ADHD self-report checklists are commonly used as screening tools in primary care settings, but they can be misleading when interpreted without adequate clinical context. This article explains how burnout and prolonged stress can influence attention, memory, organization, and motivation in ways that inflate ADHD checklist scores and resemble ADHD on paper. The article outlines what […]
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Learn to recognize OCD: It’s more common than you think.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Six vignettes Many of my clients ask questions about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), so I thought it would be valuable to post some real-life examples of what OCD can look like. Most psychologists didn’t receive training in how to treat OCD in graduate school One reason might be that OCD can masquerade […]
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Do you keep falling in the same hole?
I often talk to my clients about the change process when they are frustrated that things in their lives are not changing fast enough. It’s hard to see change when you are in the middle of it. All you can see, much of the time, is how far you have to go rather than how […]
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After therapy, life becomes really good
A psychologist recently told me one of his clients was ready to finish therapy. He said she had recovered from the abuse she had endured as a child. He said she was 65-years-old. The psychologist said his client was grieving because she was now fully aware of how much she had missed out on in […]
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Stigma attached to seeing a psychologist
There is a stigma attached to seeing a psychologist. It’s warped and it’s inaccurate. My clients say this after they’ve met with me once. And many say they would say so after we’ve worked together for a while if there wasn’t a stigma attached to doing so.
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The difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist
In my practice, I often explain to people how the occupations of a psychologist and a psychiatrist differ, because the majority of people do not know the answer. It is important to understand these differences when you or someone you know is dealing with a major psychological disorder so that you understand what services to seek from […]
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What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar Disorder is a psychiatric disorder most easily identified by its severe mood swings, or ‘mood disturbances.’ The term ‘Bipolar Disorder’ has replaced the terms ‘manic depression’ and ‘manic depressive disorder,’ which are no longer commonly used.
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What are the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?
Often times when I meet with a new client who is experiencing exaggerated mood swings that they feel unable to control, we will investigate whether the client has met diagnostic criteria for a manic episode, a hypomanic episode, and/or a major depressive episode.
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Where can I learn about Bipolar Disorder?
Many of the clients that I counsel who have Bipolar Disorder, as well as family members of those diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, have found it helpful to read about the experiences of others who have lived with Bipolar Disorder. Here are three suggested books that provide accounts of what it has been like for the […]
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