Although the practice of mindfulness dates back thousands of years, there has been a large recent focus on it in the Western scientific community. Researchers’ interest in mindfulness practice has steadily increased as studies continue to reveal its beneficial effects. Current research looks at how the brain
Read more →Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude. We are grateful for our family, friends, colleagues, clients, and community. Happy Thanksgiving from the office of Dr. Ermshar!
Read more →A new study out of Stanford found that girls with autism exhibit less repetitive and restricted behavior than boys. Of the three core features of autism, repetitive and restricted behavior is most widely recognized and it can appear in children as a preoccupation with a certain interest,
Read more →Most of us get our depiction of a sociopath from the media, through embodiments such as Hannibal and Dexter. However, these depictions are more of a psychopath and, believe it or not, sociopaths operate more undetected and could even be your friend or family member. Psychologist Martha
Read more →Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States—however, it is becoming less and less illicit. Since 1996, twenty-three states have legalized marijuana for medicinal uses. Recently, states such as Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington D.C. have permitted recreational use of the drug
Read more →Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental illness that is often misunderstood and wrongly diagnosed. Although it affects roughly 5.9% of all American adults (roughly 14 million people), public discussion and awareness of BPD remains relatively scarce. A recent article colloquially discusses the process of identifying BPD,
Read more →Making a significant change is not an easy task and inspiring someone else to make a change can be even more challenging. Literature on motivation and instilling change has often relied on directives such as bargaining, incentives, and penalties. However, research shows that the most important factor
Read more →On the surface, the farming village of Geel in the Belgian countryside appears both old-fashioned and picturesque. It consists of sparsely populated farmland as well as a charming market square with cafes and plenty of delightful townsfolk strolling the streets. What is not apparent at first glance
Read more →Roughly 3% of American teens suffer from bulimia each year and the condition usually develops in early adolescence. Due to the secretive nature of bulimia, many teens live with the disorder for years before parents or professionals intervene. Excluding parents from counseling and treatment and been the
Read more →Certain individuals truly believe that the world is out to get them, constantly suspecting that others are harming, deceiving, or exploiting them. Without any sufficient basis they hold suspicion towards family, friends, a store cashier, or even a stranger. They are reluctant to confide in others and
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