PSYCHOLOGY

Depression

Professor Seligman has been teaching and studying psychology for many years. This Ted-talk is insightful and informative to anyone who wants to involv...

22 March 2021

Mindfulness practices are those that help you find yourself within a present moment, experiencing the moment without judgment. Some people describe pr...

17 March 2021

Did you know that education may protect against memory impairment related to depression in older women? One study in Korea by Lee, Park, & Chey (20...

12 March 2021

When people are depressed, many seek psychotherapy to work on the emotional symptoms and ailments from their depression. However, people with depressi...

8 March 2021

Depression impacts individuals not only emotionally, but cognitively. Research has shown that people living with depression experience cognitive defic...

5 March 2021

Over the last decade, positive psychology has been given more attention for its practices that may be therapeutically beneficial in ameliorating depre...

3 March 2021

Cognitive remediation therapy is a form of therapy that combines the practice of cognitive skills using digital cognitive therapy tools with hands-on ...

19 February 2021

Social connection is a human need. Many people struggle with social connection and are at risk of isolation. Social connection can decrease anxiety an...

15 February 2021

Many children and adolescents experience depression. Symptoms of depression in children and adolescents include behavioral problems in school, changes...

12 February 2021

Both men and women will experience depression at some point in their lifetime, but men experience depression differently than what is included in the ...

10 February 2021

Depression during the cold winter months is common for northern countries, particularly in the northern United States and Canada. Clinically, low vita...

8 February 2021

Depression impacts cognitive function. Studies show that patients suffering from depression exhibit have difficulties with making, using, and storing ...

10 July 2020

Mental illness sucks. Even The New York Times  says so. Depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders can greatly impact someone's ability t...

13 September 2019

Have you ever wanted to learn how to better tackle depression?  Two articles entitled "What can you do when you're flattened by depression? plan for ...

6 September 2019

Brain-injury causes not only cognitive and physical disturbance, but emotional. Many patients suffer from depression, with a report of approximately 4...

25 July 2019

Telehealth

Looking for good cognitive worksheets for children? Look no further! Here are the 5 best HappyNeuron Pro worksheets to use with children.

19 April 2021

Brain injuries are complex injuries. Heather Condello and her team of occupational therapists, including Ayushi Dhingra, understand that. Heather and Ayushi discuss how they approach brain injury and redefine occupational therapy to help their clients get back on track and resume the occupations that bring them joy. Learn about how Heather and Ayushi provide cognitive rehabilitation and occupational therapy services for their clients living with brain injury virtually.

4 April 2021

It may feel bleak to enter 2021 still with social distancing rules and regulations occurring. Many people have been feeling the effects of social isolation as they try and stay safe following local guidelines. To help stimulate your client’s brain, here are some creative ways to help your client not feel so isolated with remote cognitive activities.

15 January 2021

Yes, you can! This blog post will tell you why. Telehealth and remote therapy options are becoming increasingly popular as the COVID-19 crisis continues. Seniors are among the most vulnerable people that could face fatal consequences of contracting the virus. Telehealth has been shown to be effective in managing chronic health conditions for elderly people while keeping them out of harm’s way. In this blog post, we show the research supporting and explaining how telehealth can be used to effectively manage chronic health conditions in elderly people.

30 November 2020

Humans need regular social interaction. With older populations, the risk of isolation increases as older adults tend to develop physical disabilities and cognitive impairment. Not being able to have regular social interactions can cause older adults to experience sadness, depression, anxiety and anhedonia. Therapists across the world have recognized this increasing concern and some have adapted new telehealth technologies to combat it.

20 November 2020

Aging is a natural physiological part of life that starts the moment that we are born! As we age, our cognitive functioning naturally declines. However, cognitive decline can occur due to preventable causes.

9 October 2020

Providing remote cognitive rehabilitation therapy may seem difficult, but can be made easy with the right materials. In this blog post, we share with you 5 things that you need to help you provide cognitive rehabilitation therapy for your clients from home.

30 September 2020

If you answered no, then you may want to consider doing so to help you and your patient with aphasia get the most out of therapy. Why? It has been scientifically proven that treatment intensity and duration are the key ingredients to improving cognitive function, especially language for people with aphasia. Physical medicine and rehabilitation therapists apply these same principles to occupational and physical therapy for stroke patients. telepractice therapy for aphasia is successful because it increases the accessibility for both the therapist and patient. This is important because many patients with aphasia also have physical limitations as a result of their stroke, which limits their ability to travel on-site for aphasia therapy.

