A Sense of Place: Helping Victims of Natural Disasters
posted by Carrie Steckl, Ph.D. on May 24th 2013
"My heart goes out to everyone in Oklahoma and beyond that was affected by the horrendous tornado that swept through the region on Monday, May 20, 2013. The loss of life was astonishing, the number injured devastating, and the damage to infrastructure, businesses, and homes almost inconceivable. The mental health implications of such a disaster are numerous. " More...

Journaling and Mental Health
posted by Allan Schwartz, LCSW, Ph.D. on May 24th 2013
"You have been through a difficult and traumatizing divorce. When all was over, you felt a sense of relief in addition to exhaustion and some depression. Several months have passed and you continue to feel the lingering effects of having been through something very stressful. A friend of yours suggests..." More...

A Simple Trick to Stopping Automatic Negative Thoughts
posted by Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. on May 23rd 2013
"It may or may not be news to you that the brain is wired to try and solve, plan and figure things out. That is why every time you have an uncomfortable feeling it goes into research mode. It asks, “Why do I feel this way?” The mind then creates all kinds stories that explain why this feeling might possibly be there. Because we’re telling stories through a stressed lens, often times the stories only serve to stress us out. It’s a cycle that’s healthy to break and here’s a simple way to do it. " More...

Creative Couple/Family Counseling: Discovering the Paradoxical Pass in the Impasse
posted by Mark Gorkin, LCSW ("The Stress Doc") on May 23rd 2013
"When life gets anxious and contentious, injecting some playfulness, if not a touch of absurdity, can help troubled couples and families find the creative and loving "pass in the impasse." And not surprisingly, this often involves extricating the kids from their roles as buffers, allies, diversions, lightning rods and messengers or of just being stuck in the middle. This removal process is vital if the couple is to have a clean and cleansing fight. Let me share a vignette in my role as a family and couples therapist. " More...

Can Stress Make You Fat?
posted by Christy Matta, M.A. on May 22nd 2013
"Do you eat when you're not hungry? After a long, hard or stressful day, are you likely to reach for a bag of chips, sweet treat or sugary drink as a way of rewarding or soothing yourself? Most of us eat, at times, for reason other than physiological need. And that's part of normal eating behavior. Occasionally soothing yourself with comfort foods or eating because something simply looks or smells delectable can be part of a healthy lifestyle and a healthy relationship with food. But, what we eat, when we eat and how it affects our bodies and our brains is complicated. " More...

Teenagers, Drug Abuse, Marijuana
posted by Allan Schwartz, LCSW, Ph.D. on May 22nd 2013
"According to a NIDA survey, The National Institute on Drug Abuse, teenage us of cigarettes, most illicit drugs and alcohol were in decline during 2012. Even "bath salts," a stimulant category of drugs, was used by only 1.3% of High School seniors nationally. However, of great concern to the addiction and mental health community is that... " More...

How Negative Energy Effects Adults, Teenagers and Children: What We Can Do To Change it
posted by Bob Livingstone, LCSW on May 21st 2013
"Negative energy has a profound effect on adults, teens and children. People who carry around this adverse attitude can appear to be very powerful to those in their presence. Negative energy is expressed by put downs of you or your friends. These comments are stated either directly to you or behind your back. The comments may be an accurate description of how this person feels or they may be made up in order to accelerate drama. " More...

Stressed at Work? You're Not Alone
posted by Carrie Steckl, Ph.D. on May 21st 2013
"Feeling stressed at work is certainly nothing new. We all know someone who is pulling his or her hair out in the cubicle - heck, it might even be us. But did you know that over 8 out of 10 people are stressed at work? That's right - according to a 2013 Work Stress Survey conducted by Harris Interactive and Everest College, a whopping 83% of employees report that they are seriously stressed out at work. Yikes! " More...