#pittsburgh psychotherapy

[harlancounselingllc]

Trauma is a profoundly distressing experience that can leave profound emotional wounds, affecting nearly every aspect of a person’s life. It can result from a singular, regrettable event or, in some cases, prolonged exposure to overwhelming stress and adversity.

[jdrespling]

Mudvayne The Psychotherapy Sessions tour

Mudvayne made their way through Pittsburgh with a stop at The Amphitheater at Star Lake as part of The Psychotherapy Sessions tour with four other bands who chose not to let media outlets cover them without individual clearance, which is an extreme rarity in the business when you are covering the tour. The first opening band, which is fronted by two female vocalists, played their set to what…

[gatheringbones]

[“When early humans staved off deadly threats on the savanna with short, intense bouts of fleeing or fighting, their biological functions readily returned to their routine levels once the threat passed, usually in a matter of minutes. In modern life, we do not often face these life-threatening moments, but we do face a broad range of other stressors, which activate the same physiological stress response. For our ancestors, the stress response was a lifesaver. For us, depending on how prolonged and intense the response is, it can be a killer at worst, and a contributor to all kinds of disease and disability at best.

Modern stressors are often chronic or repeated, rather than acute and finite. They are most often psychosocial—encompassing recurring fears and anxieties, an ongoing experience of social injustice and/or material hardship, and a constant vigilance to threat. They can be relived or ruminated upon, without a clear endpoint. Traumatic experiences, for example, can continue to be stressful far beyond their actual occurrence, the extreme case being PTSD. In all these circumstances, the elevated production of stress hormones does not recede, because the anticipation of threat never recedes. Sometimes, the toothpaste cannot be put back in the tube. Elevated heart rates activated by the continued production of stress hormones can persist for hours and even days, including while you sleep. All the while, your body systems endure erosion. In these circumstances, no one specific moment presents you with the opportunity to simply take a deep breath and be done with it, especially if you are asleep.

Prolonged uncertainty about the future and anxiety about the present—how will you pay next month’s rent, hold on to your job without childcare for your three-year-old, or get your recalcitrant landlord to remove the lead paint in your apartment?—can also have this effect. In these cases, physiological stress processes become a daily part of life.

Beyond the damage these chronic stress processes cause to the neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune systems, they can also influence brain structure. In the short term, stress-adapted brain structure can sharpen perception in ways that enhance problem solving in a high-stress environment. I think of Damon Young’s 2019 op-ed in the New York Times, in which he describes how growing up Black in a high-crime Pittsburgh neighborhood gave him an acute sensitivity to anticipating, avoiding, and responding to threats:

I can sense when the stillness of the street is a precursor to danger, like the moment before a storm hits and the air adopts a menacing tranquility. I know the shuffle of someone carrying them tools in baggy jeans. I can feel it when the clamor at a nightclub shifts from festive to menacing. I know how to run. I know how to sit in public spaces (with my back facing a wall, so that I can see everything). I know how to park in lots (with the back in first, to make a quick getaway if necessary).

Such “street smarts” can’t always protect a person from a stray bullet or other danger, but this fine-tuned cognitive vigilance increases a person’s chances of survival in some high-stress conditions.

There are costs, however. When exposed to long-term and traumatic stress, the hippocampus shrinks, adversely affecting one’s short-term memory and ability to learn. People with stress-adapted brains have been found to be more susceptible to anxiety and mood disorders, including depression.

As a society, we often code outlooks like Mr. Young’s as “overreactions” and encourage people who are inclined to them to turn to remedies like psychotherapy and journaling to exorcise the stress or try to reframe the threat as an invigorating challenge. But members of marginalized groups who have been conditioned by real-life, high-stakes hardships to be chronically vigilant are not overreacting. Nor are they “snowflakes.” Nor are their challenges invigorating—often quite the opposite. They are adaptive. And while we sometimes devalue these reactions as “perceived,” as if they are a figment of a person’s imagination, it would be more accurate to consider them as evidence- or experience-based calculations that may have been triggered by a false alarm. Stressors that weather go well beyond the stresses you can consciously perceive and, possibly, reframe.”]

arline t. geronimus, from weathering: the extraordinary stress of ordinary life in an unjust society, 2023

[makinwellness-blog]

Natural Remedies to Beat the "Winter Blues"

New Post has been published on https://makinwellness.com/natural-remedies-beat-winter-blues/

Natural Remedies to Beat the "Winter Blues"

Winter is a time of year we love to keep cozy, spend time with family and friends, and eat lots of good food. For some though, it can be a time of increased sadness. Comfort food is more often consumed along with decreased physical activity, which can lead to low mood and energy, increasing the risk of depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D) affects more than half a million Americans each year and is a recognized form of clinical depression, commonly referred to as the “winter blues” or “winter depression.” Stressful life events, family history, or other emotional issues may contribute to S.A.D. Women are more commonly reported to have S.A.D. However, it may occur with anyone, regardless of age or gender. winter blues

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Recognizing the symptoms is the first step in seeking the proper treatment. Symptoms can vary from person to person and range from mild to severe, usually occurring between the months of September and April. People generally experience more severe symptoms between the months of December and February.

Symptoms typically include:

Negative thoughts and feelings of sadness

Irritability

Poor appetite

Fatigue

Increased food cravings

Difficulty concentrating

Social isolation

Sleep disturbances

  Scientists believe vitamin D deficiency due to lack of sunlight may be one of the causes of S.A.D. This is because of vitamin D deficiency preventing a part of the brain, known as the hypothalamus, from working properly. In turn, the disruption in the function of the hypothalamus leads to an imbalance in circadian rhythms. When circadian rhythms are out of balance, melatonin and serotonin levels can be affected.

People with S.A.D have been noted as having higher levels of melatonin, causing sleep disturbances and fatigue. Serotonin (the happy hormone) levels may decrease due to this lack of sleep, causing mood disturbances. So, what are some ways we can combat this? Consider the following natural remedies.

Natural Remedies to Beat the “Winter Blues” (or S.A.D) winter blues

Exercise Regularly – Exercise increases the brains feel-good chemicals, reducing feelings of depression. Studies have shown walking just 20-30 minutes can boost your mood!

Get some Vitamin D – Taking a vitamin D supplement can help boost mood and immunity. A doctor or nutritionist can recommend a proper dose.

Sleep – Rest is vital to emotional health. Avoid excess sugar and caffeine to promote restful sleep. Try going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning.

Get Outside –Take advantage when the sun does decide to peek through during winter months. Bundle up and ask a friend to go on a short walk or hike. It can do wonders for your mood and energy!

Talk It Out – Discussing your feelings with a trained counselor can help you overcome feelings of sadness. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is recommended to promote positive thinking and behaviors.

Practice Self-Care – Spend time doing something you enjoy. Treat yourself to a massage. Finding ways to relax and be more mindful reduces stress, helping boost mood.

Healthy Eating – Comfort foods are easy to reach for when feeling sad. Sweets and excess carbs may produce good feelings short-term. Unfortunately, this can turn into a downward spiral, causing low mood and an imbalance in hormone levels. Leafy greens, protein, and healthy carbohydrates can help boost mood and energy, reducing symptoms of depression. Talking with a nutritionist can help guide you through a meal plan to fit with your personal lifestyle.

If you’re interested in further support with mood, diet, and lifestyle changes, Makin Wellness offers a holistic, integrative approach to therapy and nutritional counseling. Encompassing mind, body, and spirit, we give consideration to the whole person. Contact us today for a free 15-minute consultation ! winter blues

  About Makin Wellness

Founded in 2017 , Makin Wellness is Pittsburgh’s premier therapy & coaching centers located in Downtown Pittsburgh and Downtown New Kensington. The company’s mission is to help people heal and become happy again.  Makin Wellness specializes in depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma, medical marijuana assited treatment and relationship counseling.  M

Laura Stewart, BA, CHN Makin Wellness

[eternalocean]

Quarantine Day 19

Sun permeates trees, inviting 

Spring awakens dormant roots

Let it fill your lungs and spirit

With hope

Lazy day today, though I did go on a walk and did a minimal amount of work. Fighting against cabin fever is so much easier when you can go outside and actually feel the sun warming your skin. I was fortunate enough to do that today. Despite tragedy and death, the world is still alive. Remember…

[thekotaroo]

Profiles of Pride: June 28th! 🏳️‍🌈Billy Porter🏳️‍🌈

Billy Porter (born September 21, 1969) is an American Broadway theater performer, singer, and actor. He attended the Musical Theater program at Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School's School of Drama, graduated from Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, and achieved fame performing on Broadway before starting a solo career as a singer and actor.

Porter won the 2013 Best Actor in a Musical for his role as Lola in Kinky Boots at the 67th Tony Awards. He credits the part for "cracking open" his feminine side to confront toxic masculinity. For the role, Porter also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. In 2014 Porter won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for Kinky Boots. He currently stars in the television series Pose for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and won the 2019 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the first openly gay black man to be nominated and win in any lead acting category at the Primetime Emmys. 

At the 2019 Golden Globes, Porter gained attention for wearing an embroidered suit and pink cape designed by Randi Rahm. He continued to make fashion waves that year when he wore a fitted tuxedo jacket and a velvet gown by Christian Siriano with 6" Rick Owens boots to the 91st Academy Awards. In February 2019, he was an Official Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Ambassador for New York Fashion Week: Mens. Porter attended the 2019 Met Gala and embraced the Camp: Notes on Fashion theme by being carried on a litter by six shirtless men while sporting a "Sun God" ensemble. The Blonds designed Porter's outfit, and it included a bejeweled catsuit outfitted with 10-foot wings, a 24-karat gold headpiece, as well as custom gold-leaf Giuseppe Zanotti shoes and fine jewels by Andreoli, John Hardy, and Oscar Heyman.

Porter is openly gay, having come out at the age of 16, "in the middle of the AIDS Crisis". He married his husband, Adam Smith, on January 14, 2017, after meeting him in 2009. He was very keen to get married "while Obama was still president and before January 20th, 2017" so the two got engaged on December 29, 2016 and married 2 weeks later.

Porter shared his views on race in the US in a 2020 interview with Vanity Fair, saying, "The reason why our country is in the mess we're in is simply because of whiteness. White supremacy. White people choke-holding power and sucking the life out of humanity".

