Psychologists and Psychotherapists in Los Angeles Area
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?
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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
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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).
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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
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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.
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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.”
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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.”
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“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.
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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.
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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”.
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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.
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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.
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What Explains Rebound Weight Gains After Dieting? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. A previous blog on the frequent lack of
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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:
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What is the Trade-Off Between Technology and Privacy? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. Speculation and rumors abound among friends, acquaintances,
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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).
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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.
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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.
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How Does Keeping Secrets Harm the Secret-Keeper? by Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. It’s well known that keeping a secret is
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Do We Worry Too Much as Parents? by Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. Parenting is by its very nature an ongoing
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WHY THAT SILVER LINING PERSISTS By Sandy Plone, Ph.D. A 2011 article in Time magazine seems more relevant today than
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Shoplifters: A Japanese Film of Emotional Truths By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. “Shoplifters” is a Japanese film, nominated for Best
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What If Medications for Depression Don’t Work? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. The first line of treatment often recommended by
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How Does Choosing a Therapist Make A Difference? by Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. Does it matter which therapist you choose to
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What is the Impact of More Sleep? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. More sleep absolutely improves performance, athletic performance for
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Long-term Risks of Intimate Partner Violence and Adverse Childhood Events By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. Women who experience domestic violence
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Holidays: Festive Joy or the Blues? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. The holiday season is a time of pleasure, excitement,
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How Does Burnout Impact Quality of Patient Care? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. How does burnout among MD’s impact the
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What Are the Signs of ADHD in Women or Girls? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. The previous blog, based on
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Do Women with ADHD Differ from Men? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. While women with ADHD face many of the
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How Can an Email Help Students Perform Better? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. There’s a simple way to encourage
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Does Lowering Depression Improve Cardiac Health? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. How can we improve the outcome of medical treatment
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Ask NBA Star Kevin Love: “Success Does Not Make You Immune to Depression” By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. Kevin Love,
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How Do Animals Assist in Treatment? By Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. Does the presence of animals help with medical outcomes?
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Help to Prevent Suicide – a Growing Epidemic by Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. Recent headlines on suicide have been alarming.
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How to Make Sure Insurance Coverage Works by Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D. Federal law guarantees that insurance coverage for mental
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