Dr Jennifer H Bourgoin, PsyD

10/12/2023

The psychology community stands in solidarity with all who are working to protect and safeguard human life during this conflict

06/27/2022

"Research on “emotional granularity” or “differentiation” supports the idea that it is a type of emotional intelligence that can improve long-term health and well-being."

“Granularity” allows you to respond to your emotions more flexibly (taking into account the situation, your goals, and your body’s energy needs), makes you less likely to drink alcohol as a way of coping with stress, and less likely to respond with aggression to provocations or hurtful actions of others. Other research links “emotional granularity” with a lessened neural response to rejection and less anxiety and depression."

Neuroscience research uncovers a new type of emotional intelligence.

09/15/2021

I'm nerdy about microbiome research!

Standard therapies for mental health complications, like depression and anxiety, do not generally consider diet, but should they? Experts say yes.

09/15/2021

I've been deep diving into the literature on the brain-gut connection to understand the roles that a healthy diet (particularly around the function of probiotics) plays in improving one's mental health and physical longevity!

An estimated one in five American adults experiences bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses each year. And scientists warn that several years of pandemic-related stress and

08/02/2021

I have another exciting private practice announcement this week…I am so grateful and excited to offer teletherapy appointments to clients in the state of New York!

07/29/2021

I have an exciting private practice announcement!

I’m now recognized by the EMDR International Association as being an EMDR Trained Clinician! I attended intensive trainings in February and April and have been practicing EMDR with my clients with regular professional consultation.

I look forward to offering this evidence-based intervention to my patients and continuing to work towards becoming a Certified EMDR therapist (which requires additional training, practice hours, and supervision).

I am currently offering virtual EMDR appointments, using RemoteEMDR technology! Research shows that conducting EMDR sessions using Telehealth has excellent results compared with the traditional in-person methods.

If you’re curious about what EMDR is, check out this article written by SimplePractice:

Learn more about the history and basics of EMDR therapy, and determine if it's the right option for your clients.

07/01/2021

"...weight stigma contributes to depression and anxiety, emotional distress, and disordered eating...after the year we’ve had, we should all be giving ourselves a break...self-compassion is the No. 1 thing we should be focusing on now.” https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/07/extra-weight-covid via

Health psychologists discuss how and why weight gain and disordered eating spiked during the stress of the pandemic, including the disruption to people’s diets, activity levels, sleep habits, and daily routines.

06/09/2021

Celebrating Pride Month! 🥳👬❤️👭🏳️‍🌈

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/02/996319297/gender-identity-pronouns-expression-guide-lgbtq

How do I make sure I use the right pronouns for someone? And what if I mess up? Language can change quickly. Here's a guide to talking gender in its beautiful complexity.

06/03/2021

"People are working, exercising, and socializing inside their homes and even in their bedrooms, which can weaken the cognitive and behavioral associations between those areas and rest or relaxation, Rubman said. We are also facing more stressful situations, limited social support, and disrupted routines, all of which are known to trigger sleep problems (Kutana, S., & Lau, P. H., Canadian Psychology, Vol. 62, No. 1, 2021)."

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/06/news-concerns-sleep

Psychologists explain why it is so crucial for everyone to get back to a healthy routine without disrupted sleep.

06/03/2021

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-guidelines-covid-19-isolation

This article is for informational purposes only. Consult your local medical authority for advice. For up-to-date information on the COVID-19 outbreak and

05/12/2021

"Just because you feel rusty or nervous doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you’re getting back out there."

https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/pandemic-end-anxiety #

Vaccination has lit a light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel. But it’s not always easy to readjust to a new normal.

03/10/2021

Music is one of the most important things in my life.
I grew up dancing and singing along to the Beatles and Neil Diamond (thanks Mom and Dad), and I played the trumpet from ages 11 to 20. Playing an instrument taught me the importance of practicing to get better at something and even helped with my math skills (which do not come easily to my brain).

"Learning music early in life actually makes the brain more connected, inducing neural plasticity capable of improving neurological capabilities beyond music."