In May 2021, Porter told The Hollywood Reporter that he had been diagnosed with HIV in June 2007, a difficult year for him which also included being diagnosed with type-2 diabetes that February and filing for bankruptcy that March. In the same interview, he talked about renting a house on Long Island during the COVID-19 pandemic due to a pre-existing health condition and about having intermittently attended psychotherapy since the age of 25. 

[mysticalladystudentposts]

CONVICÇÕES RACIONAIS PRODUZEM CONSEQUÊNCIAS EMOCIONAIS SAUDÁVEIS (ALBERT ELLIS) PARTE 3

Contestando opiniões

Durante a terapia, o indivíduo é incentivado a pensar se tem opiniões sobre si mesmo e sua situação na vida que estimulem reações irracionais. Esse processo é conhecido por “debate”. Por exemplo, um indivíduo acredita ser “a única pessoa em quem se pode realmente confiar”, ou “que é uma pessoa fadada a ser sempre sozinha no mundo”. Na terapia, ele é estimulado a encontrar em sua história pessoal as racionalizações para essas conviccções sistemáticas. Alguém que passou por várias separações amorosas pode ter a impressão de que “está destinado” a ficar sozinho ou que é se algum modo “impossível de ser amado”. A trec incentiva as pessoas a aceitar a dor, a perda ou a solidão e a avaliar de maneira lógica os fatores que as levaram a isso; e desencoraja a crença de que uma ou duas ocorrências significam que algo vai acontecer sempre e, portanto, é impossível ser feliz. 

Uma das dificuldades inerentes ao pensamento irracional é a tendência a perpetuar-se, porque quando se pensa , por exemplo, “nada de bom acontece comigo”, sente-se pouca ou nenhuma motivação para buscar oportunidades de acontecerem coisas boas. “Sim, eu tentei e sei que coisas boas jamais acontecerão comigo” é uma racionalização que reforça a crença sistemática.

O pensamento irracional é “preto ou branco” e impede o indivíduo de ver que há todo um espectro de experiências possíveis. É um sistema de convicções equivocadas que nos faz interpretar as situações sempre de maneira negativa e, dessa forma, anular a possibilidade de experiências positivas. Embora seja costume dizer que é preciso “ver para crer”, na verdade vemos aquilo que cremos. 

Uma pessoa sem sorte no amor pode se sentir triste e rejeitada; entretanto, há uma diferença entre sentir tais emoções e permitir que se transformem em convicções sistemáticas.

Teoria construtivista

A Terapia Racional Emotivo-Comportamental é uma teoria construtivista segundo a qual construímos nossas próprias convicções e realidade , embora tenhamos preferências influenciadas por nossa criação e cultura. Como terapia, seu objetivo é revelar os pensamentos, sentimentos e atitudes inflexíveis e absolutos das pessoas e auxiliá-las a ver que estão optando por “se agredir”, como dizia Ellis. A trec sugere formas de penas e como escolher caminhos mais saudáveis, e também como internalizar e habituar-se a ter convicções mais benéficas. Ao fazer isso, o terapeuta torna-se obsoleto. Quando o paciente aprende a tomar decisões conscientes e a escolher de maneira diferente de como costumava, o terapeuta não é mais necessário.

Uma terapia ativa

As teorias de Albert Ellis desafiaram a metodologia vagarosa da psicanálise e produziram o primeiro modelo de terapia cognitivo-comportamental. Uma abordagem hoje bastante popular. Ellis foi um terapeuta ativo e assertivo que, em vez de um processo de psicanálise passivo e de longo prazo, punha o trabalho diretamente nas mãos do cliente, numa abordagem proposta por Carl Rogers. Ellis também costumava enfatizar que teorizar não é o suficiente, “é preciso apoiar a teoria com ação, ação, ação”, dizia. A trec tornou-se uma das teorias mais populares dos anos 1970 e 1980 e teve grande influência no trabalho de Aaron Beck, que definiu Ellis como um “terapeuta, teórico e professor investigativo e revolucionário”.

A trec identifica os padrões de pensamento irracional que levam a convicções perniciosas e arraigadas e mostra como contestá-los.

Adversidade: um acontecimento que cause angústia.

ex: Perdi meu emprego!

Convicções: os pensamentos iniciais (irracionais) sobre o acontecimento.

ex: Não presto para nada. Jamais conseguirei outro emprego!

Consequências: os sentimentos causados por essas convicções.

ex: Estou deprimido e ansioso.

Contestação: examinar de modo racional essas convicções.

ex: Estou enxergando isso de um jeito muito equivocado!

Efeito: convicções revisadas e racionais acerca do que ocorreu.

ex: Vou conseguir outro emprego. Não é o fim do mundo.

“As pessoas e as coisas não nos aborrecem. Em vez disso, nós nos aborrecemos ao acreditar que elas têm o poder para isso. Albert Ellis”

“Os melhores anos de sua vida são aqueles em que você decide assumir seus problemas e percebe que controla seu destino. Albert Ellis”

Albert Ellis nasceu em Pittsburgh, na Pensilvânia, Estado Unidos. Seu pai viajava constantemente a negócios e sua mãe sofria de transtorno bipolar; por isso Ellis muitas vezes cuidava dos três irmãos menores. Iniciou sua carreira nos negócios e começou a escrever sobre sexualidade, fato que o levou a estudar psicologia clínica na Universidade de Columbia, em 1942. Inicialmente, praticou psicanálise, tendo sido influenciado por Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adles e Erich Fromm. Mas sua terapia racional, considerada respons��vel pela mudança de rumo da psicologia em direção à terapia cognitivo-comportamental, afastou-o da teoria psicanalítica. Ellis é reconhecido como um dos psicólogos mais influentes dos Estados Unidos. Publicou mais de setenta livros e seguiu escrevendo e ensinando até sua morte, aos 93 anos.

Principais trabalhos: 

1957 How to live with a neurotic

1961 A guide to racional living

1962 Reason and emotion in psychotherapy

1998 Optimal aging

[lotonki]

Harvey schwartz

HARVEY SCHWARTZ SERIES

The present IPA volume is addressing these and other health struggles in various world settings. When the illness affects children, the search for meaning becomes particularly painful. "Finding meaning in physical illness is generally neglected by medical practitioners, but is often that which is sought by patients, consciously or unconsciously. Paul Scott, MD, DLFAPA clinical professor of psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine emeritus councilor and past-president, American Balint Society You are in for a good and stimulating read." - C. The doctor-patient relationship is of course the bond they explicate, further instructing generations to come. Filled with detailed, readable, examples, the chapter is an opportunity to experience two experts as they think through the connections and ramifications of this 'bridge' between these cousins under the skin, medicine and psychoanalysis. The authors bring lifetimes of immersion in the study and practice of psychoanalysis and the Balint method to bear, as they review the pioneering work of Michael Balint and his eponymous seminars for practicing primary care physicians. "The contribution to this collection by Randall Paulsen and Don Lipsitt is a major addition and rare synthesis of the 'enduring bridge between psychoanalysis and medicine'. In the process, they have reminded us, Balint group leaders and teachers of Balint group leaders, of the essential clinician patient relationship at the core of our current bio-psycho-social approach to patients and clients." - Laurel Milberg, PhD, past president and founding member of the American Balint Society Indeed, how psychotherapy and medicine have always been intertwined. "Lest we take the fruitful convergence of psychoanalytic understanding and therapeutic relationship skills with day to day medical encounters that frame explorations in Balint groups for granted, in their chapter Lipsitt and Paulsen have provided the history of how this convergence developed from Freud to Ferenczi to Balint to today. Director, Harvard Study of Adult Development Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School. This book is a resource for those seeking to understand how the analyst's expertise can infuse medical care with much-needed humanism and wisdom." - Robert J. In it, internationally renowned analysts demonstrate how the psychoanalytic frame can be used to improve the lives of patients with a wide range of tenacious problems, from addiction to eating disorders to cancer, and in populations that range from the very young to those at the end of life. We learn how each has influenced the other and perhaps how each has been enriched by the other.A tour de force delving into the influence of Freud’s Jewish roots on the development of psychoanalysis."This volume presents a broad and rich exploration of the many arenas in which psychoanalytic thinking can relieve suffering for patients and families. The contributors are among the thought leaders of our generation who work at the interface of the intrapsychic and religious states of mind.

HARVEY SCHWARTZ SERIES

This lecture series was designed to introduce to the public both the similarities and the differences between the psychoanalytic and the Jewish world views. Recent studies of these insights have contributed to the current interest in listening more carefully to the individual meanings of analysands’ religious life. His creation – psychoanalysis – has labored to honor its Jewish influences. Within these internal guideposts lay a Jewish life layered by tensions, pleasures, and identifications. He was centered both by his passionate cultural affiliation and by his atheism. Freud’s relationship with his Judaism – his by virtue of his self- description as a “fanatical Jew” – was framed by two of his convictions.

[harlancounselingllc]

Adolescent self-esteem is profoundly affected by family dynamics and conflict. This intricate relationship is often seen firsthand through psychotherapy services in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where professionals analyze and tend to family relationships. They observe the power struggles, communication styles, and overall dynamics that can either build or tear down an adolescent’s self-esteem.

[uicscience]

First-ever guidelines for detecting, treating perimenopausal depression

It is well-recognized that women are at increased risk of depression during the postpartum period when hormone levels are changing, but the risk of depression associated with perimenopause — the time right before menopause when female hormones are in decline — remains under-recognized and clinical recommendations on how to diagnose and treat this kind of depression in women have been lacking until now.

A multi-institutional panel of clinicians and scientists convened by The North American Menopause Society and the National Network on Depression Centers Women and Mood Disorders Task Group, and endorsed by the International Menopause Society, have published the first-ever guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of perimenopausal depression simultaneously in the journal Menopause and the Journal of Women’s Health.

“The reason these guidelines are needed is because depression during the perimenopausal phase can occur along with menopausal symptoms, and these two sets of symptoms are hard to tease apart, which makes it difficult for clinicians to appropriately treat these women,” said Dr. Pauline Maki, professor of psychology and psychiatry in the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine and co-lead author of the new guidelines. “Many women experience a new onset of depressive symptoms. If there is underlying low-level depression to begin with, perimenopause can increase the intensity of depressive symptoms.”

