Psychotherapy Parkersburg WV

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Psychotherapy is a process focused on helping you heal and learn more constructive ways to deal with the problems or issues within your life. Read the following articles to learn all about psychotherapy and its benefits.

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Gardening Supplies

Gardening supplies include nursery pots, grow bags, hydroponic systems, potting mixes, pest control, house plant food, peat moss, plant grow lights, and many more. See below for local business in Parkersburg that give access to gardening supplies as well as advice and content on gardening tools and gardening books.

Agriculture Projects

I’ve seen and read about numerous other projects similar to the one my former city’s community mental health center runs. Some mental health centers operate greenhouses packed with flowers, ferns, and other plants.

Sexual Abuse Recovery Therapy

Sexual abuse recovery therapy helps survivors of extremely traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse, sexual molestation, and sexual exploitation recover normal functioning. Methods may include Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, or EMDR, and psychotherapy. See below for more information and to gain access to sexual abuse recovery therapists in Parkersburg, WV who provide sexual abuse recovery therapy.

12 Things I Learned from My Therapist

I've spent more time in therapy than I care to think about. What do I have to show for it? Lots of wisdom and advice. Journals and journals of it. But for your sake, I'll just list 12. And after you get done reading my shrink insights, I want you to tell me yours, because I'm compiling such pearls for a writing project.

Being Proud & Building Self Esteem

Growing up how many times did you hear stuff like, "Who do you think you are?" or "Pride is a sin. Be humble." But pride is not always hubris. Pride can also be a good thing.

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10 Steps to Conquer Perfectionism

Perfectionism is the enemy of creativity, productivity, and, well, sanity. It can frustrate your efforts as a mom, a wife, a friend, and a human being. Because no one and no thing is perfect in this blemished world of ours. Here are 10 techniques I use to break out of the prison of perfectionism in order to live and create as freely as I can in an imperfect world.

10 Ways to Find a Good Therapist

What do we do when we want to improve our inner selves, our relationships, or want to find help with depression or anxiety? Making the decision to find help is hard enough. Why should you have to get even more stressed out hunting for the right therapist? It’s like searching for a needle in a haystack unless you have some guidance. So here are a few tips.

11 Kinds of Therapy to Help You Grieve a Loss

What can you do to feel better? Sometimes you need to take action. When you do something to relieve your feelings and to give yourself a sense of achievement, you are accomplishing your journey through bereavement. Here are some activities–and some behaviors you can do–that are therapeutic for you during your bereavement.

12 Things I Learned from My Therapist

15 Common Cognitive Distortions

Cognitive distortions are simply ways that our mind convinces us of something that isn’t really true. These inaccurate thoughts are usually used to reinforce negative thinking or emotions — telling ourselves things that sound rational and accurate, but really only serve to keep us feeling bad about ourselves.

16 Ways to Become a Smart Self-Advocate with Medication

In order to become a sharp self-advocate, you just need some information. Here’s some hints for for taking medication safely and effectively. At the end, you’ll also find a basic glossary of common medication-related terms.

3 Ways We Can Control Our Moods

Larry Drain of the Hopeworks Community blog wrote an excellent post the other month on three things we can do about our moods: prevention, coping, learning. Please read on for more detailed information in the following article.

4 Steps to Mindfulness

Dr. Elisha Goldstein's four step model to mindfulness has helped me divide the awesome job of becoming more mindful into a few steps that are easier to process. He breaks mindfulness into four categories: calming exercises, mindfulness of thoughts, mindfulness of emotions, and the wandering mind.

5 Emotional Vampires and How to Combat Them

Without the self-defense strategies to fend them off, victims of emotional vampires sometimes develop unhealthy behaviors and symptoms, such as overeating, isolating, mood swings, or feeling fatigued. Here are five types of emotional vampires you’re likely to encounter, and some “silver bullet” tips for fending them off.

5 Things Not to Worry about in Therapy

Psychotherapy is full of both extraordinary potential benefits and some possible pitfalls. We’ve discussed some of those things in past entries . But there are some things in psychotherapy that you just shouldn’t spend too much time worrying about. They may seem important or worth worrying about, but it’s just a waste of your time, energy and focus. Here’s a few of them.

5 Ways Highly Sensitive People Can Live in an Insensitive World

The following tips are from Jenna Forrest, an empowerment coach in Durham, North Carolina who helps her highly sensitive clients to understand, refine, and embrace their sensory abilities. Please read on for more detailed information in the following article.

