How Is Your Inner Child Doing?
The approach that had the greatest impact on me was Reparenting work, where you actually become the new mom and dad to your wounded self. When I was a child, it wasn’t much fun, especially when my bully of a father came home. At that moment playtime and peace were over and you prayed he wouldn’t take your head off. According to Object Relations Therapy, mental illness has its roots in early...Learn More
A Tribute to my Father
When I was five years old my mother divorced and married her soul mate – if there is something like that – my stepfather. Who knew that he was going to make such an impact on me? My natural father was an angry and bitter man who exhibited daily fits of rage. Not Les, Les was a kind soul that was genuinely happy, loved being around a lot of people, and always had something memorable to say or...Learn More
Luxury Intensive Outpatient Program Really Treatment?
Our Intensive Outpatient Program isn’t easy. Different from most, the emphasis is on healing underlying core wounds. The aim of our program is to teach people how to be a counselor to themselves. Are we successful? It depends on what measurement you use. But when graduates of the program call years later just to say hi and give a report of their current lives, to us that is the greatest...Learn More
Violence in the Community
Coming from Los Angeles, we knew that when the weather got hot, the violence increased. In this area, it seems like the heat has the same effect. At my housing complex, we have had a sudden increase in violence that has unnerved a lot of people, including myself. What can a person do about it? There are a few psychological models that are perfect to turn to when violence is taking place. As...Learn More
Crisis Management
A crisis takes place when problems are too much for you to handle. Often people experience panic attacks at this time where the heart races, you feel short of breath, and think you will faint. There are a special set of tools you can use at this time to calm yourself down. At times of crisis, our brains don’t have access to logical thought so please keep things simple. Here are the top ten...Learn More
Open Topic Workshop
On May 1st, 2021 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 PM we are going to conduct an open discussion on the problems that confront you. Learn some innovative techniques, get some things off your chest, and get support from others that are on the call. This is a departure from the normal format Basic Steps Mental Health normally provides. On this day we go into the trenches with you, see what is going on in...Learn More
Helping our Children
The pandemic has wreaked havoc on our nation in many ways. Now the latest report is the devastation it has caused for our children. For a child to grow up normally, they need love and attention from their primary caregivers – usually their parents, they need to have fun, and they need their social needs met. Object Relations Theory states that all mental illness has its root in early childhood...Learn More
Helping the Suicidal
Suicide. Not a pleasant subject but working in the Crisis field ten years ago and treating thousands that were suicidal makes me some kind of an expert, I guess. The facts are that if we don’t get a handle on depression, it can take you out. As a supervisor of interns, it is my job to help new therapists read the signs. Does the person have a desire to kill themselves, do they have a plan, is...Learn More
Mental Health Tune-Up Workshop
Basic Steps Mental Health is conducting another Zoom Meeting to help people get through the difficulties in their life through self-help tools. One in five people have problems that warrant serious treatment of which many cannot afford. We continue our series of free workshops to help people in our community learn self-help methods to counsel themselves through the difficulties they face. Many...Learn More