A Phenomenology of Shame, or, Life (and Death) in Graduate School
Oh Grad School, where is thy victory? Oh Grad School, where is thy sting? – Paul (Paraphrase) Graduate school was one of the most painful times of my life. Sure…
Personal Stories
Tips That Helped Me Recover from Trichotillomania
This article is a follow up to “An Unconventional Take on Trichotillomania”. Tips that helped me recover from trichotillomania: Cover up the mirror in the bathroom with contact paper if…
An Unconventional Take on Trichotillomania
I have absorbed countless articles, posts, and videos about trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling) over the years, and most of them aggravate and concern me. After having trichotillomania for 13 years,…
Mindful Motoring: How Herbie the Love Bug Is Saving My Life
If you work in the mental health field for long enough, eventually you’ll hear the word “mindfulness” so often that, one day, you’ll be sitting in a treatment team meeting…
Combat PTSD — One Veterans’ Journey to Control the Beast
I thought January 9, 1970 was the end of my involvement with the military and the Vietnam War. That was the day I was discharged from the US Navy after…
Book Review: Our Emotional Footprint
Have you ever wondered about someone that you see on the bus, plane, or train? Are you a ‘people watcher’ by nature? Do you sometimes allow your imagination to create…
When Parents and Children Are Estranged
As an advocate for mental health awareness, I hear a lot of stories from a lot of people. Some of the most heartbreaking ones to me are those where parents…
ERP and ACT for OCD — Making Sense of the Acronyms!
As I, and many others, have mentioned numerous times before, exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy is the evidence-based psychological treatment of choice for obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, over the years…
Residual Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
When someone experiences a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder episode there are residual symptoms. Residual symptoms are different from PTSD symptoms. These begin immediately after the episode subsides. And, these residual effects last…
Not Just for Attention: Stop Teen Suicide
The subject of depression and suicide, especially in the case of children and teens, is a tremendous concern. Unfortunately, many cases go missed not necessarily because those surrounding these young…
Put Your Own Spin on It: How Cycling Can Lead to Psychological Balance
It’s just me and the resistance knob now. That small dial that will determine how easy or hard this bike ride will be. The spin class instructor cues, encourages “TURN…
It’s Not About the Panini: A Story About OCD and Anorexia
18 years ago I found myself drawn to a light switch. Turning the lights on and off became an ordeal as every room’s light switch hypnotized me into gliding my fingers across it, pressing…
Mental Illness or Brain Disorder?
Why is it that the idea of “mental illness” is so much scarier to many people than any other illness? We talk freely about cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, yet…
Who Is to Blame for My Son’s OCD?
There is no question the stigma of mental illness is alive and well, even as many of us work tirelessly to eradicate it. Sharing our stories and being candid about…
OCD and Social Scrupulosity
Most people associate scrupulosity with religion, and indeed religious scrupulosity is often an issue for some people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Those with this type of OCD have unreasonable religious expectations…