chrisjo | Therapy in Los Angeles

KAISER CONTINUES to RESTRICT ACCESS to COUNSELING

March 29, 2020March 29, 2020 chrisjo access to care, access to counseling, Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente in Northern California continues to restrict access to counseling services for its subscribers. In 2013, Kaiser was penalized $4 million for denying services by the California State Department of Managed Care, as discussed in a previous blog on this website.

STRESS

HOW DO YOU COPE WITH COVID 19?

March 17, 2020March 17, 2020 chrisjo Anxiety, coping skills, Crisis, depression, problem solving, stress

By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D.

How do you usually cope with stress? Do you quickly take action to deal with a challenge, seek relief and resolution? Do you pause, reflect, perhaps check-in with trusted friends, family members, work colleagues, formulate a plan of action and begin to take steps? Do you try some online research to understand the problem more deeply?

ADOLESCENCE IPN Member Articles

Marijuana Use Among Adolescents is Increasing, While Other Substance Use is Declining

March 13, 2020March 13, 2020 chrisjo alcohol, drugs, marijuana, tobacco, vaping

A recently released survey by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has revealed that teenagers are vaping marijuana and nicotine with much greater frequency, in contrast to reduced alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and use of hard drugs

HEALTH & WELL-BEING

AMERICANS ARE LIVING SHORTER LIVES

February 27, 2020March 13, 2020 chrisjo drug abuse, drug overdose, early death, substance abuse, Suicide

Drug overdoses, suicides, and also diseases involving internal organs have caused an increase in middle-aged deaths. So much so that the life expectancy in the US has actually declined since 2014 after increasing for the previous 60 years. The largest increase in deaths was in New England and the Ohio Valley. (Ken Pope: US Life Expectancy Down in Recent Years After Increasing for Decades).

INSURANCE

NEW GUIDELINES FOR PARITY OF CARE

February 14, 2020February 22, 2020 chrisjo insurance coverage, longer-term therapy, parity

A recent class action lawsuit against the country’s largest mental health insurer (United Behavioral Health) has produced a ruling with clear cut principles of care that make mental health coverage on par with medical health coverage (known as “parity

INSURANCE

UNNECESSARY – and SOMETIMES TRAGIC – SUFFERING WHEN THERAPY IS NEEDED

January 31, 2020January 31, 2020 chrisjo addiction, EATING DISORDERS, insurance coverage, longer-term therapy, parity

A recent class action lawsuit featured two instances of suffering that proved to be unnecessary, and in one instance tragic. To mental health care professionals, this is an all-too-familiar scenario.

LONELINESS

Loneliness is Widespread

January 13, 2020January 13, 2020 chrisjo alanmsolomon, community, health issues, illness, isolation, loneliness therapy

In the US, 22% of adults report “…they often or always feel lonely, feel that they lack companionship, feel left out, or feel isolated from others, and many of them say their loneliness has had a negative impact on various aspects of their life.”

CHILDHOOD TRAUMA

How Dangerous is Bullying – Part 2

December 25, 2019December 25, 2019 chrisjo bullying, childhood stress, childhood trauma, peer relationships, school bullying

A recent blog, “How Dangerous is Bullying?” is further emphasized by a recent article from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: “Bullying isn’t just a problem, it should be considered a national emergency based on the stunning statistics.”

HEALTH & WELL-BEING

Is Counseling a Part of Good Health Care?

December 13, 2019December 13, 2019 chrisjo Anxiety, cardiac care, depression, diabetes, Health, obesity

“Fifty percent of the patients seeing me for cardiac care are really dealing with psychological issues.” So said a cardiac physician in an informal conversation recently. “So, I quiet myself, listen quite a bit, and then watch for an opportunity to counsel the patient about his anxiety, depression, etc.” This comment was made about patients receiving care after a procedure had been completed.

CHILDHOOD TRAUMA

Can Reading Help Children Heal?

November 26, 2019November 26, 2019 chrisjo adverse childhood events (ACE), childhood trauma, reading, toxic stress, Trauma

Does reading to children provide more than entertainment? More than stimulation for language development? More even than the cozy comfort of “cuddling” with nurturing adults? Yes, according to a recent “Fixes Column” in the New York Times.

ADHD

What is Executive Function in ADHD?

October 29, 2019October 29, 2019 chrisjo ADHD, Alan M. Solomon, Attention, concentration, executive function, hyperactivity, impulsive behavior, Torrance adhd therapy

A more in-depth view of ADHD considers “executive functions”, in addition to issues of attention/concentration, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. Executive functions “organize thoughts and activities, prioritizes tasks, manages time efficiently, and makes decisions”.

