A Typical Couple’s Intake
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...Learn More
Special Memory #10
In 2012 as the world worried about extinction, I took a gamble. Since my ten-year relationship just ended, I wanted to get out of Los Angeles and explore my horizons. Ultimately I took up an offer to open up a Residential Treatment Facility 1,000 miles away. Moving from my family, friends, and steady job was a gamble, but I decided to roll the dice and hoped it didn’t come up snake eyes....Learn More
Special Memory #9
For 11 years I worked at the first-ever, mental health urgent care center in the country. I was fresh out of graduate school with a crisp new, Doctoral degree, and trying to prove myself. This was the first facility of its kind, established to take pressure off of the local jails and emergency rooms and we had no clue what was going to enter our unit. My friend Patrick, who graduated with...Learn More
Special Memory #3
I never knew that being attacked came with mental health work. My job, on occasion, at the Mental Health Urgent Care Center, put me at risk. Our job was to keep the pressure off of the local jails and psychiatric hospitals by handling those people who were highly unstable. From week one, psychotic types were first funneled to us at a slow rate, and then soon it became a scramble to provide...Learn More
Special Memory #2
The special memory series continues from my 30-year career in the healthcare industry with this gem of an experience. It took place at the Mental Health Urgent Care Center in Long Beach California where I worked for 11 years. The Urgent Care Center was set up to take the pressure off of the psychiatric hospitals and the jails in the area, mostly to treat people who were in a crisis. When a...Learn More
Special Memory #1
Now in my 30th year as a therapist, I thought it would be great to reminisce a bit and share some of the highlights in my career. And no, I don’t want to thank my 3rd grade piano teacher because I didn’t have one. What I will share is my appreciation of the graduate schools, fellow therapists, and field experience that has prepared me to face some of the most difficult challenges one can...Learn More
What to Expect from Counseling
Recently, there have been a lot of people at our facility that are new to counseling. It can be very scary to walk into a facility and talk about things you are trying to hide from others. So first off, a big thanks to all of you first-timers who were brave enough to come in and face their fears. Now, if you are unfamiliar with the counseling process, this article was written to take the...Learn More
Taking Quick Action
Us healthcare workers are often at the front line in emergencies. Taking quick action can help people get away from a crisis, obtain the proper help, and move forward in their lives. Taking care of emergencies was all we did at the Mental Health Urgent Care Center in Long Beach California, where I was on staff for 11 years. Here were the red flags we looked for: 1. Was a person in a...Learn More
Rising Suicide Rates in Washington
The rising rates of suicide are alarming. Already in the state of Washington, there have been over 1,200 people who have taken their life. What if a person you knew told you they wanted to kill themselves? I worked at a crisis center for 11 years and dealt with people who were suicidal on a daily basis and here are the important steps to take. Ask them if they were thinking about killing...Learn More