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Basic facts about mental health and treatment in Washington state
The Mental Health Project is a Seattle Times initiative focused on covering mental and behavioral health issues. It is funded by Ballmer Group, a national organization focused on economic mobility for childr... read more
Two Research Reports: on Health Related Issues
Relationship between Sleep Quantity and the Risk of Dementia and Possible relationship between Use of NSAID Painkillers and Risk of Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
Less Sleep, higher dementia risk “Doctors have long known that dementia patients often suffer from insomnia. What hasn’t been clear is whether getting insufficient sleep is a symptom of... read more
A year after COVID-19 super spreader, family finds closure
A choir practice in Washington sickened 53 people and killed two, one of the first known COVID-19 super-spreader events in the US
[Webmaster note: the following article has been edited focusing on the virus information it contains.] SEATTLE — With dish soap, brushes and plastic water jugs in hand, Carole Rae Woodmansee’... read more
South Dakota nurse says many patients deny the coronavirus exists - right up until death
Jodi Doering, an emergency room nurse in South Dakota, was overwhelmed Saturday night. Her patients were dying of covid-19, yet were still in denial about the pandemic’s existence. It’s like... read more
Some Covid Patients with no previous mental health issues develop severe psychotic symptoms
Most had no history of mental illness and became psychotic weeks after contracting the virus. Cases are expected to remain rare but are being reported worldwide.
Almost immediately, Dr. Hisam Goueli could tell that the patient who came to his psychiatric hospital on Long Island this summer was unusual. The patient, a 42-year-old physical therapist and mother of f... read more
Republican lawmakers propose bills to curb the governor's emergency powers in Covid-19 restrictions backlash
Under Inslee's orders, Washington has some of the fewest coronavirus deaths per capita and cases per capita of any state
OLYMPIA — Conservatives in Washington spent much of 2020 fuming that Gov. Jay Inslee used the broad powers given him by the Legislature to enact restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19. And unl... read more
Food addiction is a hot topic.
A dietitian sorts the facts from feelings
On Nutrition Food addiction is a hot topic, but the idea that we can become addicted to food in the same way we might become addicted to drugs or alcohol is also very controversial. If you’ve... read more
What is Herd Immunity?
How Will We Achieve It?
“Herd immunity occurs when enough people become immune to a disease to make its spread unlikely." The elimination of the weak--achieved by the death the elderly and others who have compromised imm... read more
Losing Your Hair Can Be Another Consequence of the Pandemic
Doctors are seeing a huge increase in patients who have been shedding abnormal amounts of hair, and they believe it is related to stress associated with the coronavirus.
Annrene Rowe was getting ready to celebrate her 10th wedding anniversary this summer when she noticed a bald spot on her scalp. In the following days, her thick shoulder-length hair started falling out in cl... read more
The Latino community calls for action amid high COVID-19 rates
When restaurants reopened last month, waiter Tino López faced a difficult decision: to stay home and forgo a paycheck or risk exposure to the novel coronavirus by returning to work. López was r... read more
Do you have an absolute right NOT to wear a mask when ordered to for the common good?
Of masks and rights
“My body, my choice!” A refrain from the abortion-rights movement is now the battle cry of those insisting there’s a right against wearing masks or being vaccinated during a pandemic.... read more
Misinformation on coronavirus is proving highly contagious
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes... read more
Telemedicine is here to stay
It’s hard to imagine that the devastating pandemic we’re living through could possibly have a silver lining, but I think I’ve found one: telemedicine. Traditionally, health care has bee... read more
Survey shows boom in marijuana vaping among school kids
[Reported here as a public service to worried parents.] Teenager VapingAbout 1 out of 5 high school students in the U.S. say they vaped marijuana in the past year, and its popularity has been booming fas... read more
Naturopathy & Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathy is more than a system of healing; it is a philosophy and a way of life. Fundamentally, naturopathy honors the healing power of nature. One of the fathers of our western medical tradition was... read more
Eating Disorders for the Curious
Several years ago I worked at Swedish/Ballard Medical Center on the Eating Disorders unit. It was a 10 bed psychiatric unit mostly occupied by women struggling with life threatening illness of anorexia... read more
Drunk Driving and DUI:
The Legal and Emotional Consequences
Alcohol/Drug Treatment in Jail Now retired after seventeen years of chemical dependency counseling for Seattle King County Public Health, I approach the topic of drunk driving from the perspective o... read more
U.S. Pandemic--who should live, who should die?--epidemiologists vs economists
Of two minds—Who should live and who should die? “The real reason epidemiologists and economists keep arguing” Opinion, April 2, 2... read more
From Drug Addict & Alcoholic to Entrepreneur:
A Story of Recovered Hope
The first-ever AA meeting I went to was in prison, and I didn’t speak. I didn’t stand up, didn’t say my name, and certainly didn’t tell my story. I did one thing though - I listened.... read more
Mental Health
Medicare in desperate need of more mental health providers, who stand ready to help
Congress should pass the Mental Health Access Improvement Act, legislation that, nation-wide, would make over 200,000 licensed mental health counselors and marriage and licensed family therapists nation-wide, eligible to treat seniors.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a massive impact on Americans’ mental health. Another related crisis will worsen in the short term and have profound implications going forward: Older adults in... read more
Seattle-area therapists reflect on the past year 2020 and a 'tsunami of need'
We haven't reached the
Online counselors almost overwhelmed by a tidal waves of client’s trauma, grief, depression, and loss Mental health concerns won’t disappear just because people are vaccinated We&rs... read more
Help Save Veterans from Suicide
Washington State suicide rate among vets at 31.3 per 100,000, higher than national rate of 18.1 per 100,000
Washington (State) has among the nation’s highest concentrations of veterans — at the same time the U.S. is experiencing a dangerously high level of veteran suicides and the grinding pandemic is... read more
How I survived the collision of racism and the stigma of mental illness
Survivor’s guilt terrorizes me sometimes. Why am I so lucky when others sharing my complexion and battling mental health struggles are not? That question arises every time I read about Black people wit... read more
From the Counselors Side of the Screen
Online counseling during the pandemic
Right before the pandemic hit and hit hard closing down businesses and causing families to quarantine with the Governor’s Stay-at-Home orders, I sat with a client I’ll call Jake in my Bainbridge... read more
Racial Inequity of Coronavirus
Teresa and Marvin Bradley can’t say for sure how they got the coronavirus. Maybe Ms. Bradley, a Michigan nurse, brought it from her hospital. Maybe it came from a visiting relative. Maybe it was someth... read more
Therapy During a Pandemic
Webmaster comment: A few weeks ago, I had trouble sleeping. With the stay-at-home orders from governors and the president, and the social-distancing movement saying to stay 6 feet apart, to... read more
Telehealth. How can I do online mental health counseling? Advice for Counselors.