6 Steps to Serenity

I want so desperately to be able to let go of all the stuff I can't change, to take charge of the things in my life that are under my control. Here are just a few ways I "do" the Serenity Prayer in my life: techniques that help me separate the unchangeable from the changeable … a half-dozen steps I regularly take toward serenity.

6 Steps Toward Freedom from Depression

Here are the tools I picked up along the way, the basic lessons that help me in my mission to stay Beyond Blue, or at least out of black for as long as possible. Please read on for more detailed information in the following article.

6 Ways to Stay Out of the Psych Ward

Whether you have experieced in the psycho ward or not, you will not want to stay there! Keep yourself mentally healthy and keep away from the psych ward. Here are some steps to help you. Read on and get more information.

7 Challenges of Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy can be a powerful treatment for everything ranging from depression and attention deficit disorder , to anxiety and panic attacks. And while there are many different forms of psychotherapy, virtually all of them share the challenges discussed in this article.

7 Good Reasons to Cry Your Eyes out

Do not be afraid of crying, because n fact, tears are good to us. After a good cry, I always feel cleansed, like my heart and mind just rubbed each other’s backs in a warm bath. Tears and the phenomenon we call "crying" can heal us physiologically, psychologically, and spiritually.

7 Tips for Making the Most of Online Support Groups

Online support groups can be a great source of emotional support and valuable health information you won’t find on any website from the National Institute of Mental Health or others. Some people are a little leery of joining an online support group, however.

8 Ways to Overcome Jealousy and Envy

I know that the fastest way to despair is by comparing one's insides with another's outsides. How to get out of such situations? In this article, I'll share my experience with you.I have to pull out my set of directions–these 8 techniques–that will lead me out of the continent of jealousy and home, to self-acceptance.

A New Predictive Test for Depression

A new universal test to predict the risk of someone succumbing to major depression has been made. The online tool could eventually be used by family doctors and local clinics to identify those at risk of depression for whom prevention might be most useful. Read on.

A Psychopath's Brain on fMRI

Once he determines that the participant is, in fact, a psychopath based on their PCL-R score, he takes scans of their brains using an fMRI to determine if there are brain differences between psychopathic participants and normal controls. He has found defects in the paralimbic system that he believes relate to psychopathy.

About Behavior Therapy

Behavior therapy is focused on helping an individual understand how changing their behavior can lead to changes in how they are feeling. The goal of behavior therapy is usually focused on increasing the person’s engagement in positive or socially reinforcing activities.

About Cognitive Psychotherapy

Cognitive therapy is based on the theory that much of how we feel is determined by what we think. Disorders, such as depression, are believed to be the result of faulty thoughts and beliefs. By correcting these inaccurate beliefs, the person’s perception of events and emotional state improve.

Acknowledging Your Inner Child

There is clearly a part of you that is hurting, that needs help, and that needs to be healed. Listen to this "inner child" as it is telling you extremely valuable information about what it is exactly that you need to be working on in therapy.

Adding Counseling to Doctor Visits

The problem? Mental health problems occur throughout many people's lives and yet they don't seek out specific help for them. If you can’t bring the person to the therapist, why not bring the therapist to the person?

Advice on Finding a Therapist

In Ten Ways to Find a Good Therapist I focused on how you can get promising referrals, an important step to locating a therapist who will work well with you. Once you have two or three names, then what? Read on for the next steps.

Aerobic Activity for the Brain

Aerobically active subjects exhibited more small-diameter vessels with less tortuosity, or twisting, than the less active group, exhibiting a vessel pattern similar to younger adults. Aerobic activity may keep the brain young as scientists discover physically active elderly people showed healthier cerebral blood vessels. Read on.

Agriculture Projects

All about Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

Hypnotism puts you into a state of “focused concentration,” during which you’re vaguely aware of your surroundings — you just don’t care about them. There are different stages of hypnosis, some deeper than others. But when you’re in any of them, your imagination is open to suggestion.

Alzheimer’s Medications and Coping

The treatment of Alzheimer’s disease is usually focused on slowing the progression of the disease. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, but researchers are working everyday to find one.

An Introduction to Phobias

Phobias occur in several forms. A specific phobia is a fear of a particular object or situation. Social phobia is a fear of being painfully embarrassed in a social setting. And agoraphobia , which often accompanies panic disorder, is a fear of being in any situation that might provoke a panic attack , or from which escape might be difficult if one occurred.

