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In the late 19th century, state governments in the US (along with other countries around the world) started to fund large facilities to house and treat children and adults with “mental disabilities”.  If a person was declared mentally disabled, they were designated as a threat to the public welfare and they lost their legal rights.Continue reading “PennForest”

We don’t have control of when we’re born, or where we’re born, or to whom we’re born. We enter the world with little will or volition. Our ability to cry loudly and our ability to look cute and vulnerable is about our only form of control for the first couple months of our lives. WeContinue reading “Control and Acceptance (Part 2)”

Our sense of control is a core psychological need that has been especially present in my therapy work with patients recently. As a practicing psychologist, I meet with about 25 people per week struggling with various manifestations of psychological distress in their lives. People come with common concerns (depression, anxiety, relationship concerns, trauma) and lessContinue reading “Grasping for Control (Part 1)”

One Inspector Emil Mayer sat at his desk, scrolling through an email report of a Narcotics task force in the suburbs outside Bucharest, Romania. Phones took turns ringing around him.  Four months ago, Emil was assigned to desk duty, which was usually a punishment. But, in this case, it was an act of charity. EmilContinue reading “The Return to Nature (Abridged)”

I have loved M. Night Shyamalan’s movies since I was blown away by the ending (and the fantastic slow-building dynamic between Bruce Willis’ Dr. Malcolm Crowe and Haley Joel Osment’s Cole) of The Sixth Sense (Kennedy, Marshall, Mendel, Mercer & Shyamalan, 1999) the summer after I graduated high school in 1999. Shyamalan’s blend of psychological suspense, science-fiction,Continue reading “Split (2016) and Post Traumatic Growth”

One Victoria waved her hand across the heat vent in her small sedan. The temperature was hot enough, but the fan was not forcefully pushing air into the car. She turned the control to the floor setting and sat back into her driver’s seat. She looked out at the chilled Appalachian ridgeline beyond the highwayContinue reading “An Encounter in the Woods”

Most people have a long list of favorite Christmas/Holiday movies. My list includes childhood favorites (Frosty the Snowman; A Charlie Brown Christmas) and classic, irreverent comedies (e.g., National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation). However, among the more dramatic Christmas classics, my two favorites are A Christmas Carol (original story by Charles Dickens, 1843) and It’s a Wonderful Life (Capra, 1946). These movies areContinue reading “Holiday Movies with Deeper Meaning”

Part 1: The Elders One Inspector Emil Mayer sat at his desk, scrolling through an email report of a Narcotics task force in the suburbs outside Bucharest, Romania. The department had a briefing on the recent arrests and operations of the Taskforce that afternoon. A thin stream of smoke rose from the ashtray on hisContinue reading “The Return to Nature”

An important DISCLAIMER: Thess stories have references to sexual violence, violence, and strong language throughout. If these issues are upsetting or triggering, please consider skipping! Part 1: The Witness One Judge Charles Brown is called into the court room. He sits behind the large, antique judge’s bench in the Central County Courthouse in Ringport, PA. A preliminary hearingContinue reading “The Witness Series”

In this post, I discuss my journey of seeking to understand happiness on a scientific level. I elaborate on the role of finding meaning in life. In 2003, I attended a talk by a renowned psychologist, Martin Seligman. I was a senior in psychology at Penn State University at the time. The University hosted the formerContinue reading “Searching for Happiness”