Drone pilots can get PTSD too
Drones (or unmanned aircraft) have truly become the front lines of our current warfare. Although we could certainly discuss the mental health impact on regions of the world where there is a constant fear of…
TherapyShare: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Demons on the boat
At its core, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasizes how our efforts at avoiding pain and/or negative emotion prevent us from leading a meaningful life. One of my favorite analogies from ACT (and there’s a lot!) is called Demons…
Celebrity Rehab isn't killing people...but it may not be helpful either
Mindy McCready died on February 17th, 2013 from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Another grave statistic reveals that Ms. McCready is the 5th cast member from Dr. Drew Pinsky’s Celebrity Rehab TV show to die…
Notes from a Black Male Suicide Survivor
I came across this “personal essay” on Gawker the other day in which @Moore_Darnell shared some his early life suffering related to physical abuse both inside and outside the home as well as struggles with his own…
Veterans and the legal system: Why it's not their fault
Veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are being imprisoned at surprisingly high rates that would appear to be unfitting of the valor and honor they showed during combat. Several questions arise for me: 1) Is…
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…
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…
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…
First person narratives of mental disorders
In my brief experience as a clinician, I have found client accounts of their disorders to be particularly engaging and impactful. I think the way we truly learn about mental disorders is through first person…