Opening Doors in the Borderlands: An Interview with Liberation Psychologist Mary Watkins

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MIA’s Micah Ingle interviews Mary Watkins about reorienting psychology toward liberation and social justice.

Initial Trial of Ayahuasca for Depression Shows Promising Results

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Ayahuasca found to be effective in treating moderate to severe depression in low-income population.

Climate Change, Mental Health and Collective Action: An Interview with Jennifer Freeman

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In an interview with MIA's Akansha Vaswani, narrative therapist Jennifer Freeman calls for a shift away from individualistic approaches to 'eco-anxiety' and toward responses that connect us all to a counter-tsunami of action for the planet.

A Biopsychosocial Model Beyond the Mind-Body Split

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Can a renewed biopsychosocial approach, grounded in an updated philosophy, foster person-centered medicine, and psychiatry?

More Physical Activity-Based Mental Health Interventions Needed in Schools

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What physical activity-based programs are being implemented in schools, how are they being researched, and what kind of impact have they made?

Green Space in Childhood May Protect Against Adult Mental Health Issues

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A new study suggests proximity to green space as a child is linked to lower rates of mental health issues in adulthood.
mental health transformation

A Secret No Longer

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My psychiatrist/therapist was able to give me a true understanding into what addiction and psychosis really are and how they can be treated with little or no medication. I still struggle, but I have been able to manage my symptoms with the help of ACT therapy, exercise, "forest bathing," storytelling, music and art. I am now able to feel a sense of peaceful fulfillment, and that is all anyone can really ask for.

Philosophers Challenge Psychiatry and its Search for Mechanisms of Disorder

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Attempting to locate the mechanisms of psychiatric disorder is a step in the wrong direction and fails to challenge potentially unjust social practices.

Increasing Physical Activity in Schools May Improve Mental Health

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A new article suggests integrating physical activity throughout the day may help to address the mental health of students.

Are Depression Guidelines Missing the Evidence for Exercise?

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A recent review suggests that depression guidelines do not incorporate evidence for exercise within a stepped-care approach and may be over-reliant on pharmacological treatments.

The Connection Between Sleep, Exercise, Screen Time and Cognition in Childhood

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Can current guidelines for sleep, exercise, and screen time in childhood be linked to positive cognitive outcomes?

What Stops People From Using Exercise to Treat Depression?

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New research examines important factors of adherence when prescribing exercise to treat depression.

Counter-Messaging Downplays Effectiveness of Exercise for Depression

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Counter-messaging and a lack of critical analysis may lead doctors away from suggesting exercise for depression.
is psychosis natural?

Is Psychosis Natural?

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Much of the wild world is now a garden: a rational, controlled space. Yet if we step out of the garden and back into the old growth, I believe the process of psychosis belongs as part of Earth’s “will,” of her wild. The physiological process of psychosis—that of amplified senses—is ecologically purposeful. Not good nor bad, but part of what Nature does trying to grow. Here I share a talk I gave in Boulder, Colorado exploring these themes.
Kelli as a child

The Forced Psychiatric Treatment of a Child

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This is my story of forced psychiatric treatment as an eight-year-old girl, from my perspective as an adult mental health professional. Being held down kicking and screaming to be injected with a benzodiazepine is a human rights violation no child should endure for saying no to a pharmaceutical. In hindsight, when I reflect on that day, it feels like a form of child abuse.

Suffering From Nature Deficit Disorder? Try Forest Bathing

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From NPR: People who live in urban areas may experience a poorer quality of life due to spending insufficient time outdoors. In a new book, Forest...

Outdoor Education Tied to Psychological and Academic Benefits

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How the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (BPN) in outdoor education environments can peak student interest and boost intrinsic motivation.

You’re Not Imagining It: Empathy Hurts

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From WBUR: National tragedies such as the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida can be traumatic even for those who were not directly affected. It is...

ADHD More Severe in Children Exposed to Pollution and Economic Deprivation

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ADHD behaviors were linked to the presence of both high levels of pollutants and persistent economic deprivation at birth and through childhood.

Connections Between Climate Change Concerns, Mental Health, and Pro-Environmental Actions

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Concerns about the impact of climate change on animals and nature results in more effective coping to reduce hopelessness about climate change and promotes pro-environmental behaviors.

How to Be Happy in 2018: Tips Recommended by Researchers

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In this piece for Medical News Today, Maria Cohut lists five tips that researchers have recommended for a healthier, more fulfilling life to keep in...

Mediterranean Diet Improves Mental Health, Study Finds

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A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fish has repeatedly been found to improve mental health.

A Lazy Person’s Guide to Happiness

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From The Atlantic: According to author Dan Buettner, who studies the healthiest people in the world, improving our surrounding environment has a much greater impact...

Wellbeing Enhanced More by Places Than Objects, Study Finds

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From The Guardian: New research suggests that people are more likely to experience feelings of wellbeing, contentment, and belonging from places that evoke positive memories...

How Stoicism can Help us Deal With Depression

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From Medical Xpress: Stoicism, an ancient philosophy based on the idea that the goal of life is to live in agreement with nature, can be...