News and Insights

It’s been a trying week for many people with the changing of the president. When there are uncertain times, how do you cope? People of color, those from other countries, and those who are gender questioning or living alternative lifestyles have been the most vulnerable because of what they went through in Trump’s last presidency. I heard one black person receive an explicit text...

I was setting up my office Christmas tree this past holiday and what flashed on me was how I was homeless this time of the year in 1981. Unfortunately, I was not alone.  Each year more and more people are homeless, familyless, or friendless. That storybook holiday so often packaged each year on TV and in the movies where you have a home, a family, warmth, and food, didn’t happen to me...

How was your year? Did you accomplish what you wanted? Another year down and another one is about to start. Such is life. The ultimate question is, what did you learn? Since life is all about trial and error, if we fail to learn from failures, we are destined to repeat them. And, if you fail to try, you will be destined to repeat the same behaviors over and over again. Yes, it can be easy...

I got pretty emotional today while I watched a duo exercise in our Intensive Outpatient Program. A duo is basically two participants pairing up and one acts like the counselor and the other acts like the client. After the exercise is over they switch roles. This is how we practiced in graduate school, this is how we conduct business at Basic Steps Mental Health. Why I became emotional was...

There is one subject I have tried to sidestep for decades, not wanting to upset people who cannot relate to religion or spirituality. As my practice has progressed, I’ve realized that the mindset I have gained through a spirituality lens has gotten me through each and every day and can only be of benefit to others. I received my master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology – not from a religious...

Every psychological approach has its own theory of healing and it is important to ask a perspective counselor on theirs. As for me, I am old school, and like the face-to-face sessions, avoid talking about the weather and politics and try to get people to open up a dialogue regarding the difficulties, traumas, and frustrations in life, then track them back to where they stem from and create...

The following is a dramatization – no real persons were depicted or harmed “I don’t know why we are going here. We can handle things on our own,” says the husband as the wife drives them into the parking lot. “I’ve tried, you haven’t, and things are not changing. We need help and that’s why we’re here,” the wife replies as she parks the car and opens her door. “Now, I’m going in...

For many people, Psychology is an unknown process that manipulates people who are weak in their mind through medication, hypnosis, and electric shock. It also helps them realize they were attracted to their mother and want to kill off their dad. The negative stigma that surrounds the practice of psychotherapy still permeates society, today. It is common for people who enter our facility,...

If you wake up in the morning, have no energy, no motivation, and no direction, these can be signs of depression. It is normal for people to have ups and downs but if these symptoms happen on a daily basis, and keep you from work, school, social interactions, or the things you normally do, then getting professional treatment would be important.   Depression has many causes. It could be...

Relationships take work and if you don’t know the proper skills, it can be easy to fall into the usual pitfalls that I have fallen into so many times in my life. I guess through all my mistakes I am well aware of the most common mistakes people make. Now, this is not the full list by any means. This is why thousands of books on this subject have been written. It is always advised to attend...