“Mind Your Own Business”

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Barbara Ehrenreich weighs in on mass-market mindfulness, Silicon Valley, Buddhism- sliced up and commodified.

Does Psychotherapy Reproduce or Disrupt Neoliberal Capitalism?

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Researchers explore neoliberal influences on interactions in psychotherapy and question whether the radical potential of psychotherapy can counter prevailing social systems.

The Paradox of White Americans’ Mental Health

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Are White Americans’ poor mental health outcomes caused by Whiteness?

The Psychology of Inequality

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From The New Yorker: A number of studies show that much of the damage done by being poor comes not from the conditions of poverty itself,...

The Effects of Practicing Psychotherapy on Therapists’ Personal Lives

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A new study, published in Psychotherapy Research, explores how having a career in psychotherapy affects therapists’ personal lives.

Deafening Silence: What Happens When the Whistle Blows and Nobody Hears?

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September 11th 2015 was my last day working as a counselor/therapist in the U.S. community mental health system. After 22 years working within that system I resigned out of protest having waged a concerted effort (2½ years) to challenge potentially dangerous psychiatric drug prescribing patterns at my workplace. In late April of this year these challenges led to the filing of a major complaint with the Massachusetts Dept. of Mental Health and eventually the Dept. of Public Health. I never expected to discover just HOW unprepared, dysfunctional, and totally oblivious the entire state bureaucracy is when it involves any serious complaints detailing possible abuses and harm being done to its citizens by a branch of medicine called Psychiatry. Just how broken is "Broken"?

Humanistic Counseling Effective in Schools, Study Finds

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Pilot study finds school-based humanistic counseling reduces emotional symptoms in students.

Providing Trauma Informed Brief Counseling to College Students

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Recommendations on how to provide trauma-informed, short-term counseling to college students who have experienced sexual assault and interpersonal violence.

Outcomes of Childhood Bullying on Young Adults’ Wellbeing

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A qualitative study explores young adults’ childhood bullying experiences.
factory of mental health

A Clinical Social Worker’s Bane

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We have all become assembly line workers in the factory of mental health. At the facility, I put in at least 50 hours and live with a constant dread of not having clicked a button, of not having made another phone call, of overlooking the sadness in someone’s eyes. The risk of burnout or empathy fatigue is high, yet the machine hums along.

To Live and (Almost) Die in L.A.: A Survivor’s Tale

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After 25 years of chronic emergency, 22 mental hospitalizations, a stint at a “community mental health center,” 13 years in a "board & care," repeated withdrawals from addictions to legal drugs, and a 12-year marriage, I plan to live every last breath out as a survivor, an advocate, and an artist.

High Job Strain Increases Risk of Mental Health Challenges

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High job demands, low job control, and high job strain are associated with the development of a mental health issue at age 50.

Restricting Pharma Reps Contact with Docs Decreases Prescriptions

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Implementing policies that regulate pharmaceutical sales representatives’ interaction with physicians may reduce prescription of promoted drugs.

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.

Many Patient Advocacy Organizations Are Funded By Industry

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New research investigates the financial conflicts of interest (FCOI) of patient advocacy organizations (PAOs) in the United States.

A Mad World: Capitalism and the Rise of Mental Illness

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From Red Pepper: Capitalism produces much of the mental distress that is categorized as "mental illness" by turning human creativity and connectivity into social isolation,...

The Effect of Psychiatric Diagnosis on Young People’s Sense of Self and Social Identity

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A new review highlights the effects that psychiatric diagnosis has on children and adolescents’ social relationships and views of self.

Mental Well-Being and Engagement in the Arts

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Public health researchers at the University of Western Australia examined the relationship between recreational arts engagement and mental well-being in the general population. The results, which have implications for policy makers as well as health practitioners, indicate that those who engage with the arts for two or more hours per week have significantly better mental well-being.

Providers Fail to Report Information on Suicide Prevention Services

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Researchers investigate services related to suicide prevention across mental health providers in England.

Being Bullied by Age Eight Linked to Depression in Adulthood

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There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that being exposed to bullying in childhood can contribute to mental health problems later in life. In a new study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, the researchers found that children who reported being bullied at age eight were significantly more likely to seek treatment for mental health problems by age twenty-nine.

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.

Study Explores Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence in College Women with Disabilities

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A new study explores sexual violence and intimate partner violence in college women with mental health related disabilities.
alice in wonderland

Doctor O’s Adventures in Wonderland

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I am a female physician who survived my own suicide attempt. I had managed to fly under the radar as a very progressive family MD for twenty years. And when I stumbled and bled, the sharks were there ready to devour the carcass. Do I believe that racism and sexism influenced charges being filed against me? I certainly do.

Speaking, Not Texting, May Prevent Dehumanization in Disagreements

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Researchers found participants were less likely to dehumanize those with whom they disagreed when they heard their voices.

The Gig Economy Celebrates Working Yourself to Death

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In this piece for The New Yorker, Jia Tolentino discusses how the gig economy driven by apps such as Uber and Lyft leads employees to overwork...