tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371160142012-02-07T10:05:13.390-07:00Discussions on mental health issues, treatments, and other related information. Also, opinions and stories.Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.comBlogger791100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-73093521930505007702012-01-16T12:50:00.000-07:002012-01-16T12:52:35.129-07:00

"The Knight in Rusty Armor" is a metaphorical story about change and the simplicity and complexity of it. I know that sounds dissonant, because it is. The main character is a Knight who spends his days fighting dragons, rescuing damsels in distress, and buying castles for his wife and son. He dons himself with the shiniest and strongest armor money can buy. He likes it so much he never takes it

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-86367930637629865542012-01-16T12:42:00.000-07:002012-01-16T12:52:35.130-07:00

I am no art connoisseur. However, a few years ago my wife tied me to a chair and duct-taped my eyes open forcing me to watch "So You Think You Can Dance." Humiliated, I succumbed to watching and found myself moved by a dance (see the link below) that described addiction. I was blown away at how the dance described through movements and music the experiences my current clients go through. Watch

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-81719054717067270822012-01-09T12:29:00.000-07:002012-01-16T12:52:35.130-07:00

I read an article by the Huffington Post this morning that discusses the problems with diagnosing using the DSM, over-diagnosis of many disorders such as ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, etc. and the overuse of psychotropic medications. The article is written by a psychiatrist who was on the task force for the development of the DSM-IV. He reports that diagnosis is often done by general

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-12463367997254660782011-10-24T10:53:00.000-06:002012-01-16T12:52:35.131-07:00

The title of this article may or may not have anything to do with the article, but I liked it. It comes from a scene in the movie "Tommy Boy" after David Spade hits Chris Farley in the face with a 2X4. The clincher is that they are friends, or at least trying to be friends and they get in a fight. How often do we do similar things? I am not saying that we get hit in the face by others, at least

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-66806314873645939492011-10-21T01:41:00.001-06:002011-10-21T01:45:31.642-06:00

The following is an excerpt from an unpublished paper I wrote on psychological resiliency after enduring a difficult or traumatic event. I would love to hear anyone's thoughts Focus on responsibility and agency. Several clients come into our offices talking about their individual traumas and how they have made things difficult for them. They also talk about how it has affected their

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-46530553402594162992011-10-21T01:24:00.000-06:002011-10-21T01:45:31.642-06:00

A few months ago I had the opportunity of having a student luncheon with Dr. Gerald Corey. Anyone who is a counselor knows who he is. He has written many of the books that we study in graduate school. Most of us have watched videos that he and his wife produced on group counseling. However, during the luncheon he focused mainly on what students can do to continue their professional and personal

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-1031065898998036142011-10-21T00:55:00.000-06:002011-10-21T00:55:20.691-06:00

It puts things into perspective when one reads how easy it is to go to a doctor and get antidepressants or receive a referral to see a therapist in our U.S. communities (generally speaking), when you read the following: http://blog.ted.com/2010/09/29/helping-afghan-people-find-peace-of-mind-inge-missmahl-on-ted-com/ At one point, there was only a dozen or so therapists in Afghanistan, which

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-6339369528836540222011-10-17T19:23:00.001-06:002011-10-17T19:24:30.045-06:00

Check out the link below. Scientists are growing neurons in petri dishes to see what they look like with patients who have schizophrenia, depression, autism and more. They then study how meds affect the neurons. Amazing stuff! http://www.kavlifoundation.org/science-spotlights/neuroscience-diseases-dish-modeling-mental-disorders

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-16921550510655065662011-10-03T10:20:00.000-06:002011-10-03T10:20:09.221-06:00

I am in the process of changing jobs. My new job includes working with individuals addicted to various substances and activities. My job is not only to help them with their addictions, but to work through the core issues that drive the addiction. I have been reminded that most, if not all of us are addicts to something. Whether it's chocolate, alcohol, cocaine, pornography, or Mt. Dew, there are

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-71458067780822705782011-09-27T10:31:00.000-06:002011-09-27T10:31:58.269-06:00

