Recent posts
How to find a therapist who is right for you
Los Angeles Times By Ada Tseng Dec. 23, 2020 Finding a therapist who’s right for you, or your loved one, may not be easy. Mental health professionals are in especially high demand, as many struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, economic turmoil, political anxiety, racial reckonings and other traumas, disorders and heartbreaks. “People are suffering, and... read more
Comedy show ‘Normalize Everything’ aims to de-stigmatize mental illness by joking about it
Los Angeles Times By Ada Tseng Dec. 24, 2020 For a spirited hour and a half during a stand-up-comedy livestream on Saturday, to be the child of a parent with schizophrenia was the norm. Discussion topics included: Is it worse to grow up with a parent with schizophrenia or one with schizoaffective disorder, where you... read more
What is therapy? A beginner’s guide to mental health
Los Angeles Times By Jessica Roy Dec. 23, 2020 Considering what we’re living through, we’re all probably due for some therapy. If you’ve never done therapy before, the concept can seem a little daunting. Are you just sitting in a room (or, these days, on a video call) with a stranger, telling them your darkest... read more
The Washington Post By Allyson Chiu Dec. 1, 2020 The year 2020 has exacted a psychological toll on Americans. Levels of anxiety and depression have skyrocketed alongside increases in drug overdoses and alcohol consumption. Meanwhile, a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contained an alarming statistic: When young adults were asked if they had seriously considered suicide in... read more
Dementia may cause major financial problems long before diagnosis, making early detection critical
The Washington Post By Allyson Chiu November 30, 2020 The anecdotes Lauren Nicholas was hearing were all similarly alarming: People with dementia were experiencing “catastrophic financial events” — often before they or their loves ones knew there was anything wrong with them. “Once you miss a bunch of payments, the bank owns your house or... read more
The Washington Post By Allyson Chiu and Lizzy Raben For some people, the beginning of winter signals more than a change in weather. The shorter, darker days trigger a noticeable shift in their mood and behavior, causing what’s known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. And this winter, the onset of SAD may be exacerbated by... read more
What to do about Ahav?
The Washington Post By Hannah Dreier October 24, 2020 A mother’s fight to save a Black, mentally ill 11-year-old boy in a time of a pandemic and rising racial unrest DECATUR, Ga. — Her 11-year-old was on the floor drawing. Her 9-year-old was next to him, playing with plastic robots. It was a rare quiet... read more
Fatal police shootings of mentally ill people are 39 percent more likely to take place in small and midsized areas
The Washington Post By Kimberly Kindy, Julie Tate, Jennifer Jenkins and Ted Mellnik Oct. 17, 2020 The final moments of Stacy Kenny’s life are captured on a recorded 911 call. Kenny, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, begs an emergency operator to explain why she’s been pulled over. Amid screaming and rustling sounds, police... read more
Celebrities are being more candid about mental health. Here’s how it can help us all be more empathetic.
The New York Times/The Lily By Taylor Trudon October 13, 2020 Refusing to see celebrities as ‘real’ people is to risk dehumanizing them — and others — altogether Emily Ratajkowski has 26.8 million followers on Instagram. A cursory scroll of the supermodel’s account reveals a grid filled with bikini-clad photos on the beach, magazine covers bearing... read more
Gov. Newsom signs law to expand mental health coverage in California
Los Angeles Times By Associated Press, Adam Beam Sept 25, 2020 SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law on Friday that for the first time in California defines the term “medical necessity” in a move aimed at requiring private health insurance plans to pay for more mental health and drug addiction treatments. State and federal... read more