Analyze Emotions From a Distance

When you're upset or depressed, should you analyze your feelings to figure out what's wrong? Or should you just forget about it and move on? New research suggests a solution to these questions and to a related psychological paradox: Processing emotions is supposed to facilitate coping, but attempts to understand painful feelings often backfire and perpetuate or strengthen negative moods and emotions.

Antibodies May Slow Alzheimer’s

The antibodies have been identified in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of healthy people. According to some researches, antibodies may slow Alzheimer's disease. Read on to get the details.

Anxiety Therapist

Anxiety therapists treat the five main types of anxiety disorders, which are generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social anxiety disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most effective for all anxiety disorders, and medications such as benzodiazepines, anti-depressants, and beta-blockers are sometimes prescribed depending on the disorder. See below for more information and to gain access to qualified anxiety disorder specialists in Parkersburg, WV.

Avoiding Confusion After Surgery

Screening tool will help minimize or prevent what has become an increasingly serious medical problem among older adults. Delirium, which is sometimes accompanied by confused speech and hallucinations, is known to leave patients in an acute confused state where they experience a serious decline in cognition and attention. Read on.

Behavioral Therapy Helps Kids Lose Weight

A medium- to high-intensity behavioral management program has been found to help obese school-age kids and teens lose weight and/or prevent further weight gain. Read and find out more.

Being Proud & Building Self Esteem

Growing up how many times did you hear stuff like, "Who do you think you are?" or "Pride is a sin. Be humble." But pride is not always hubris. Pride can also be a good thing.

Beware of Emotions When Assessing Risk

Unfortunately, humans are irrational creatures. This characteristic can place an individual at risk because people tend to view their immediate emotions, such as their perceptions of threats or risks, as more intense and important than their previous emotions.

Bipolar Disorder and Partygoing

Sha of The Bipolar Bisexual offers a list of ways to get through a party when you’ve got bipolar disorder and things like drinking too much, staying up late, and overexcitement may trigger an episode or knock you emotionally off-balance. A few tips from her experiences.

Building Assertiveness in 4 Steps

Assertiveness is the antidote to fear, shyness, passivity, and even anger, so there is an astonishingly wide range of situations in which this training is appropriate. There are four basic steps that can help you become more assertive in your every day interactions with others.

Caffeine Reverses Alzheimer’s in Animal Model

The caffeine significantly decreased abnormal levels of the protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease, both in the brains and in the blood of mice exhibiting symptoms of the disease. Caffeine in early adulthood prevented the onset of memory problems in mice bred to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms in old age.

Child OCD

Adults with OCD usually know they have a problem. They are able to separate their obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors from normal, healthy thoughts and behaviors, which is considered the first step on the road to recovery. Children, however, generally do not have enough life experience or self-awareness to make this critical distinction.

Children and Psychiatric Medications

One in ten of America’s children has an emotional disturbance such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , depression or anxiety , that can cause unhappiness for the child and problems at home, at play, and at school. Many of these children will be taken by their parents to their family physician or pediatrician, or, in many cases, a specialist in child mental health. The child will be carefully evaluated and may begin some type of therapy.

Children and Sleep Problems

Many childhood sleep problems are related to poor sleep habits or to anxiety about going to bed and falling asleep. Persistent sleep problems may also be symptoms of emotional difficulties. “Separation anxiety” is a developmental landmark for young children. For all young children, bedtime is a time of separation. Some children will do all they can to prevent separation at bedtime.

Children and the Death of a Pet

For many children, their first real experience with loss occurs when a pet dies. When a pet dies, children need consolation, love, support, and affection more than they need complicated medical or scientific explanations. Children’s reactions to the death of a pet will depend upon their age and developmental level. Children 3 to 5 years of age see death as temporary and potentially reversible.

Co-Counseling: Therapy without Therapists

The co-counseling community is a nationwide network of people offering to support other community members. Experienced teachers offer classes—usually in their own homes—on how to ask for and give support. The classes themselves serve as support groups, and as an opportunity to meet other potential support people.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia

A majority of people experiencing chronic insomnia can experience a normalization of sleep parameters through the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) suggests a new study. Results indicate that 50 percent to 60 percent of participants with chronic sleep onset insomnia, sleep maintenance insomnia or both experienced remission of their primary sleep difficulty.

Conditions Related to OCD

The central feature of BDD is a preoccupation with an imagined or inconsequential defect in physical appearance. The clinical characteristics of BDD and OCD are similar in many respects. Both disorders are characterized by recurrent, disturbing and intrusive thoughts. In the case of OCD, the content may involve a variety of different subjects (e.g., contamination or fear of acting on unwanted impulses). The concerns of BDD, by definition, always involve a minor or imagined physical abnormality.