The following is a brief article I received this morning on the CES-NET listserv. I thought it was interesting as it discusses counseling and psychiatry and its purposes. "Not all of life's myriad problems are psychiatric illnesses. Not all psychiatric disorders are 'chemical imbalance' or amenable to simply taking a pill. There is no shame in admitting that we still don't understand the

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-78305571966946293372011-08-26T14:50:00.000-06:002011-08-26T14:52:55.218-06:00

I recently had an opportunity that gave me an idea to write about. When working or dealing with individuals who are angry, upset, or otherwise emotionally compromised it can be difficult to maintain a level-head, keep perspective, not feel personally attacked, etc. The following are some ideas on how to deal with it in the moment. 1. The Heat Is On. A fire creates heat and when fed with more

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-10708796832125433172011-08-18T10:24:00.000-06:002011-08-26T14:52:55.220-06:00

I am sure that many of you have heard the term “boundaries” before. How often have you wondered what exactly did this psychobabble mean? The above picture is a good depiction of what boundaries can be. It is a basic floor plan of a house with a family room, living room, bedroom, and kitchen. I cannot take credit for this boundaries depiction, but I will happily use it. Boundaries are rules and

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-41524136680324543012011-08-16T15:50:00.000-06:002011-08-26T14:52:55.221-06:00

The poor Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz received a bad wrap! He explained to Dorothy, The Tin Man, The Scarecrow, and to the Wizard that he had no courage, because he had fear. How wrong he was! How often do we feel the same, though? We assume that in order to be courageous we maintain a level of feigned strength and Superman-like power; when in fact, we have to have fear in order to have

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-6773874145149611942011-06-06T10:26:00.000-06:002011-08-26T14:52:16.684-06:00

How often has your own child struggled with something and you didn't know what to do? Kids come home from school with performance problems, bully problems, teacher problems, and even friend problems. And wouldn't you know that being a parent doesn't come with a manual! How often do we become confused or feel hopeless/scared that we can't help our child? Even as a therapist, I have experienced

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-29011500732785675542011-06-02T12:22:00.000-06:002011-08-26T14:52:16.685-06:00

The following is an article recently posted on a newsletter by my current employer. It's great stuff on desire and change! Check it out! Make comments! Desire & Change The number of years I have been working with people who are trying to change themselves and their circumstances is coming up on a quarter century. How people change is a subject of great interest to me. Usually a desire to

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-65633899537331727232011-05-23T15:39:00.000-06:002011-08-26T14:52:16.686-06:00

...These are the voyagers of the Starship, Enterprise. It's continuing mission to explore strange new worlds... No, this is not some cheap trick to get you to read more about my obsession about Star Trek! It is about real-life stuff for real people. I know that I have spoken in the past about Dr. Daniel Amen. He is a psychiatrist who provides treatment for individuals and uses SPECT imaging

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-47090726934937505972011-05-23T15:15:00.000-06:002011-08-26T14:52:55.223-06:00

Dr. Athena Staik, PhD posted this link on twitter today. I found the information beneficial, not only as a professional in the mental health field, but also personally. She discusses how addiction is formed in the brain and how coupling a behavior, dopamine (neurotransmitter utilized in pleasure-center areas in the brain), and biological teaching components can pave the way to any type of

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-30749363314743272492011-05-22T21:57:00.000-06:002011-05-22T21:57:01.600-06:00

The following is an excerpt from an assignment I gave to masters-level students taking a course on counseling skills. I asked the students to provide a short autobiography at the beginning of the term. I also asked them to have some "fun" with it. The student gave me permission to use this...I'm not sure how to take it, though. Therapist: Hi there, Joanne. I’m very glad to meet you. . .

