Since the election of President Trump on January 20, 2025, I have seen a marked increase in anxiety among new and existing clients. 

As a result of the elections on November 5, I have had many prospective clients reach out to me due to what they describe as stress, worry and anxiety about the future of the nation.

Governor Whitmer of Michigan declares that we cannot continue to live this way. Sadly, that is exactly what we will do. The pattern is all too familiar after mass shootings such as this one.

Frequently, not only are victims re-traumatized by being asked deeply personal questions that may or may not be relevant to the crime committed, they are not afforded appropriate medical exams such as brain scans checking for TBIs.

Many people who suffer from an eating disorder are highly intelligent, articulate and can discuss almost any topic with remarkable insight. They are usually accomplished and successful whether it be in school, work, or in any other environment.

As a therapist, I better know what to say or do when a person shares that he or she is suicidal. I have been professionally trained on how to respond. It is not at all unusual for me to learn that a person is actively considering suicide during a therapy session.

A lot of research has been done on depression and much progress has been made in successfully treating it, but depression remains a leading cause of suicide. Even if a depressed person does not complete suicide, he or she will have an unhappy and unfulfilled life if depression persists.

I have discovered that blending CBT and DBT with EMDR facilitates excellent results in clients’ ability to gain new insights into their traumatic experiences. I use CBT to reinforce what the client may know about his or her trauma to be true, yet not be able to feel that truth emotionally.

There is a common misconception among many people that the Covid 19 pandemic caused the crisis in obtaining mental health care for children and adolescents. There is a plethora of evidence-based research confirming that the pandemic exacerbated the crisis, but the crisis existed well before it became a problem in the United States.

This blog dovetails perfectly with my previous blog on toxic masculinity. It appears that Maureen Dowd of The New York Times and I are in perfect sync.

What does it mean to be a “real man?” Is it the ability to lift heavy weights and strut in public shirtless as Vladimir Putin does? Or is manhood better defined as the concept of being a “gentleman?” The answer (hopefully) is obvious.

I have been treating more and more TRD in my counseling practice. The higher the acuity and frequency of severe major depressive disorder, the more I am noticing the phenomenon of TRD.

As a clinician who provides direct client care I can attest to the fact that our mental health delivery system is in crisis. Although I am an outpatient therapist, I am treating more and more clients who require a higher level of care than an hour a week outpatient treatment can reasonably accommodate.

It is tragic that so many people who seek mental health care services are unable to obtain help. If a person is in crisis, days and even minutes matter. Imagine the frustration of desperately needing help and being shunned due to lack of access

Children, who are dependent on adult caretakers, use minimization of the pain caused by trauma as a defense mechanism.

I agree with the author that it is misleading to consider addiction only as a disease.

I have discovered that often the only truly effective treatment for sexual and emotional abuse is EMDR. Shame, guilt and low self worth are often debilitating emotions resulting from sexual and emotional abuse.

There are countless theories about why we dream, none of which fully explain exactly why it is that we dream. There is no concrete, evidence based data on why we dream.

I have successfully used CBT for years in treating sleep issues. These techniques work for me, and I am convinced they can work for you as well. We all know the difference between having had a good night's sleep and a fitful night of sleep (or no sleep at all). The difference is night and day.

I will never forget the patient who gave me the best description of depression I ever heard. She was a 17 year old highly intelligent and very articulate patient on a hospital crisis unit who had attempted suicide.