Counseling From A to Z

Sep 3, Help in Addiction Treatment for Women-Biochemical pathway may link addiction, compulsive eating

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:32:19 GMT

Addiction Treatment for Women- While this research may not be of much comfort to the still suffering alcoholic, it is very exciting to me, because it says that there is a rhyme and reason to both addiction and recovery. Some or most of the hopelessness that the still suffering experience comes from the thought that addiction is inexplicable, too big, and cannot be beaten. This kind of information offers hope for understanding and with understanding effortful recovery can happen. Awareness leads to choices if you will. "ScienceDaily (2010-09-02) -- Ezlopitant, a compound known to suppress craving for alcohol in humans, was shown to decrease consumption of sweetened water by rodents in a new study."...Ezlopitant is an NK1 binder antagonist, a class of drugs that blocks the action of substance P, a neurotransmitter that is believed to play a role in the reward system. The reward system is a complex of brain structures that, among other things, governs craving for, and addiction to, alcohol and drugs. "Substance P is released in your brain in response to certain stimuli, and needs to bind with receptors on neurons in order to have an effect," Bartlett explains. "The NK1 receptor is where it binds, and ezlopitant prevents that binding."

Sep 2, More Brain Fitness Research!

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:10:31 GMT

I have been adding new brain fitness posts to my site for over a month now, each one of them involving new research about what we have come to call brain fitness. It would appear that research about neurogenesis and what it means for older adults is just exploding. Please do not wait for a magic potion or magic wand. We need to take care of our own neurogenesis, which means attend to the pillars of brain fitness every day. Those pillars are physical exercise, nutrition including omega 3 fatty acid and antioxidants, good sleep, stress management, and novel learning experiences. Read more by clicking the link below. ScienceDaily (2009-12-01) -- Scientists have made a significant advance in understanding regeneration processes in the brain. The researchers discovered progenitor cells which can form new glutamatergic neurons following injury to the cerebral cortex.

Sep 1, Forming new brain cells: Key regulatory peptide discovered

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:24:13 GMT

I wonder what the link between brain training exercises and the creation of peptide C3a is? But the good news is that we are discovering more and more of what the brain can do in regards to neurogenesis, or growth of new brain cells. That is a relief for this Boomer Brain. Now to go do the physical exercise, and get to work. Mike ScienceDaily (2009-11-29) -- The generation of new nerve cells in the brain is regulated by a peptide known as C3a, which directly affects the stem cells' maturation into nerve cells and is also important for the migration of new nerve cells through the brain tissue.

Aug 31, Use it or Lose It Research says Train Your Brain

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:02:24 GMT

Brain training exercises are important, it turns out. If you have been following the brain fitness research at all, you have read of the 'pillars of brain fitness', one of which is novel learning experiences. That novel learning experience is usually characterized as giving your brain a challenge which requires regular effort and increasing levels of challenge, like learning a new language or a new musical instrument. The research below tells you why engaging in novel learning experiences is important. ScienceDaily (2008-02-12) -- Scientists have found another important clue to why nerve cells die in neurodegenerative diseases, based on studies of the developing brain. "It appears that if a cell is not appropriately stimulated by other cells, it self-destructs" said one of the researchers."

Aug 30, Why Relationship Tips? Our best and worst moments occur within social relationships, research shows.

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:05:56 GMT

I am sure you have been in some relationships where you could have used some tips, because it did not end up the way you would have preferred, and then you learned experientially what this research says is true. There is emotion. ScienceDaily (2010-08-27) -- In the first study of its kind, researchers have found compelling evidence that our best and worst experiences in life are likely to involve not individual accomplishments, but interaction with other people and the fulfillment of an urge for social connection.

Aug 29, Researchers urge reclassification of traumatic brain injury as chronic disease!

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:10:41 GMT

Is adult neurogenesis the answer? Growing replacement parts in your brain? I think this is very important information for your counseling practice. I frequently check with my clients about head injuries, especially in the Anger Management program. There are very few men out there who have not had a blow to the head in sports or on the playground. ScienceDaily (2010-08-27) -- Traumatic brain injury, currently considered a singular event by the insurance industry and many health care providers, is instead the beginning of an ongoing process that impacts multiple organ systems and may cause or accelerate other diseases and disorders that can reduce life expectancy, according to new research.

Aug 28, The Best Memory Strategy? Physical Exercise?

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:45:10 GMT

ScienceDaily (2008-09-05) -- An Australian study has found that walking for two and a half hours a week can significantly improve memory problems in the over-50s. But as all married people know, selective memory and hearing are still ok.

