Why Your Therapist Might Not Know Why They Are Helping You

As a professor in a Doctor of Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program, I spend a significant portion of my time in the Fall semester reviewing student internship essays and conducting mock internship interviews. It is in these high-stakes moments that I encounter a recurring problem. We are graduating "Clinical Technicians"—a generation of psychologists and counselors who are experts in the what and the how, but functionally blind to the why. Year after year, I read “Theoretical Orientation” essays where students claim their orientation is "CBT," "Attachment Theory," or "Family Systems." It is a category error that has become an epidemic in clinical training. These students are confusing the tool with the…

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Five simple ways to deal with anxiety

Photo by Kat Smith: https://www.pexels.com/photo/greyscale-photography-of-woman-wearing-long-sleeved-top-736843/ Anxiety is a common mental health problem, affecting around one in five people. It can be a debilitating condition, causing people to feel anxious and stressed all the time. It can be hard to understand how to deal with anxiety, but there are a few simple techniques that can help. Here are five research-informed techniques that I’ve found to be particularly helpful for managing anxiety: Relaxation technique — One of the best ways to relieve stress is to do something relaxing or meditative, such as taking a hot bath, reading a good book, or meditating. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to be particularly effective for reducing anxiety…

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