7 August 2020

With a variety of tools, video conferencing has been simplified. However, many organizations require that all telehealth platforms be HIPAA compliant. There are many HIPAA compliant video conferencing tools, such as Zoom, VSee, GoToMeeting, we explain that all here. But there are other factors to consider when selecting a video conferencing platform. It is important to examine the accessibility of the software, equipment needed to use it for both the clinician and patient and how your client’s internet connectivity affects their experience using the software

31 July 2020

New to telehealth? Here are 5 HIPAA compliant video conferencing platforms that you can use to provide telehealth services for your patients. Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses. It is important that you make sure that you investigate all of your options before choosing the tool that you will be using. As telehealth is becoming the new normal thing, you can learn how you can adapt it into your personal practice today.

27 July 2020

The internet has become a tool for occupational therapists to use to provide access to occupational therapy for a variety of different patient populations. While the internet is a powerful occupational therapy tool, many concerns need to be addressed to ensure that beneficial, ethical, and accessible online occupational therapy is delivered.

3 July 2020

Building a successful speech therapy telepractice sounds tough. In Grillo’s 2018 guide Building a Successful Voice Telepractice Program, we found 4 key factors to consider that relate to setting up a speech telepractice that we elaborate upon that can help a speech therapist achieve success when they wish to start providing telepractice speech therapy.

22 June 2020

If you search on the internet, you can find a wealth of information regarding the use and effectiveness of telepractice for a variety of medical conditions. Telepractice is of particular interest for people living with brain injury. A large number of people with brain injury face obstacles accessing adequate treatment. For kids living with brain injury, these obstacles present themselves extensively. A child may not receive the proper treatment because they are relying on parents for transportation to services, or they are trying to balance a school and other types of therapy schedules and still trying to be a child.

12 June 2020

Who Benefits From Telehealth Occupational Therapy? People who may have experienced injuries such as a stroke, a brain injury, feeding disorders, upper extremity limb loss, and other neurological conditions have seen positive results from telehealth.  Literature suggests that telehealth interventions are proven to be more effective than traditional in-person therapy sessions for mental health and substance abuse populations (Kinley et al., 2012).   Lastly, telehealth services have shown efficacy for adults with autism living in assisted living facilities to be able to perform household activities more independently (Taber-Doughty, Shurr, Brewer, and Kubik, 2010). 

15 May 2020

The short answer is yes. But why?  Telepractice is the practice of therapeutic services via telephone and or internet communication devices. Worldwide, speech and language pathologists have begun to see the benefits of adapting telepractice services to their treatment plans. Through the integration of numerous forms of technology, a speech therapist can appropriately meet the needs of individual patients regardless of where they are located. Widener & Lowman (2020) conducted a literature review on the efficacy of adult-focused speech-language pathologist services and found the results to be promising. In their review, 31 studies were identified with numerous elements that provide evidence that telepractice delivered speech therapy is an effective intervention option for adult-focused speech-language pathologists.  In this post, we focus on three key findings from Widener & Lowman’s (2020) review while addressing a key concern many speech-language pathologists have regarding telepractice delivered speech therapy. 

11 May 2020

An eHelper is a person who serves as a facilitator for telepractice delivered therapy. The eHelper serves to eliminate the barriers that inhibit a student from receiving therapy by facilitating the connection between a student and a therapist.  eHelpers  serve as assistants to the remote therapist by providing the following services: Explaining how telepractice therapy works. Answering any of the student’s concerns regarding their therapy. Setting up equipment and providing technical assistance. Aiding the telepractice therapist with the use of other materials. Provide cueing or physical assistants.

7 May 2020

Many obstacles exist for people who need cognitive rehabilitation services. Mobility issues, the need to travel long distances to see a provider, not having access to transportation and comorbid medical conditions are just a few. To overcome these barriers, therapists can provide remote cognitive rehabilitation therapy services over the internet. Meeting platforms with secure services allow therapists to provide face-to-face interaction that is needed to maintain the therapist-patient connection. In addition, therapists may select a cognitive rehabilitation tool that allows for home access for both the therapist and client alike. Providing rehabilitation services over the internet and e-therapy is growing in popularity.

13 March 2020

Group Therapy

Group therapy sessions have a positive impact on people’s lives. Kyra takes that theory and brings it into a child’s healing process. Kyra explains how she uses group therapy within her practice. We hope you can see how other therapists conduct sessions so you can better do yours!

28 August 2020

While exercising regularly promotes physical health, exercising may also provide cognitive benefits. Specifically, attention has been drawn to the potential clinical implications of moderate-intensity exercise for rehabilitation, physical, and mental health. In this blog post, we discuss and elaborate upon the clinically studied benefits of exercise and why clinicians should encourage their clients to perform aerobic exercise routines in their daily lives.

