Blog
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Why Are People Drawn to Cults?
What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘cult’? People in long robes, with shaven heads, chanting and soliciting money from travelers in airports? Some of the most infamous cults include The Manson family who murdered Sharon Tate and others in Hollywood. Keep in mind that Charles Manson didn’t commit the crimes himself but…
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Why Do We Think in Black and White? How Do We Access Shades of Grey?
Humans tend to think in dichotomies, such as up vs. down, in vs. out, good vs. evil, and right vs. wrong. It is programmed into our brains from an early age and hopefully shapes our conscience. A parent who wants to teach their children to act responsibly, may tell them not to touch something that…
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Artificial Intelligence as an Adjunct to Therapy
For those of a certain generation, the idea of an AI therapist may seem like science fiction or something out of the cartoon, The Jetsons. According to an article in Sage Journal entitled “Artificial intelligence (AI) in psychotherapy: A challenging frontier.” “Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have emerged as a potential tool to revolutionize mental health…
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What Is EMDR and How Might It Benefit You?
EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing – is a therapeutic modality designed to assist people in processing traumatic memories that talk therapy alone may not be able to reach. Most therapists will tell you that trauma remains in the body and mind long after the precipitating event(s). While it may feel safer to repress…
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Some Mental Health Effects of Weight Loss Drugs
Last month, we explored the recent phenomenon of glucagon-like peptide-1 medication (GLP-1) to assist in weight loss and balanced blood sugar. When prescription drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic and Zepbound hit the market, the response was resounding. They were touted by some as a simple way to shed pounds and were often disparaged as ‘cheating.’…
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The Influence of Birth Order on Personality
There is a saying that ‘children grow up in different families together.’ Is it nature or nurture? The concept of birth order is fascinating and may impact on the ways in which children develop and the kind of adults they become. Keep in mind that theories are just that and there are no absolutes when…
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Adult Sibling Rivalry: Ways to Mend the Rend and Bring You Back Together
It has been said that children grow up in different homes together. Sounds puzzling, right? What it means is that each child in a family has varied different perceptions of how they and their siblings were raised. In an ideal home, the parents would do all they could to meet each child’s needs and still…
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Lightening Up with Weight Loss Drugs
Turn on the TV and chances are, on any given evening, you will see commercials for weight loss drugs. The songs have become ear worms. I know you can sing along with “Oh, Oh, Oh, Ozempic” and watch the community of people out for a stroll to the words, “Look out, cause here I come.,”…
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Think for Yourself So Someone Else Doesn’t Do Your Thinking for You
When we are children, we are in the care of people whom we are supposed to trust to keep us safe and teach us how to make our way in the world. A young woman I know shared a bit of hard-earned wisdom about what an awesome responsibility that is. She said that when someone…
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Psychedelic Assisted Therapy for PTSD
Trauma can weave a tangled web of pain and fear, mixed with feelings of isolation.
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Leaving a Cult or Spiritual Community: Learning how to Trust Again
A cult or a spiritual community are two very different types of groups, but they share certain similarities and can overlap.
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All the Benefits of Therapy Groups and Support Groups with Me
For all the value of one-on-one therapy, the therapy and support group experiences I offer can be even more transformative.