“There has been a need for expert consensus as well as clear clinical guidance regarding how to evaluate and treat depression in women during the perimenopause,” said Dr. Susan Kornstein, professor of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology at Virginia Commonwealth University and co-lead author of the guidelines. “These new clinical recommendations address this gap and offer much-needed information and guidance to health care practitioners so that they can provide optimal care and treatment for midlife women.” Kornstein is also executive director of the Institute for Women’s Health at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The task force, co-chaired by Maki and Kornstein, reviewed the scientific literature on depressive disorders and symptoms in perimenopausal women and focused on five areas: epidemiology, clinical presentation, therapeutic effects of antidepressants, effects of hormone therapy and efficacy of other therapies such as psychotherapy, exercise and natural products.

Perimenopause refers to the three- to four-year period immediately prior to menopause when periods become irregular and eventually stop, as well as the first year after the final menstrual period. Symptoms such as hot flashes and sleep disturbances often begin at this time and can co-occur and overlap with symptoms of depression, the new guidelines state.

“Eighty percent of women in menopause experience hot flashes, and when they occur at night, also known as the ‘night sweats,’ sleep can be interrupted. Persistent sleep disturbances caused by hot flashes contribute to the development or exacerbation of depressive symptoms,” said Maki.

During perimenopause, women often juggle multiple responsibilities and face multiple stressors. They care for their own children, experience children leaving the home, help aging parents, retain primary responsibility for the home, and face increasing job demands at a time when they may be approaching the peak of their career. All of this can be extremely stressful, Maki explained.

“Relationships can be taxed and the realities of aging can become quite apparent,” she said. “Life stressors, low social support and physical health problems are strongly related to depression during perimenopause. When you add in hormonal changes that can affect the brain’s ability to cope with these stressors, it’s no surprise that depression is a common occurrence in midlife women. The good news is that there are effective treatments.”

The root causes of perimenopausal depression can be hard to identify, said Maki.

“Are women experiencing low energy because they are having night sweats and losing sleep? If so, treating with hormones may be the best bet,” she said. “Alternatively, is a woman with a past history of depression having another depressive episode?  In that case, antidepressant therapy might be most effective. Is the issue primarily due to family and job burden? If so, cognitive behavioral therapy with or without an antidepressant might be best.”

Maki explains that while it is common for women with menopausal symptoms to experience depressive symptoms, most of the time those symptoms do not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of depression. But, she said, even low-level depressive symptoms can lower quality of life and strain relationships, and hormone therapy might help.

“It is important for women and their health care providers to recognize that these symptoms are common during perimenopause and can be treated,” she said.

Some of the findings of the panel include:

Perimenopause is a window of vulnerability for the development of depressive symptoms and a diagnosis of major depressive disorder.

The risk for depressive symptoms is elevated during perimenopause even in women with no prior history of depression.

Several common symptoms of perimenopause (hot flashes, night sweats, sleep and sexual disturbances, weight/energy changes, cognitive changes) complicate, co-occur and overlap with the presentation of depression during this stage.

Life stressors including caring for children and parents, career and relationship shifts, aging and body changes and family illness can adversely affect mood.

Proven therapeutic options for depression (antidepressants, cognitive behavioral therapy and other psychotherapies) should remain as front-line antidepressive treatments for major depressive episodes during perimenopause.

Clinicians should consider treating co-occurring sleep disturbance and night sweats as part of treatment for menopause-related depression.

Estrogen therapy is ineffective as a treatment for depressive disorders in postmenopausal women.

Hormonal contraceptives may improve depressive symptoms in women approaching menopause.

Evidence is insufficient for the recommendation of botanical or alternative approaches for treating depression related to perimenopause.

“Perimenopause is a window of vulnerability for the development of both depressive symptoms and major depressive episodes,” Maki said. “The recent suicide of Kate Spade at 55 years of age shows the seriousness of mental health issues in midlife women, a group that has shown a 45 percent increase in suicide rates over the past 15 years.”

Richmond; Dr. Hadine Joffe, Dr. Geena Athappilly and Dr. Lee Cohen of Harvard Medical School; Joyce Bromberger of the University of Pittsburgh; Ellen Freeman of the University of Pennsylvania; Dr. William Bobo of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester; Leah Rubin of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Dr. Hristina Koleva of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City; and Dr. Claudio Soares of Queens University School of Medicine, Ontario are co-authors of the guidelines.

[makinwellness-blog]

Though Field Therapy for Creativity and Mental Alertness

New Post has been published on https://makinwellness.com/though-field-therapy-creativity-mental-alertness/

Though Field Therapy for Creativity and Mental Alertness

Thought Field Therapy (TFT) is a natural technique formulated by Robert Callahan. The therapy consists of tapping on certain pressure points (also known as meridian points) of the body, while affirmations are made. It is drug-free and has shown to have rapid results.

Gary Craig, a student of Robert Callahan’s, tweaked the technique and formed his own called “Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).

These techniques both help with phobias, anxieties, depression, addictions, and other mental related issues. In line with the principles at Makin Wellness, the basis of TFT and EFT is that our beliefs have a powerful impact on our behaviors. Thought field therapy (TFT) helps facilitate the belief that by accepting our current circumstances and being present in the moment, we are better equipped to focus on letting go of the old and building the new. Anyone can practice TFT in their own home or with a trained professional. Guidelines for practicing at home can be found in Roger Callahan’s book entitled, Tapping the Healer Within: Using Thought-Field Therapy. The best part is, this therapy can be done at no cost to you.

A positive outlook on life has shown to have many benefits. Being optimistic strengthens relationships, improves coping ability and protects your health. Research has shown people with an optimistic, positive outlook to have lower levels of inflammation and heart disease risk. Thus, a positive outlook can have a profound effect on health.

Ultimately, we are responsible for maintaining healthy lifestyle practices. Quality sleep, regular daily exercise, and healthy eating habits are in our control. Meaningful connections and sense of purpose is also an essential part of wellness. Healthy lifestyle habits positively affect our mood and quality of life.

Though Field Therapy promotes positive thought patterns, increasing feelings of happiness, and overall wellness. Happy people are better able to solve problems, are more creative, and tend to have increased mental alertness. Optimists have even shown to live longer than pessimists! 

Negative thought patterns sap energy levels, and lower the brains ability to function properly. Recent research in neuroscience has shown that repetitive, focuses mental activity can affect changes in brain structure, wiring, and capabilities. Therefore, with time and practice, you can train your mind and brain to think more positively.

If you would like support with thought field therapy to promote positive mindset, call now to schedule a free consultation with a trained professional!

About Makin Wellness

Founded in 2017 , Makin Wellness is Pittsburgh’s premier therapy & coaching centers located in Downtown Pittsburgh and Downtown New Kensington. The company’s mission is to help people heal and become happy again.  Makin Wellness specializes in depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma, medical marijuana assited treatment and relationship counseling.

Laura Stewart, BA, CHN Makin Wellness

[daniloqp]

Inmates, doctors and the battle for trans health care

Inmates, doctors and the battle for trans health care

https://theministerofcapitalism.com/blog/inmates-doctors-and-the-battle-for-trans-health-care/

Stephen Levine was born 1942 in Pittsburgh. I wanted to be a doctor from a young age; he saw how much his parents and people in his community respected the profession. At Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, he decided to pursue psychiatry, attracted by how the field explored human histories and biology. In 1973, when she was finishing her residency, Levine heard that her alma mater was looking to hire someone to develop a medical curriculum in human sexuality. Levine got the job. Over the next few years, he helped establish several clinics focused on sexual disorders in college. In 1974, he co-founded the Case Western Gender Identity Clinic to treat people who cannot or do not want to live as the gender they were assigned at birth.

By the 1970s, when Levine entered the camp, scientists and doctors had spent years discussing what “caused” transness and therefore how to treat it. As Joanne Meyerowitz describes in her 2002 book How sex changed, from the middle of the twentieth century, two schools of thought competed for primacy. The first saw the desire to change one’s own body through a psychoanalytic lens, as a symptom of an unresolved initial trauma or sexual difficulties. Initially, most psychiatrists belonged to this group, believing that doctors who helped their patients make a physical transition only allowed their delusions. The attitude was summed up in the words of prominent sexologist David Cauldwell, who wrote in 1949: “It would be criminal for any surgeon to mutilate a pair of healthy breasts.”

The second field emphasized biological factors. Although their followers generally agreed that a patient’s training and environment could affect their gender identity, they considered a person’s chromosomal or hormonal makeup to be more important. Prominent figures, including endocrinologist Harry Benjamin, noted that “curing” transness through conversational therapy was almost always unsuccessful, in which case he favored a different intervention: “If it is clear that the psyche is not can put in sufficient harmony with the soma, then and only then is it essential to consider the reverse procedure.

As these camps emerged, some trans people continued to backtrack on their prospects, insisting that transness was not a medical disorder and that access to hormones and surgery should not be preached with approval primarily. of cis doctors and men. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, some trans people tried to organize their own treatment clinics, providing peer counseling and assistance and referrals for surgery.

However, these clinics did not survive and the primary medical model continued to gain strength. In his research and academic work, Levine leaned toward the psychoanalytic approach, theorizing that the desire for transition was a way for his patients to “avoid painful intrapsychic problems.” She explored what she considered possible causes of these feelings, including a “too long, overly symbiotic” maternal relationship. When a person declared himself transgender, he liked to say, it was the mind’s attempt to offer him a solution. In psychotherapy, patients could interrogate and resolve the problem that caused these feelings. As in other clinics across the country at the time, Case Western offered surgery to a few transgender patients, about 10% as of 1981. Many trans people were frustrated by this approach, but at least found some degree of sympathy and understanding at clinics like Levine’s. They were seen as people who needed treatment rather than as diversions.

Through the 1970s and 1980s, Levine’s stature grew. His clinic attracted patients and published articles in prestigious journals. In the early 1990s, however, the scientific consensus among healthcare providers and researchers was beginning to move away from psychoanalytic theories. More people saw evidence of born biological factors. A growing proportion of providers argued — with ever-increasing quantitative data to justify their claim — that medical interventions were more effective than therapy to alleviate gender dysphoria. An area of ​​the human brain connected to sexual behavior is larger in men than in women. In 1995, a reference study published a Nature they found that this area was the same size in trans women as in their cisgender partners, regardless of their sexual orientation or whether they had taken hormones. The finding suggested that “gender identity develops as a result of an interaction between the developing brain and sex hormones.”