DEPRESSION

Can Self-Care Help with Depression?

October 15, 2019October 15, 2019 chrisjo depression, exercise, nutrition, self-care

The previous two blogs presented two letters from the NY Times editorial pages about the limitations of managed care, as well as the benefits of psychotherapy. The same page had a third letter extolling the benefits of a self-care program

IPN Member Articles PSYCHOTHERAPY

The Benefits of Therapy vs. Medications

September 24, 2019January 13, 2020 chrisjo anti-depressant medication, counseling, depression, PSYCHOTHERAPY

The previous blog about the impact of managed care on psychotherapy and medication is further enhanced by the following letter also in the New York Times

PSYCHOTHERAPY

How Does Insurance Coverage Impact Therapy and Medication?

September 15, 2019September 15, 2019 chrisjo insurance coverage, medication management, psychiatric care, PSYCHOTHERAPY

The implication for clients and subscribers to insurance plans is clear: be careful and attentive to what you sign up for. If your plan is a managed care plan, your access to genuine therapy may well be seriously limited.

PSYCHOTHERAPY

How Can You Afford Quality Mental Health Care?

August 29, 2019August 29, 2019 chrisjo

Is quality psychotherapy affordable? Our members at the Independent Psychotherapy Network are committed to quality care and affordability.
We are all very experienced therapists, practicing throughout Los Angeles County. Our regular meetings are one way we remain committed to maintain and enhance our skills, as well as renew our commitment to quality, caring psychotherapy that is crafted for each individual client. Much of our time together in monthly meetings is devoted to our own professional training and development, as well as supporting each other’s focus on caring for our clients

EATING DISORDERS

Eating Disorders

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019 chrisjo

Individualized psychotherapy, carefully attuned to each individual and their own issues, family history, and struggles is an effective way to identify these deeper issues. More genuine and ongoing relief – more constructive ways of coping – can develop through the support of an experienced and caring therapist.

HEALTH & WELL-BEING

How Does Childhood Stress Cause Serious Health Issues?

July 26, 2019August 15, 2019 chrisjo adverse childhood experiences, Anxiety, depression, Health, stress, suicide risk

In fact, if the adults had four or more instances of childhood exposure to stress, they had a greater risk of alcoholism, drug abuse, depression or suicide attempts at a rate of 4 to 12 times greater than adults who had experienced no ACE’s.

EATING DISORDERS

What Explains Rebound Weight Gains After Dieting?

July 14, 2019July 14, 2019 chrisjo diet, exercise, food, hormones, hunger, weight loss

What Explains Rebound Weight Gains After Dieting? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. A previous blog on the frequent lack of

DISABILITIES

How Do We Speak (or Write) About Disabilities?

June 26, 2019 chrisjo disability, evaluations, handicap, help for disabilities, testing

The language we use in speaking (or writing) about disabilities greatly impacts how we think about the disability, and more importantly the person who lives with that disability. A much-trusted colleague, whose own list-serve and blog often provides material for this blog, addressed this issue recently (Ken Pope Beatrice Wright). Rather than paraphrase or summarize as I often do, it is best to simply quote. It’s well worth a few minutes to read through it:

TECHNOLOGY

What is the Trade-Off Between Technology and Privacy?

June 13, 2019June 13, 2019 chrisjo Alexa, eavesdropping, Echo, privacy, technology

What is the Trade-Off Between Technology and Privacy? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. Speculation and rumors abound among friends, acquaintances,

ADOLESCENCE

How Dangerous is Bullying

May 26, 2019May 26, 2019 chrisjo bullies, bullying, Suicide, suicide attempt, suicide prevention

Teenagers who are bullied are at much greater risk of making a suicide attempt. It is critical that mental health professionals, and parents, actively inquire into this issue, rather than minimize it as a typical part of being an adolescent (especially middle school).

EXERCISE

The Powerful Benefits of Walking

May 14, 2019May 14, 2019 chrisjo aging, Attention, concentration, exercise, memory

Walking is very beneficial exercise, especially as people age. As little as 4,000 steps a day (less than 2 miles, or perhaps 30 minutes or so) for people 60 and over can benefit mental skills and attention.

ADHD

The Benefits of Exercise with ADHD

April 29, 2019 chrisjo ADHD, aerobic workouts, alternative therapy, exercise, therapy without medications

Running gave him a sense of control over his performance in school, relieved him of the discouragement and depression from performing poorly for so many years, and also reduced his levels of anxiety. In a very general sense, such exercise increases levels of basic brain chemicals (neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine). This actually encourages the brain to grow new receptors in some key areas.