Aug 27, Attention, couch potatoes! Walking boosts brain connectivity, function

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:39:27 GMT

Improving your brain by walking regularly? No need to embarrass myself at the gym? Or buy spandex? So cool. ScienceDaily (2010-08-26) -- A group of "professional couch potatoes," as one researcher described them, has proven that even moderate exercise -- in this case walking at one's own pace for 40 minutes three times a week -- can enhance the connectivity of important brain circuits, combat declines in brain function associated with aging and increase performance on cognitive tasks.

Aug 26, New Anxiety Attacks Information

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:53:28 GMT

New Anxiety Attacks Information- Gotta love fMRI or functional magenetic resonance imagery. We are learning what brain circuitry is active when we are feeling anxious and perhaps even how to create an active coping response rather than a passive coping response. "ScienceDaily (2007-06-04) -- Researchers have now uncovered the neural basis for such anxiety behaviour in mice. They report that a receptor for the messenger serotonin and a neural circuit involving a brain region called the hippocampus play crucial roles in mediating fear responses in ambiguous situations."

Aug 25, Zen Training Speeds The Mind's Return After Distraction, Brain Scans Reveal

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:55:16 GMT

Biofeedback relaxation is about the regular switch from alpha to beta brainwaves and back, or heart rate variability coherence to incoherence and back. If Barry Sterman,Ph.D. is seeing this, he might be doing a fist pump or two, as his research with EEG biofeedback with Navy pilots way back in the dark ages of the early '90's said something similar, that the pilots who were able to switch attentional styles, take short alpha brain wave breaks between tasks, were more successful than pilots who stayed locked into one attentional style. This research says that with practice, changes in distraction can be minimized. But you say you are not a Zen meditator, nor are you going to undertake a regimen of EEG Biofeedback training. Then go to the link below and checkout Heartmath. ScienceDaily (2008-09-03) -- After being interrupted by a word-recognition task, experienced meditators' brains returned faster to their pre-interruption condition. Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine changes in blood flow in the brain when people meditating were interrupted by stimuli designed to mimic the appearance of spontaneous thoughts."

Aug 24, Your Aging Brain and Blueberries, Strawberries, and Acai Berries

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:33:05 GMT

My aging brain soothed by blueberries? I am on it. I love blueberries and strawberries in a smoothie. I mix up some frozen yogurt, a banana, blueberries, and strawberries, with some milk, soy milk, maybe some protein powder added in, and I have a very tasty concoction that has a wonderful side effect of leaving me feeling comfortably full for several hours. No desire for artificial food. ScienceDaily (2010-08-24) -- Scientists report the first evidence that eating blueberries, strawberries, and acai berries may help the aging brain stay healthy in a crucial but previously unrecognized way. Their study concludes that berries, and possibly walnuts, activate the brain's natural "housekeeper" mechanism, which cleans up and recycles toxic proteins linked to age-related memory loss and other mental decline.

Aug 23, Can Meditation Help The Elderly With Their Issues

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:07:35 GMT

I want to suggest that Boomers and the elderly can make a difference in their ability to find solutions for elderly issues by taking care of brain fitness. The brain fitness writers are saying that we can continue to grow new neurons well into our 70's, if we take care of those pillars, which are physical exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress management, which is where meditation practices fit, and novel learning experiences, and learning a Buddhist meditative technique would be novel for most of us. Why would I want to undertake this kind of regimen as a Boomer or elder? I want to suggest that when it comes to brains, bigger (or thicker) is better at any age. ScienceDaily (2005-11-11) -- Meditation is known to alter resting brain patterns, suggesting long lasting brain changes, but a new study by researchers from Yale, Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shows meditation also is associated with increased cortical thickness.

Aug 22, Mindfulness for Beginners-Brief meditative exercise helps cognition

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:14:17 GMT

This article says that mindfulness for beginners is better than coffee! "ScienceDaily (2010-04-19) -- Psychologists studying the effects of a meditation technique known as "mindfulness " found that meditation-trained participants showed a significant improvement in their critical cognitive skills -- and performed significantly better in cognitive tests than a control group -- after only four days of training for only 20 minutes each day. The results resembled previously studied cognitive improvements connected to far more extensive training in meditation." The article goes on to say this about the dual n back task and the impact of the breathing technique on the performance of the participants,"Particularly of note were the differing results on a "computer adaptive n-back task," where participants would have to correctly remember if a stimulus had been shown two steps earlier in a sequence. If the participant got the answer right, the computer would react by increasing the speed of the subsequent stimulus, further increasing the difficulty of the task. The meditation-trained group averaged aproximately10 consecutive correct answers, while the listening group averaged approximately one." This is what the Heartmath folks have been saying all along, that relaxation skills open the higher perceptual centers of the brain. Happy breathing, y'all.

