Pathways Psychological Services, LLP

03/22/2017

Managing Pain without Drugs Part 3: Physical Management

A significant aspect to physical pain management is improving function. This usually takes the form of physical therapy, massage therapy, or acupuncture to improve the body’s movement and engagement in activities. Opiates have never worked on me so I have always leaned towards natural methods for any chronic pain I have. I know they work based on anecdotal and personal experience. [ 221 more words ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2016/04/01/managing-pain-without-drugs-part-3-physical-management

A significant aspect to physical pain management is improving function. This usually takes the form of physical therapy, massage therapy, or acupuncture to improve the body’s movement and engagemen…

03/22/2017

Managing Pain without Drugs Part 2: Mental Aspects of Pain

Pain has a significant mental component to it. Our mental state can increase and decrease our perception of pain and the amount of stress we are in. There have been experiments where people were instructed to push a button to deliver a treatment that would reduce the pain. MRIs showed that indeed there was less pain stimulation but the buttons weren’t hooked up to anything. [ 254 more words ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2016/03/25/managing-pain-without-drugs-part-2-mental-aspects-of-pain

Pain has a significant mental component to it. Our mental state can increase and decrease our perception of pain and the amount of stress we are in. There have been experiments where people were in…

03/04/2016

New Book on Healthy Eating

One of my favorite health experts is Dr. Mark Hyman. If you haven’t read any of his health information you should. He is a great advocate for natural health solutions and healthy eating. Check out his blog on drhyman.com. Or just buy his latest book, Eat Fat Get Thin. He will tell you all the current research on fat and inflammatory issues in our bodies that create pain and weight gain. Happy reading! I will get back to my series on pain management shortly.

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2016/03/04/new-book-on-healthy-eating

One of my favorite health experts is Dr. Mark Hyman. If you haven’t read any of his health information you should. He is a great advocate for natural health solutions and healthy eating. Check out …

02/20/2016

Managing Pain without Drugs Part 1: Introduction

Chronic pain is an epidemic in this country. So many people have pain from their back, neck, or legs that their activities of daily living are impacted, they can’t work, and they become sedentary leading to a whole other host of diseases. It is common for someone to get op**te pain killers (Vicodin, Percocet, OxyContin, etc) from a doctor’s office to handle the pain but they are not often educated on how these medications work. [ 299 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2016/02/19/managing-pain-without-drugs-part-1-introduction/

Chronic pain is an epidemic in this country. So many people have pain from their back, neck, or legs that their activities of daily living are impacted, they can’t work, and they become sedentary l...

01/29/2016

Health and Wellness with Supplements Part 7: Turmeric

Turmeric is one of my favorite spices. Now I don’t use it much in cooking but I sure do like it for it’s many health benefits. I have seen Turmeric supplements (or curcumin, the active ingredient) everywhere and have heard of its many benefits. So I decided to dig a little deeper and see what scientific research I could find. [ 504 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2016/01/29/health-and-wellness-with-supplements-part-7-turmeric

Turmeric is one of my favorite spices. Now I don’t use it much in cooking but I sure do like it for it’s many health benefits. I have seen Turmeric supplements (or curcumin, the active ingredient) ...

01/22/2016

Health and Wellness with Supplements Part 6: N-acetylcystine

Researching N-acetylcystine (NAC) was the most challenging endeavor yet. I can’t remember where I ran across it as a beneficial supplement but like many others it touts benefits through different possible mechanisms. It is starting to be used in a variety of mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, addiction and bipolar disorder. Primarily NAC helps maintain and restore glutathione levels. Glutathione is essential for the body to manage oxidative stress. [ 195 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2016/01/22/health-and-wellness-with-supplements-part-6-n-acetylcystine

Researching N-acetylcystine (NAC) was the most challenging endeavor yet. I can’t remember where I ran across it as a beneficial supplement but like many others it touts benefits through different p...

01/15/2016

Health and Wellness with Supplements Part 5: Coconut Oil

Coconut oil information is everywhere so I won’t repeat of ton of it here. But I have to say that when comparing the common information to the scientific articles, the claims seem well supported. Coconut oil is a medium chain triglyceride. The medium chain triglycerides are metabolized differently than other fatty acids. They are metabolized differently and immediately head to the liver to be used as energy. [ 278 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2016/01/15/health-and-wellness-with-supplements-part-5-coconut-oil

Coconut oil information is everywhere so I won’t repeat of ton of it here. But I have to say that when comparing the common information to the scientific articles, the claims seem well supported. C...

01/08/2016

Health and Wellness with Supplements Series Part 4: Probiotics and Prebiotics

I have been reading a fabulous book about the microbiome by David Perlmutter, MD. He wrote the Grain Brain and his most recent book is The Brain Maker. If you liked my post on gut and psychology then get this book. It is great. He really goes through all the research on how the microbiome that lives in our gut affects our health, mental and otherwise. [ 575 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2016/01/08/health-and-wellness-with-supplements-series-part-4-probiotics-and-prebiotics

I have been reading a fabulous book about the microbiome by David Perlmutter, MD. He wrote the Grain Brain and his most recent book is The Brain Maker. If you liked my post on gut and psychology th...

