310-601-9999

Awareness

Anger Management Therapy

by
anger management

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. What is anger? Anger is, at its core, a very normal and human emotion. It is important to distinguish that we all experience anger and that it is okay. Anger can serve as data that something is making us uncomfortable, crossing our boundaries, or impeding on our sense of wellbeing.  Anger can be warranted, but sometimes it clouds our judgment. When we get angry, our nervous system is sent into fight mode as a result of perceived threat. Perceived threat could be an insult thrown our way or a wrongdoing directed towards us. When our nervous system is in fight mode, our amygdala is activated more than our prefrontal cortex; the prefrontal cortex is responsible for calculated decision making, understanding of long term consequences, and judgment (American Addiction Centers, 2022).  When angry, you may “see red” or get “tunnel vision.” You may experience rapid heart rate …

Read more

Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month 2023

by
anger management

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. Why Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month? Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States during the month of May, recognizing the incredible ways that Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans have contributed and influenced the culture, history, and achievements of the United States.  May was chosen because of its historical significance for the AAPI community, commemorating the immigration of the first Japanese people to the United States, as well as Golden Spike Day (May 10, 1869), which marked the completion of the transcontinental railroad, largely built by Chinese laborers. President Jimmy Carter signed Asian American Week into law in 1978, designating a week to celebrate the AAPI community. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed a bill that extended the week into a full month; further, it was President Barack Obama who changed the name to …

Read more

Dry Drunk Syndrome

by
anger management

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. What is Dry Drunk Syndrome? Alcoholism, much like other addictions, can be viewed as a symptom of coexisting mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, or trauma. Many people turn to substances like alcohol as a way of coping with existing psychological pain and uncomfortable emotions. Drinking, however, does not eradicate this psychological pain; it merely temporarily numbs it. Recovery doesn’t just entail staying sober; it includes addressing the psychological pain that brought the individual to alcoholism in the first place. Alcoholics Anonymous, the creators of the 12-step program, first coined the term dry drunk syndrome. R.J. Solberg defined the term in his book, The Dry Drunk Syndrome, as “the presence of actions and attitudes that characterized the alcoholic prior to recovery” (1993). What does it look like? People who experience dry drunk syndrome often quit alcohol on their own without the support of clinicians or …

Read more

Celebrating National Autism Awareness Month 2023

by
anger management

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. National Autism Awareness Month. National Autism Awareness Month spans the month of April with the purpose of spreading awareness, breaking the stigma, and providing support and hope to those who have or support someone with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism Awareness Week was first celebrated in the 1970s, later growing into the entire month of April.  About Autism. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) describes a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by challenges with “social communication and social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns in behaviors, interests, and activities” (APA, 2021).  The term spectrum is used to highlight the wide variation in presentation, severity of symptoms, and experiences of those diagnosed with ASD. ASD is understood to occur across all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups (CDC, 2020). ASD is four times more likely to be diagnosed in boys than girls and approximately 1 …

Read more

World Bipolar Day 2023

by
anger management

By Ashley Barnes What is World Bipolar Day? Each year on March 30th, World Bipolar Day is observed to bring awareness to bipolar disorders and to eradicate social stigma. Vincent Van Gogh, the famous and extremely talented artist, was posthumously diagnosed as having a form of bipolar disorder; World Bipolar Day is celebrated each year on his birthday.  Prevalence of Bipolar Disorders. Bipolar disorder is more than just mood swings and there are different variations of the disorder with distinct criteria for each. Bipolar disorders are classified as mood disorders in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, alongside depressive disorders. According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, “bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans,” or around 2.6% of the U.S. population who are age 18 and older (2019). Bipolar disorders impact those of all ages, genders, ethnic groups and social classes.  Symptoms of Bipolar Disorders. Those who …

Read more