Medical advances have empowered patients to survive cancer and chronic illness decades beyond what was previously possible. As a result of medical advances the purpose of treatment is no longer limited to surviving alone. Rather, the goal is to survive, thrive and to live a deeply fulfilling life thereafter. Even if there isn’t a complete cure. [...]
It is hard to ignore the extent and lethality of the current opiate problem. Opiate addiction (including heroin and prescription opiates) has been steadily rising - US drug death rates increased from 64,000 drug-related deaths in 2016 to about 71,000 deaths in 2017. The major driver of this increase (about half of all deaths) was opiate [...]
We all have ways we are unique and different from others, and all have areas of relative weakness. However, some of us experience, and may struggle with, more intrusive differences, with differences that are more obvious to ourselves and others, and with differences that we develop that are inconsistent with how we see ourselves. So, a [...]
Arthur C. Evans, Jr, Ph.D., current CEO of the American Psychological Association chatted with the Shrinks on Third about part of his southern upbringing in Florida, his own growth as a leader, insights about leadership in general, and his vision for using psychology to promote social justice. Listen to Coloring Outside the Lines at Shrinks on [...]
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends strict limits on screen time for kids, and many parents are deeply worried for good reason. In July 2018, the World Health Organization concluded that “gaming disorder” is a new form of addiction for individuals whose jobs, educations, family or social lives have been negatively impacted by video games. Screen time [...]
With the current political climate, many clients have difficulty dealing with different political leanings. Using bibliotherapy and examples from history may be very helpful to our clients, both during therapy and as a follow-up to therapy in the form of homework. How do we help clients get along with the significant others in their lives? One [...]
We talk about a number of concerns related to adolescence, such as obesity, drugs, sex, bullying, communication, among other issues. However, there are several recent issues that are adding to the list of factors that impact adolescents. First, social media adds to the above pressures with the expectation that one is always “on” for the outside [...]
Being bullied is a traumatic experience for a child. It leaves them feeling hurt, alienated, depressed, and anxious, and/or experience lower self-esteem. Some children who are bullied are more likely to bully others. With the advent of the digital age, there are far more opportunities for bullying through the internet, cell phones and social media. Cyberbullying [...]
Parenting is hard, and, fortunately, there are many resources available to help provide parents with support. Look at the calendar or bulletin board in any pediatric office, and you'll see support groups for mothers, lactation counseling, education on healthy sleeping, education on healthy eating, and education on effective parenting. Society seems to be waking up to [...]
Ask almost anyone in the greater Philadelphia area what their favorite season of the year is. Unless they are avid skiers or snowboarders or winter in southern Florida, they are unlikely to brightly respond “my favorite season is winter. Yayyy!” Most people in the Philadelphia area and other areas in the northern U.S. acknowledge that they [...]
