Clinical Dialog

Domestic violence escalates, PTSD blossoms and substance abuse increases following environmental disasters.  Long after the clean up crews have left, people are suffering from the psychological fallout of these events.  Read on for a discussion of how we can prepare for the aftermath in any natural disaster in a more proactive manner.

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1008304

Increasing numbers of gay couples are choosing parenthood through adoption and surrogacy as a way to satisfy their desire to complete their family. Interestingly, dependent upon the state in which the couple resides, adoption can be prohibitive for gays and surrogacy, less complicated.  For a beginning discussion of the process and the obstacles read more.

Treating children with autoimmune disorders is difficult from a medical perspective, but now, the recognition that microbes can affect mental health is finally achieving recognition.  The symptoms of sudden onset of mood swings, impulsivity, anxiety, impaired attention and poor handwriting in addition to obsessions, compulsions and tics is being tied to several autoimmune disorders from Streptoccocal infections. So is it OCD or PANDAS? The jury is still out, but it is deliberating.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/index-ocd.shtml

This article teases us with information on Yalom's way of looking compassionately at his cases, avoiding the ‘medicalization' of psychotherapy.  He recounts the lessons learned from his patients while regaling the therapeutic relationship that creates these opportunities for growth.

http://www.psychotherapy.net/interview/Irvin_Yalom_Psychotherapy_Human_C...

The question of competence culturally comes up with women therapists' treatment of men.  What's different in the process and practice?  This author suggests an educational approach has great appeal with a focus on collaboration and coaching.

http://www.psychotherapynetworker.com/magazine/currentissue/830-women-tr...

Oncology has begun using gene markers to determine what might be effective cancer treatment for a specific patient.  Will this be the future in mental health treatment as well?  Recent research has revealed that various components of the serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine transmitter systems, as well as the corticotropin-releasing-factor (CRF), are associated with differential response to medications.  To learn more about this fascinating topic go to:

http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/45/13/17.1.full

There is a growing awareness that our canned diversity training programs, offered in all our agencies, aren't meeting our needs.  The new demand is for cultural competency which includes generational diversity, ethnicity and what that means for regional Americans, with our folkways and mores.  At some work environments, four generations are working together creating a need for greater understanding.  See this article for the tenets of creating a program.

http://www.salesandmarketing.com/msg/content_display/training/e3id4a71ae...

This provocative article addresses many of our assumptions in the treatment of substance abuse.  Do women drinkers learn their behaviors from partners?  Is day treatment as effective as inpatient?  Does religious belief help in recovery?  And once again, therapeutic alliance comes through as an integral factor in successful treatment.  Each supposition is elucidated supporting or denying its efficacy by citing the literature.

http://www.talkingcure.com/archives.asp?id=137

An exponential number of children are now prescribed SSRIs and stimulants to ameliorate their mood and attention.  But is it effective?  Is their use supported by a solid diagnosis?  Is the client compliant?  Are there risks? This critical analysis gives us a framework to help us in our evaluation with clients.  Read more below . . .

http://heartandsoulofchange.com/resources/psychiatric-drugs

Tara Parker-Pope in an article for the New York Times cited research from 1858 to yesterday fronting the argument as to individual health and conjugal union. Is there a marital advantage? And if so, is it the institution or the relationship that makes it so?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/magazine/18marriage-t.html?scp=1&sq=4/...