Advocating for Better Mental Health
David Susman, PhD
OK, so we’re all obsessed with technology. Everywhere you turn, we are all constantly buried in our phones, laptops, tablets, headphones and other tech gear. How much time have you spent today on your phone, on a computer, or watching TV? Chances are you don’t really know the answer, but you and I both know it’s a lot. I recently tried an app which tracks the amount of time you spend on your phone, and I was horrified to see …
I recently had the great pleasure of being interviewed by Dr. Baker for her “Go Friend Your Self” podcast. First, I’ll introduce Dr. Baker and the podcast, then I’ll give a brief preview of our interview. Finally, I’ll provide a link to the podcast interview at the end of this post. The “Go Friend Your Self” podcast describes itself in this way: “From worst critic to best friend, join a community of individuals who transform their lives by changing the …
As I write this, during the Thanksgiving season, I’m reminded of many of the wonderful things I’m grateful for in my life: family, health, friends, a safe and comfortable home, a satisfying career, and the privilege of living in a free country. As I reflect on these things, I can’t help but feel a little more happy and blessed. (I’m also very grateful for the homemade mashed potatoes and gravy at the Thanksgiving dinner table!) Even when it’s not Thanksgiving …
Is your glass ‘half empty’ or ‘half full’? In other words, are you more optimistic or more pessimistic? Do you see the future as hopeful or bleak? Let’s explore these and other related questions about optimism and pessimism. I hope (notice the optimistic tone there?) I can convince you of the many benefits from becoming more optimistic. And yes, you can become more optimistic and we’ll talk about how to do just that. What is optimism (and pessimism)? Optimism is …
Chances are good that you’ve served in a helping or caregiving role for someone else at some point in your life. My definition of “helper or caregiver” is pretty broad. It includes not only those who work professionally in a helping role (health care workers, counselors, therapists, teachers, clergy, first responders), but also family and friends who provide care for loved ones with health issues, disabilities and other limitations or challenges. We’re learning more and more how stressful these helping …
Sometimes it’s easy to get discouraged about life, work, school, relationships, our health, the future or other challenges we may be facing. It can be even more difficult when several problems pile up all at the same time. We may think “How much more can I take?” or “When will this be over?” I’ve certainly heard many stories of hopelessness, despair, depression, anxiety, fear, shame, and heartbreak over the years in my work as a clinical psychologist. But at the same …
As someone who spent many, many years in school, I definitely picked up several effective strategies for being a better learner along the way. Since then, in my career as a clinical psychologist and college professor, I’ve also seen how learning works from the other side. I’ve tried to motivate students to absorb and apply new information and I’ve assisted many people in learning how to cope with a wide variety of personal and mental health challenges. I’ve also seen …
In my work as a psychologist, I’ve often helped people develop and implement plans to make healthy lifestyle changes such as losing weight, stopping smoking, eating healthier foods or getting more physical activity. A significant number of folks have dealt with ongoing weight issues, which can be due to medication side effects, poor nutrition, or physical inactivity. While I’ve never been extremely overweight, my weight had crept up at an average of a pound or so per year since my …