Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD

Joan was a combat veteran who made it through two wartime postings without having PTSD.  She prided herself on her toughness and resilience.  Never did she expect that she would be dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD) once home in the United States, but Joan was raped while walking on a New York City street by herself one night.  She never reported it, felt embarrassed and ashamed that she had not fought off her attacker, and feared dealing with her symptoms of sleeplessness and … [Read more...]

Election Stress

According to the America Psychological Association’s Stress in American survey, more than 7 in 10 adults said that the future of the country is a major source of anxiety for them, with the presidential election following at 69%.  Worry about violence after the election is a prominent fear as is worry that democracy will end in the United States.  If you are one of those who does not sleep well because of the upcoming election and the stress of politics, here are some suggestions to help you … [Read more...]

Film Review: “Inside Out 2” – Understanding Anxiety’s Effect on Teens (and Adults too!)

This past June, a very important film for understanding emotions was released called “Inside Out 2.” The original movie, “Inside Out, “released in 2015, put its viewers into the shoes of Riley, a typical pre-teen girl and introduced the viewer to the five major emotions that controlled her life, Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear, and Sadness, very typical emotions for a girl that age.  As Riley nears puberty and her teenage years, her emotional system takes a sharp turn, and this is where “ Inside Out … [Read more...]

Understanding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Jon is a 32-year-old construction worker, who recently returned from six years of service in the Middle East. Throughout those years, he only came home on leave three times.  While in combat, he was exposed to some very traumatic events such as picking up body parts of his friends who died, surviving a bomb attack on his platoon, and making raids on populated areas.  He thought he was okay when his service ended, despite the fact, that he did have some nightmares. Since returning home, … [Read more...]

What is Gaslighting?

We often talk about “gaslighting” in connection with a manipulative behavior used by a narcissist in dealing with their victim. The term originated in a 1930's play called Gas Light, in which the main character is attempting to make his wife believe she is going crazy by dimming the lights ever so slightly each day, and convincing her it is all in her head. It was later made into a movie starring Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman which emphasized the way male privilege is used to gain power over … [Read more...]