Deep Pressure Vest & the Portable Hug

Imagine receiving a portable hug anytime you needed one. That's the idea behind a new device called a deep-pressure vest that delivers a “portable hug”. Read on.

Defining Psychotherapy

Given the range of procedures that are considered “ psychotherapy ,” arriving at a complete definition for the word is difficult. The emphasis placed on different components determines the distinctions among the various schools of psychotherapy. Still, it is probably safe to define psychotherapy as a process whereby psychological problems are treated through communication and relationship factors between an individual and a therapist.

Dementia on the Rise

According to some statistics, roughly 50 percent of people who reach 85 will become demented. In another word, the number of dementia is rising. If you want to know more about this, keep on reading.

Demystifying Decision-Making

Before making a decision you must be 100 percent sure of it. This condition is virtually impossible. Human beings are complex, and can react to a decision in many different ways at the same time. Further, we can’t see the future, so it is impossible to predict the outcome of a decision with certainty. In short, 85 percent is about as good as it gets.

Demystifying Treatment for Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Some dismiss body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) as vanity; others believe it’s a rare and extreme condition. Though many misconceptions continue to circulate, BDD is a real, fairly common body image disorder.

Determining How much Therapy is Needed

Ideally, the actual ending date (the last session) should be far enough into the future so as to allow time to discuss and “process” the ending phase. While there is no one right amount of time to allow for this, it usually involves weeks to months. It is natural to find that feelings of separation, loss and mourning are evoked during this time of saying goodbye, and such feelings should be expressed and understood in terms of the personal meaning for you.

Determining if You Need Therapy

with a wide range of problems — from depression to marital strife to simple phobias like the fear of flying — can reap the benefits of psychotherapy . The common reasons you might seek therapy are listed below.

Diabetic Side-Effects from Antipsychotic Meds

A new study discovers older persons with diabetes are at risk for elevated blood sugars if they are taking an antipsychotic medication. The following article has more to tell.

Diet Protects Physical and Mental Health

Using a statistical technique that collectively analyzes independent studies, scientists discovered sticking to a full Mediterranean diet provides substantial protection against major chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Ecopsychology

Ecopsychology is a new field that is developing in recognition that human health cannot be separated from the health of the whole and must include mutually enhancing relationships between humans and the non-human world.

ED from Sleep Apnea is Treatable

Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that can cause cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, headaches and daytime sleepiness that can lead to impairment and danger.

Energy Psychology

The term “energy psychology” refers to a number of related energy therapies that are based on the Chinese Meridian System of medicine. Energy psychology quickly and thoroughly relieves mental health problems by eliminating emotional traumas or blockages from the mind/body continuum by touching or tapping key points on the body.

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Whether it’s a nuzzle of their wet nose, a game of fetch or a walk around the block, spending time with our pets can make us feel better, calmer and even happier. Indeed, studies suggest that people with pets experience both emotional and physical benefits (Barker, 1999).

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is a specific type of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy technique that is often used in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) and phobias. Please read on for more detailed information in the following article.

Facts about Phobias

Social phobia is the fear of being humiliated in a social setting, such as when meeting new people, giving a speech, or talking to the boss. Most people experience these fears with mild to moderate intensity, and the fear passes. For people with social phobia, however, the fear is extremely intrusive and can disrupt normal life, interfering with work or social relationships in varying degrees of severity.

Finding a Therapist

Choosing the right therapist is important. Research shows that two factors predict success in psychotherapy : the client and therapist relationship, and the therapist’s experience with and knowledge about the type of psychotherapy sought. Simply referring to the telephone book is likely to be an intimidating process. The suggestions below can help you select the right therapist.

Finding Psychological Help for Your Child

Parents of children who need psychological treatment face a series of struggles. On top of the still-present stigma of mental illness, there’s the search for competent and appropriate professionals and the battle with health-insurance providers to fund the sometimes long-term therapy needed.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is letting go of the need for revenge and releasing negative thoughts of bitterness and resentment. If you are a parent, you can provide a wonderful model for your children by forgiving. If they observe your reconciliation with friends or family members who have wronged you, perhaps they will learn not to harbor resentment over the ways in which you may have disappointed them. If you are not a parent, forgiveness is still an extremely valuable skill to have.

