Anxiety

Frank Bruni: A Restaurant Critic and his Bulimia

By Ilana Simons, Ph.D. on July 20, 2009 in The Literary Mind

Frank Bruni, The New York Times restaurant critic, was or is bulimic. We know this because he published a brave excerpt from his forthcoming memoir in last week's The New York Times Magazine.

Bruni shows us that owning our addictions can be the key to knowing what our strengths are. Read More

How to Overcome Your Dread of Public Speaking, Part I

By Harriet Lerner, Ph.D. on July 20, 2009 in The Dance of Connection

Several years ago, while lecturing in Seattle, I faced my most dreaded fantasy. I stood at the lectern in front of hundreds of people who had left the comfort of their homes and had paid a considerable sum to hear me. And my talk had disappeared. Read More

Food Inc.: The Psychological Weapons of Protest

By Jeremy Clyman, M.A. on July 18, 2009 in Reel Therapy

Food Inc. is a case in point of powerful activism. Its mission is to crystallize two things about food in America: a. what we eat is disturbingly unsafe b. the system in charge of what we eat is disturbingly corrupt. There is anecdotal evidence and statistics. The presentation is accessible and thorough. This is as moving and well done a documentary as any since Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth. Read More

In Search of "The Dirty Old Woman."

By Ilana Simons, Ph.D. on July 16, 2009 in The Literary Mind

When a friend referred to "dirty old men" the other day, I wondered why we don't have a archetype for the "dirty old woman." Archetypes hold some truth. So I'm wondering if the "dirty old woman" exists in any big numbers--and if not, why not? Read More

Emotional Healing and the Automatic Defense System

By Steven Stosny, Ph.D. on July 16, 2009 in Anger in the Age of Entitlement

Memories of past hurt are necessary for health and wellbeing. They keep us safe in the present and future, by activating an automatic defense system. Read More

The Difference Between Habit and Discipline

By Ilana Simons, Ph.D. on July 15, 2009 in The Literary Mind

Discipline is hard to spot. Sometimes a habit that makes you sweat looks like discipline. But it might not be. Imagine an example: A young girl grew up scared of getting fat. Read More

Is Harry Really Hairy?

By Lynne Soraya on July 14, 2009 in Asperger's Diary

In a recent book, and accompanying article, autistic savant Daniel Tammet explored the connections between associative thought and creativity. Inspired by his thoughts, I found myself exploring all the ways associative thinking manifests in my life. Read More

Adult Animation: The New Image of "Old"

By Jeremy Clyman, M.A. on July 14, 2009 in Reel Therapy

The traditional or Old School view of the elderly is not a pretty picture. Free associate to the words, "Old" or "grandparent" and you are likely to activate the following images. First, there are the senior moments: trembling hands obliviously unwrapping hard candies with barely the motor skills to complete the task; a conversation that starts as a conversation but ends in bewildered silence, as names and dates are chronologically twisted beyond all hope and recognition. Read More

How Juliette Binoche Nursed the English Patient – Power of Love

By Talya Miron-Shatz, Ph.D. on July 13, 2009 in Baffled by Numbers

Why should we have faith in pharmacy-packaged opiates, and neglect the immense power of the opiates our own brain is capable of generating? The power of love. Read More

Practicing Your Obsessions: The Boredom Cure

By Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D. on July 13, 2009 in Anxiety Files

There is nothing that will turn your anxiety around like sheer boredom. Anxiety is a readiness to run away-or, if necessary, to attack. Boredom is your readiness to-well---do nothing but fall asleep. Just writing about it makes me tired.

Publish Or Shut Up

By Gina Barreca, Ph.D. on July 12, 2009 in Snow White Doesn't Live Here Anymore

"What are you writing these days?" Professor A asks, one eyebrow arched.

"I'm finishing my book," replies Professor B with a drawl.

Professor A nods, sips his drink and smiles, "Yes, of course. Well, neither am I." Read More

Public Enemies: Where is the "Heat?"

By Jeremy Clyman, M.A. on July 12, 2009 in Reel Therapy

"Public Enemies" should be a great movie. It depicts an American icon and follows a classic and beloved cop-and-robber formula. It stars two chameleons disguised as humans, Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, and we get to watch these leading actors of their generation play with guns. Read More

Having a New Relationship to Your Obsessions: Welcome to the Guest House

By Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D. on July 10, 2009 in Anxiety Files

Imagine that your mind is a house in the woods, you are all alone and there is a guest that shows up uninvited. In the past you have been irritable with guests, angry that anyone would disturb your well-earned solitude. You have yelled at visitors to "GO AWAY" so that you can be alone. But visitors seem to pass on the road where you live. They ignore your no-trespassing sign.

The Biology of Psychotherapy

By Elias Aboujaoude, M.D. on July 10, 2009 in Compulsive Acts

Brain imaging studies are showing that a form of therapy known as cognitive behavioral therapy produces changes in the brain that are similar to what Prozac-like drugs do. What does this tell us about how psychotherapy works? Read More

The Power of Context

By Eliezer Sobel on July 10, 2009 in The 99th Monkey

In my early twenties, I worked one summer as a security guard at Alexander's Department Store and I learned the power of uniforms. On the day prior to beginning work, I got locked out of my car in the Alexander's parking lot and frantically went to ask the security guard to help me break into my car. Read More

Gaze Raising

By Shelagh Robinson, Ph.D. on July 9, 2009 in

Star-gazer or navel-gazer? It's not either/ or, but patterns and tendencies - explore the activities at the end of this blog to see yours.

One Bonus to Abstinence

By Ilana Simons, Ph.D. on July 8, 2009 in The Literary Mind

I don't feel drawn to abstinence from my gut, but I can name one good reason it works. When you do choose abstinence rather than moderation, you shift from a framework of "how much" behaviors to "yes/no" behaviors. Read More

Why the draw to Michael Jackson now?

By Allen R. McConnell, Ph.D. on July 8, 2009 in The Social Self

After spending much of the past two weeks in Southern California visiting friends and seeing local as well as national coverage of Michael Jackson's death, I was struck by why so many fans came out of the woodwork expressing grief and sadness about Jackson's passing. Read More

Caution to ADD/ADHD: Flying can be dangerous

By G. Frank Lawlis, Ph.D. on July 6, 2009 in Redefining Stress

Learning to fly your own plane can be fun, but the individual with ADD/ ADHD may have a few more challenges than others. Read More

Overcoming Your Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

By Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D. on July 6, 2009 in Anxiety Files

Rather than try to suppress your unwanted obsessive thoughts, you can learn some new ways of accepting and tolerating them. Make room for all thoughts

The Burden of Our Potential
by Jessica Grogan, Ph.D.
Why Monk Stunk
by Fletcher Wortmann
5 Tips for Reducing Public Speaking Nervousness
by Preston Ni, M.S.B.A.

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