Summer Weather and Medications Many psychotropic medications increase one's sensitivity to the sun and heat, increasing chances of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Those taking psychotropics can review the listed side effects for heat sensitivity and take special precautions. It is a known fact that many medications come with side effects, most minimal, while others are more serious. [...]
I was speaking with a friend recently about phones and texting, and he used the term 'phubbing'. While I agree that texting is a viable form of communication, as a mental health professional, I'm concerned that too many teens and adults attempt to carry on a conversation through texting while they ignore the person standing in front of [...]
Just in the past ten years (a short time in the progression in the biological sciences), a new understanding has arisen of the vital role played by the microbial population in and on our bodies. A new book called 10% Human by Alanna Cole explains this new outlook in very understandable terms. She picked the [...]
Why do we eat? It seems like a simple enough question with a simple answer; to stay alive and fuel our body. However, we know that the answer is sometimes not so simple. Eating is tied to life events, to bring people together, to celebrations and holidays and for many people, eating is a way [...]
Maybe you’ve had this experience: a friend, relative or significant other makes a complaint about something you did, and all of a sudden you are in a no-holds-barred war of words. It is very common for simple complaints to turn into a win/lose power struggle. Many times when we get into these situations, the importance [...]
Some people bring in an agenda of what they want to talk about in session and try very hard to make sure everything gets addressed within that time. This can be helpful, but what if only one of those items gets addressed in great depth, or if you end up entirely off-topic? That’s why I [...]
Everyone at some point in time experiences distressing emotions. It could be related to the loss of a job, a relationship, a changed lifestyle or even having a new president. Often, the strategies we use to manage these feelings do not help. Some people try to avoid their feelings by distracting themselves with other activities [...]
When a person is in a verbally abusive relationship, it is important and helpful to have the support of friends. One particular friend in this situation is Patricia Evans, who has written a book that explains what verbal abuse is and how to respond to it in a healthy manner. Her book The Verbally Abusive [...]
In the year 1935, Bill Wilson (Bill W) and Dr. Robert Smith (Dr. Bob) founded the most famous program for Alcoholics that we know today as AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). Over the last century, Many other 12 step programs have been created from the AA roots including; NA (Narcotics Anonymous), OA (Overeaters Anonymous), GA (Gamblers Anonymous), ACOA (Adult Children of [...]
Fitting in is hard to do, especially when you look around and realize that you don’t match anyone else around you. It’s hard to not feel that there must be something wrong with you and that you have to change or try to hide your true nature. This is especially how so many kids can [...]