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Two years after the Nature he was appointed chairman of a committee of the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association, the country’s leading organization for medical providers treating trans people. The most important role of the organization was to develop and publish a regularly updated document describing best practices for diagnosing and treating trans people, called Standards of Care. Levine was invited to lead the team that produced the next update, SOC 5.

The revision of the standards was a process of several years. In 1997 the organization held its biannual conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. Jamison Green, a trans man and health activist living in San Francisco at the time, arrived at the event to find that he was one of the few trans people to attend. “It wasn’t a cozy environment,” he tells me. “They weren’t happy to see you.” Levine was to lead a Saturday afternoon session on the proposed draft of the rules. Green was sitting in the auditorium, waiting for the event to begin, when he heard a commotion outside. Technically, the meeting was open to the public, but there was an expensive registration. Many other trans activists, especially those living locally, were outraged because, due to the high price, they were essentially excluded from a meeting that would directly affect their care. “They started knocking on doors and demanding to be let in,” Green says.

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347: The Neuroscience of Calm During Stressful Times With Dr. David Rabin

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347: The Neuroscience of Calm During Stressful Times With Dr. David Rabin

Child: Welcome to my Mommy’s podcast.

This podcast is sponsored by BLUblox. That’s B-L-U-B-L-O-X, which is an advanced light-filtering eyewear company. You’ve probably seen pictures of me on social media wearing orange glasses of various types at night. And here’s why. In nature, we aren’t exposed to certain types of light after dark, specifically, blue light, because that type of light signals the body that it’s daytime. That in turn suppresses melatonin and can interfere with sleep. This is the reason that a really dramatic study found that camping for seven days straight with no artificial light at all could actually completely reset and heal circadian rhythm and help a lot of light-related problems, like seasonal affective disorder. This is also the reason that I wear orange glasses after dark to block these types of light and protect my sleep, which I am adamant about protecting. I also wear certain types of yellow glasses and anti-fatigue glasses during the day if I want a computer to reduce eye fatigue. BLUblox has orange glasses and yellow glasses. Their orange glasses for nighttime wear are designed to block 100% of the wavelengths between 400 nanometers and 550 nanometers, which are the ones that are studied to interfere with sleep and melatonin production, and circadian rhythm. My kids also wear these kinds of glasses at night. And I noticed a difference in their sleep as well, which is a huge win for a mom. This is especially important when we’re watching a family movie at night or looking at any kind of screen as the artificial light, there is a source of blue light and can interfere with sleep. You can learn more, they have a ton of educational content and check out all of their innovative protective glasses by going to blublox.com/wellnessmama and using the code wellnessmama to save 15%.

This podcast is brought to you by Wellnesse, a new company I co-founded to bring the best personal care products from my family to yours. Our whitening toothpaste is based on my DIY formula that I have been making and perfecting for over a decade. Now, after almost 100 rounds of tweaking the formula and thousands of positive reviews, I could not be more proud to share this with your family. Have you ever read a tube of normal toothpaste? I did when my older kids were little, and I found a warning that said, “Warning, keep away from children. Do not swallow. If ingested contact Poison Control or seek medical attention immediately.” That seemed a little extreme for something that I was putting in my mouth and my children’s mouth multiple times a day. And I didn’t want my kids using something that often that I would need to call a poison control center if they accidentally swallowed. I set out to create a truly safe and effective alternative. And the Wellnesse Whitening toothpaste is just that. It’s designed to support the oral microbiome and the natural process of saliva and teeth so that teeth can stay white and strong. This dentist approved formula is safe for the whole family and will leave your teeth shiny and your breath fresh. You can check out our toothpaste and our completely natural hair food hair care products at wellnesse.com. An insider tip, if you grab an essentials bundle or try autoship, you will lock in a discount so that you can try everything at a great price.

Katie: Hello and welcome to the Wellness Mama Podcast. I’m Katie from wellnessmama.com and wellnesse.com. That’s wellness with an E on the end, which is my new line of personal care products that are both safe and effective including hair care, toothpaste, and hand sanitizer.

In this episode which is very timely right now, we focus on some really relevant topics like dealing with feelings of stress, isolation, loneliness, overwhelm, uncertainty, also things like navigating ADD and ADHD in our kids. And now for many of us who are also serving as teachers for our kids during these unusual times, as well as things like PTSD, depression, anxiety, and many other topics. Because I’m here with Dr. David Rabin who is a board-certified psychiatrist, a translational neuroscientist, an inventor, and an entrepreneur who specializes in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, and who is doing research right now currently on a device called the Apollo, specifically for ADD and ADHD. Dr. Rabin developed the Apollo which is a breakthrough wearable technology that uses the neuroscience of touch and vibration to combat the negative effects of stress. During his research at the University of Pittsburgh, he developed this. And it’s a device that I personally use and really love and notice a big difference from. And they are in the middle of doing studies on this with like I said kids with ADD and ADHD. It’s a really incredible technology.

Dr. Rabin is also helping to organize the world’s largest controlled study of psychedelic medicines in collaboration with colleagues at Yale, the University of Southern California, Mt. Sinai, and MAPS, which is the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies to determine the mechanisms of the dramatic therapeutic benefits observed following psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in treatment resistant mental illness. He is one of the most intelligent incredible experts I’ve ever talked to on a lot of these topics, and he does not disappoint in this episode. We go deep on a lot of these topics, and I think you will really enjoy as much as I enjoyed recording it. So without further ado, let’s join Dr. David Rabin.

Dr. Rabin, welcome. Thank you for being on the podcast again.

Dr. Rabin: Thank you so much for having me, Katie. It’s a pleasure as always.

Katie: Well, I’m excited to chat with you again. I’m a huge fan of your work. And our first episode got a great response. And I think there’s so much more that we can add in this second episode. I think to start, obviously, all of us are kind of learning to navigate a lot of new uncertainties right now and things that a few months ago we didn’t have to deal with. And so, I would guess that people are under a lot more stress and uncertainty than normal. And so, I’d love for that to start…let’s start broad there and talk about some of these kind of changing turbulent times and ways that we can navigate that stress.

Dr. Rabin: I think that’s a great place to start. I think that we are under, you know, particularly high amounts of stress right now on a daily basis, different than maybe what we’re used to, but still very stressful nonetheless. And, you know, I think you really hit on it, which is that one of the major things that drive stress for us is sort of grappling with uncertainty. And one of the interesting things about that that I talk about with my clients all the time and that was on sort of my own personal journey as well, was learning to not spend a lot of time trying to control things that are completely uncertain and sort of out of my hands because what we realized from the theory of how anxiety management is taught and mental health and as a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist and a neuroscientist, we studied this a lot.

And what we see is that one of the central, most important things to always remember about anxiety, and anxiety being sort of these negative intrusive thoughts, constant worry, feeling overwhelmed and restless all the time, that stems from trying to spend as…you know, are basically allocating energy and resources of our attention, which we only have so much attention. We spend more of those resources thinking about things we cannot control than thinking about things that we can control. And ultimately, the more percentage of our attention we spend on thinking about things that we can control, like our breath, like making ourselves healthy, you know, having meaningful interactions with loved ones and things of that nature. Those things all contribute to us feeling less anxious and more positive on a mood level and also improve our energy and our ability to sleep, and sort of that, you know, creates what we call like reverberations throughout other parts of our lives where our bodies just start to recover better because we’re not spending that time thinking about all the things that are out of our hands.

And so, that is one of the most important things that I think we can all use in this time, myself included. And this something that I have to remind myself of on a daily basis, particularly when things are very busy but over time as we practice techniques like this, like learning to put our attention, which is something that’s really valuable, you know, our attention is something that only certain things deserve our attention. And when we spend our attention giving it a priority to things that really deserve it, like self-healing techniques, self-breath, you know, what we put into our bodies, how we exercise, you know, how we heal ourselves, all of these kinds of things, who we choose to spend valuable, meaningful time with, all of those things start to create these really positive feedback loops that contribute to a sense of happiness and fulfillment in our lives, even at our most stressed out, and overwhelming times.

Katie: That makes sense. And I know, obviously you would know this much better than I would, but from what I’ve read in books and different studies, a couple of the more difficult things to wrestle with from a stress perspective mentally are uncertainty and also loneliness. Like isolation is a really big mental stressor from what I’ve read. In fact, I’ve heard it compared to the physical effects even compared to being a smoker with how much of an effect it can have on the body. And so, there are a lot of people who are in isolation much more than normal and certainly navigating uncertainty much more than normal. Are there any strategies we can use from home that can help with the physical and the mental ramifications of that?

Dr. Rabin: Absolutely. I’m so glad you brought that up because I think that’s something that we often don’t talk about enough. And I think the first place to start is there is a fundamental difference between loneliness and then the concept of loneliness and being alone. And the way that we describe being alone, which is where most of us are. Most of us are alone, physically alone. You know, we don’t necessarily, when we’re isolated and we don’t have loved ones around or our family and friends, we don’t necessarily…we don’t have those people right around us physically, so we’re alone by, you know, by definition or our description of our environment. But we are not necessarily lonely. And I think loneliness starts to tap into this other meaning or connotation of feeling like we are, you know, not necessarily loved or that we may not get love or affection the way we need it.

And not only do we not have it right now, but we also may not get it in the future and we don’t know when we’re going to get it. And I think the reason that’s so important to understand the difference between being alone and feeling lonely or being lonely or lonely person is that being alone is something that is actually very powerful for us in the way that we heal ourselves. Oftentimes, it’s very difficult for us to start making changes to our routine. And like we were mentioning earlier and we talked about in the last podcast that we did together, you know, some of these self-healing techniques like, you know, positive…you know, everyone talks about diet and exercise, which are obviously very important, but there’s other things that are really important that we don’t talk about enough.

Like introspection, looking into ourselves, gratitude, feeling grateful for being able to breathe, being able to control the way that we think about ourselves and about our bodies. Being able to feel our heartbeat to, you know, be able to do progressive, take time to do progressive muscle relaxation to self-massage, right? There are certain parts of the body like putting pressure on our chest and put it with one hand or putting pressure on the inside of the outside of the ear. All of these things are very gentle ways that can pretty quickly improve the sense of calm in the body that can help induce a sense of safety and recovery response. And so, I think that, you know, what’s really important is that if we look at being alone as always being equal to lonely, then we’re missing out on a lot of the opportunity.

