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Excoriation: What Is It and Why Is It in the DSM-5? December 23, 2012 . 38 Comments
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders serves as the “bible” of mental health practitioners, who rely on it to match diagnostic criteria with behaviors. The American ... Read More
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Loved Ones with Cancer: Celebrating Their Last Holiday Season December 17, 2012 . 5 Comments
Nicole is 16, and Ethan is 14. Their father, Jack, has battled brain cancer for the past two years. Jack was told recently that further treatment had a less than 10% chance of being successful. ... Read More
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A Parent’s Primer: The Power of Rewards December 4, 2012 . 5 Comments
Last month, we talked about how figuring out why someone is doing something is key to changing his or her behaviors. We learned that most behaviors are motivated by getting something, getting ... Read More
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Grief, Mourning, and Loss: Unhealthy Ways of Coping November 8, 2012 . 13 Comments
I’ve been thinking about grief, mourning, and loss a lot lately. It shows up as a theme in my work as a psychotherapist all the time. I’ve also been studying the literature on methods ... Read More
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Animal-Assisted Therapy: Does It Work with Stuffed Animals? November 1, 2012 . 15 Comments
Integrating live animals into the therapeutic process has been gaining recognition as a viable and effective approach in a clinical setting. Equine-assisted therapy is a widely popular ... Read More
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Does Discrimination Lead to Substance Abuse? October 30, 2012 . 7 Comments
People who are discriminated against cope with that discrimination in various ways. Although some cope adaptively and use strategies that are constructive and empowering when they are faced ... Read More
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Depression and Discrimination: Where There’s One, the Other Often Follows October 30, 2012 . 10 Comments
Depression makes it difficult to function in daily life, but adding discrimination to the equation makes it even more troublesome. A new study in the journal The Lancet stated that out ... Read More
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Mysophobia: the Fear of Germs October 24, 2012 . 42 Comments
Most people experience some form of irrational fear or anxiety, and many are concerned about germs and disease in particular. Amid a flurry of films and media reports about antibiotic-resistant ... Read More
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Asperger’s Syndrome and the Illusion of Friendship October 23, 2012 . 17 Comments
This is the third in a series of articles designed to explore some of the issues and concerns that arise around what is currently called Asperger’s syndrome, which will soon be incorporated ... Read More
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The Therapeutic Relationship: a Blueprint October 22, 2012 . 6 Comments
As therapists, we take journeys with our clients. We embark on long trips to uncover and discover the past and imagine possible futures. In the case of people who have been victims of ... Read More
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Should Step-Relationships Be Maintained After Divorce? October 22, 2012 . 154 Comments
What was once considered a rarity—step-siblings, step-parents, and step-in-laws—has become more common than not. When couples marry, there is a very good chance that one of them brings ... Read More
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Denial, Bargaining, and Disability: Adapting to a New Reality
October 17, 2012 .
8 Comments
There are many parallels between living with a disability and dealing with an uninvited house guest. If you have ever had an uninvited house guest, I am sure you remember moments when ... Read More
