News and Insights

Things are back in full swing at Basic Steps Mental Health and the popularity of our IOP program has been steadily increasing. Our IOP program is conducted Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9:00 am to noon. What is beautiful about the group experience is that I as a therapist don’t have to work as hard because the group supports and inspires each other. A new person started this week and...

When situations are too much for a person to handle, they go into a crisis. Getting out of a crisis can seem impossible when the heart is racing, it is hard to catch your breath, or crying becomes so overwhelming you feel the tears will never stop. How to get out of a crisis takes a little know-how, a lot of effort, and many times support. This is not the time to self-medicate because you need...

I thought I was properly prepared for my European getaway and once thrust into the situation I felt clueless! Thus began my vacation adventure. Everything that I held as normal vanished! In my world, almost everyone spoke English. Yes, I listened to my French language audio study course and thought I did quite well with it, and then was plopped into a cab with a man who only spoke French....

Three weeks. Yeah, three weeks in Europe was amazing. I got the opportunity to do something I had never done before, experience life that was vastly different from what I was used to, and then BAM! back to work. My schedule was completely filled when I returned and of course, the basic operations of the facility had to be handled too, so let me cut to the chase – I need a vacation after this...

Today marked the last work day before my trip to Europe and it was one final push. Doesn’t it always seem that it gets extra busy before you need to leave for something? This was no exception and I found myself doing new assessments and writing out reports well into the evening. Did I complain? Maybe at first but as I took an honest look at what I eventually accomplished I was very proud. I...

Knowing nothing is a great place to start. I hope you end up there. -Roshi Norman Fischer “The goal of expressing kindness and compassion to one’s self & others is enough of a challenge until we leave this plane(t)” – Dr. Noah The above quote and Dr. Noah’s response was the last email that I received from my long-time teacher in 2013. Dr. Noah Young left this planet too soon....

You would think that being a Doctor of Clinical Psychology would afford me special powers, stability, and constant happiness. Well, I wish. It turns out that even we professionals are still human beings and still have to deal with our own emotions. Each time I go after something different, and a bit of a stretch, I go through the same progression. Overconfidence, frustration, partially giving...

What I have been planning for the last three months is almost upon me. My trip to Europe. I may have butterflies in my stomach now, but I will reframe that as being excited. What faces me is my Ideal Vacation Scene of traveling across the pond with my inner child in hand. Hey, taking care of my younger wounded self has spurred on incredible adventures and this is the next. Adventure? Sure. I...

After graduating from the University of Santa Monica with a master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology, I have avoided talking about spirituality. Many people I have treated lack the belief in God or had religious issues so I felt I could still reach my clients psychologically. To be transparent, it feels to me that our society has not embraced that type of thinking or the realization that this...

Since 1994 I entered this industry in hopes of making some sort of impact. My first internship was at Tarzana Treatment Center in southern California, a 12 Step facility that housed over 100 people. It taught a combination of the 12 Steps and what they termed “I.T.” or industrial therapy. Industrial therapy was basically having the clients mop, clean, cook, and serve the meals. If clients were...