That being alone affords us to start to work on ourselves without the influence other people around. And oftentimes it’s easier to change ourselves and to change our behavior, to learn how to adapt, to learn new techniques, new skills when we’re alone actually than it is when we’re with others. And so, being alone can actually be looked at as a challenge to overcome that when we do overcome that challenge, as we are all able to do, we’re all adapters. We’re incredibly adaptive creatures and that’s what makes us human. And that is why we are at the top of the earth food chain, if you will. And so effectively, by approaching being alone as a challenge that we can overcome, then as we start to do things that help us feel better in that state of being alone, then we start to recognize that we are growing from that experience rather than that experience bringing us down or making us less, or actually that challenge forces us to become stronger and better versions of ourselves.

And so, and this is also similar to what we talk about in the psychotherapy space obviously, but also in the psychedelic medicine, assisted psychotherapy healing space, and also in a lot of Eastern and tribal medicine practices that have been used for thousands of years for chronic illness and mental health. I would argue that loneliness is a problem, but loneliness can be what we call reframed as the challenge of overcoming being alone. And that challenge allows us all of these opportunities to start to work on ourselves in ways that we might not have thought of before. And again, you don’t have to look at my work. But if you’d like to go to apolloneuro.com and we have lots of tips about how to work on your health and build resilience when you’re alone.

But there’s tons of other people out there that have done this work, and there’s wonderful meditation techniques and wonderful breathwork techniques in particular, that are really, really helpful to practice. I think above all though, gratitude, which is one of the hardest and most powerful techniques, if you’ve never done it, it is also the most important. And by practicing gratitude, starting with being grateful for being alone, that automatically changes the way that we look at being alone. And we start to separate what being alone is from being lonely. And we separate that from our identity, and that all of a sudden sets us on a path towards feeling like a hell of a lot better.

Katie: I’m so glad you brought up gratitude because I think, you know, this is something that’s talked about in a lot of self-help circles. We hear about it on a lot of, you know, podcasts. It’s been a big topic in books recently and I think it still often gets discounted because people think like it can’t make that big of a difference or like, “Yeah, I should be grateful and optimistic, but also I really need to fix this problem.” And they don’t realize just how profoundly slowly shifting your mindset toward gratitude can be. And like, I’m sure there are studies, and you could speak to this much better than I could, but how that actually manifest itself in psychological changes over time. Are there any other practical strategies that you would give for making that shift? Because I know it can seem overwhelming. If you’re not in that place, the idea of trying to get into a place of gratitude can seem like an uphill battle for sure.

Dr. Rabin: Yeah. So, I think there are a number of techniques. My favorite techniques are actually…and I think we’ve talked about this before. There’s two sets of techniques. I don’t want to overcomplicate it, but these are all sort of thinking and emotional techniques. And I really like these because I use them with everyone and myself and they’re incredibly effective. They’re very old techniques that go all the way back into Eastern medicine that had been used for thousands of years. And I think why they’ve stood the test of time is because they work so well and they’re also free. And so I think gratitude is one of the major foundations of all of these techniques because gratitude is the way that we start to look at a situation or an experience from the “why me” perspective, or the, “Oh God, please make it stop” perspective, to the, “Okay, if I’m grateful for this experience, what could I possibly get out of it that’s positive or constructive along the line of growth?”

And so that is why gratitude is sort of at the foundation. One of the things that I think is the most helpful to think about with gratitude is with anger. When we get angry, we often think of anger as being a very destructive, negative emotion. But anger is just a signal that there’s something off in our environment or something off in us that needs to be worked on. It’s a signal. All emotions are signals in different ways. It’s just easier to feel grateful for joy than it is to feel grateful for sadness or anger. The problem is when we don’t practice gratitude for things like anger and sadness instead of actually working through the anger and the sadness and figuring out what the source of it is, what happens is we oftentimes turn that anger or sadness inward on ourselves and then we start to feel a lot of the stress that goes along with, you know, harboring anger and sadness, like resentment, depression, sleep disturbances, all of these things.

And so, you know, starting to practice gratitude on a moment-to-moment basis as often as we can really, from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed, which can just be as simple as first thing in the morning, write down gratitude, and then just try to think about things that you’re grateful for, even if it’s just being grateful for waking up or being grateful for being able to take a breath. Any of those being a grateful for being able to eat breakfast, any of those things are fantastic ways to start. And then the same before you go to bed and eventually that becomes automatic. I think why that’s important is because gratitude forms this foundation of trust in ourselves that is supported by these four principles called the four pillars. And these are the very old principals that’ve been around for a long time.

And so, it starts with gratitude. And then from gratitude goes to forgiveness, which is really focused on self-forgiveness, forgiving ourselves for mistakes that we’ve made, knowing that we all make mistakes. There’s not a single human on the face of the earth that has not made mistakes. And that when we start to understand that, then we’re able to forgive ourselves for those mistakes. Recognizing that those are opportunities for growth. And then the next step above that is compassion. Compassion is often difficult to understand with respect to ourselves. But I think that the most common, best way to think about it as compassion is like patience for ourselves and patience for the world to allow things to unfold as they will. We often think when we look at the world, we look at ourselves and say, “Why aren’t we here? We’re here but we want to be there. Why can’t I be there right now? Why is this not already moving along the way that I…on the timeline that I expect it to?”

And so, that forces us to rush the process, which actually leads us to make more mistakes. Trying to avoid failure, we rush the process, we make more mistakes, we want things to happen faster. Compassion is that practice of allowing things to unfold as they will and just doing the best we can but understanding that we will make mistakes. Things will come up, you know, and we’re just going to do the best we can knowing that things will come up and things will unfold as they will. And then all this sort of comes together and culminates in the practice of self-love. And over time, as we practice those four pillars, that forms the foundation of trust in ourselves that allows us to overcome very, very difficult times like we’re in right now.

Like loneliness or feelings of loneliness, feelings of consistent anger or whatever it might be that’s bothering us. These four free tools are incredible tools that help us to…and they support each other and it can be practiced at the same time. They don’t have to be independent and they work together to help support that. And I think that there’s the other four, and a lot of these coming fours, which is interesting. The other four tools that are a little bit more obvious about how to practice are called the four agreements, which are the four agreements we make with ourselves to ensure a fulfilling life that’s aligned with growth and healing. And the four agreements are always do your best, which we just talked about. Don’t take anything personally. Don’t make expectations, and always be true to your word.

And these things are sometimes difficult. We all know that we’re good at some of those and not so good at others. But these serve as guidelines that when you make an agreement with yourself intentionally and say, “I intend to follow these agreements for myself,” then what happens is the change starts to happen on its own over time. And so, it’s about starting to change the way that we focus our attention and the way that we think about ourselves starts to change the way that other people think about us. And it starts to change the way that we feel. And it can happen in as short as a day or as long as a few weeks. But the point is that as we start to practice these techniques, then the sooner we practice and the more we practice, the more we actually literally retrain our neural pathways in our brain to, instead of feeling upset and angry ourselves every time we feel sad or every time something bad happens, we start to actually feel joy at the opportunity that that challenge presents for us to grow and get better. And it literally shifts the entire neural networks that support the way that we see the world.

Kate: I love that. I’m a big fan of the four agreements as well. And I think you’re right. I think that the shift and focus is so important. And to get vulnerable from it and I can share from my own life. An example of that, when all the shutdowns first started happening that first week, I found that I was like almost completely unable to eat. I was extremely angry. I was working out four times a day and I had this like weird…like I wanted to fight and I had no idea where that was coming from. I ended up exploring it with the therapist and realized that it went back to sexual trauma I had much earlier in life, in high school. And basically what I had done is I had built frameworks to keep me safe so that I would never feel helpless again in any area of life.

So, I had things in relationships that I did to feel safe. I had ways to protect myself physically. So, I felt safe. Like I had systems for everything. So, I never had to feel helpless because that emotion was so devastating in that moment that I never wanted to feel helpless again. And I had spent years processing that trauma and had not been triggered in a long time. I thought I had totally gotten through it. And it wasn’t until there was something much bigger than me that I could not do anything about that it re-triggered that helplessness and that anger. And it really caught me by surprise because I thought I had completely dealt with it. And like you said, that anger can always be a clue as to kind of something that’s going on. And so, I had to like really consciously shift my focus those first couple of weeks.

A, to realize what was going on. And then to shift into gratitude and focusing on the things I did have control over, which was I can spend more time with my kids, I can spend time outside, I can focus on the positive, I can make time for gratitude and movement. But it was a hard thing and I think a lot of people are facing varying degrees of that kind of mental thing to work through right now. And it is difficult. But I think also like to your point, if we make good use of this time and we focus on the positive, we could emerge from this with incredible habits and a focus on gratitude and things like maybe slowing down normal life a little bit, not doing so many activities, spending more time with family, making time for cooking at home more or gardening or, you know, so many of these things that we’re doing now that we maybe didn’t do before that I love that. I love the practical focus on making that a habit because I think it really does have a dramatic impact over time.

Dr. Rabin: Absolutely. And I’m so grateful that you were willing to share that personal story with us. I think that your experience of what you just described is such a powerful metaphor for what we all go through when we have…we’ve all had times in our lives that we may not even remember as traumatizing, consciously, we may not even be aware, but there were always times in our lives for pretty much all of us where we felt out of control and we felt, you know, like we didn’t know what was going to happen and it was extraordinarily scary or threatening. We’ve all been in those kinds of situations and I think that what we often do is we build up these things called protectors, which you very well described. We use these a lot in MDMA assisted psychotherapy and psychedelic psychotherapy where we help people work through and understand, “Hey, this is something that you did when you were a child or when you were a teenager to learn how to cope with this tremendous amount of stress without any one showing you or teaching you how to deal with these emotions.”