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-1611208770754069522011-05-17T15:45:00.000-06:002011-05-17T16:02:35.726-06:00

As a therapist, I am always looking for new ideas on how to build a relationship with a client and help them to discover for themselves what they need to do to change. Back when I started I had all kinds of time to think up new creative methods. I was working mainly with children at the time and the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl had been released. I was amazed at

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-21254139093320167552011-05-17T15:06:00.000-06:002011-05-17T15:13:20.964-06:00

I had an interesting conversation with a friend and colleague over the weekend. We were traveling from Utah to Denver for a class and while sitting comfortably in our Southwest Airlines seats (this is not a sales pitch for them) we discussed our thoughts and feelings on Star Trek. I know, I know it sounds hokey. I will get to my point why being a Trekky can have many positive aspects to it. I

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-82648042861880819072011-05-15T00:29:00.000-06:002011-05-15T00:32:26.730-06:00

This is a brief review of a podcast from the American Counselors Association (ACA). The ACA provides podcasts wherein they interview key professionals and specialists. This particular podcast was aired on February 8, 2009 with speaker Dr. Howard Kirschenbaum regarding the esteemed Carl Rogers. Carl Rogers was the developer of person-centered therapy which is now one of the front-running

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-21700988431771872062011-05-13T20:09:00.001-06:002011-05-14T10:34:28.813-06:00

I went to the 7-11 to get a Diet Mt. Dew. It had been a very long day at that point. The cashier asked if I would be interested in buying a snack, which I did. Then, upon leaving, and feeling great about my purchase (particularly the Mt. Dew), I heard a loud high-pitched voice. I turned to see a scene of a mother yelling at her toddler child for not sitting on the ground while she browsed the

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-53465977255138291952011-05-11T16:22:00.000-06:002011-05-13T20:14:14.161-06:00

It is amazing what music can do to unite people from all over the world. Eric Whitacre, the renouned chorale composer developed the Virtual Choir where over 2000 individuals from all over the world recorded a chorale piece together. The music is moving and emotional. Check it out! http://ericwhitacre.com/the-virtual-choir

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-5699173555272766032011-05-10T01:30:00.000-06:002011-05-13T20:12:24.874-06:00

It has been a long day, but I have a few thoughts. A colleague of mine, Dr. Gray Otis (President-elect of the American Mental Health Counselor Association) and I were discussing how the mental health of life changed with the industrial revolution. With the advent of technology, the advancements of science and education, etc. distance has been gapped and information availability is possible

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-86366387523797898412011-05-06T11:58:00.000-06:002011-05-13T20:13:47.425-06:00

My family and I just returned from an extended vacation in Californa and Disneyland. My all-time favorite ride is Pirates of the Caribbean. The creativity, the music, the ghosts, and of course, the saying "Dead Men Tell No Tales" continues to ring in my ears even a week after leaving. At ofttimes while meandering through the cursed coves in the rugged boat I wonder what would happen if the ride

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-52267335989144902482011-05-05T16:23:00.000-06:002011-05-06T10:18:25.932-06:00

This is a continuation of prior blarticles (blog articles) I wrote regarding being more like our children and learning from them. Many times I have parents who bring their children into the office and say that they don't enjoy doing anything; they act bored; they seem ADD; they argue and don't show respect for adults, etc. After spending time with the kids I find that they are craving parent

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-78409541354400348412011-05-05T11:06:00.000-06:002011-05-05T15:47:02.553-06:00

What if the fabric of your life is made of dilemmas? What if change that is necessary violates your personal sense of control? How can one deal with that? These are thoughts that come to mind when dealing with individuals that have personal perfectionist and protective values and beliefs that are no longer working. They experience certain levels of ambivalence with situations or subjects that

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-24609548277762780842011-05-04T16:27:00.000-06:002011-05-05T15:47:02.554-06:00

With mother's day approaching, I would like all my readers (all 3 of you, one of which is my own mother) to reflect on the meaning of the word mom, or mother. What comes to mind? I'll give you some time for that.............. Okay, now that you've done that, I am truly hoping that there are positive emotions, thoughts, or images. If so, what are they? Do they reflect on your own mother,

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-73358676467055912272011-05-04T11:46:00.000-06:002011-05-05T15:47:02.555-06:00

Today's blog includes some personal information. While completing my masters degree in counseling several years ago, a prominent professor told me over and over that I was an "actor." He would say it with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. However, the observation bothered me. I didn't know what he meant. Did he mean I was a fake? Did he mean that I was pretending? I don't know why