Special Notice: Beginning January 1, 2021, health care professionals (excluding physicians) who are offering telemedicine services to patients, are required to complete telemedicine training. S... read more
Transgender 101: A Glossary of Terms
Transgender 101: A Glossary of Terms What does “GENDER IDENTITY” MEAN? Gender identity is one’s internal, core sense of belonging to a particular gender, such as mal... read more
Life as a Motherless Daughter - Seattle Group
“…Too soon, too sudden, the wrenching apart, that woman’s heartbeat heard ever after from a distance, the loss of that ground-note echoing whenever we are happy, or in despair.”... read more
A Mantra for your short-fuse behavior:
Therapy is not an admission of weakness
“DEAR CAROLYN: I get bent out of shape over petty stuff and I end up snapping at my sweetie. I attribute it to the short-fuse personalities in my family, but, excuses, excuses. &... read more
What is PTSD? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder:
Is There a Successful PTSD Treatment?
You wake from a nightmare sweating or shaking or screaming. Startled by an unexpected sound or touch, you nearly jump out of your skin. You try to shut out feelings about that awful thing that happened to yo... read more
Premarital Counseling and Marriage Education Workshops
Prevent Marriage Decay (Happily Ever After...?)
Dear Future Newlyweds, Congratulations on your plans to marry. I have a question for you! How would you like to ensure that your marriage gets off on the right foot? What if I told you that you cou... read more
Risk Assessment Evaluation & Security: Risk Management in the Prevention of School Shootings:
Preventing Homicide and Suicide in Our Schools
There have been many school shootings dating back to at least 1974. Usually the shootings involve a fourteen to seventeen-year old male who has access to a semi-automatic handgun. Several of the most recent... read more
Sex Offender Treatment Providers in Washington State
Sex offender treatment providers in WA are licensed by the WA Department of Health's Health Professions Quality Assurance Sex Offender Treatment Provider Program. Washington State Licensing Requ... read more
Forensic Psychological Evaluation
Forensic psychology is a clinical psychology specialty which intertwines the law with two types of professional services: (1) psychological evaluation and assessment to assist the defense or prosecution... read more
Childhood ADHD
the viewpoint of the naturopathic practitioner
It is important that children are successful in both learning new skills and in getting along with their peers in order to build healthy self-esteem. Each of these tasks can be quite challenging for children... read more
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Complex Trauma
Complex Trauma By Dr. Felicia Mueller, Psychotherapist Complex trauma or Disorder of Extreme Stress Not Otherwise Specified (DESNOS) refers to a condition resulting from exposure... read more
What is Domestic Violence?
What is the Crime of Domestic Violence in Washington State? Definitions (C) (3) "Domestic violence" means: (a) Physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the... read more
ADD Adults and Executive Function In Everyday Life:
Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
ADD Adults and Executive Function In Everyday Life: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment Research on Adult ADD [Adult Attention Deficit Disorder] is increasingly stressing "impai... read more
What is EMDR? Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
EMDR, the acronym or abbreviation for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is used to relieve the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems, o... read more
Who is Most Qualified to Treat Sexual Problems?
Sexual issues are addressed by a variety of therapists, but the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) certified sex therapists and counselors are the most quali... read more
Eating Disorders for the Curious
Several years ago I worked at Swedish/Ballard Medical Center on the Eating Disorders unit. It was a 10 bed psychiatric unit mostly occupied by women struggling with life threatening illness of anorexia... read more
Affairs: Boundaries and Respect?
I’ve been thinking about affairs lately, seeing how devastating and destructive they are to a marriage and wondering why they happen. I consider myself knowledgeable about some subjects like eati... read more
Minding Your Children's Digital Diet
The front page headline of The Seattle Times from October 21, 2016 read, “New Guidelines tell parents: Mind your kid’s digital diet.” The article quotes findings and suggestions put o... read more
The Art of Listening: Clients Want to be Heard
A view from the other side of the couch, CWa series, part 2.
Before session, before settling into my slate gray upholstered arm chair, before opening my door and greeting my client, I engage in mindfulness practices that lay the foundation for listening. The kind of h... read more
OKAY
A view from the other side of the couch, CWa series, part 1.
Parents want their kids to be okay - as in my twenty-two year old son is biking across country this summer and I want him to be okay. Okay as in when my daughter was two and was hospitalized with a treatment... read more
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