So, now you have protectors, you have what we call sometimes firefighters, which might be anger or resentment or these kinds of things of this nature that come out every time we are reminded of that feeling of vulnerability, that feeling of losing control, that feeling of losing hope or losing safety. And what happens is that we forget that we actually are the single most important…the single most important source of safety in our lives comes from within us. You know, we are taught often to believe that it comes from outside of us. And that the source of wellbeing and that our source of healing and health and all of these things comes from outside of us. But that’s actually not true. And that the single biggest source of our health comes from within us and our happiness comes from within us.

And so, when we learn as you have to, and you described it so well, to generate that safety from yourself, that by changing your habits, by changing what you spend your attention and your time on, I mean that is literally life-changing. It’s literally what people are banging on the doors for to get access to psychedelic medicine because psychedelic medicine, in a lot of ways, it’s like a catalyst to rapidly accelerate that process. That is a process that we’re all capable of achieving on our own. As you said, it just takes a lot of time and a lot of work. And without the proper guidance or the proper teaching or the mentorship or the therapist or, you know, whoever it is that we need us to help, you know, at least get us on the right path to recognize this as possible, then we forget.

You know, it doesn’t mean we can’t do it. It just means we’ve forgotten that that ability we have is there. And so, that’s why it’s always such a pleasure and a privilege to be able to have these conversations with you because we really…I mean, we just get down to the raw nitty-gritty of it. I think that when you listen to…when people listen to something like this, they have the opportunity to hear about what actually is possible for all of us, that we do have the capacity, all of us who are listening to this, all of us who hear these kinds of conversations have the capacity to remember that we can heal ourselves and then to take some of these lessons back into their lives so that by the time all of this is…we’re moved on to the next phase of all of this in our lives, in the world, we can emerge so much stronger, so much healthier and so much happier and ready to take on whatever comes next. Not in a weakened, vulnerable state.

Katie: Exactly. And I’m so glad that you brought up psychedelic-assisted therapy. I know we talked about this a little bit in our first episode, which I’ll make sure is linked in the show notes at wellnessmama.fm. But as I would suspect, there’s going to be probably a lot of people who have resurgence of maybe trauma or addiction issues or all kinds of things following this crisis. I’d love to hear an update on what we’re seeing in like right now in medical research with psychedelic-assisted research and therapy, and what you expect to see in the coming months and years, because I think that can be really profound for so many people.

Dr. Rabin: Yeah, it’s a huge topic of interest right now. I think that, unfortunately, as a lot of the studies of MDMA and psilocybin require a lot of in-person visits. Many of those studies are on pause at this time. But the results are incredible for…particularly with psilocybin, which is the active psychedelic ingredient in mushrooms. And then MDMA, which originally comes from sassafras but is derived chemically, and then slightly modified to provide a very powerful empathy and self-acceptance, you know, non-nonjudgmental experience that is radically healing for people with trauma, which is most of us. And so, I think that, you know, these medicines are absolutely coming up.

They will be available. It looks like, you know, sometime between like 2021 and 2023, clients, patients will be able to go in and actually find a physician or a psychotherapist who works with a physician to provide these treatments. And it’s already starting. You know, there’s already a study…right now it’s mostly through studies, but you can actually sign up for a study at Hopkins, MAPS, the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies runs studies on these medicines. And so, it’s possible to get involved. It’s just difficult right now for most people. And the medicines are expensive and it just requires a lot of effort and dedication to the cause, to the protocol. I think what’s really interesting that’s on the horizon right now is ketamine-assisted psychotherapy because ketamine is a molecule that was discovered in the early mid-20th century.

It was used as an anesthetic and a horse tranquilizer because it’s a very, very gentle anesthetic. But it was found later to actually induce very powerful psychedelic states. And when I say psychedelic, you know, I don’t mean a crazy ’70s dance party, but more a mind-manifesting state. So, the root of the word psychedelic means mind-manifesting. And what this really means is creating an altered state of consciousness, which you can also create with meditation or with breathwork or with, you know, yoga or a lot of other different techniques. But with medicine, it’s like ketamine or like MDMA or psilocybin. It’s a chemical induction of that state. And what ketamine does is it induces that state for about half an hour to an hour in a very safe way. And it allows people to be able to access that state for a very brief amount of time, but it’s enough time to be able to start to do some really interesting work on ourselves.

And so, one of the pioneers of this treatment was Dr. Phil Wilson, who still has a practice in San Anselmo and the San Francisco Bay Area. And he is pioneering this treatment for lots of different approaches, but its main focus is post-traumatic stress disorder and predominantly treatment-resistant depression. And I think what’s so interesting about ketamine above all the other psychedelics is that, is it particularly interesting? It’s interesting, but it’s not that much more interesting than the others. I think what makes it interesting right now is that it’s legal in basically…it’s legal in every state and in almost every country worldwide. And this is incredible because there isn’t any other psychedelic medicine that is legal in every state and every country or almost every country worldwide. So, that creates an enormous opportunity when we already have this technique that can be delivered in person.

Ketamine is also interesting. It can be delivered over the phone or over like a video conference. And people have been doing that for some time very successfully and very safely with some training. And we actually provide this treatment now which is very exciting. And so, there are all these opportunities coming up with medicines like ketamine where people who have very severe symptoms are people who are really struggling with trauma or depression I think is the main two. And there are other things that can help as well, but those two, in particular, can have dramatic benefit from use of this medicine. You know, and they don’t need it…you don’t take it every day. You take it, you know, once every week, once every couple of weeks with a therapist and then you have frequent communication with your therapist before and after, which helps set what we call the set and setting or the intention of the experience and what you hope to get out of it to make it as powerful and meaningful of a healing experience as possible.

So, while we wait for things like silicide and mushrooms and, and MDMA and some of these other very powerful medicines to get through the trials, ketamine thankfully is actually available right now and I think this is going to be a total game-changer for the way that we provide mental health via telemedicine, via remote, you know, remote mental health care and remote therapy over the next several months, especially while we’re under quarantine right now.

Katie: Yeah, I think you’re right. And I’ll make sure the links to find out more about that are in the show notes for anyone who really wants to look into that and to try it more. I know a couple of people I know personally have done ketamine assisted therapy for depression and for other things and had profound results from it. Can you go a little deeper on explaining how…because I think obviously there’s still some stigma surrounding anything in the psychedelic world with certain people. Can you explain how these enables such drastic results even for people who have treatment-resistant forms of these or like, I know people who don’t respond well to talk therapy have seen incredible results from psychedelic-assisted talk therapy. Can you just kind of explain what’s happening that allows that to be so much more effective?

Dr. Rabin: Sure. Again, so going back to what we were talking about earlier, safety is the most critical factor of all of this. Safety is what allows our nervous system that’s responsible for healing to really engage in full force. And this goes back millions of years, hundreds of millions of years actually. And Eric Kandel, who won the Nobel prize in 2002 for discovering the origins of learning and memory, found that we actually learn in our complex brains, you know, a hundred billion neurons or so, our brains learn in fundamentally the same way that 300 million year old sea snail brains learn and they only have 3 neurons in their brains. And the way that they learn is that they increase connections when they’re exposed to intense, meaningful, threatening or safe experiences, they increase the amount of and the strength of those neural connections over time, and we do exactly the same thing.

So, as we practice, and I think the main thing to take home about this is that what our moms always said or what our dads always said, practice makes perfect. This is actually real. It is literally reflected all the way down in our neurobiology to the way that our neurons talk to each other and possibly all the way down to our DNA and the way that our genes are expressed epigenetically in terms of stress and reward response genes. But going back to the way that these medicines work ultimately, that if you think about it, when we are stressed out all the time, when we’re constantly in a fear or threatened state or we just…it doesn’t have to be actual threat, doesn’t have to be actual survival threat. It could just be that we perceive something to be threatening us, like our coworker looking at us funny across the table, or traffic on the road, or our kids or family or friends screaming in the house, or whatever it might be.

You know, all of these things set…our body doesn’t know the difference between that and a survival threat. So, the body responds in the same way. It jacks up heart rate. It jacks up blood pressure, jacks up respiratory rate. It increases blood flow to the muscles, to the fear center of the brain, and to the parts of our brain that are responsible for just getting us out of that situation or fighting that situation or freezing in that so you’re playing dead. And this is what all the animals do, right? This is what we’ve been taught for a long time, evolutionarily. What I think we forget oftentimes is that when that survival system gets all of the diverted to it, because we perceive threat, it gets stronger and tighter and the connections get tighter between certain things in our environment and that threat response and the nerve connections actually get stronger, the neuronal connections get stronger.

And so, what happens is that every time you’re exposed to threat, it’s more likely you’re going to have a survival like response. And it’s less likely that you’re going to calm down quickly and recognize, “Hey, wait a minute, maybe this email is not threatening. Maybe this traffic is not actually out to get me. It’s just the way it is today because I left work too late, you know. And that’s how it is.” So, ultimately the problem with that is that on a neurological level, when we train our brains and our bodies to be in a threatened state all the time, what happens is that’s diverting resources away from our parasympathetic nervous system that is literally responsible for all of our rest and recovery. All of our digestion, all of our immunity, literally managing our immune response so that our immune system is working at its peak level.

Managing our creativity and diverting resources to that, our decision making, all of those things that we care about, being empathic, and caring with our loved ones. Being present with our children and our loved ones, all of these things require the recovery system to turn on, which requires safety. And so, as we retrain our brains with safety techniques, whether that’s gratitude or whether it’s soothing touch from ourselves or a loved one, or whether it’s any number of meditation, deep breathing, the other things we’ve talked about, as we retrain our brains down that path, those networks get stronger. And then we actually become better at recovering and better performing rather than just performing under stress, which means that we’re not recovering enough on a regular basis. So, the reason why psychedelic medicines can be so useful and things like Apollo, which also work in a very similar way, is that when psychedelic medicines are introduced in the proper way with a very safe therapeutic context, what happens is that the safety gets amplified dramatically.

That safety reminds us that we don’t have to be afraid or threatened right now and that we don’t actually have an immediate survival threat around us right now. And so, it’s reminding us that we can start to divert resources like blood, oxygen, energy in general to our recovery response system and allow some of the healing parts to turn on. It serves as a catalyst or an accelerant to speed up that process, which is a process that we activate and train in psychotherapy. That’s sort of the main idea of psychotherapy. Oftentimes, unfortunately, psychotherapy isn’t performed properly for the person who’s receiving it or there’s a, you know, a so-so between the person receiving the psychotherapy and the therapist, usually a lack of trust. And that trust is absolutely essential for us to feel safe. And if we don’t have it, then we, again, don’t allow our healing response to turn on. So, psychedelic medicines kind of provide that little chemical boost that stimulates the brain in a way that amplifies the safety of the therapeutic experience when we have a good therapeutic experience, which is the foundation of a good psychedelic healing experience. And then that literally fast tracks the retraining of those neural networks along a pathway of safety and recovery and away from unwanted stress response. Does that make sense?

