The Importance of Touch to Well-Being
The “right” kind of touch is critical to the emotional, psychological and physical health of every individual…but why? In this interview, David Linden discusses why touch matters, how it helps and hurts, and why some people don’t feel pain at all. If a child is born into a situation where social touch is deprived because there are […]
After PTSD More Trauma
After PTSD More Trauma A terrific article appeared in the New York Times this week on PTSD, called “After PTSD, More Trauma.” It’s about a veteran who came home traumatized and saw a new graduate therapist at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The therapist decided to apply Exposure Therapy to cure him and predictably, it made him much […]
The Truth About Mental Health Reimbursement
Yesterday’s Washington Post featured a poorly written article on The Parity Act of 2008 that painted an inaccurate and unhelpful view on mental health reimbursement policies. The truth is, people need to be savvy in knowing how to get reimbursed for their mental health care. They need to know that a large percentage of out-of-network fees they pay to […]
Healing & Preventing Sexual Assault in the Military
As we know, there is sexual assault in the military. And it isn’t just women who are assaulted, it’s men too. So, what can we do about it? What we do about sexual assault is process it as trauma. Sexual assault is a traumatic event that has to be processed and brought out into the […]
The National Epidemic of Depression
Several brilliant articles have recently brought some true light to what the national epidemic of depression really means, two of which I’d like to discuss. In Dr. Kevin Passero, N.D’s article Depression-A National Epidemic? and Overcoming Depression Without Meds by Rich Simon at Psychotherapy Networker, we learn about the over-diagnosis of depression in the U.S., and are reminded of the inefficacy of anti-depressants—despite how quick […]
Response: NYT “A Natural Fix for A.D.H.D.”
The New York Times published an article entitled “A Natural Fix for A.D.H.D.” in Sunday’s paper that is incredibly compelling and spot-on in terms of what the A.D.H.D./A.D.D. epidemic in this country is really about. The problem isn’t A.D.D.: The problem is boredom, stagnation, lack of any creative or physical outlet. In schools, they’ve cut art, they’ve […]
Response: The New York Times “My Mother’s Psychotherapy–and Mine”
The New York Times published an article from Saïd Sayrafiezadadeh’s “Couch” series on Sunday titled “My Mother’s Psychotherapy—and Mine.” Sayrafiezadadeh said of his mother, “Her relationship with her treatment nearly killed her. How would I fare?” The author recalls that when he expressed feelings of hopelessness regarding the alleviation of the unhappy memories, the therapist’s solution was […]
Potential Downsides of Mindfulness
Too Much of a Good Thing? Examining the Potential Downsides of Mindfulness The New York Times’ recent article, “Are We Being Too Mindful?” (published May 7, 2024), dives into the growing conversation about the potential drawbacks of mindfulness practices. Mindfulness, the act of focusing our attention on the present moment without judgment, has become a […]
Loss of Sexuality with Antidepressants
Lingering Shadows: The New York Times Explores Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction A recent article in the New York Times titled “After Antidepressants, a Loss of Sexuality” brought a rarely discussed side effect of antidepressants to light: Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD). The piece, written by Azeen Ghorayshi, delves into the experiences of individuals struggling with long-term sexual […]
Understanding The Response to Trauma
Why Trauma Feels So Raw: Study Suggests Traumatic Memories Live in the Present Have you ever wondered why traumatic events can feel so vivid and intrusive, even years later? A recent study published in the New York Times on December 5, 2023, sheds light on this phenomenon. Researchers at Yale University found that traumatic memories are […]