I saw a Facebook post that set me back. “A university student was trying to research ways to help turtles cross roads safely, so he placed a fake turtle in a road to observe driver behavior. Disturbingly, he found that six percent of people deliberately went out of their way to hit the turtle.” The […]
You can’t watch the news without seeing the devastating effects of war on the people of Ukraine. My heart breaks for the people who are killed or displaced. I’m sickened over the fate of all people in all wars, but the Russia-Ukraine conflict seems more widely televised and reported than others that I’ve been exposed […]
Perhaps you’ve read about Akihiko Kondo, a Japanese man, who “married” a fictional character. By all accounts, he is an ordinary man who is pleasant and easy to talk to. He has friends and a steady job and wears a suit and tie to work. He is attending college and studying minority rights in law […]
As a psychotherapist, I am often asked, “How can you listen to people’s problems all day?” In truth, it is a privilege and pleasure to meet with clients. What I find challenging is what occurs between sessions. Administrative tasks can be overwhelming. Dealing with insurance companies for the reimbursement of my services is the bane […]
Few people have not followed the Academy Awards frenzy after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock for an insensitive joke directed at his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Like others, I reacted with confusion (did that just happen?), then astonishment (that really happened!), followed by interest (where did that come from?). What would make Will react with […]
As a substance abuse counselor, here’s what I know about alcohol and drug abuse. First, it is human nature to desire an altered consciousness. Second, the risks are many associated with abusing a substance. Third, the methods of achieving an altered state is constantly changing. And fourth, addiction will not be eradicated. People love to […]
I am sickened by news of war crimes. I am overloaded with violent images in the media. Bombardments of Ukraine by Russia have resulted in an airstrike on a maternity ward, cluster bombs at a preschool, and a trench filled with bodies marking one of the first mass graves. Elsewhere in the world are homicides, […]
Catfishing is the use of a fake online persona to lure someone into a false relationship. Some people who catfish go to extreme lengths to create fake identities. Catfishing involves throwing out the bait, such as attractive photos, positive traits, and flattering words. The victim is strung along until trust is built. Victims think they […]
My 5-year-old great-niece looked up to me, the single adult woman in a room of couples, and asked, “Where’s your one-time love?” You could just see the wheels turning in her head, trying to make sense of the world and relationships. Disney movies had taught her that we are to find a forever mate to […]
Some of you know what it’s like to experience alcohol or drug abuse in the family. For those of you who don’t know it firsthand, an analogy found in How Alcoholism Affects the Family, Study.com, 23 June 2015 (study.com/academy/lesson/how-alcoholism-affects-the-family.html), gives a good picture. “Imagine a distant cousin, who we will call Al, wants to visit […]