Honoring Veterans Day
As a VA psychologist, I have seen the pain of war on vet's lives and psyche. As an American I hope that we can honor and serve our vets for their service to our country. In…
Drinking got the best of Amy
When I found out the news of Amy Winehouse's passing I was pretty sad. I found her to be an amazing talent and listened to her music on many late nights working on my dissertation.…
Quickpost: Reflections on Alcoholics Anonymous by Glee Star Jane Lynch
While Jane Lynch's role as Sue Sylvester on Glee has created quite a national following for her it has also created a platform for her to talk about her past battles with addiction. In one…
Quickpost: Alcohol costs the U.S. $223.5 billion
That's big money! We often underestimate the national implications of poor health decisions, particularly of alcohol use. The mantra of our country is "do whatever you want as long as it doesn't hurt others." But…
Are zodiac signs linked to personality?
When my birthday rolls around on the calendar every September I often think about zodiac signs. I've always been curious about the validity of personality descriptions that come along with the zodiac signs. There is…
Flourish: Martin Seligman's speech at APA 2011
My second favorite event of the convention (behind Aaron Beck's speech) was attending Martin Seligman's presentation. The Flourish (also the title of one of his books) speech was a broad discussion of his all of…
A conversation on Aaron Beck's 90th birthday
Definitely the highlight of the convention for me. When I was searching through the convention program and I saw Aaron Beck's name listed I knew there was simply no way I could miss it. There…
APA Annual Convention 2011
A cool thing happened last week when I had a chance to go check out the American Psychological Association's annual convention for the first time. I must say that I really enjoyed the experience and…
Might as well face it...You're addicted to love
We have probably all experienced romantic heart break in one way or another. Romantic rejection can be extremely painful and lead to feelings of loss and even depression. A recent study can shed some light on why…
What makes a good therapist? A miniseries
Does the gender, age, or experience of your therapist matter? Not really! Research runs the gamut on successful therapist variables including both observed traits and states. Firstly, it is both relieving and logical that a…
Premature Termination: What therapists can and should do
With premature termination resulting in serious consequences for both clients and therapists, it is persistently important for therapists to be actively involved in subverting early termination. There are several strategies suggested for therapists to utilize…
Premature Termination: When clients leave early
Just as I didn't blog for several months with no discussion or mention of my upcoming absence, many times clients will terminate therapy with no mention of their intentions. Research shows that the average number…
I've been a little distracted
Alrighty. After a break for moving to internship, getting settled in, and attempting to work on my dissertation...I'm back to blogging. Hope the break has provided some refreshment and helps me come back with new…
Aftermath of suicide: First person narratives from the family left behind
Suicide often leaves behind survivors. Parents, children, friends, spouses, coworkers....The list goes on and on. Suicide prevention is a major focus of clinical psychology as it rightfully should be with lives lost across the country…
Suicide: First person accounts from attempters
Suicide, the intentional killing of oneself, is a global issue with over 1 million people (10th leading cause of death) committing suicide every year. There are various social contexts for committing suicide, including honor in…