Katie: Yeah, it absolutely does. And it puts in perspective why that can be so effective compared to just having talked through something. And I’ve definitely seen that in my own life. I’ve tried various forms with psychedelics as well, and those were really helpful to me in working through my own trauma. So, I can speak first hand to that.

This podcast is sponsored by BLUblox. That’s B-L-U-B-L-O-X, which is an advanced light-filtering eyewear company. You’ve probably seen pictures of me on social media wearing orange glasses of various types at night. And here’s why. In nature, we aren’t exposed to certain types of light after dark, specifically, blue light, because that type of light signals the body that it’s daytime. That in turn suppresses melatonin and can interfere with sleep. This is the reason that a really dramatic study found that camping for seven days straight with no artificial light at all could actually completely reset and heal circadian rhythm and help a lot of light-related problems, like seasonal affective disorder. This is also the reason that I wear orange glasses after dark to block these types of light and protect my sleep, which I am adamant about protecting. I also wear certain types of yellow glasses and anti-fatigue glasses during the day if I want a computer to reduce eye fatigue. BLUblox has orange glasses and yellow glasses. Their orange glasses for nighttime wear are designed to block 100% of the wavelengths between 400 nanometers and 550 nanometers, which are the ones that are studied to interfere with sleep and melatonin production, and circadian rhythm. My kids also wear these kinds of glasses at night. And I noticed a difference in their sleep as well, which is a huge win for a mom. This is especially important when we’re watching a family movie at night or looking at any kind of screen as the artificial light, there is a source of blue light and can interfere with sleep. You can learn more, they have a ton of educational content and check out all of their innovative protective glasses by going to blublox.com/wellnessmama and using the code wellnessmama to save 15%.

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Another area that I know you’ve done a lot of research on it and that specifically we can talk about Apollo in is the area of ADD and ADHD. And I think this is especially important right now as well because a lot of moms and a lot of listeners found themselves overnight becoming homeschool teachers and home with their kids much more. And so, I’ve heard from a lot of moms who are now navigating, “How do I actually be both the parent and the teacher for a child with ADD or ADHD? And how do I adapt a home learning environment to these specific needs?” And I know that you’ve done a lot of research and study in those areas, so we’d love to hear what’s happening right now. I know you’ve been doing trials with the Apollo in this specifically, so, what are you finding right now that’s helpful?

Dr. Rabin: So, this is a great, great segue, I think. So, for those who don’t know what Apollo is, you can check it out on apolloneuro.com, apolloneuro.com or apolloneuroscience.com. And this is a wearable technology that was developed based on all the research that we’re talking about now today. It was developed by myself and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh. And it is a wearable that delivers very gentle frequencies of vibration to the skin that you can wear on your ankle or your wrist. But it works basically anywhere on the body and these specific vibration patterns that are very gentle, that kind of feel like an ocean wave or like a hug or somebody holding your hand are specifically developed and from our research in the lab to activate the safety response in the body and to activate the recovery nervous system instead of the stress response system.

And when you activate that recovery response system by sending safety signals to the body or basically vibrations that are interpreted by our brains as safe, just like someone you love holding your hand on a bad day, it helps remind us that we are actually not under threat in that moment and that we are actually in control of our decisions in that moment. We have the opportunity, that tunnel vision starts to fade and you have the opportunity to make maybe a different choice than you’ve made the last 1,000 or 10,000 times you’ve been in this situation. And so what’s really interesting about ADD and ADHD, in particular, is that this is a huge problem in our society. Why? There’s lots of reasons, I think, but one of which in particular is that a lot of us don’t remember what it’s like to be children, right? We forget that as a child, you know, it’s a bit confusing at times in the adult world, you know, there’s all this chaos and all this stuff going on around us.

And, you know, many of us feel completely out of control, particularly as we start to get into the adolescent years in high school, middle school. And we just start to feel completely out of control. And what happens is that when we feel as kids out of control, then our attention wanders, we get distracted and we literally will seek anything, anything that will help us feel calm in that moment. And usually, it’s something that’s distracted. So, the most common things that we see in kids with ADD or ADHD is they can’t focus on things that bore them or things that they’re not interested in for more than a minute or two at most. But as soon as you put them in front of a video game that they like, or something that’s constantly changing or an athletic activity or something like that, they’re incredible at it.

Sometimes they’re like the best at it. And so what’s really interesting is that that attention is not dysfunctional the way that we talk about it with the diagnosis of ADHD, it’s actually just different and it requires a little more training than the average bear. And it’s really at the source, the source of that distractibility, that’s the source of the attention deficit as we describe it in psychiatry, really seems to be more of feelings of out of control, feelings of lack of control, lack of being in control of our lives, lack of control of what we eat, you know, lack of being control of what we learn, what we do during the day, our schedule. As a kid, we don’t really have control over most of that. And so, what’s really interesting is that with Apollo, we thought when we made it that it would improve, that there would be certain frequencies that were vibration that reliably improved focus. And we tested this originally in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled crossover study in healthy folks, adults, at the University of Pittsburgh. And the results were resoundingly good for focus.

We improved focusing cognitive performance on very stressful tasks by quite a bit. And that performance on those tasks increased directly proportionate to the amount that our recovery system turned on. So, the more that our recovery nervous system turned on as measured by clinically validated lab-grade technology like EKG machines and brainwave scans and all of these other things that we did, the more that that recovery system turned on, the more that focus and cognitive performance went up. And then we thought, “Okay, we have adult friends who have ADD and ADHD. What if we just gave them our prototype to try out? You know, it has no side effects, can’t hurt you. It’s just sound waves. So, let’s give it to them, try it out.” And I personally was one of those kids who was very bored and distractible as a child, and I think I would have been diagnosed with ADHD if anybody had put me in front of a psychiatrist at a young age.

And I use it all the time for focus. So, we started giving it out to our friends in the early prototype and they all loved it. It was resoundingly, everyone was like, “I don’t use my Adderall anymore. I don’t use my Ritalin anymore because I can use this.” And that blew me away. So, we started to work with a population of children at a clinic called the Children’s Integrated Center for Success in Allentown, PA, which is run by an incredible nurse practitioner, Amy Edgar, and she’s been working on basically helping to try to treat mental illnesses in particular in children without medicine or in the least invasive way, least risky way possible for many, many years. And our clinic is an incredibly well-run place that really focuses on kids’ safety first. But even with all of their incredible techniques, they still struggle with many kids, not…I mean, I think they have better results in a lot of other places, but they still have children that struggle and adolescents that struggle with symptoms of ADD and ADHD.

So, when I showed her Apollo for the first time, she loved it. She tried it herself, she tried it on her daughter, she loved it. And then she said, “I think that given how safe this is, clearly, I would like to try this in a pilot trial with our patients at the clinic who are treatment-resistant. These are kids who I’ve tried everything I can with them. And the only outcome that we have is that we had to go to medicine because we didn’t have any other luck with anything else.” And she started putting on these kids just in the clinic, in therapy, in front of the parents, in front of the therapist and they put it on, and within minutes they would see a change. The kind of change where the kids would sit up, they would start making eye contact instead of running around the room.

They would start smiling and they would say…they would start talking by themselves. They would start talking about their feelings, talking about their day, talking about things that they’ve had on their mind in ways that they have not spoken about to the therapist in years. Somebody as a therapist would work for hours and hours and hours just trying to get the child or the client to tell them anything. And, you know, a lot of kids are very closed off in these kinds of settings and they don’t want to talk and that’s understandable. And they don’t understand what’s going on a lot of the time. And again, it’s like, you know, it feels like they’re out of control. And they put this on and they just settle down and they realize they’re in a safe environment and they say, “This feels like a hug. And I want to talk about myself.”

And that was so incredible for us to, you know, to see those kinds of results in these kids. And ultimately, after the first 15 kids went through the original pilot, Amy put together an IRB approved clinical protocol, that is a standard protocol for, you know, rigorous scientific clinical trials that can be published. And now she’s running this trial in a much more rigorous fashion that will be published with, I think it’s 40 children and the first 15 have been run through it and they are seeing the same results consistently in these kids. And so, I think this is incredibly promising for us to be able to have alternatives for people where not only…I mean, it’s not only that we have a technology like Apollo that you can buy over the counter that can help, you know, improve something like this that we thought we required medicine for, but also for the kids to understand and for parents understand that there’s hope, that this is based on a theory of neuroscience, right? And neuroscience is psychology of learning and attention.

So, if Apollo was built on that theory and Apollo works this well, then that means that if we work with our children and we work with ourselves to train our own attention better, you know, to work with these techniques and to really learn these strategies, then, you know, we all have the ability to achieve this higher level of functioning that we want and that we all talk about we want, that we all often rely on medicine that we want because we feel we need to. We don’t need the medicine, the medicine is teaching us how to do it. Apollo is a tool teaching us how to do it. But again, going back to the point we were talking about earlier, all of this is pointing to the fact that we can do this on our own.

Katie: Wow, that’s so encouraging to hear. And I think you’re right that…had they tested for this when we were younger, I actually did testing as an adult, separate of just specifically testing for ADD and ADHD and found out I would clinically be diagnosed with ADHD, or I was technically by this test. But I thought it was really funny and I’m really grateful that they didn’t test me as a kid because I probably potentially could have been put on medication. I don’t know if they did that back then. But I think long-term it actually ended up being superpower of sorts. Because my parents gave me an opportunity to exist in a world where I was homeschooled for part of my adolescents and I had the opportunity to move around a lot to express creativity.

So, I didn’t face some of the same challenges that some kids, I’m sure, do in a school environment. But I’m really glad that get kind of managed out when I was young because I think learning from that has been an asset as an adult. So, I think it’s really important how you explain that, kind of reframing that to begin with. And then also using these non-invasive low-risk or no-risk tools that can help kids to focus and to like move through this without having to like to be medicated or to take some more of these extreme measures. That’s really encouraging to hear.

