Mental Health Topics

Starting a new job can be intimidating. As you step into the unfamiliar territory, a few thoughts might cross your mind, like: Is this company the right fit for me? Will I be successful in this role? And perhaps the most daunting question of all, will my coworkers like me?…

Have you thought about your New Year’s resolutions yet? Maybe you want to stop eating out for every meal. Maybe you’ve got your sights set on joining a gym. Or, maybe you’re determined to finish writing that book you started a few years back. It’s great to have goals, and…

Many people have ideas about what the holidays spent with your family “should” be like. You’d expect your family members to love each other and be thankful for the time they get to spend together. Sadly, the reality for some families is much more complex. The truth is that many…

Traumatic stress leaves you feeling terrible. When you’re experiencing traumatic stress, your body tenses and gives in to physiological changes that can lead to digestive issues and headaches. When children experience this kind of overwhelming emotion, it limits their ability to engage positively in learning. Curiosity is a result of…

Traditionally speaking, the holidays are a time for celebration, for togetherness. But in the 21st century, the Christmas season has taken on a whole new meaning… stress. Today, celebrating the holidays with loved ones is overshadowed or even pushed aside completely by all of the stress that comes with it….

I have a patient, Ben, who used to dread heading home for the holidays. Due to the constant criticism from his parents, he and his family found it extremely difficult to relax and enjoy themselves. As soon as Ben walked through the door of his parents’ home, he felt ill…

Intense feelings of despair. Anxiety. Hopelessness, Loss of interest. Mood swings. Irritability. Social isolation. What do all of these things have in common? They’re symptoms of depression—and well-known symptoms, at that. As we grow more comfortable talking about mental health and mental illness, depression is often a topic of interest…

Personally, I’ve contributed to a daily blog called “Ask the Therapist” for nearly 10 years.  Each month, around 2,500 questions are submitted by people all across the world. The problems submitted deal with a wide variety of issues, some extremely heartbreaking.  I’ve had questions from a young woman in the…

Positive psychology is centered around research on intentional activities. People are becoming more and more successful at transforming their lives for the better thanks to deliberate positive interventions. Focused, mindful acts—for example practicing acts of kindness, expressing gratitude, and reviewing the good things that happened in your life today—have an…

According to a new study “Distinct neural mechanisms for the prosocial and rewarding properties of MDMA,” published in Science Translational Medicine, MDMA (ecstasy) could improve trust between patient and therapist, thereby enhancing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine differentiated two molecular pathways, one responsible…

Zinc, exercise, Vitamin D and potential stress busters top the list of new possibilities to supplement the widespread use of antidepressant medications.  This new research is groundbreaking because antidepressants have been found to only work about half of the time, and they tend to bring upon unwanted side effects. The…

Many people keep a diary or journal as a way to store their thoughts. Actually, a recent study found that 83% of girls, ages 16-19 say they keep a diary—mostly as a means of personal reflection.  If you keep a diary or journal, you are in good company. Past United…