by an insatiable appetite, developmental disabilities, skin picking, and emotional and behavioral problems. “PWS is a spectrum disorder,” said Patrice Carroll, [More]
Tags: anxiety, Prader-Willi Syndrome, asinotherapy, donkey therapy, insatiable appetite, developmental disabilities, skin picking, emotional problems, behavioral problems
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