01/01/2016

Health and Wellness with Supplements Series Part 3: Omega-7

Again I was reading a health magazine or a blog, I can’t remember which. I read so much I forget where I start. They were writing about Omega-7 and how it was better for everyone than Omega-3. They describe Omega-7 as a fatty acid that works as a hormone with all these health benefits such as weight loss and reduce inflammation. [ 313 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2016/01/01/healing-with-supplements-series-part-3-omega-7

Again I was reading a health magazine or a blog, I can’t remember which. I read so much I forget where I start. They were writing about Omega-7 and how it was better for everyone than Omega-3. They...

12/25/2015

Health and Wellness with Supplements Part 2: Berberine

I was reading a health magazine and I stumbled across an article on Berberine. Berberine was being touted as the next great thing in weight management so I started a little digging on what it does. Berberine is an ammonium salt that is derived mostly from plant sources and has been used in Chinese herbal medicines for thousands of years. It claims to be anti-depressant, anti-fungal, anti-biotic, and anti-inflammatory with a positive effect on gut microbes. [ 242 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/12/25/health-and-wellness-with-supplements-part-2-berberine/

I was reading a health magazine and I stumbled across an article on Berberine. Berberine was being touted as the next great thing in weight management so I started a little digging on what it does....

12/18/2015

Health and Wellness with Supplements Series Part 1

I admit that my family and I are supplement junkies. We take a lot of supplements to maintain health and reduce reliance on chemicals and drugs in the body. We know that the healthier our bodies are the better our mental health and clarity are. The challenge with supplement is that they are often not as researched as drugs. The drug companies must test all their items before getting approval for the market but this is not always the case for vitamins and other supplements. [ 459 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/12/18/health-and-wellness-with-supplements-series-part-1

I admit that my family and I are supplement junkies. We take a lot of supplements to maintain health and reduce reliance on chemicals and drugs in the body. We know that the healthier our bodies ar...

12/11/2015

Do you have Grit?

Why do we even want Grit? In the development and growth of positive psychology, researchers are looking for ways to explain success. If we can identify the precursors or necessary traits for success then we can figure how to target them developmentally. Development of Grit would hopefully produce happier children, more successful students and more successful employees. Dr. Angela Duckworth has been… [ 411 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/12/11/do-you-have-grit/

Why do we even want Grit?  In the development and growth of positive psychology, researchers are looking for ways to explain success.  If we can identify the precursors or necessary traits for succ...

12/05/2015

Are you ready to fail?

Failure, and the fear of it, is such an issue with our culture. We have successes bombarded to us every day in the media, often without a good background as to how the person got there. The media makes it look like it was luck or they just hatched that way. Not so. There is no one watching inventors, saying “Yeah! [ 428 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/12/04/are-you-ready-to-fail

Failure, and the fear of it, is such an issue with our culture.  We have successes bombarded to us every day in the media, often without a good background as to how the person got there.  The media...

11/27/2015

Meals for Mental Health (Gut and Mental Health Part IV)

While there are no proven “prescription” diets for mental health issues, diet changes may be beneficial for your mental health. As discussed in previous articles, poor nutrition makes healing from anything difficult. Unfortunately you may need to use yourself as a guinea pig to figure out what works best for you, considering your personal make up and preferences. Whatever you do, do your research and anything too radical probably is even if it has some good take-aways. [ 274 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/11/27/meals-for-mental-health-gut-and-mental-health-part-iv

While there are no proven “prescription” diets for mental health issues, diet changes may be beneficial for your mental health.  As discussed in previous articles, poor nutrition makes healing from...

11/20/2015

Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) (Gut and Mental Health Part III)

In my research on nutrition and healthy gut, I came across the Gut and Psychology Syndrome. The Gut and Psychology Syndrome or GAPS theory was developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, a neurosurgeon and nutritionist. She has written an interesting book that you can get here. The GAPS diet was derived from the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Dr. Sidney Valentine Hass… [ 317 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/11/20/gut-and-psychology-syndrome-gaps-gut-and-mental-health-part-iii/

In my research on nutrition and healthy gut, I came across the Gut and Psychology Syndrome.  The Gut and Psychology Syndrome or GAPS theory was developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, a neurosur...

11/13/2015

How today’s food affects health (Gut and Mental Health Part II)

We are what we eat and the vehicle won’t run well without the proper fuel. We must be mindful of what we eat if we expect our bodies to look and feel good. The research keeps growing and growing about the effects of processed foods and other preparation issues on our health in general. As our lives continue to be busy with activities and work, we look for convenient alternatives to feeding ourselves. [ 459 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/11/12/how-todays-food-affects-health-gut-and-mental-health-part-ii

We are what we eat and the vehicle won’t run well without the proper fuel.  We must be mindful of what we eat if we expect our bodies to look and feel good.  The research keeps growing and growing ...

