The United States’ maternal mortality rates, in 2018, were 17.4 deaths per 100,000 births, the highest among developed countries (CDC, 2018; Tikkanen et al., 2020). Addressing these alarming rates, the CDC launched the Hear Her Campaign, which aims to save mothers’ lives by 1) raising awareness of warning signs and the potential for illness/loss of life, […]
If you are like anyone else who has attempted a diet, you know that dieting is best thought of as a long-term journey that frequently includes ups and downs, failures, and successes. In many ways, the day-to-day trials of parenting are quite similar. Some days, we are really on top of doing all the right […]
One of the main components of my job as a psychotherapist is helping my clients navigate transitions in their lives, such as relocating, marriage, death, and starting new jobs. Whether expected or not, life transitions are often seen as opportunities for mental and emotional stress as worry, insecurities, and fear can develop in that empty […]
Theoretical Background In individualistic Western cultures, the concept of enmeshment denotes that there can be too much loyalty and interdependence within a family; this idea intersects in challenging ways with the high degree of loyalty that is central to Arab family values. In varying cultural contexts, extreme togetherness may be preferred by family members as […]
Childhood trauma is a national concern as approximately one-half of children in the United States experience at least one traumatic event (National Survey of Children’s Health, 2012). Although staggering, help in the form of evidence-based treatments is available for pre-school-aged children exposed to trauma. Recommended treatments include Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT), Trauma-Focused […]
Divorce is major event in the life cycle of the nuclear family. It has the potential to be traumatic and, in some circles, is even referred to as, “The death of the family.” Families torn apart, and parents (with their attorneys) as adversaries, are common to this process that is often described as a “war”. This tends to […]
Psychotherapists are often called on to help families of divorce. It can be to help a couple peacefully disentangle their relationship or help a child cope with the changes in the family. While the courts try to help children and families of divorce, they are limited by statute, the utility of custody evaluations, and the […]