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-51782538307930260362011-05-03T14:31:00.000-06:002011-05-05T15:47:02.556-06:00

Resiliency In Nature Man vs. Wild The following is an article I wrote a few years ago. It has some humor to it, because it is supposed to. I find that there are principles of psychological survival in day-to-day activities. Feel free to read and respond. In searching for psychological and behavioral examples of how to develop resiliency, one can encounter natural examples and some that are

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-77142014031465438092011-05-03T14:05:00.000-06:002011-05-05T15:47:02.556-06:00

Dr. Viktor E. Frankl, the renowned developer of Logotherapy and holocaust survivor described several examples of resiliency in his book. Frankl mentioned how being in Auschwitz and other concentration camps could rob a man of his values due to the devaluation of human life. He said, “If the man in the concentration camp did not struggle against this in a last effort to save his self-respect, he

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-92017590239348070942011-05-01T23:25:00.001-06:002011-05-05T15:47:02.557-06:00

Dr. Judith Hermann authored a book called Trauma and Recovery several years ago. It contains great information regarding the study of posttraumatic stress disorder starting with its roots and ending in 1990's. It includes new definitions of psychological trauma or complex trauma that may be included (hopefully) partially or in-full in the DSM-V. Here is some of the information found in the book

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-75691717425158941392011-04-30T23:24:00.000-06:002011-05-05T15:48:13.975-06:00

I took a brief hiatus from blogging, working, schooling, studying, and mostly thinking. I just spent two days in Las Vegas and seven days in Anaheim. Six of those Anaheim days were fun-filled with my wife, three children, and family members at Disneyland and California Adventure! Though mini-vacations help get through the stress of day-to-day activities, there is nothing more rejuvenating than

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-21101188957837723822011-04-30T23:11:00.000-06:002011-05-05T15:48:13.976-06:00

Dr. Larry Beall, PhD, a local psychologist and expert in traumatology has been running a clinic in Salt Lake City, UT for over 15 years. Over that time he has written or authored many papers and other helpful tidbits of information that have not been published. I came across one of these that he entitled "Mini-vacations" which was a list of 100 small activities that one can do to "vacate" from

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-9288850197976506072011-04-23T00:40:00.000-06:002011-05-05T15:47:02.558-06:00

I recently began studying a book called A Psychology Of Human Strengths edited by Lisa G. Aspinwall, and Ursula M. Staudinger (2003). I was fascinated on some aspects of their findings regarding human nature. More or less, they indicated that human beings have a dual nature. The first can be considered as the part of us that has lasted over the eons of evolution. The animal or primal part that

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-14548302541261201722011-04-22T10:12:00.000-06:002011-05-05T15:47:02.558-06:00

An expert in anxiety disorders, specifically obsessive compulsive disorder once mentioned that a helpful way to get your mind off of an anxious track is to distract it with something you memorize. It has to be something lengthy and inherent with personal meaning. The following is a great example of something to memorize, because of the meaning the words carry. It is the poem Invictus by William

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-64725772139923104722011-04-20T23:42:00.000-06:002011-04-20T23:42:34.903-06:00

I spoke to my young son today about his example to me and others and how his dirty hands, wild dancing, and carefree attitude can be so contagiously wonderful. What surprised me most was that his green eyes welled-up with tears and he hugged me and said that "made me so happy, dad." I then spent the next 30 minutes talking to my children about how proud I am as their father and all that they

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-62857454896655977332011-04-20T23:29:00.000-06:002011-05-05T15:48:13.977-06:00

The following is from a guest mental health therapist, Hollie Hancock, LAPC. To see her bio, use the following link http://cornercanyoncounseling.com/staff/ The quantum physics of mental health and wellness. ENERGY.An unseen power that is all around us and moves us every day. THOUGHTS.Unseen forces that move us to act or react thousands of times each day. Our thoughts have energy. Our

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-50369936118605255222011-04-20T10:39:00.000-06:002011-04-20T11:06:56.523-06:00

