When considering the word “trauma,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? I’d wager that most people equate this word with PTSD and military personnel. Still others might associate trauma with physical or sexual abuse or assault. All of these are correct. However, these examples are only three out of many types of traumatic experiences. Other types of traumatic experiences include: emotional abuse and psychological maltreatment, neglect and abandonment, forced displacement or separation, experiencing a major natural or man-made disaster, suffering a serious accident, and being a victim ..read more

Mild Cognitive Impairment, also referred to as MCI and Mild Neurocognitive Disorder, has generated a lot of research over the last 15 years. However, what it is and how to treat it can vary considerably, depending… On what? First, let’s get the definition out of the way. Simply put, MCI is a diagnosis that refers to the somewhat ambiguous area between normal cognition and dementia. This means that there has been a noticeable decrease in someone’s memory, judgment, speech, or other cognitive ability, that is not so severe that (s)he qualifies for a diagnosis of dementia. Generally speaking, pe ..read more

If you read my post last week, then perhaps you noticed that there are benefits to a teamwork approach when it comes to mental health treatment. Just as psychology and psychiatry complement one another in promoting the emotional wellbeing of a patient, you will discover that neuropsychology and neurology often go hand-in-hand as well. NEUROLOGY. A neurologist is a medical doctor (M.D. or D.O.) who has completed both medical school and a 4-year residency to specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders. Neurological disorders are diseases that affect the brain, spinal cor ..read more

The fields of neuroscience and mental health seem to be on the rise… And if you don’t know all of the fancy-sounding terms that are being batted around, then don’t despair! Most people would be hard pressed to explain the differences between a psychologist and a psychiatrist, much less describe the role of a neuropsychologist. So today, my goal is simply to remove any assumptions and start from the very beginning. PSYCHIATRY. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (M.D. or D.O.) who has completed both medical school and a 4-year residency for a specialization in the diagnosis and treatment of men ..read more

Some people just seem to have it all. Consider a few of your friends whose lives you may have purview via their social media profiles. Perhaps you know someone who is successful, intelligent, attractive, and well-respected. Let’s call this person, Jill. From the outside, it probably looks like Jill won the proverbial lottery. As though her life is perfect and effortless. If you know Jill well enough, however, you might be aware of all the time and energy that she spends working towards her goals. Her social media account likely doesn’t include posts about her daily exercise routine, the hour ..read more

Do you want to live longer, have more energy, look better, and feel happier? No, this isn’t an infomercial for the latest weight loss pill nor have I discovered the Fountain of Youth. In fact, most people already know what it takes to achieve the kind of results that I’m referring to. However, knowing isn’t doing. And doing isn’t always as simple as it sounds. If you haven’t figured out the path that I’m leading you down, then here it is: Diet and Exercise. It’s no secret that physical activity adds years to your life… But why is that? Excess body fat leads to changes in your body’s ability t ..read more

Are you ready for Super Bowl LI? After learning about sub-concussive hits, concussions, and post-concussive symptoms, perhaps you’ll find yourself watching next week’s game in a whole new light! I know that I’ve certainly become more attuned to the plays and strategies used in football, not to mention the not-so-subtle interactions... Yet, I was still surprised by the findings from a recent study published in the New York Times that shared information that was gathered from a sensor in an offensive lineman’s mouth guard. The data indicated that over the course of a single college football gam ..read more

Having spent the better part of 2016 working with professional athletes- many of them being NFL players- I was pleased to read an article in this month’s Monitor on Psychology highlighting an initiative that was launched by the National Football League to improve the mental wellbeing of it’s players. Called the Total Wellness program*, NFL players are being provided with education about topics such as stress management and healthy relationships in order to minimize the possibility of psychological distress and reduce the incidence of domestic violence. Transition after football and suicide pr ..read more

Whether you’re a football fan or not, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard rumblings about lawsuits directed towards the NFL, concussions, and something called CTE. So what exactly is CTE and what’s all the controversy about? CTE is the abbreviation for a neurological condition called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Despite what you might think, CTE is not a “new” disease. It has been described in one form or another for nearly 100 years now, albeit usually in reference to boxers whose head injuries are perhaps more obvious and dramatic. The symptoms of CTE can vary considerably based on ..read more

Which movie genre do your family gatherings most resemble? A drama? A dark comedy? Or how about a psychological horror film? I think it’s fair to say that we all know what to anticipate when the holidays roll around. So set your expectations accordingly and try to go with the flow. Tip #1: BE FLEXIBLE. Flexibility is important because we can only control so much. Let’s face it... It’s difficult to overcome our own bad habits, whether it’s a tendency to show up late, to speak too loudly at the dinner table, or to spend more time scrolling through Facebook than conversing with Aunt Edna. Althou ..read more