What is Psychology?
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,...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
Continuing Education
Continuing coursework is crucial for people working in the mental health field. For me personally, I get bored presenting the same information over and over again, so I am always in search of information and techniques that grab my attention. To be honest, I get pretty giddy when something comes along that intuitively I know will be of great help. Sometimes I review approaches or periodicals...Learn More
In Full Swing
When Basic Steps Mental Health first opened in 2017, I had never owned a business before. My sister hit it right on the head. She said, “As a therapist, you are top-notch, but as a businessman, not so much.” Yep, I made all the mistakes, squandered thousands of dollars, and was about to quit before my best friend told me to stick with it and if it lasted for two years, I’d have a lifelong...Learn More
Life Repeating Itself
It is interesting how my life is repeating itself again which shouldn’t surprise me. In graduate school, we focused our attention on repeating issues, because my professors believed that they were the curriculum of life. In studying Spiritual Psychology the belief is that spiritually speaking, everything is happening in our life for a reason and it all is in regards to our growth and...Learn More
A Thank You
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...Learn More
Spiritual Beings Having a Human Experience
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...Learn More
The Dentist
Just reading the word dentist has caused a shiver to run through me ever since I was a kid. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had hours and hours of drilling and extractions, and I’ve made my way through it, but it still causes me anxiety. It helps that my best friend is my dentist, so I trust his expertise, but that still doesn’t mean that those ancient fears go away. My father had to have his...Learn More
What is Therapy?
With our influx of new clients recently, I’ve found myself explaining what the process of therapy is. It seems that for so long people have sluffed it off, avoided it, realized their problems were not going away on their own and needed some assistance. I recall thinking that I was weak for going into therapy, and lost the fight in trying to help myself. I feel for that younger me who meekly...Learn More