Turns out that one of the most important aspects to addressing any emotional, mental health or addiction problem is learning to be curious. Over the years, numerous studies of the application of different psychological theories have failed to show any factor about a particular theory which made the application of that psychological theory better than […]
I am writing this on a day when the front page of the newspaper is full of headlines about the killing of four students and a teacher in Jonesboro, Arkansas. A short article buried inside the local section recounts that a few miles from my home a Mr. Moore shot and killed his neighbor Mr. […]
A lawyer comes in to talk recently. He expresses that he is burned-out with the profession. It is hard to come into work: he hates returning calls. His relation with his spouse is poor and his child is acting out in school by skipping classes and smoking pot. All of these are signs of possible […]
Malcolm Gladwell has written a book called, The Tipping Point. Gladwell wants to know what made Paul Revere’s ride successful. How did Hush Puppies, sometime in the late 90’s, become high fashion? What caused the crime rate in New York City to fall almost in half in five years and for the murder rate to drop 64.3%? […]
Every now and then the Lawyer Assistance Program gets a call from a law student at one of our seven North Carolina law schools. The student would rather talk without giving his or her name. The LAP person answering the phone says that’s OK and asks what the concerns are. Usually the student is facing […]
Close your eyes and think woman alcoholic or woman lawyer alcoholic. What image comes to mind. Probably not any. There is not the image of the dirty, sleeping-under-the-train trestle wino image we often have for the male alcoholic. That image is inaccurate, but at least we have one. There is not the more accurate image […]
Close to ten years ago, the members of the Consortium for Professional Recovery Programs began discussing a collaborative project to survey North Carolina professionals. This consortium, comprised of representatives from medicine, law, dentistry, pharmacy, psychology, nursing, and social work, met regularly to discuss methods to improve the behavioral health issues experienced by their professionals. The […]
“I’m one of them,” quipped Jesse in a staccato voice. “One of whom,” replied the professional counselor. “Oh, you know, one of those lawyers branded a success. It looks like it’s working; that is, on the outside. But, on the inside it’s not happening!” Jesse continued, “I’m thinking: ‘Is this really what I want from my career […]
Recently social scientists have taken a look at the relationship between material well-being and emotional well-being or happiness. For most of the world, greater levels of material wealth have led to greater levels of perceived emotional well-being, most everywhere, that is, but in the United States. (The Atlantic, January/February 2003) In the United States, those defining […]
We’ve all heard the phrase “dry drunk, ” referring to a person who is alcoholic and who has stopped drinking, but who has not done anything to address the underlying emotional and psychological issues, which his or her drinking medicated. Recent experience suggests there may also be something similar for the person who suffers from […]
One of the great difficulties these days with contracting a serious illness is that the disease makes us tired, emotional, vulnerable, and uncertain at a time when we most need to be mentally sharp, resourceful and diligent in order to reach out and determine the most effective treatment. This is especially true with diseases like […]
Writing a short column about how to have good mental health is a challenge. Each reader who may benefit sees his or her problem from a different perspective. These different perspectives reflect the multi-faceted nature of a problem like depression. Depression is a disease that is physical, emotional, and spiritual. If I am suffering from […]