July 5th, 2019
By Phyllis Hanlon
Statistics show that women are twice as likely as men to experience depression and several types of anxiety; females are also approximately nine times more likely to have eating disorders than males. But women may present with complexities that require therapy from psychologists who specialize in treating this population. Wendy F. Habelow, Ph.D, owner of Beacon Behavioral Services, LLC in West Hartford, Connecticut, certified mediator and collaborative divorce coach, said that only a woman can truly understand what other women are experiencing. Embracing a feminist perspective on life and in therapy, she believes there is “personal and professional value in [More]
Tags: therapy, depression, anxiety, support, eating disorders, emotional health, women's health, feminist perspective, empowering women, medication
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May 28th, 2019
By Margarita Tartakovsky, MS
One of the worst parts about struggling with mental illness is the loneliness. You feel like you’re the only person on the planet to suffer with these symptoms or stressors. You feel like you’re abnormal, inherently wrong, or “other.” So, when someone truly listens to you, cares, and says “me, too,” it can be transformative. People who have felt alone their entire lives can find connection and purpose, said Peter Starkey, executive director of the Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency (MPS) in Keene, New Hampshire. MPS is one of 10 agencies of this type across the state. Staff was involved [More]
Tags: trauma, mental illness, New Hampshire, depression, anxiety, empathy, MPS, Peer Support Agency, learning environment, bipolar disorder, hearing voices, identity, survivors of suicide, jail support group
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March 11th, 2019
By New England Psychologist Staff
First responders to emergencies have a heavy burden to bear and often do not ask for emotional support. Massachusetts recently passed a law specifically to help this population. Senator Michael Moore (D-Second Worcester District) was instrumental in passing legislation for mental health services for first responders. It highlights the mental trauma related to specific events on the job. The bill went into effect on January 16 and applies to firefighters, paramedics, and law enforcement officers. “When you respond to a fire or a baby dies and you’re trying to save them,” he explained. “I don’t know how you wouldn’t take [More]
Tags: PTSD, depression, police officers, legislation, anxiety, substance abuse, mental health support, first responders, emotional support, paramedics, firefighters
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October 1st, 2018
By Janine Weisman
A residential treatment program for girls with emotional and behavioral problems in Arlington, Massachusetts, shut down in September after a decision by its parent organization to shift focus to community-based services. That decision impacted 150 staff members at the Germaine Lawrence campus on Claremont Avenue operated by the national private non-profit Youth Villages. The vast majority of positions are direct care staff, including several master’s level and licensed positions, nursing and maintenance staff. The program is licensed to serve a maximum of 72 girls between the ages of 12 and 22. But there were only 48 girls on site when [More]
Tags: suicidal ideation, depression, Youth Villages, Germaine Lawrence campus, residential treatment, educational services, girls behavioral program, physical aggression, self-harm, verbal aggression, truancy
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March 2nd, 2018
By Catherine Robertson Souter
Katie Lewis, Ph.D., a research psychologist at the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, Mass., is the recipient of the Robert S. Wallerstein Fellowship in Psychoanalytic Research. The fellowship carries with it a minimum of five years. The San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis chose to support Lewis’ research on the impact of interpersonal relationships on suicidal ideation and urges. The study will track up to 150 residents of Austen Riggs, a psychiatric hospital and residential treatment program, over a period of two weeks through a smart phone app designed by Lewis’ team. The purpose of the research is to understand how [More]
Tags: Dr. Katie Lewis, Robert S. Wallerstein Fellowship in Psychoanalytic Research, interview, suicidal ideation, suicidal urges, Austen Riggs Center, interpersonal relationships, depression, hopelessness, impulsivity
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