24 August 2020

Brain Health

Parents are often concerned about their child’s activity level, as many children do not get enough physical activity or playtime. Regular physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, has been shown to promote neurogenesis in the brain which in turn improves cognitive functioning and psychosocial well-being. In this blog post, we discuss the effect of aerobic exercise on cognition, academic achievement, and psychosocial functioning in children.

14 May 2021

Our brains are made of billions of cells. During development, stem cells receive signals from the outside environment that determine which kind of cell it will become within our brains. Sometimes, stem cells develop into neurons through a process called neurogenesis. In this blog post, we describe what neurogenesis is and elaborate on its role on brain development and health.

5 May 2021

When we think of improving memory, we think of performing memorization exercises, digital cognitive therapy exercises, and working on memory worksheets for adults. However, there is more than practicing memorization strategies for improving memory, and researchers have found a fun way to improve both verbal and spatial memory in older adults.

29 March 2021

Over the last decade, positive psychology has been given more attention for its practices that may be therapeutically beneficial in ameliorating depression. One such practice is mindfulness. Mindfulness practices involve helping the client focus on the present moment in a non-judgmental way. Some ways people practice mindfulness include meditation, yoga, and body awareness exercises. More therapists are looking for effective non-pharmaceutical interventions like mindfulness programs that can help clients experiencing depression, as many adults prefer to avoid taking antidepressant medications.

3 March 2021

Nutrition is one of the most underlooked factors contributing to mental health well-being. Researchers are beginning to understand the role of the mind-gut connection, and how the food we eat affects our behavior. Nutrition interventions offer promise for successful remediation of psychological disorders.

1 March 2021

Social connection is a human need. Many people struggle with social connection and are at risk of isolation. Social connection can decrease anxiety and depression, as well as foster improved physical and mental health for people. Dr. Ruddock discusses the importance and the impact of healthy social connection among families, neighbors, friends, loved-ones, and on the individual.

15 February 2021

Depression during the cold winter months is common for northern countries, particularly in the northern United States and Canada. Clinically, low vitamin D levels have been linked to depression. Researchers have found that vitamin D supplementation may ameliorate the symptoms of depression, particularly in young adults. Since many people nowadays spend more time inside and not enough time outside, getting enough vitamin D is getting harder to do. Here are some ways to get more vitamin D daily to either help with your patient’s depression or your own seasonal blues.

8 February 2021

Daniel Kahneman explains how memories influence our future. He explains how our memory can influence how we perceive what is going on in the world around us over time. His examples from vacations to colonoscopies make this Tedtalk an enjoyable time.

5 February 2021

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris is a Canadian-American pediatrician who assumed the position of Surgeon General of California in 2019. Dr. Harris is known for her work linking adverse childhood experiences to health outcomes. Her work currently focuses on addressing and reforming the response to the effects of adverse childhood experiences on lifelong health across communities.

1 February 2021

The role of nutrition on brain health is a growing area of research. In elderly people, little research has been conducted on dietary patterns. But that doesn’t mean the dietary patterns from younger individuals cannot be implemented into older adults. There are two main types of dietary patterns, healthy and unhealthy. Healthy dietary patterns are those that consist of regular consumption of healthy fats, lean proteins, antioxidant rich foods, and fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

18 January 2021

It may feel bleak to enter 2021 still with social distancing rules and regulations occurring. Many people have been feeling the effects of social isolation as they try and stay safe following local guidelines. To help stimulate your client’s brain, here are some creative ways to help your client not feel so isolated with remote cognitive activities.

15 January 2021

In the US, millions of Americans struggle with maintaining a healthy weight. In young adults, impulsivity and inefficient inhibitory control are key risk factors for engaging in unhealthy and uncontrolled eating habits. Impulse and inhibitory control are part of executive functioning which occurs in the frontal lobes of the brain with connections to other key brain regions, such as the limbic system. Training executive functioning in addition to helping your clients adapt to other healthy lifestyle behaviors such as exercising regularly, practicing good sleep hygiene, and not purchasing processed foods may be effective in helping your client lose weight.

8 January 2021

Dr. Angela Duckworth left a management consulting job to become a teacher in the New York City public school system. To answer this question, she became a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania where she is now a professor and has built the Character Lab which is devoted to the study of ‘grit’. Dr. Duckworth has studied grit in children through West Point Military Academy cadets. You can learn about her work on her lab webpage and by her publications available through Google Scholar. What Do Philadelphia’s NHL Mascot and a Clinical Psychologist Have in Common?