I have a little bit of an OCD problem...it's always been there and I lovingly accept it for the most-part. One of the things that gets my anxious juices flowing is watching my son. He is eight years old and still gets food on his face when he eats, spills it on his shirt, lets his fingernails grow out and inevitably caked with various types of dirt, mud, and other microbes. It makes my skin

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-10131017110354998992011-04-19T12:26:00.002-06:002011-04-19T12:26:41.785-06:00

An individual told me today a really funny, but true joke. She said that a friend of hers, who is a pot dealer was getting married. She decided to provide a food item for his potluck supper. All humor aside, she is making "twice-baked" potatoes. I got a good laugh out of that one.

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-22146590349500876422011-04-18T16:34:00.000-06:002011-04-18T16:34:12.256-06:00

In working with the homeless man I mentioned in a prior blog, I realized how difficult it would be for one who has never had social interaction to develop a relationship. It left me wondering how someone who was raised in a volatile and/or neglectful environment could truly develop a positive and long-lasting relationship. My reasoning for this thought is due to child development. A child goes

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-6717364108475827892011-04-13T10:54:00.000-06:002011-05-15T00:32:58.709-06:00

I had an interesting discussion with a woman that works as a fashion consultant and retailer at a local women's clothing boutique. She said that roughly 70% of all women who come into the store talk about how "huge" or "fat" they are. She watches how even husbands and boyfriends speak to their wives/girlfriends in condescending fashions, as well as mothers to their daughters. She has witnessed

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-11350136898344869792011-04-11T12:54:00.000-06:002011-04-11T13:17:38.971-06:00

Motivation to change is a difficult challenge for many of my clients. I see individuals who have been sexually, mentally, emotionally, and physically abused. Those that experience these tragic incidents during childhood appear to have developmental crises that were never resolved. Most would say "well, that's a no-brainer," but the hard thing is not pointing out the problem, but helping an

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-70810257863847106942011-04-07T10:54:00.001-06:002011-04-12T11:55:15.026-06:00

Yesterday I listened to an ACA Podcast entitled Existential Therapy hosted by Rebecca Daniel-Burke with Dr. Gerald Corey as the guest. Those who know of Dr. Corey will recognize him as an author or co-author of countless books and articles in the mental health counseling field. Ms. Daniel-Burke asked several questions such as: 1. What is existential therapy? 2. In what ways is the search for

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-2268600905717742002011-04-06T11:02:00.000-06:002011-04-07T11:21:08.406-06:00

I have had the privilege of working as the primary mental health care provider with a middle-aged man who has been homeless for nearly nine years. Plagued by severe mental health problems, he came to my office a year ago in terror of counseling and other people. It took months of silent sessions to finally start getting to know him. It required modifying my therapeutic approach. I am very much a

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-29633376329169348182011-04-05T12:15:00.001-06:002011-04-12T11:57:34.516-06:00

I had the opportunity to develop and teach a course on trauma counseling at Argosy University. It was the first time this course was offered at the Salt Lake City, UT campus. As part of the class, I decided to use a self-effcacy questiontionnaire at the beginning and end of the class (pre and post-test) to see if self-efficacy would increase in regards to trauma assessment and counseling. there

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-75364792878731319632009-04-29T14:52:00.003-06:002009-04-29T15:01:09.628-06:00

I took a brief hiatus from writing anything recently. I am getting back in the saddle for my one or two readers out there. Recently, a close family member educated me on a few short phrases that help with obsessive thinking. When there are plaguing worries ask yourself "Is it possible? Is it probable? Is it likely?" And then let the worries run along those lines. It seems to help a bit.