Gaining Control of Your Life

Feeling that you have some say in your own life seems to be good for you — both emotionally and physically. People who don’t believe that they have any control over their lives develop a sense of passivity and helplessness — and this sense has been linked to poor health in the same way that feeling loved and hopeful have been linked to better health.

Gardening Supplies

Get More out of Psychotherapy: Collaborate with Your Therapist

The decision to work with a therapist is never straightforward, but there are times in life when we just need that extra emotional support. While we may have loved ones who will help us through rough times, it is often a good idea to seek the less biased support of a professional when dealing with life’s difficult emotional challenges.

Getting the Most Out of Psychotherapy

When clients begin psychotherapy, they often ask what they can do to get the best results. In this article, I answer some of the questions I often hear and offer some tips I hope you’ll find useful for making your therapy a success.

Getting Therapy When There’s No Money

In the article, Lesley Alderman “offer[s] advice for those without insurance, or with only minimal coverage, on how to find low-cost mental health care.” Please read on for more detailed information in the following article.

Good Mental Health

So many people, myself included, throw around terms in everyday use without really ever defining them. So what is good mental health? And what do we mean by "mental health" anyway. Read on.

Guided Visualization

Many people use guided visualization for that very purpose: to relax and refuel, since there are a variety of physical health benefits to guided visualization. These include a lowering of blood pressure as well as the level of stress hormones in the blood. After quieting body and mind, these individuals feel full of energy and exceedingly relaxed. Refreshed, they are ready to face the challenges that await them.

Harmful Side Effects of Psychotherapy

We can no longer make the claim that psychotherapy can have no negative side effects, even when wielded by an ethical and experienced therapist. Please read on for more detailed information in the following article.

How Family and Close Friends Can Help Trauma Survivors

How do you express your support to someone who is reeling from a traumatic experience? There are things you can do for the other person as well as for yourself.

How to Reduce Wandering in People with Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s patients may suddenly walk off and become lost, frightened and confused about where they are, and many do not even know where they are trying to go. Since many of these people can’t identify themselves or where they live, wandering in unconfined and unsecured areas can be very dangerous.

Hypnotic Therapy Reduces Menopausal Symptoms

As baby boomers age, women are approaching menopause with a goal of maintaining normal activity and well-being during the period of life transition. New research suggests an innovative therapy may be a excellent adjunct toward this objective as a Baylor University study shows hypnotic relaxation therapy can decrease the frequency and severity of hot flashes in menopausal women.

In-Depth: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (also known by its abbreviation, CBT) is a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving.

Internet Training Stimulates Brain Function

A new UCLA study finds that middle-aged and older adults with little Internet experience were able to improve decision-making and reasoning after a week of surfing the Web. Read on to learn more.

Interpersonal Connecting in Relationships

Interpersonal connecting feels “right” and is self-reinforcing. When my wife and I feel close and loving, we’re eager to engage the world and face whatever life brings.

Introducing How to Find a Good Therapist

One of the common questions we receive here at Psych Central is, "You always talk about the importance of finding a good therapist in order to be successful in psychotherapy; so how do I go about doing that?" How to Find a Good Therapist is a simple how-to guide written by Ben Butina.

Language Skills May Protect from Dementia

People who have superior language skills early in life may be less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease decades later. If you want to know more relations between language skills and dementia, read on.

Leave That Pillow Alone!: Better Ways to Deal with Anger

When we respond to the signal well, we increase our effectiveness in the world. When we throw away self-control and become aggressive, we win a reputation for being hostile and unreasonable – not a helpful persona for sustaining relationships or a successful strategy for solving problems.

Life Lessons from My Therapy Clients

Still floating in the haze of the passing New Year, I find myself reflecting further upon life, gratitude and noticing things around me that I might not be so tuned into during the hustle and bustle of daily life. My psychotherapy clients, present and past, are on my mind. Sure, they come to me for help for their individual and relationship strife and I am in a position of “knowing” to them but I’d like to forget about that and focus on what I’ve learned from them about life and people in general.

Long-term Psychotherapy Indicated for Complex Disorders

A new review of published research discovers psychodynamic psychotherapy lasting for at least a year is effective and superior to shorter-term therapy for patients with complex mental disorders.

Making Conversation

The ability to converse well with others is not some elusive thing, obtainable only by a chosen few. With a little elbow grease, even shy women can learn to feel comfortable speaking with anyone, about anything. Here’s my tried and true formula.

Men Blame Rape Victims More Than Women

Men have less sympathy for and tend to blame a rape victim more often than women. Also, promiscuous men are more likely to rape than non-promiscuous men. Read on for details.