4 January 2021

Every year, people make New Year’s resolutions such as: going to the gym, eating better, hanging out with family more, spending more time exploring new ideas, or learning a new skill. While 2021 will be a new year for sure, but it doesn’t mean that people cannot set goals to improve their lives. While many people focus on their bodies, they forget about their brains. Here are some cognitive goals you can help your client work on in 2021 either in person or through telehealth.

30 December 2020

While we are entering 2021 in a much different way than we entered 2020, that does not mean that we cannot make goals to improve our daily lives. While your clients may be unsure of what they want to achieve in the new year, you can help them set reasonable and achievable goals. For goal setting, you want to encourage your clients to set SMART goals.

28 December 2020

The holidays mean it's time for some delicious holiday meals. However, many holiday favorites are loaded with extra sugar, fat, and carbohydrates that can leave us feeling sluggish. While food quantity choices rely on satiation, thirst, and hunger levels, there are cognitive skills that you can teach your client to make wiser food decisions and stay healthy over the holidays. In this blog post, we discuss some cognitive strategies to help your client achieve those goals.

18 December 2020

The holiday season can be very stressful for people with and without cognitive impairment alike. Luckily, there are some things that you can do to help your client make their holiday season manageable and enjoyable. In this blog post, we share with you three ways that you can help your client have a happy and healthy holiday season.

11 December 2020

Let’s face it, change can be scary. Children and adults alike have trouble accepting change. However, there are some ways you can make change less scary, and perhaps somewhat more exciting.

7 December 2020

Therapy never has to stop for your elderly clients. Bridging helps your clients connect their computerized cognitive training with their everyday lives. In this blog post, we share with you 3 bridging activities that you can do with your elderly clients to help them practice cognitive skills remotely.

28 October 2020

Lisa Mosconi is a neuroscientist, director of the Weill Cornell Women’s Brain Initiative, a neuro-nutrionist, and author of Brain Food and the XX Brain. Dr. Mosconi conducts extensive research on Alzheimer’s disease and women’s health, brain health and diet, and prevention medicine. She has published scientific papers since 2003, written several books, and has been featured in Psychology Today, Forbes, NBC, and CBS. 

14 October 2020

One of the greatest challenges in cognitive rehabilitation therapy is helping your client connect their practice of cognitive skills to their daily life. This is where bridging comes in. Bridging is the process by which therapists and clients work together to reflect upon a client’s cognitive processes and by using simulated real-world situations to apply learned cognitive skills. Some situations a therapist may simulate for their client to apply learned cognitive skills include planning a dinner party, making plans to attend a social event, and applying for a job.

25 September 2020

In 1996, Vialet launched Playworks with two schools in Berkeley, California. Currently, the organization brings play and physical activities to children across the country, with offices in 23 cities. With a staff of 700, this year Playworks will reach 900,000 students through on-site coaches, professional training, and consultative partnership, serving 1,800 schools and youth-serving organizations. This organization helps to make sure that students are given the chance to play. We love this TED talk because Jill covers the exact reason as to why playing needs to be an active part of every student and human's day.

7 September 2020

While exercising regularly promotes physical health, exercising may also provide cognitive benefits. Specifically, attention has been drawn to the potential clinical implications of moderate-intensity exercise for rehabilitation, physical, and mental health. In this blog post, we discuss and elaborate upon the clinically studied benefits of exercise and why clinicians should encourage their clients to perform aerobic exercise routines in their daily lives.

19 August 2020

Many people that experience a stroke, brain injury, or episode of psychosis have resulting cognitive complications. Many clients who have had a neurological accident or a psychotic episode can become unemployed and have trouble re-entering the workforce. Different kinds of clinicians can help their clients get back to work by providing cognitive remediation therapy and vocational support. In this blog post, we discuss how clinicians can help their clients get back to work by using cognitive remediation therapy

17 August 2020

Let’s face it, making friends can be super challenging for children and adults. When a person has cognitive impairment, connecting with others can feel like an almost impossible task. Fear not, it is possible to have friends even with cognitive impairment. Here are some ways therapists can help their clients make friends.

13 July 2020

Gregg's insight into how social goals and cognitive functioning are related is valuable to understanding the importance of social cognition within cognitive rehabilitation goals.

6 July 2020

Social cognition is the way that people think about themselves and how they relate to others. The term came about during the “cognitive revolution”. Social psychologists Albert Bandura, Stanley Millgram, and Philip Zimbardo wanted to change the way people thought about how they behave and interact with the world. They focused on the intricacy of the interplay between the individual and the social world. Through their research, they discovered that social cognition is comprised of three key ingredients: mentalism, process orientation, and cross-fertilization.

