In anticipation of the 4th annual National Psychotherapy Day, September 25, I invite you to check out this article on why psychotherapy is needed, effective, and lasting. The authors provide links to research on the efficacy of psychotherapy: supporting the science behind the transformative therapeutic relationship. If you or someone you care about is considering psychotherapy, this is a great place to start.
On September 10th, join with others around the world who are working towards the common goal of preventing suicide. Check in on someone you may be concerned about, listen to what they say, how they say it and show them kindness and support. Investigate ways of linking in with others who are trying to prevent suicide in your community, your country, or internationally. Show your support by organizing or taking part in a WSPD activity in your area and/or join in with IASP’s Cycle Around the Globe.
Brené Brown is a wonderfully authentic and moving researcher/storyteller. Her new book, Rising Strong, explores how we find the inner courage and compassion to rise up again when we have fallen. We all fall. The secret is in rising up again. And in the realization that in doing so we are not alone.
Dr. Brené Brown is a professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, and a researcher who has spent years studying, writing, and speaking about vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame. The video below of her 2010 TEDx Houston talk, The Power of Vulnerability, is one of the top five most viewed TED talks in the world, with over 19 million viewers. If you haven't seen it, or haven't seen it lately, it may be the most inspiring and best spent 20 minutes of your day.
Brené's latest book, Rising Strong, is scheduled for release this week. In describing Rising Strong, she writes, “If we are brave enough, often enough, we will fall. This is a book about what it takes to get back up.”
When people first make the decision to enter therapy, they often feel and say things like, "I thought I could figure this out myself, but I can't" or "I swallowed my pride and called to schedule an appointment." These statements reflect an underlying sense of shame and weakness that people feel about needing or asking for professional help. This is understandable given that people often seek out therapy when they are feeling at their most stuck, most lost, or most disconnected from the people and activities they love and the person they want to be. But as a therapist, from the other side of the couch as it were, I have a very different response the people I am privileged to work with in psychotherapy. I am amazed by their courage in facing fears and challenges, by their wisdom in understanding that they don't have to do it alone, and by the hopefulness inherent in reaching out for help. Making the decision to enter therapy reflects the determination to make a change, and the hope that one's relationships and future can be better. Margarita Tartakovsky recently interviewed psychologists and other mental health professionals to shed light on Why Seeing a Therapist Makes You Strong, Not Weak. Seeking professional help is a courageous, compassionate and smart decision. Seeking help takes self-awareness, work and commitment. It means confronting challenges and working to overcome them — whether you’re seeking help because you have a mental illness or you’re feeling stuck. Aren’t these the very signs of strength? Read more of Margarita's article on PsychCentral here.
Many who struggle with social anxiety can tell you that anxiety creates a vicious cycle. The mere thought of interacting with others and imagining how others might negatively judge or evaluate them creates often overwhelming anxiety. If they enter a social interaction in this anxious state they may find themselves more likely to have difficulty joining conversation or interacting comfortably with others. This may bring about uncomfortable social interactions and real or perceived negative evaluations by others, which serves to confirm their fears and may lead them to withdraw from this and future social interactions.
