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Seniors and Depression

Until recently, in our society, we seemed to equate getting older and retiring as slowing down. We expected that as a person would age, they would slow down, sleep more, go into retirement and just fade into the background. That is not the reality today. Seniors are living longer, are in better health, and seem to be able to conquer …

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Depression: Is it Really a Disease?

Melancholia, the word written in the engraving by Durer shown here (1514), is an old name for what we now call Depression.  The word originates from the Greek, meaning “Black bile”.  People thought that this “bile” was the bodily cause of depressive states. But bile was not the only supposed cause of this mysterious disease (Disease is from the old …

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How Does Therapy Work? Eco-Systems of Mental Health

As a psychotherapist I am often asked the question, “How does therapy work?” There is no quick and easy answer to this question. Every modality of therapy is different and each therapist works differently within these modalities. Even my own approach will be different from client to client depending on the individual needs and personality of each person I see. …

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It's 2015, Where's My Happiness?

There’s plenty to say about Freud’s mistakes. He was as faulty and confused a pioneer as any. We do, of course, also owe him a great debt, and do not dismiss the totality of him lightly. One of his better works, brilliant in many ways, is “Civilization and its Discontents”. Written in 1930, it is as relevant today as it …

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Depression, Medication & Situation

As you probably already know, there is a mental health crisis happening at the moment. Unfortunately for the people who are suffering, and seeking help, there is also a deeply divided and confusing landscape of professionals, with often opposing viewpoints. One of the biggest bones of contention within the mental health field is in how best to treat depression. Here …

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How to Choose a Therapist

Look for understanding, not hype Published on September 30, 2013 by Jonathan Shedler, PhD in Psychologically Minded www.psychologytoday.com/blog/psychologically-minded/201309/how-choose-therapist