11/06/2015

New or old information? Gut and Mental Health Part I

You may have read my earlier post about the relationship between food and mood or how nutrition is one of the cornerstones of mental health. There is so much more to the relationship between our food and our mental health. This will be a 4 part series in how what we put in our bodies for fuel comes out in different ways such as behaviors, symptoms, and feelings. [ 348 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/11/06/new-or-old-information-gut-and-mental-health-part-i

You may have read my earlier post about the relationship between food and mood or how nutrition is one of the cornerstones of mental health.  There is so much more to the relationship between our f...

10/30/2015

Should I try Tele-mental Health?

First of all what is telehealth? With the rapidly growing technology market comes many more ways to reach people in need of services. As a result, a whole new section of medical services called telehealth was born. While mental health services have been behind the curve in joining with this wave or treatment modality they are getting there. Services are provided through some sort of technology such as video chat, telephone, or text. [ 533 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/10/30/should-i-try-tele-mental-health

First of all what is telehealth?  With the rapidly growing technology market comes many more ways to reach people in need of services.  As a result, a whole new section of medical services called t...

10/23/2015

3 Ways to Stay Motivated When the Going Gets Tough

We have all had some times when we know what we need to do but just don’t feel motivated to do. Sometimes an activity or task gets overwhelming and demotivates us. Even things we love to do like hobbies don’t get us motivated from time to time. There are ways to manage and improve motivation. Most of motivation science comes from sports psychology where they have done a lot of research on how to develop and encourage intrinsic (self-driven or internal) motivation. [ 160 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/10/23/3-ways-to-stay-motivated-when-the-going-gets-tough/

We have all had some times when we know what we need to do but just don’t feel motivated to do.  Sometimes an activity or task gets overwhelming and demotivates us.   Even things we love to do like...

10/16/2015

So you want your kid to play sports?: 5 things to consider when choosing a program

There are numerous benefits for getting kids involved in sports. Athletics can help someone develop a lifelong love of staying fit, learn teamwork, build self confidence and have fun. All of these things and more are some of the reason that parents want their kids to try sports. So how do you chose a program? Will it foster good development and motivation? [ 796 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/10/16/so-you-want-your-kid-to-play-sports-5-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-program

There are numerous benefits for getting kids involved in sports.  Athletics can help someone develop a lifelong love of staying fit, learn teamwork, build self confidence and have fun.  All of thes...

10/09/2015

5 Must Have Mental Skills for Athletes

Visit Pathways Psychological Services for more information. Athletics isn’t just about the physical skills and competition; there is a mental game too. Developing mental toughness or psychological skills will help athletes at all levels achieve the success they want. The ultimate goal of mental skills training is to increase your ability to self-regulate and less the effect of the environment on your physical and emotional state. [ 439 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/10/09/5-must-have-mental-skills-for-athletes/

Visit Pathways Psychological Services for more information. Athletics isn’t just about the physical skills and competition; there is a mental game too. Developing mental toughness or psychological ...

10/02/2015

Food and Mood

Visit Pathways Psychological Services for more information. Humans have long had challenges with food and its implications. In ancient times it was good to be overweight as it signified wealth and prosperity. Now, the opposite is true and we value thinness. The desire to be thin can be challenging when attempting to balance weight with nutritious eating. Food has a known effect on brain functioning in that it activates a reward pathway encouraging repeat behavior, so we eat enough. [ 246 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/food-and-mood

Visit Pathways Psychological Services for more information. Humans have long had challenges with food and its implications. In ancient times it was good to be overweight as it signified wealth and ...

09/25/2015

Build Your Own Personal Wellness Program

You hear terms like wellness used all around and everyone may have their own definition of what it means to be well. When developing your own personal wellness program you will probably include all kinds of things that make you happy or that are important to you like family, finances, or spirituality. I would argue that all good wellness plans start with three basic things which I like to call the cornerstones to mental health. [ 543 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/09/25/build-your-own-personal-wellness-program

You hear terms like wellness used all around and everyone may have their own definition of what it means to be well. When developing your own personal wellness program you will probably include all...

09/18/2015

Is Anger Wrong?

Many people are afraid of the emotion anger. They try to tell others, “you shouldn’t be angry about _____.” But what is anger and is it normal or a maladaptive behavior pattern? How can it be managed so it affects you less? First of all you must acknowledge that anger, that feeling of displeasure or hostility, is normal. It tells you that someone has violated a boundary of yours and often prepares you to protect that boundary. [ 301 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/09/18/is-anger-wrong

Many people are afraid of the emotion anger. They try to tell others, “you shouldn’t be angry about _____.”   But what is anger and is it normal or a maladaptive behavior pattern? How can it be man...

09/11/2015

Is my therapist right for me?

So often you are just given a list of providers that take your insurance and call them at random to get the next appointment with little thought to the overall therapeutic fit. How do you tell if you have that good fit with your therapist? To begin with you want a therapist that has extensive knowledge of what you are dealing with whether it be depression, anxiety, substances, interpersonal skills, etc. [ 300 more words. ]

https://pathwayspsychological.wordpress.com/2015/09/11/is-my-therapist-right-for-me

So often you are just given a list of providers that take your insurance and call them at random to get the next appointment with little thought to the overall therapeutic fit. How do you tell if y...

09/10/2015

Coming soon..... substance abuse treatment services at Pathways