Aug 21, Meditate to Concentrate

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 12:25:14 GMT

How can concentration exercises benefit someone in counseling? How can meditation help in life? Not sure about you, but I picked up somewhere that concentration meant that I was locked into and holding on for dear life to some thought or topic or chore, and that is not how we humans pay attention. Learning any meditative or mindfulness technique will help me recognize that my attention is moving around all the time, and that if I guide it, rather than force it, I will have a lot more fun. ScienceDaily (2007-06-26) -- Researchers say that practicing even small doses of daily meditation may improve focus and performance. Even for those new to the practice, meditation enhanced performance and the ability to focus attention. Performance-based measures of cognitive function demonstrated improvements in a matter of weeks.

Aug 20, Compassion Meditation May Improve Physical And Emotional Responses To Psychological Stress

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:14:28 GMT

An attitude of gratitude can work wonders for a fevered brain, and now the researchers are beginning to chime in from a number of directions. If you are familiar with Sharon Begley, Science writer from Newsweek, who wrote Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain, then you will feel gratitude right now about the research mentioned below, which sounds to me like it confirms what Begley was writing about and the Buddhist's were creating. ScienceDaily (2008-10-07) -- Data from a new study suggests that individuals who engage in compassion meditation may benefit by reductions in inflammatory and behavioral responses to stress that have been linked to depression and a number of medical illnesses.

Aug 19, Body-mind Meditation Boosts Performance, Reduces Stress

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:06:39 GMT

Integrative counseling should include tools that improve attention and take advantate of research like this. More and more western science is saying that we need to learn meditation techniques, and that counselors need to teach them to clients as part of their treatment plan. I love teaching clients tools like Heartmath, for example, because when a client learns a sophisticated tool like Heartmath, confidence in their ability to perservere through difficult choices is enhanced. Clients have a success, a significant success to hang their hats on. ScienceDaily (2007-10-09) -- A team of researchers have developed an approach for neuroscientists to study how meditation might provide improvements in a person's attention and response to stress. The experimental group showed greater improvement than the control in an attention test designed to measure the subjects' abilities to resolve conflict among stimuli. Stress was induced by mental arithmetic."

Aug 18, Integrative body-mind training (IBMT) meditation found to boost brain connectivity!

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:15:15 GMT

Brain fitness! More research that says it is possible to make structural changes in the brain from meditation/relaxation/training! Unfortunately, this particular training is not available to the public yet, but Heartmath is. You want to make structural changes in the brain? You want to work from your brain's higher perceptual centers? Heartmath is integrative mind body training. ScienceDaily (2010-08-16) -- Just 11 hours of learning a meditation technique induces positive structural changes in brain connectivity by boosting efficiency in a part of the brain that helps a person regulate behavior in accordance with their goals, researchers report. The technique -- integrative body-mind training (IBMT) -- has been the focus of intense scrutiny by a team of Chinese researchers.

Aug 17, Neuroplasticity Training and Music and Creativity

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:13:56 GMT

"ScienceDaily (2010-07-20) -- A data-driven review pulls together converging research from the scientific literature linking musical training to learning that spills over to skills including language, speech, memory, attention and even vocal emotion. The science covered comes from labs all over the world, from scientists of varying scientific philosophies, using a wide range of research methods." The brain fitness folks have been writing about the pillars of brain fitness for at least two years, and one of those pillars is novel learning experience, which is usually likened to the kind of learning our brains undertake when they are learning a new language or a new musical instrument. Now when your school district says that it wants to cut band from the curriculum, show them this study.

Aug 16, Mindfulness Stress Reduction

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:44:38 GMT

Mindfulness and Your Stress Reduction

Aug 16, Selflessness -- Core Of All Major World Religions -- Has Neuropsychological Connection

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:16:50 GMT

ScienceDaily (2008-12-22) -- All spiritual experiences are based in the brain. That statement is truer than ever before, according to a University of Missouri neuropsychologist. A new study has data to support a neuropsychological model that proposes spiritual experiences associated with selflessness are related to decreased activity in the right parietal lobe of the brain. The study is one of the first to use individuals with traumatic brain injury to determine this connection. No wonder the AA and the NA folks, in their wisdom, included a 12th Step, which involved service, or carrying the message to the still suffering addict/alcoholic. And they did that long before fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging)or SPECT or PET scans. So it would make sense wouldn't it, to keep your brain in the best shape possible.

Aug 15, A New Anger Management Technique

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:38:39 GMT

My sister needed this anger management technique. I am remembering back to our childhood and arguments over the TV programming. Her friends vs my friends, and we probably argued over who got the most lemonade too, but as kids, I am guessing we would have howled had this kind of thing come on the T.V. My kids, on the otherhand, are linked to computers and xBoxes routinely, so they may accept this kind of programming because they are used to it. ScienceDaily () -- Human development scientists and computer game developers designed a video game that teaches kids how to resolve conflicts peacefully amongst themselves. Inanimate objects, such as pencils and erasers, come to life to lead players through a series of common scenarios in which arguments are about to occur. The player is prompted for the non-violent solution and is rewarded for choosing correctly.