Dr. Rabin: And I think that’s, you know, that’s really what it comes down to is that, you know, had you or I been told when we were children that we had a disorder that required medication, then I’m not sure that you and I would have put in the effort to overcome that when we were given medicine and being told that if you take this medicine, all your problems will go away basically. You know, that is not consistent with healing. That’s like putting a band aid on a broken leg, you know, and the broken leg’s still broken. You might not feel pain as much, you know, but it’s still broken. It’s the same thing with mental and attention and emotional issues that all of us have dealt with at some time. I think as we look at them as challenges that we can overcome and grow from, then we start to learn how to use our own superpowers, as you said.

I think it’s the greatest way to put it. We’re learning or teaching ourselves by overcoming these challenges, how to activate our own superpowers to really become our fullest versions of ourselves. And I also, I think it’s important as a caveat to remind people that this is information for you but I am not your doctor. As much as I am a board-certified physician, I am not your doctor or your child’s doctor, so please don’t just discontinue medicine right away without speaking to your healthcare provider or your physician. That said, it is really important if you’re going to take home anything from this, I think please take home the idea that there absolutely without a doubt is scientific evidence for hope that we can all heal from these things. And that 99% of the people who have ADHD or ADD, 99% of people with these kinds of diagnoses, even things like depression and anxiety are not chronic illnesses that never get better.

On the contrary, they are chronic illnesses that can absolutely get better. And the single biggest factor in whether they get better or not is whether or not we believe that we can do anything about it. Once we start to believe that we can do something about it, then we start to put attention and energy into building those skill sets and figuring out how to overcome those challenges on our own and to learn as much as we can from those experiences so that we work in the…you know, we grow in the direction that we are hoping to.

Katie: Such a great point. And I’ll say also from my personal experience, I’m a big fan of the Apollo and I use it all the time and it really does help with focus. But also for me, there’s one called social and openness setting and I’ve had a little bit of social anxiety when I was younger. It’s gotten better as I’ve gotten older, but I notice a big difference with that setting when I have to be at conferences or like very extroverted forward-facing places. It makes a huge difference. And then also I use the sleep and relaxation settings quite often to fall asleep at night. So, just wanted to give a plug for that, and I’ll, of course, make sure it’s linked in the show notes as well if you guys want to find it and try it out because it really has been helpful for me and for my kids.

But, Dr. Dave, I want to respect your time. I know that you’re incredibly busy, but I love all the research you’re doing. And I appreciate you coming back for a second check-in with updates on where the research is, and especially that exciting news about ADD and ADHD that I think offers a lot of hope for parents.

Dr. Rabin: Yeah, I really appreciate you for having me and it’s always exciting to be able to come back and share positive news, and I think that, you know, we’re on the right track. Things are moving in the right direction, and so, I thank you again for having this conversation. This is great.

Katie: Thank you. And thanks as always to all of you for listening and sharing your time with us. We’re so grateful that you did, and I hope that you will join me again on the next episode of the “Wellness Mama” podcast.

If you’re enjoying these interviews, would you please take two minutes to leave a rating or review on iTunes for me? Doing this helps more people to find the podcast, which means even more moms and families could benefit from the information. I really appreciate your time, and thanks as always for listening.

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/podcast/dr-rabin/

[mitchsperopsyd-blog]

Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychologist, Mitchell E. Spero, PsyD, MSEd, Welcomes Patients at His Expanding Practice, Child & Family Psychologists in Plantation and Weston, Florida

Mitchell E. Spero, PsyD, MSEd, is a top psychologist who lends his skills and expertise to serve patients as Director and Owner of Child & Family Psychologists with offices in Plantation and Weston, Florida. With thirty-four years of experience, he specializes in the treatment of emotional and behavioral problems of children and adolescents. He is currently looking to expand his practice to include other psychologists, as well as nutritionists, speech pathologists, etc. “As a Licensed Psychologist, he has extensive experience in dealing with Children of Divorce, Custody Evaluations, Step-family Adjustment Issues, Emotionally Handicapped and Learning-Disabled Children, and Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. His work with adults has focused on Marriage and Family Therapy, Substance Abuse Counseling, and Individual Therapy for Depression and Anxiety. Dr. Spero is also a Certified and Court Appointed Family Mediator by the Supreme Court of Florida”, states the official website of Child & Family Psychologists. For more information about Mitchell E. Spero, PsyD, MSEd, please visit http://www.childandfamilypsychologists.org/clinical-associates-2/34-2/.

Mitchell E. Spero, PsyD, MSEd, has been the Pro-Bono Evaluating Psychologist for Elian Gonzales, a world famous International Immigration Case and his speech was viewed on CNN, MSNBC, and many other Live International News Programs. He has been conducting Immigration Psychological Evaluations in the South Florida Area for decades. Dr. Spero’s treatment orientation covers brief individual and family psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychological testing and evaluation. He created and has presented Broward Bully Busters since 2001. His work with adults has focused on marriage and family therapy, substance abuse counseling, and individual therapy for depression and anxiety.  Furthermore, Dr. Spero has taught psychology on the Masters and Bachelors level, was the Vice President of the Center for Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Inc, co-founded the Stepfamily Association of America - Broward County Chapter, and was also the South Florida Council for Self-Esteem Support Group Facilitator. Dr. Spero is affiliated with memorial Healthcare System and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. For more information about Mitchell E. Spero, PsyD, MSEd, please visit http://www.childandfamilypsychologists.org/clinical-associates-2/34-2/.

Mitchell E. Spero, PsyD, MSEd, is a 1979-graduate of The University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was awarded his Bachelor of Psychology. He then completed his Master of Science degree in Education in 1981 at the University of Miami and his Doctorate of Psychology in 1993 at Nova Southeastern University College of Psychology. Dr. Spero is also a Certified and Court Appointed Family Mediator by the Supreme Court of Florida, and a member of the American Board of Certified Managed Care Providers. Dr. Spero is well known for his mentoring of others, media work, and public speaking. He has become internationally known for his dedication to training a turtle named Florida. He is the published author of the 2011 book, Florida The Turtle Who Thinks He’s a Dog Finds His Feelings. Furthermore, Dr. Spero has been honored as a Distinguished Psychologist by The Florida Psychological Association and with the Dr. Michael B. Spellman Award for Ethical Contributions to Psychology (2006) and the Lifetime Achievement Award by The Broward County Psychological Association. Dr. Spero served on the Executive Board of Directors of the Broward County Psychological Association for eighteen consecutive years beginning in 1988. He is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Academy of Family Mediators, which allows her to remain at the forefront of her challenging field. For more information about Mitchell E. Spero, PsyD, MSEd, please visit https://www.findatopdoc.com/doctor/1316512-Mitchell-Spero-psychologist-Fort-Lauderdale-FL-33317.

[jenngrover]

Being in class with 14 other, many of which are reactive dogs still, is like intense psychotherapy for me. But look at me, sitting way back there on my place while my person gets way far away. I even showed off my new trick (Best friend) for the class. #reactivitytraining #sitmeanssitpgh #dogthoughts #dogtraining #obediencetraining #woof (at Sit Means Sit Pittsburgh) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0_hMKKjC_U/?igshid=17r91f2a72u8u

[duqstudents4fairtrade]

Top 10 Mood Boosting Foods

Serotonin is a brain chemical that is known to impact your mood. Keeping levels in balance can help promote a feeling of calm, well-being, mental alertness, control and an increased ability to deal with stress.  Since diet can influence our supply of serotonin, Samir Becic and Health Fitness Revolution has made a list of top 10 Mood Boosting Foods:

Nuts and Seeds: researchers from the University of Barcelona found that men and women eating almonds, walnuts and Brazil nuts had higher levels of serotonin metabolites. In addition, just one ounce of mixed nuts a day may also help reduce obesity, blood pressure and blood sugar.

Greek yogurt: This dairy pick is packed with more calcium than you’ll find in milk or regular yogurt, and it can make you happy, too. Proper calcium levels give the “Go” command, alerting your body to release feel-good neurotransmitters.

Ocean-going cold water fish: such as salmon and mercury-free tuna contain omega-3 fatty acids which can help improve depression symptoms. A past study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that volunteers with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood had fewer depression symptoms and a more positive outlook.

Flaxseed: another great source of omega-3 fatty acids. They also are rich in magnesium and B-vitamins, nutrients that help us combat stress.

Spectrum Essentials Organic Ground Flaxseed, 24 Ounce from Amazon

Soy isoflavones: help with mood and mental function. These foods are also rich sources of vegetarian (no-cholesterol) protein which may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease as well. Add soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, miso, and soy milk to your daily diet.

Avocado: rich in omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, antioxidants, and potassium.

Asparagus: This vegetable is one of the top plant-based sources of tryptophan, which serves as a basis for the creation of serotonin, one of the brain’s primary mood-regulating neurotransmitters. High levels of folate also add to asparagus’ happiness-promoting profile because research has shown that up to 50 percent of people with depression suffer from low folate levels.

Dark chocolate: which contains an antioxidant known as resveratrol. This nutrient can help boost brain levels of endorphins and serotonin, helping to improve your mood. The recommended dose is one ounce per day (not the whole bag!)

DHA: is a particular form of omega-3 fatty acid that can be found in many foods. But including organic DHA-fortified eggs in the diet will also provide a good source of protein and tryptophan. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that when people eat eggs for breakfast, they feel more satisfied and therefore consume fewer calories throughout the day compared to a high-carbohydrate breakfast, such as a bagel.

Mussels: loaded with some of the highest naturally occurring levels of brain-protecting vitamin B12 on the planet. That makes it an important food source, considering that a significant portion of the U.S. population is B12 deficient.  Maintaining healthy B12 levels preserves the myelin sheath that insulates your brain cells, helping your brain stay sharp as you grow older. Mussels also contain trace nutrients that are important to balancing your mood, including zinc, iodine, and selenium, things vital to keeping your thyroid, your body’s master mood regulator, on track.

With a mood-boosting diet change, don’t forget to include exercise as well. Regular exercise can be as effective for depression treatment as antidepressant medication or psychotherapy. Just getting out for 30 minutes can have a huge impact on your outlook for the rest of the day.

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