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-69456367686299042562008-12-22T15:35:00.003-07:002008-12-23T12:21:55.334-07:00

Most of us have heard the adage that the only constant in life is change. It happens every day personally, socially, nationally and more. Most of us, however, do not adjust well to change, whether positive or negative. That has nothing to do with our character, but more with our personalities and how we were raised. I’m going to give a few pointers on how to deal with change and adjust to it.As

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-43315529841372508532008-12-16T15:23:00.002-07:002008-12-16T15:25:46.552-07:00

This topic will include several articles that address current concerns regarding the emotional and mental state of people in regards to the current economy. It will be a definite work in progress. Check back for more information as time goes on. If you have specific requests, put them in the comments section and I will research and write what is needed. Part I—Safety Needs Are ParamountThe news,

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-57764061759956969332008-12-16T12:45:00.002-07:002008-12-16T13:09:48.391-07:00

I had an interesting conversation with a young child the other day. Like most individuals at the clinic, this person had suffered a horrendous type of trauma. And like most, experiences life and their emotions as something dark and foreboding. We talked about light vs. darkness in order to find meaning and healing to the traumatic pain. I explained what darkness is, first. Darkness is not

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-31105965049046674652008-10-30T16:32:00.002-06:002008-10-30T16:40:01.412-06:00

There is something to be said about having a therapist who is well-versed in therapeutic inteventions and methods. You can have a therapist who is intelligent, emapathic, compassionate, etc...but, what about the client? Should a client also be a good client? I think so. What would that entail? Definitely someone who wants to be there. Someone who has the desire to change and that does not fight

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-17888670602976635202008-10-21T17:40:00.002-06:002008-10-21T17:44:23.078-06:00

Abuse in its different forms can be identified as trauma caused by one person to another. Other traumas, such as those sustained from injury, war, accidents, etc. are also traumas NOT CAUSED by the victim. However, it appears that there are traumas that are self-inflicted. Some individuals, due to different issues or personality types or situations appear to inadvertently invite trauma. Such

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-16899455028441872342008-07-29T10:25:00.003-06:002008-07-30T13:20:38.937-06:00

Working in the trauma field for nearly three years has taught me the complexities of the human experience. Many clients who come into the clinic not only have experienced severe trauma, but they have identified with it, made it part of their personality and identity, been a direct contributor to the trauma thus being responsible for the trauma itself, or they stay in denial of the trauma to avoid

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-21562412738024786742008-04-07T14:30:00.004-06:002011-04-07T11:21:08.408-06:00

I attended the Saturday afternoon session of General Conference for the LDS church a few days ago. During the session, the apostle, Elder Richard G. Scott gave a fabulous talk that is right up my alley. He talked about healing from abuse. Currently, it is in mp3 format on the LDS website. The link is as follows: http://lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,23-1-851,00.htmlI found it

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-36242972201836243292008-03-19T16:15:00.003-06:002008-03-19T16:35:27.511-06:00

One of the difficulties of working in the trauma field, and I suppose in the general counseling field is personal burnout. I'm experiencing that myself these days. I can honestly say that it does not come from the actual client work in which I am constantly engaged. Naturally, there are many challenging situations that get me thinking and studying in order to meet individual needs; but that

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-5411473609870127722008-02-26T09:31:00.002-07:002011-04-07T11:21:08.408-06:00

I struggle with an issue in the trauma realm. Most of the clients I work with fit in the "victim" category. Many victims struggle with "learned helplessness." On top of that they experience intrusive symptoms that result in avoidant behaviors. Some of them experience so much emotional, physical, and mental pain that they can become nearly incapacitated (that is an overgeneralized statement, but I

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-66302424172237780582008-01-24T20:06:00.000-07:002008-01-24T20:45:02.419-07:00

We have all heard the term, "you are what you eat..." More or less, it means that your body becomes what it absorbs through your diet. If you eat high fat diets the body has a tendency to hold on to more fat and you become obese. That's a no-brainer. Let's take that a bit further and look at "you are what you think." The law of attraction, according to The Secret and other similar beliefs is that

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-34270807081135889642008-01-24T17:16:00.000-07:002008-01-24T17:37:40.767-07:00

It has become apparent that the legal system and the mental health system don't exactly mix. At times they can work together well, but most times it is water and oil mixing together. Most of the attorneys and even some of the judges do not have a full understanding of the purpose of the mental health system--specifically psychological evaluations. We provide parenting and psychological

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-46231611959682255242008-01-15T09:50:00.000-07:002008-01-15T09:57:46.081-07:00