13 April 2020

For years, the Japanese have practiced forest bathing (“shirinyoku“). Today, Western culture is catching up with Eastern traditions as more people are looking for healthy and cost effective ways to promote relaxation. Here are some of the many benefits that can be gained from practicing “shirinyoku” and why you should starting bathing outside the tub.......

31 January 2020

Did you know that houseplants not only look pretty, but can remove harmful particles in the air and can make your space feel more calming? Like having a pet, plants are a responsibility. This in turn can provide a feeling of reward - having to care for something and watch it thrive, which in turn can be relieving for mild depression and anxiety.......

24 January 2020

Every year, people make New Year's resolutions: go to the gym, eat better, try calling family members more often. However, few people make resolutions about doing more activities that keep them cognitively sharp. While physical activity and a healthy diet are important, cognitive health plays a large factor in our well-being.  Cognitive training and stimulation helps people regulate their emotions, move efficiently and remember skills needed for everyday life......

10 January 2020

Through television shows, memes, tweets and conversation, people are finding ways to make others laugh. With witty puns and tactful punchlines, people experience "AHA!" moments that then cause them to chuckle. Our brains are able to parse images, text, and auditory information for humorous content. A number of studies have been conducted on how the brain does this, as well as differences in understanding humor among different groups of people. Many studies have examined sex differences, as well as hemispheric contributions to humor....

13 December 2019

Your brain needs proteins, carbohydrates, fats and minerals in order to function properly. Medical professionals suggest eating fish such as salmon which contains omega-3 fatty acids for brain healthy protein and fat. Loading up on green vegetables such as spinach, kale and various lettuces contain an array of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, which brain cells need for firing. Lastly, walnuts are rich in healthy fats, vitamin E and melatonin.....

20 September 2019

Ghosting has been defined as "the practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication". Once a rare phenomena, ghosting has permeated the dating and social world. About 50% of men and women report being either the ghost or the "ghostee", according to an article on Psychology Today...

23 August 2019

New Articles

Professor Seligman has been teaching and studying psychology for many years. This Ted-talk is insightful and informative to anyone who wants to involv...

22 March 2021

Mindfulness practices are those that help you find yourself within a present moment, experiencing the moment without judgment. Some people describe pr...

17 March 2021

Did you know that education may protect against memory impairment related to depression in older women? One study in Korea by Lee, Park, & Chey (20...

12 March 2021

When people are depressed, many seek psychotherapy to work on the emotional symptoms and ailments from their depression. However, people with depressi...

8 March 2021

Depression impacts individuals not only emotionally, but cognitively. Research has shown that people living with depression experience cognitive defic...

5 March 2021

Over the last decade, positive psychology has been given more attention for its practices that may be therapeutically beneficial in ameliorating depre...

3 March 2021

Nutrition is one of the most underlooked factors contributing to mental health well-being. Researchers are beginning to understand the role of the min...

1 March 2021

Cognitive remediation therapy is a form of therapy that combines the practice of cognitive skills using digital cognitive therapy tools with hands-on ...

19 February 2021

Social connection is a human need. Many people struggle with social connection and are at risk of isolation. Social connection can decrease anxiety an...

15 February 2021

Many children and adolescents experience depression. Symptoms of depression in children and adolescents include behavioral problems in school, changes...

12 February 2021

Both men and women will experience depression at some point in their lifetime, but men experience depression differently than what is included in the ...

10 February 2021

Depression during the cold winter months is common for northern countries, particularly in the northern United States and Canada. Clinically, low vita...

8 February 2021

Daniel Kahneman explains how memories influence our future. He explains how our memory can influence how we perceive what is going on in the world aro...

5 February 2021

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris is a Canadian-American pediatrician who assumed the position of Surgeon General of California in 2019. Dr. Harris is known for...

1 February 2021

Humans need regular social interaction. With older populations, the risk of isolation increases as older adults tend to develop physical disabilities ...

20 November 2020

Depression impacts cognitive function. Studies show that patients suffering from depression exhibit have difficulties with making, using, and storing ...

10 July 2020

As the program lead for research in the Department of Psychiatry at UT Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Deb has been studying psychosis for a while....

16 April 2020

Mental illness sucks. Even The New York Times  says so. Depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders can greatly impact someone's ability t...

13 September 2019

Have you ever wanted to learn how to better tackle depression?  Two articles entitled "What can you do when you're flattened by depression? plan for ...

6 September 2019

Ghosting has been defined as "the practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all com...

23 August 2019

Brain-injury causes not only cognitive and physical disturbance, but emotional. Many patients suffer from depression, with a report of approximately 4...

25 July 2019