Scientists find learning music early in life actually makes the brain more structurally and functionally connected.

01/20/2021

Dr. Bourgoin offers a free 15-minute telephone consultation call to have a brief conversation together about the type of help you are seeking and to ask her any questions about her practice policies, clinical experience, and therapy style.

Here's an article that goes into more detail about the purpose of a consultation call and what to expect:

https://mywellbeing.com/therapy-101/phone-consultation

Learn how to make the most of your free phone consultation with your matches to better determine who is the best therapist for you, and who of your matches you’d like to move forward with.

01/09/2021

This APA article offers some psychological explanations for "How did we get here?" with regard to the current political climate.
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/01/healing-political-divide #

Psychological science suggests that it is both possible and imperative for members of our society to find common ground.

01/09/2021

https://www.self.com/story/pandemic-therapy-trends

There is no “right” way to handle this.

01/07/2021

Sufficient sleep heals our bodies and minds, but for many reasons sleep doesn’t always come easily. Mindfulness practices and habits can help us fall asleep and stay asleep. Consult our guide to find tips for meditation, movement, and mindfulness practices to ease into the best sleep ever.

01/07/2021

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/01/trends-online-therapy #

COVID-19 dramatically impacted psychology practice. With telepsychology rates skyrocketing, resolving concerns around privacy and security, access to care, and payments for providers will be critical.

11/15/2020

🖐 Yup, me too!!

"It was a way for me to control something when my life felt otherwise really chaotic and out of my control."

11/11/2020

A Must-Watch: this awesome Ted Talk from a fellow Health Psychologist discussing the research on how stress doesn't have to be bad for your health! 🤯

Visit http://TED.com to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. Stress. It makes your hea...

11/06/2020

A new brain imaging study shows that self-compassion training alters neural responses to chronic pain.

10/12/2020

ADHD brains love adrenaline. For some, this means trying sky diving and roller derby. For others, it means seeking out stress and drama, which are even tougher on the body. Meditation can counteract these stresses; here's how to do it right.

09/10/2020

"How could I be doing well while the people I care for suffer? How dare I? And is it right to feel good during such a horrific time?"

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/17/smarter-living/coronavirus-feeling-ok.html?action=click&block=more_in_recirc&impression_id=27c3f930-e07d-11ea-aa62-99e9e72a8384&index=3&pgtype=Article®ion=footer

Even amid all of the suffering, give yourself permission to be OK.

09/05/2020

A crisis gives rise to a new practice

09/01/2020

👩‍💻 A private practice announcement: I have exciting news!

I am now licensed to practice in Maine, and I have a new therapy office located in Portland!

I look forward to continuing to help Massachusetts-based clients using SimplePractice for teletherapy appointments and hopefully the occasional in-person visit in the future.

08/14/2020

Resources for protecting your mental health during the pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China.

08/07/2020

I have a private practice announcement!

I am enabling the SimplePractice Patient Portal option to improve the quality of your experience with appointment scheduling, billing, and sharing documents.

Here's what the patient portal offers:

* Scheduling: new ability to schedule or change your own appointments through the portal calendar. You can book a session up to two months in advance, and make a change request/cancellation within 24 hours of the new event.

* Billing: update credit card information and access your current and past billing documents such as invoices, statements, and superbills.

* Document sharing: solves for not being able to give me forms in person during COVID-19 and reduces the need to print, sign, and resend paperwork via e-mail. The portal allows for secure uploading of documents such as intake paperwork, signing a release of information form, completing assessment questionnaires, etc.

** Secure messaging using the patient portal is a feature, but will remain disabled. I will continue to communicate with you via e-mail, text messages, and phone calls.

Ask me about the "Getting Started Guide" developed by SimplePractice that offers instructions on how to use the patient portal.

07/28/2020

"Psychologists can help you manage the stresses in your life related to your chronic pain.

Psychologists can help you learn relaxation techniques, such as meditation or breathing exercises to keep stress levels under control. Some psychologists and other health care providers use an approach called biofeedback, which teaches you how to control certain body functions."

https://www.apa.org/topics/pain-management #

To treat chronic pain effectively, you must address its physical, emotional, and psychological aspects.

