Are you frustrated with your weekly sessions and thinking of quitting therapy? Perhaps you have friends who gush about their therapist and brag about the progress that they are making. You wonder why you don’t share their excitement. (See “Is Your Therapist Helping You Enough?”) What do you do when therapy isn’t delivering results? When therapy […]
Grief is relentless. When someone you love dies, nothing feels the same. You suddenly become a distant observer of life. You wonder, “How odd that everyone still goes about their business.” A young couple holds hands as they stroll toward a movie theater; two children dash down the street toward a leafy playground; a businessman […]
Anyone who has experienced panic attacks knows how frightening and debilitating they can be. Unfortunately, panic attacks are on the rise among America youth. A recent study from the Pew Research Center finds that 70 percent of American teenagers see depression and anxiety as the leading “major problem” among their peers. When I polled the members […]
Do you have a defiant child or teenager who seems to challenge everything you say? In When Kids Call the Shots, I included an extensive guide for parents on how to handle children and teenagers with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). I focus on viewing defiance as a form of energy. This means that, just like […]
If you’ve ever had panic attacks, this experience may sound familiar: “It just happened again. I was having a good day. Work went well, I had lunch with an old friend, and my commute home was smooth. After dinner, I decided to take a hot shower and watch a movie. After all, it was Friday night. […]
Every morning I woke up with dread. No gratitude in sight. A feeling of heaviness that invaded my thoughts, weighed me down during the day and tortured me at night. I zombied my way through the world with little hope that life could change. I even questioned the value of living. My family was hit […]
Recently, I met up with my roommate from college. Like many old friends, we share a secret language, referring to events and situations with a single word or glance. A raised eyebrow, a sideways look, the phrase, “What size are your bananas?” and we erupt into fits of laughter while others look on perplexed. I […]
Samantha visited my psychotherapy office for a consultation. She was frustrated with her employer and witnessed men being promoted while she wasn’t even considered for new positions. Fearing a backlash against her from her boss (a man) and her colleagues (also men) if she spoke up, she started to experience panic attacks and insomnia. As […]
Marijuana is enjoying a surge in popularity. Legalization has increased and spread to over 25 states as medical studies continue to show the benefits of weed for treating conditions including anorexia, chronic pain, PTSD, and some forms of cancer. But before you embrace your inner stoner, there’s increasing evidence that the abuse of weed edibles […]
Everyone knows that stress negatively affects your mental health, but did you know that stress also damages your teeth and gums? Research has shown that there is a connection between long-term stress and deteriorating oral health. (See “5 Simple Ways to Relieve Stress & Anxiety“) I sat down with Asma Khan, a writer with a […]