I know that I have hit safety several times in past blogs. I continually run into further problems with it, which thus makes it difficult for trauma resolution to occur. Many of my clients are in constant emotional turmoil, and much of it is caused by family members or other close people. These situations increase their stress and sense of helplessness. They all seem to be trapped. The legal

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-79826926619571449322007-12-18T10:59:00.000-07:002007-12-18T11:23:33.624-07:00

What is the Christmas Spirit? Does the United States still have it? It seems that the word Christ or God in general have been deleted from even Christ's birthday due to the fear that it is discriminatory to those that don't believe in Christ as the Savior of the world. Santa Claus, who is the Father of Christmas is nothing more than a symbolic representation of Christ, bringing gifts and joy to

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-83641278239024438582007-08-27T18:35:00.000-06:002007-09-07T13:45:55.388-06:00

Reductionism and FoundationI had an interesting session recently that brought up some thoughts. I was talking with a particularclient who had been in a violent relationship. The name will obviously be omitted, however, thegender will be included for the sake of the situation and the ease of writing. She had been with aboyfriend for nearly a year when he attacked her. The situation resulted in

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-25884718816666157732007-08-13T13:46:00.001-06:002011-05-09T11:57:08.657-06:00

It is important to observe how such a characteristic can be developed even when trauma has been present. Several clients come into our offices talking about their individual traumas and how they have made things difficult for them. They also talk about how it has affected their relationship with the perpetrator(s), other close people, the community, and God. Many of them have guilt and blame

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-80772668025558875422007-06-21T12:30:00.000-06:002007-06-21T12:34:59.697-06:00

I received a few responses on my teenager problem/question. All of them were from separate people, and none of them knew about the others. The irony is that the responses were nearly the same. One indicated that it is a maturity thing--their brain has not yet developed to the point where egocentric thought is no longer present. Another said that it is an agency issue--they have to choose it. They

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-73454729233746230772007-04-03T12:27:00.000-06:002007-04-03T12:28:24.521-06:00

Dr. Rob Bagley from the Trauma Awareness and Treatment Center (where I work) was interviewed by KSL Channel 5 last night and the story of the treatment we do with the homeless was aired on the 10 o'clock news. Here is a link for the story...http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=1062420

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-7899896988249345462007-03-29T15:29:00.000-06:002007-03-29T15:30:07.447-06:00

I haven't received any responses from my many readers. Here is a great link on teenage boredom.http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/04/national/main520718.shtml

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-8986573378781953602007-03-20T17:13:00.000-06:002007-03-20T17:15:14.423-06:00

What drives a teenager to seek only activities that bring immediate gratification rather than activities that require delayed gratification??? This is bothering me a lot with some kids. Let's see how many people read this thing.

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-16048653125892744262007-03-19T10:48:00.000-06:002007-03-19T11:14:57.441-06:00

I had a "well-duh!" moment today while working. I received permission from this individual to use their ideas in my blog. We were discussing childhood development and the stages that were developed by such professionals as Piaget and Erickson. I personally am more apt to pay attention to Erickson's explanation of human development. If you are interested in reviewing it, Wikipedia has a helpful

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-14074904824314145762007-03-15T13:24:00.000-06:002007-03-15T13:38:25.703-06:00

Here's something to stew over in your mind. I was reading again in "A Psychology of Human Strengths" edited by Aspinwall and Staudinger. On page 39-41 roughly it begins talking about the importance of relationships to human beings and how evidence suggests that attachment with children begin in the last half of their first year of life. Also, that the relationships that adults seek romantically

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-49294572359422843442007-02-26T15:35:00.000-07:002007-02-26T15:45:45.420-07:00

Returning to past trauma definitions...I wonder if trauma could be considered sleeping in in a three man tent with a friend next to me that is comfortably snoring the night away while my extremities continue to lose any sensation due to the ever increasing freezing sensation and the steady drop in temperature. If it is trauma, then I'm a survivor.I went camping over the weekend with my neighbor