07/08/2020

How Well Is Telepsychology Working?

"What we’ve seen is that telehealth is essentially just as effective as face-to-face psychotherapy—and retention rates are higher"

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/07/cover-telepsychology #

Researchers pinpoint what we know—and what we need to learn—about telepsychology treatment options.

06/19/2020

I am not planning on returning to seeing clients in-person at the office anytime soon, but I'm still happy to read this!

https://www.apaservices.org/practice/clinic/psychologists-ppe-amazon #

Following talks between APA and Amazon leadership, Amazon quickly made resources available to all licensed psychologists.

06/10/2020

“This is definitely affecting us greatly on a mental health level, and we’re not immune to that at all.”

05/28/2020

If someone shares vulnerable feelings like fear, anger, sadness, disappointment, etc., try to listen actively and offer validation without encouraging them to 'find a silver lining" or telling them to "stay positive", which can be experienced as minimizing or dismissive.

https://thepsychologygroup.com/toxic-positivity/

Toxic positivity is the overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state resulting in the denial & invalidation of the authentic human emotional experience.

05/25/2020

This APA article provides practical guidance for therapists on how to help prevent experiencing teletherapy exhaustion, which may arise from "the demands of attention, empathy, and relational dissonance" during videoconference sessions.

https://www.apaservices.org/practice/news/psychodynamic-care-covid-19 #

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered how clinicians are using technology to provide safe spaces, intimate connections, and relational continuity. APA's Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology (Division 39) offers advice on providing psychodynamic treatment.

05/08/2020

I'm waiting until at least June 1st to begin meeting in-person with patients again, but I'm glad that the APA has come out with safety guidelines for clinicians returning to the office.

https://www.apaservices.org/practice/news/in-person-services-covid-19 #

Some states are lifting stay-at-home orders. Here are some factors to consider before reopening your office.

04/29/2020

04/28/2020 UPDATES - Dr. Bourgoin's therapy practice response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

I appreciate your patience and understanding while we have been restricted to meeting virtually instead of in-person. I am honored to be a support person for you as we continue our therapy work together during this unprecedented situation!

Today, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker extended the stay-at-home advisory to May 18th, and Cambridge has implemented strict rules for wearing protective masks in public.

While the 10 Concord Ave landlords and clinicians have been working together to create a plan for making the office a COVID-19 safe environment, we do not have something solid established yet. I will share more with you as soon I can. We are considering best practices for sanitation, how to accommodate social distancing in the common areas, and protocols for everyone with regards to handwashing, mask-wearing, etc.

Both Massachusetts and Maine (where I now live) have announced similar phased/staged re-opening procedures that begin in May, but it is unclear/too early to tell what the outcomes of re-opening will be.

With the consideration of the above information, I have decided to continue providing only teletherapy services until June 1st, with ongoing evaluation. I am eager to return to sharing space together in-person in the comfort of my office, however, it's very important to me to put our safety first.

04/03/2020

"Now more than ever, we must abandon the performative and embrace the authentic. Our essential mental shifts require humility and patience. Focus on real internal change. These human transformations will be honest, raw, ugly, hopeful, frustrated, beautiful, and divine."

In the early weeks of a global catastrophe like Covid-19, it’s best to accept that the world has changed and reimagine yourself and your work within it.

04/02/2020

How to be a therapist during a Pandemic was not something I Iearned about in graduate school, but I'm doing the best I can! This APA article offers some great suggestions for how to be a care-giver and take care of yourself at the same time.

https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2020/03/psychologists-self-care #

Clinicians, researchers, professors and other psychologists need to take care of themselves as well as those they serve.

03/30/2020

Are you new to working-from-home? Check out these tips from McLean Hospital on how to adjust to the transition.

Strategies and mental health tips for employees who are now working from home during the coronavirus crisis.

03/24/2020

A gentle way to explain the current COVID-19 situation to your little one!

Written by Kim St. Lawrence Read by Ryan St. Lawrence (Made with Biteable.)