For many of us the resolutions we make on New Year’s Day become a thing of the past by January 15. There are a few simple steps we can take to keep our resolution(s) alive. 1. Be Specific Too often we resolve to develop a grand, amorphous plan—like “spend more time with my kid” or “get in shape.” The [...]
When we enter a grocery store or our primary care physician’s office we generally know what kind of service we will receive. For most of us this is not the case when we begin treatment with a mental health provider. Over my 45-+ year career I met many frustrated clients who complained that their previous mental health practitioner failed [...]
Recently, I overheard an adolescent tell her friend, “I was so depressed yesterday but I’m fine today.” Her friend replied, “Yeah, I understand; I get depressed sometimes, too.” This conversation reflects the very common misuse of the term “depression.” Most individuals mistakenly refer to depression when, in fact, they are simply sad or unhappy. We all occasionally “get down,” [...]
By Larry F. Waldman, PhD, ABPP Parents regularly tell their children to “study hard” so they can get good grades, get into a good college, get a good job, and be successful. While children are encouraged to study, do they truly know what they should do? Research on effective studying generally recommends the following: 1) Organize the material conceptually rather [...]
By: Larry F. Waldman, PhD, ABPP Prior to retiring in 2018 I worked in the family law arena for two decades. There I saw too many unfortunate children stuck in their parents’ ugly divorce. It was sad but common for these angry parents to use the child/ren as tools to hurt their ex. At times, a parent would even [...]
By: Larry F. Waldman, PhD, ABPP During my tenure in family law for over two decades I often encountered the heart-wrenching spectacle of children entangled in their parents' bitter divorce. Parents wielding their offspring as pawns in their battles with their ex was distressing and tragically common. These children suddenly found their world turned upside down. The cherished image [...]
By: Larry F. Waldman, PhD, ABPP Psychologist You’re walking down the street and someone confronts you, demands your wallet or purse or face physical harm—or, as you are about to get into your car, you are carjacked. Both of these experiences are scary, frightening, traumatic and terribly inconvenient. On the other hand, your identity is stolen electronically and your [...]
By Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., Phoenix-based psychologist Depression and anxiety are, by far, the most common mental health problems. Nearly 20% of the U.S. population struggles with or will struggle with one or both of these problems. The most common treatment today for these issues is medication — typically prescribed by the primary care physician (not a psychiatrist). This [...]
By Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP Clinical, Forensic Psychologist As you approach the age of our nation’s life expectancy, it’s natural to begin to consider end of life issues. How you might “pass,” is one of those considerations. My Zeide, as we called him, my paternal grandfather, was a strong, active man till the day he died. I [...]
The pandemic has changed the way psychotherapy is currently provided. My local listserve is burning up with colleagues talking about the problems, ethical factors, insurance questions, the extra energy required, and more, regarding telehealth. In business it is said that in a crisis many people suffer but some people become wealthy. For example, delivery companies (of packages and restaurant [...]
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