While a reported 7% of the population struggles with social anxiety, the anxiety and fear of judgement often prevents people from reaching out for help. This is particularly a shame as social anxiety responds well to a variety of therapeutic interventions. But new research by Jennifer Trew and Lynn Alden published in the journal Motivation and Emotion suggests that acts of kindness may effectively break the cycle of social anxiety. In this study, socially anxious participants focused on their own active positive role in a social interaction (performing an act of kindness) and on the other as someone in need, rather than on how they imagined others might respond to or judge them. This led to positive reinforcement in the interaction during which others responded positively to the participants with gratitude, which in turn challenged the participants' negative expectations for this and future social interactions. The participants who engaged in positive social interactions related to their acts of kindness were significantly less likely to avoid social interactions in the weeks that followed. It's a win-win! Read more about Trew and Alden's study here. Learn more about social anxiety and social phobia here. The Ghost in My Brain: A Remarkable Story of Traumatic Brain Injury, Neuroplasticity, and Recovery7/27/2015
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and concussions have increasingly made headlines, particularly in the context of sports-related injury. An increasing number of hospitals and outpatient clinics have opened units dedicated to improving diagnosis and rehabilitation for TBI patients. As we work to advance research and treatment, it is important to recognize the real people behind the statistics and brain imaging, to understand how these devastating losses impact their everyday lives. Artificial Intelligence professor Dr. Clark Elliott suffered what was initially thought to be a mild-traumatic brain injury when his car was rear-ended in 1999, an accident he walked away from. However, in the weeks, months, and years that followed, Dr. Elliott suffered a constellation of cognitive and emotional symptoms resulting from that TBI that threatened his family life and once promising career. Dr. Elliott's new book, The Ghost in My Brain: How a Concussion Stole My Life and How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Helped Me Get It Back, describes in unblinking detail the often confusing changes that took place in his ability to think and function following the accident. Importantly, the story goes on to examine emerging research in neuroplasticity, the amazing ways in which the brain heals itself, and the innovative behavioral optometry treatment that Dr. Elliott credits for bringing him back to himself. It is a remarkable story, and well worth the read for those who have suffered TBIs, as well as for those who love and treat them. Click here to learn more about Dr. Elliott's book and experiences. Click here to listen to an insightful interview with Dr. Elliott by KERA's Kris Boyd.
The Pixar team has honed their ability to combine humor and creativity without shying away from deeper human emotions. Their new film, Inside Out, centers on the emotions, memories, personality and meaning found by the young protagonist as she tries to cope with moving to a new city and school, while on the verge of adolescence. The film offers insight into the value of sadness, one of those human experiences (along with anxiety, fear, and anger) that many people would rather live without. Our tendency to overvalue positive emotions, often shows itself to be inadequate when we (and those we love) face difficult times and transitions. Sadness, in particular, cues us to the fact that we have lost touch with something or someone important to us. It helps us empathically connect with others, and lets others know that we need their help. Sadness and anxiety often lead people into therapy, but it is important to know that they are not the enemy. As one viewer notes, the film reminds us of the words often repeated by therapists, "it is ok to feel sad." A life without anxiety or sadness is likely also a life without contentment or joy. They are a part of the greater human whole.
The film also explores the role of memories, and in particular "core memories" that help shape our personality, experiences, and identity. We see how core memories fall away when their meaning no longer holds in our present reality. In those times, new experiences, memories, and the full range of emotion are needed as we work to re-understand, and sometimes recreate, ourselves, our relationships, and our world.
Treat your children, nieces and nephews, neighbor kids, or your own inner child to Inside Out. Don't forget the popcorn... or the tissues.
A law passed in 2008 known as the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equality Act (or Mental Health Parity Law) requires insurance coverage of mental health, behavioral health, and substance-use disorders to be comparable to physical health coverage. Despite these changes, people often remain unaware of the mental health services that may already be covered by their existing insurance. If you are interested in learning more about your Mental Health Benefits, it is a good idea to contact the Behavioral Health or general Customer Service number on your insurance card, even before your first appointment. The following questions will help you gather useful information about your plan and covered Mental Health Benefits:
Click here to learn more about mental health coverage under the Mental Health Parity Law in this guide published by the American Psychological Association.
Dr. Ryan Howes, founder of National Psychotherapy Day (9.25.15), and his team released a video series last week entitled Moments of Meaning, featuring therapists speaking from the heart about the transformations that take place between therapist and patient in psychotherapy. The whole series is well done and provides an insightful and moving glimpse into real therapy sessions (all stories are shared with the permission of individual patients, and altering identifying information). If you have ever wondered about the benefits, process, or new perspectives that psychotherapy might offer, take a look at this Moments of Meaning video featuring licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. John Dilley, as he shares his experience of entering psychotherapy as a patient himself. |
About the AuthorClinical psychologist Dr. Kristy Novinski contributes insights, book and film reviews, discussions of pop culture, and exploration of news and research in the field of psychology. What I'm Reading
Categories
All
|