Mental Disorders Associated with Urinary Tract Disorders

A study finds an association between depression, anxiety disorders, sexual trauma and lower urinary tract symptoms. The medical disorders include incontinence and overactive bladder although the exact nature of the correlations is unknown.

Mental Disorders Common Predictor of Suicidal Thoughts

According to a multinational study, suicidal thoughts and behavior are linked to a range of mental conditions. Although depression is one of the strongest predictors of suicidal thoughts, disorders such as anxiety and poor impulse control apparently trigger people to act on such thoughts — especially in developing countries.

Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT)

Mentalization based therapy (MBT) is a specific type of psychodynamically-oriented psychotherapy designed to help people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Its focus is helping people to differentiate and separate out their own thoughts and feelings from those around them.

MindApps Releases eCBT Trauma

eCBT Trauma is an iPhone application that provides users with a way to assess their symptoms after experiencing a trauma, graph their symptoms over time and e-mail their progress to a caregiver, learn relaxation and grounding skills to help cope with symptoms of PTSD, and it provides structured interventions to help users complete ‘exposure’ exercises, which have beenshown to reduce the symptoms of PTSD.

Music as IQ Booster

The areas of the brain used to process music are larger or more active in musicians. Even just starting to learn a musical instrument can change the neurophysiology of the brain.

Music Therapy Calms During Pregnancy

A new study finds that music therapy can reduce psychological stress among pregnant women. The complementary remedy to common conditions faced during

Music Therapy Relieves Health Anxiety

Music therapy can be as straightforward as listening to recorded or live music. It have a certain effects on relieving health anxiety. Read on to know more.

Nervous Breakdowns

A nervous breakdown refers to a mainstream and often-used term to generically describe someone who experiences a bout of mental illness that is so severe, it directly impacts their ability to function in everyday life. The specific mental illness can be anything — depression , anxiety , bipolar disorder, schizophrenia , or something else.

New Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorders

Bright white light therapy has been used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) for a long time. However, this therapy should be refined and improved. Read on to get the details.

Nine Reasons to Get Psychotherapy

When is it time to consider psychotherapy? Sometimes people don’t seek professional help because of stigma and stereotypes, like that a belief it’s only for seriously ill people. It is not.

OCD Medications

The modern era in the pharmacotherapy of obsessive-compulsive disorder ( OCD ) began in the late 1960s with the observation that clomipramine, not other tricyclic antidepressants such as imipramine (Tofranil), was effective in treating OCD. Clomipramine is the most thoroughly studied drug for OCD and was the first to receive FDA approval for this indication.

OCD Support

Panic attacks can be present in OCD, but an additional diagnosis of panic disorder should not be considered unless the attacks occur out of the blue. Some patients with OCD report the occurrence of panic attacks following exposure to a fearful stimulus, such as a trace of blood encountered by someone with an AIDS obsession. In contrast to panic disorder, the person in this example is not afraid of the panic attack, he or she is fearful of the consequences of contamination.

Online Therapy Improves Sleep

Cognitive behavioral therapy—a psychological treatment focusing on the behaviors and dysfunctional thoughts that contribute to sleep problems—is one of the most effective treatments for insomnia. Nowadays, online therapy seems to improve sleep. Read on to find the details.

People Prefer to Listen with Right Ear

New research done in nightclubs suggests that most people prefer to listen with their right ear. Do you know why is this? Keep on reading for answers.

Perfectionists

Perfectionism is based on a belief that unless I am perfect, I am not okay. Perfectionists believe that they cannot be happy or enjoy life because they are not perfect. One does not have to be a compulsive organizer to be a perfectionist. Frequently holding oneself or others to unrealistic standards can, by itself, result in stress.

Pet Therapy

New research suggests the clinical and psychological benefits from pet ownership far exceed what was previously imagined. Emerging studies discover pet companionship can lower blood pressure, encourage exercise and improve psychological health.

Posture Promotes Confidence

Your mother was right when she prompted you to sit up or stand up straight. While it is obvious that good posture improves your appearance and strengthens your musculoskeletal system, researchers now believe an erect frame gives you more confidence in your own thoughts.

Potential Environmental Link to Alzheimer’s

In a new study, a link is found between nitrate levels in our environment and food with increased deaths from diseases, including Alzheimer’s, diabetes mellitus and Parkinson’s. Read on to know this issue.