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-16880215277152193362007-02-13T10:22:00.000-07:002007-02-12T16:16:22.282-07:00

As many have noticed from the news, there was a severe tragedy occurred yesterday at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City, UT. An armed gunman opened fire killing five people and injuring more. I heard on the radio that four or five that were injured were in stable condition, although they were watching them heavily in the ICU. Our hearts go out to them and their families and friends. Our hearts also

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-49170783407238976632007-02-12T15:39:00.000-07:002006-12-21T17:47:44.613-07:00

After having taken a break from writing for a time I'm back in the saddle and ready to ride. Still working hard with many clients and even more paperwork. I have several clients who are beginning to improve and some that continue to struggle. The situations that bother me the most are those that are avoidant or resistant. They come in all ages and from all kinds of circumstances. The common

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-50353647040223685182006-12-20T12:08:00.000-07:002011-05-20T09:59:25.704-06:00

This is a continued post from the last regarding determination and WILL. I will no longer use the term free-will as I do not see it as being free. If it were free then nobody would ever become a slave to an addiction. It seems that will comes with a price. That price is the ability to make positive and correct choices. If we make choices that are not in-line with continued self-actualization (

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-88694589258778437722006-12-13T10:20:00.000-07:002011-05-20T09:59:25.705-06:00

A question was posed the other day to me by a family member. She asked, "how can some people from a terrible background still end out so well off...?" It was something to that effect. I will get to my thoughts on that towards the end of this article. First, I feel it important to address determination vs. free will. A good definition of determinism is as follows: "Determinism is the theory that

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-86488655595930550462006-11-17T22:55:00.000-07:002006-11-17T23:39:44.638-07:00

"If I were the king of the forest..." Most of us recognize that line from the Cowardly Lion in the "Wizard of Oz." The story goes that Dorothy and the other characters of Oz find the lion who is yearning for courage, but is afraid of his own tail. He travels to the Wizard to receive courage, but only finds that he had it all along. He just didn't know it. How often are we the same, because we're

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-1163465317923995772006-11-13T17:35:00.000-07:002006-11-13T17:48:37.996-07:00

The work that I do in the trauma field is unique. It was also noted by my boss that a study in 1995 demonstrated that non-traditional therapies are most effective with trauma over the traditional therapies. Therefore, I have a lot of freedoms to study, think, and try things to meet each client's needs. I love that part of my job. I also am currently developing a program for youth to help them 1.

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-1162962777415075202006-11-07T21:35:00.001-07:002011-05-20T09:58:25.515-06:00

This next blog was inspired by a friend of the family who seems to struggle with these issues. It wasn't just her, though. It is a common issue that I see at work on a weekly basis with clients and even with myself. Now, however, I've come to a conclusion that seems to work and make sense regarding guilt. Guilt is something that we all seem to feel when we do something we wish we hadn't; when we

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-1162770887915104542006-11-05T16:50:00.000-07:002006-11-05T22:04:36.500-07:00

This is more of a fun blog today. As part of my job I see all ages and situations. One of my favorites is couple's counseling. I get the chance to see how a couple interacts and how each individual's characteristics and traits combine and clash. One of the biggest things that causes problems that I see in relationships is just plain old contentious patterns. The definition of contention is as

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-1162701163687727762006-11-04T20:30:00.000-07:002011-05-20T09:58:25.516-06:00

For the few or none that have read this blog, I will continue writing more on psychological safety. This is more for my own benefit as I have a lot of thoughts on this matter that are manically running through my mind. Let's start with a definition of general safety. "The condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss" according to webster's online dictionary. As is the

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37116014.post-1162635685416216662006-11-04T03:07:00.000-07:002011-05-20T09:58:25.517-06:00

This is for anybody and nobody and is my first attempt to publish blogs. The focus will obviously be on issues of mental and emotional health. Yes, I do have an idea of what I am talking about. Much of it will involve the speciality that I work in--psychological trauma, much of which is manifested in posttraumatic stress disorder or like symptoms. As an initial blog I'll explain, to no one, that

Lawdawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12261461025534194422noreply@blogger.com1