In recent years, the National Alliance for Caregiving estimates almost 40 million people in the U.S. care for a disabled or chronically-ill adult family member (aged 50 years-old or more). These numbers have grown and continue to grow as Americans are living longer, but also living with more disease, such as Alzheimer’s and other chronic…
Let’s face it: video games are fun! New games are amazing and the technology is quite impressive. Having family fun all while the kids are occupied all can be a positive thing, right? Yes, there are some positive sides to children and gaming. First, gaming introduces children to technology and can boost self-discipline. The games…
Playing with your hair – twirling it around a finger when you’re tired or bored, for example – is a harmless habit. But for millions of people, pulling at their hair isn’t harmless. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, up to four percent of the population* suffers from trichotillomania, a disorder characterized by…
It’s the first week of January as I sit to write this blog entry, and I suspect my thoughts are focused in much the same direction as yours—that’s right, it’s college football bowl season! Those of you who know me are no doubt aware of my obsessive love for, and dedication to, the University…
“Will I bark like a dog or quack like a duck? Will I say or do something silly? What if I can’t wake up?” These are just some of the questions I still get about hypnosis. Unfortunately, many people (including some health care professionals) still have a flawed understanding of hypnosis, even in 2018. Much…
In continuing our holiday/seasonal blog series, Larisa Wainer, Psy.D. offers a guide to anticipating and managing stress, and mood symptoms, that often emerge during this time of the year. The trees have shed their colorful adornments, intricate patterns of frost decorate your car window in the morning, and the stores are overflowing with cornucopia of…
If the scent of pumpkin pie, turkey and stuffing roasting in the oven and other holiday treats trigger feelings of both delight and dread, you’re not alone. Anxiety about eating at social gatherings during the holiday season can dampen the spirits for celebrating with friends and family. Rather than feeling self-conscious and stressed, the following…
It’s hard to believe that we’re already well into the fall season. Along with the cooler temperatures and shorter days comes the start of the holiday relapse season: Thanksgiving, the winter holidays and the New Year. There is no shortage of temptations during the holidays either with friends, family or co-workers. Here are a few…
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. Dyslexia is an often misunderstood learning disability. It is considered a specific disability that affects one’s ability to read; however, with the right instruction, almost all individuals with dyslexia learn to read. Previous viewpoints, that are now outdated and inaccurate, considered Dyslexia a visual deficit. Research using fMRI studies has…
Have you ever had a week where you seem to be losing your mind? You forget to call an important client back at work. You forget to register for that class, which is now full. You mean to buy that birthday gift for the party on Saturday, but instead you find yourself rushing around like…