Psychodynamic Therapy vs CBT Smackdown for Anxiety

While its science generally lags behind its more modern cousin, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), it's the "old timey" therapy based upon theories that are similar to psychoanalytic thinking and good ole Freud himself.

Psychotherapy and Self-Help for Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is usually considered a long-term, often chronic mental health condition requiring long-term treatment. Most people with bipolar disorder receive treatment through a prescription medication, such as lithium, Depakote, or an atypical antipsychotic. But medication is often only half the equation, because medication only works when it’s taken as prescribed by the psychiatrist. People with bipolar disorder often discontinue their medication on their own, complaining of the side effects or feeling like they no longer need it.

Questions about Psychotherapy and Self Help Methods

I have heard that substantial effect can only be achieved with the help of psychotherapy but I cant seem to locate any good therapist in my area (I live in israel). what can I do to improve more??? and another question: is there a limit to how much I can improve using self help methods? I am asking this because most of my improvment was achieved using self help methods and not psychotherapy. Any help?

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

Albert Ellis, the father of cognitive-behavioral therapy and founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), discovered that people’s beliefs strongly affected their emotional functioning. In particular certain irrational beliefs made people feel depressed, anxious or angry and led to self-defeating behaviors.

Reaching Out to Our Les-Bi-Gay Teens and Young Adults

Parents, teachers, and other adults in the lives of teenagers and young adults should remain alert to the struggles some young people may experience around their evolving awareness and consolidation of an adult sexual identity based on their sexual orientation.

Reality Training for Athletes

Athletes and their coaches are always looking for a way to get an edge. A new training technique developed in Ireland provides a novel, high-tech approach to hone a player’s skill.

Relaxation and Caring for Yourself

Self-care requires that we take a daily preventative approach to the care of our bodies. Relaxation is an essential underpinning of a healthy lifestyle. Most of us need help to slow the quickened pace of our lives, having lost or forgotten the gentle art of calming and centering. People with the ability to elicit a “relaxation response” find that they become less reactive to stressful events.

School Phobia

Most of us grownups get it when a child is afraid of something like a dog, especially if we know that the child was once bitten by a dog or witnessed someone being attacked by a dog. As frustrating as it may be to try to calm the child, we understand that there is a rational cause to what may now be an irrational overreaction. We respond with comfort and compassion, at least for a while. We may even decide that it isn’t the worst thing in the world for someone to want to avoid dogs. Dog loving isn’t necessary for survival in our world and dog-avoidance is actually quite doable.

Seeing Beneath the Surface with Your Teen

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for teens ages 15 – 24 (NIMH, 2009). Daniel’s story speaks to the insidious danger of hidden pain in teens – especially those sensing unspoken pressure to appear OK and be "good".

Serious Problems in Psychotherapy Require Serious Medicine

As a patient in psychotherapy, do you wonder whether the work you and your therapist are doing will succeed and produce lasting results? You may like, even admire, your psychotherapist, but how do you know that as a result of his or her work you will achieve the goals for which you came to treatment?

Sexual Abuse Recovery Therapy

Signs of Mania

This article explores into signs of mania. Read on to know how to judge and diagnose mania.

Single Session Psychotherapy

Why up to 40% of new psychotherapy clients never come back for a second session? Here are some tips for therapists to decrease the ratio.

Sleep Strengthens Long-Term Memory Building

Experts have long suspected that part of the short-term memories turns into long-term memories during sleep. New research shows that mice prevented from “replaying” their waking experiences while asleep do not remember them as well as mice who are able to perform this function. Read on.

Smelling the Roses Relieves Stress

A novel technique to relieve stress is an age old naturopathic remedy. New research demonstrates the scent of lemon, mango, lavender, or other fragrant plants are beneficial for stress reduction.

Social Activity Helps Maintains Physical Dexterity As We Age

A study found that motor decline was more rapid in those who less frequently participated in social activities, with each one-point decrease in a participant’s social activity associated with an approximately 33 percent more rapid rate of decline. Read on to know more.

Stuttering: Myth vs. Fact

Stuttering is a chronic dysfluency or break in fluent speech. It’s characterized by sound, syllable, word or phrase repetitions; hesitations, fillers (um, ah) and revisions in word choices. It can also include unnatural stretching out of sounds and blocks in which a sound gets stuck and just won’t come out. Stuttering may be accompanied by muscle tension, facial tics and grimaces.

