Over six years ago, the focus of one of my blog posts was the effect of social media on mental health (Facebook: Demon or Savior). Recently, in listening to a podcast the topic again became relevant, and this post will revisit the phenomenon of social media and its effects.

In a search of periodicals for titles related to social media and its effects, the vast majority focused on detrimental effects to well-being (Brooks, S., (2015), achievement (Ali Aljabry, A. M., et.al., 2017), family life (ÜNAL, S. 2018), and social life (Ali Aljabry, A. M., et.al., 2017). Some focused on how to harness the …

This is my latest for PT. Read it here. 

This is my latest post for PT. Read it here. 

This is my latest for PT. Read it here.

The title might seem commonsensical, but it is rare that people remember it when they are judging themselves harshly. Since I put a lot of words on paper (this is my 108th post), I think it is time to explicitly state that practicing anything is more difficult than it seems in one’s head.

Continue reading, Everything is Easier on Paper here.

Over twenty-five years ago I started in the counseling field, working in a substance abusetreatment center. The Recovery Model was commonplace in addiction treatment. It was not called that, it was simply how addiction treatment was. One of the treatment centers I worked at had a poster called, “The Twelve Steps for Everyone”. It generalized the 12-Steps of AA, NA, and other 12-step meetings, suggesting everyone can benefit. The point I’m fumbling with here follows that example: The Recovery Model, now commonplace in the treatment of mental …

I often write about how we humans deceive ourselves. Much of the time I’ll list a few ways that relate particularly to whatever I am writing about. Often, I am asking the reader to take a leap of faith and trust that psychology has demonstrated self-delusion based on a few examples. For this post, I have compiled some of my favorite ways the unconscious affects behavior without awareness. Continue reading here.

I write a good deal about self-deception. This post, however, will focus on the deception of others. Most people abhor deception. Yet, to some extent, everyone does it. A study indicated most subjects lied on average one or two times a day (Bhattacharjee, Y., 2017). It seems dishonesty has become more prevalent, and perhaps more tolerated.

Nine years ago I wrote on my personal blog about dishonesty (Dishonesty and “I Love You Man”). I had recently caught two students cheating on an exam. It was the first time that had happened (I had only been teaching a year or so at the time). In the time since, …

We’ve all heard about the power of words. Many have also probably heard something about how you can change your story, or how the story you tell shapes your life. In this post I hope to bring the power of both together, so one can make significant changes in his or her life, if she so chooses.

We have all likely said things that come back to haunt us, and demonstrate the power of words. Yet, do we really consider much of what we speak? Despite all of the quotes you might have heard regarding the …

Recently the idea of security in life has arisen in several aspects of my life. I read Rick Hanson’s weekly newsletter, Just One Thing, the post titled, “See Deep Wants”. In it he suggests looking at the underlying wants that are driving you (and others). One of the underlying drives he gives as an example is security.

This has also arisen in some of the therapy sessions I’ve had of late. I’ve had several clients, who when faced with losing a parent who they have perceived as a security blanket, suddenly faces a lack of …