Supporting Friends and Family Who Have Mental Illnesses

A mental illness is a disease that causes mild to severe disturbances in thought and behavior that results in an inability to cope with life’s ordinary demands and routines. There are more than 200 classified forms of mental illness, all of which can be triggered by a variety of causes: a particular situation or series of events, an illness, genetics, biochemical imbalances, or any combination of those factors. Above all, it’s important to remember that there is help and hope for your loved one.

Teenagers and Suicide

Teenagers experience strong feelings of stress, confusion, self-doubt, pressure to succeed, financial uncertainty, and other fears while growing up. For some teenagers, divorce, the formation of a new family with step-parents and step-siblings, or moving to a new community can be very unsettling and can intensify self-doubts. For some teens, suicide may appear to be a solution to their problems and stress.

Teens Who Self-Harm

Self-harm has become far more common than most parents suspect. Some studies show that 2 to 3 million Americans engage in some form of self-injury (cutting, burning, or striking themselves to the point of soft tissue damage) each year. There are people who self-harm at every age, socio-economic, and ethnic group. Please read on for more detailed information in the following article.

The Basis for Music Therapy

Scientists have proved that music promotes long-term memory, social interaction and communication for patients with severe neurological disorders. However, researchers continue to search for a scientific basis that explains the way by which music affects physical and psychosocial responses.

The Consequences of Verbally Abusive Athletic Coaches

Bullying is aggressive behavior that occurs repeatedly over time in a relationship where there is an imbalance of power or strength. Bullying can take many forms, including physical violence, verbal abuse, social manipulation and attacks on property. Physical violence is not usually a component of a coaching relationship. If your coach is physically violent with an athlete, call the authorities.

The Johari Window

One path to becoming a healthy person is to know yourself. The Johari Window is a very helpful internal and external communication grid for you. Try it and know yourself better.

The Power of Positive Thinking

By now, almost everyone has heard of the Type A personality: the driven workaholic who supposedly is at high risk for heart disease. Well, credible evidence is starting to show that being a Type A personality isn’t the only risk factor. Shouldering any kind of negative emotion — especially powerlessness, hostility, anger, suspicion, and resentfulness — may not only increase your odds of heart disease but jeopardize your health in general.

The Psychology of Mental Toughness

People often seek therapy when they feel overwhelmed, out of control, or unable to take positive action. They think they come to figure things out and may not

The Relationship Between Mental and Physical Health

Depression and other physical health conditions have separate but additive effects on well-being. For example, the combination of heart disease and depression can cause twice the reduction in social interaction than either condition alone.

This Personality Test Cannot Be Faked

Nowadays, psychological tests have found a place in the corporate world to determine if an individual has skill sets to match a particular job requirement. But test results can be influenced if an individual provides biased responses. Read on.

Tidying up Our Personal Closet

Every time we avoid dealing with something we chip away at our self-esteem. We might feel relieved in the short run when we put something off, but our self-esteem takes a hit over time. This is because part of our psyche knows we are avoiding our responsibility, and that usually adds wear and tear to the soul.

Tips for Talking to Your Therapist

Here are several tips for getting more out of your therapy by learning how to really communicate with your therapist.

Tips on Finding a Psychiatrist

This month Guideposts magazine published my story about the morning I met Dr. Smith at the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center. It read a little bit like a fairy tale … as soon as I met the right psychiatrist, I was fixed for good! And I never, ever cried again.

Tips to Beat Procrastination

Procrastination is the act of intentionally and habitually putting off something that should probably be done right away. Thinking about this definition can help you determine your station in the procrastination nation.

Treatment and Diagnosis Trends in Children with Depression

pediatricians and primary care physicians accounted for the largest reductions in new diagnoses of depression in children. Isn’t that interesting? A government agency releases a warning about one specific type of treatment for a disorder and suddenly family doctors stop seeing as much of this disorder in their patients.

Trust and Disappointment in Psychotherapy

Learning to trust your therapist is difficult for many people who enter psychotherapy. Trust is the foundation of nearly every professional and social relationship we have.

Use Nature to Improve Self

A study posits attention to the natural world helps you feel better, improves authenticity and facilitates the way we contribute to society. Read on the following article to learn more information.

When You Disclose Too Much in Therapy

"Disclosure" is simply your telling the therapist your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, which is a normal process of most types of psychotherapy. Yet sometimes we might feel like we have "disclosed too much" when we have share experiences or feelings that are very near and dear to our hearts in therapy.

Wii Therapy for Parkinson's

The Nintendo Wii may help treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease, including depression, according to a Medical College of Georgia researcher. Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease that impairs motor skills and tends to strike in older age.