Aug 14, For Stress Reduction Meditation, Visit Your Local Forest!

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 12:55:06 GMT

Stress Reduction Meditation I knew there was a reason I loved forests. I had thought that it was the silence and the privacy, but maybe it is the vibration of the Earth in the forest, an Earth that has been left alone by men. One of the reasons I wanted to move to the house we are in now was the space around it. I can look out clear to the horizon and see mostly vegetation and a few farmhouses, and in the winter, when there is snow on the ground, and the moon is out, the Earth sparkles all the way to the horizon. Beautiful. Even the memory is soothing. Mike ScienceDaily (2010-07-26) -- Forests -- and other natural, green settings -- can reduce stress, improve moods, reduce anger and aggressiveness and increase overall happiness. Forest visits may also strengthen our immune system by increasing the activity and number of natural killer cells that destroy cancer cells.

Aug 13, Alcoholism and Drug Treatment and Mutant Genes?

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:23:17 GMT

If I were an alcoholism or drug treatment counselor, I would certainly want to explore this with my clients. Just one more tool in the arsenal that says to the client that you are extra sensitive to the molecule, and need to make sure you keep it out of your brain. And I wonder if there is a way to test to see if children have this mutation? ScienceDaily (2010-08-12) -- A mutation found in a mouse gene that also appears in humans might provide new insights into the genetic roots of alcoholism, according to a new study.

Aug 12, Exercise Over 50

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:50:02 GMT

Since exercise over 50 and even exercise over 60 is important to me, and since I had known intuitively that this was true, it was still quite a surprise to see research that says that even elders with health issues can improve muscle mass by lifting smaller weights until they feel muscle fatigue. Fits with the high intensity interval concept too, so do not delay, seniors, get some small dumbells and exercise regularly. ScienceDaily (2010-08-12) -- A new study shows that building muscle depends on achieving muscle fatigue not on pumping heavy weights as previously believed.

Aug 11, Exercise Over 50 For Brains, Exercise Under 20 For Bones

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:22:41 GMT

Exercise over 50 for your grey matter, and be grateful for all that running around playing Davey Crocket when you were a kid, because it will make the bones that now support your grey matter stronger. Not sure about you, but at 62, I am paying much more attention to flexibility and balance than I did as a kid. I am not so worried about my physique, as it has both expanded and sagged, but being able to chase my daughter is very important. Love her laughter. "ScienceDaily (2010-07-15) -- The positive effects of exercise while growing up seem to last longer than previously believed. New findings suggest that physical activity when young increases bone density and size, which may mean a reduced risk of osteoporosis later in life."

Aug 10, Wonder How Come Neuroplasticity Exercise is Such a Hot Topic

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:59:13 GMT

Neuroplasticity exercises? I think the article mentioned below means that if I practice some brain fitness exercises, perhaps working on fluid intelligence, I strengthen the entire organization or organ, right? That is why if one part breaks down, or there is an alzheimer's plaquen, a healthy brain can re-route signals around it? Very intriguing, and it seems true intuitively. ScienceDaily (2010-08-10) -- Neuroscientists have traced circuits in part of the rat brain and find no sign of a top-down hierarchy. The distributed network of the Internet may be a better model, they say.

Aug 9, Why (smart) practice makes perfect

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:23:24 GMT

I have always known this about myself, that if I switch my practice around in required skills of any endeavor, I learn them faster. It is almost like my brain gets tired of this one skill, but I know I need to keep practicing, so I switch to another skill. How does this work in counseling or brain fitness? Well, my first mentor in counseling, Tony Kubicki, had a list of affirmations, and each day, he would pick the one that was seemed the hardest to believe, and work on that one for the day. But check out the Science Daily article too. ScienceDaily (2010-07-13) -- A new study demonstrates neural basis for observation that practicing several skills in single session works better than narrow drills on one skill. Study also helps define time window for brain's learning of new skills.

Aug 8, Newly discovered mechanism controls levels and efficacy of a marijuana-like substance in the brain

Sun, 08 Aug 2010 14:38:49 GMT

"ScienceDaily (2010-08-07) -- A newly discovered molecular mechanism helps control the amount and effectiveness of a substance that mimics an active ingredient in marijuana, but that is produced by the body's own nerve cells. Cannabinoid signaling systems are common throughout the body and affect a variety of functions. Developing new therapies that modulate these molecular communications might help patients with autoimmune or neurological disorders, including brain inflammation following a viral infections. Specifically targeted treatments would have medicinal benefits without mind-altering side effects." Good to know that there are some intrinsic properties available for us to use as we recover from addiction and restore our mental health.

Aug 7, What about Omega 3 Fatty Acid?

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 21:04:12 GMT

ScienceDaily (2007-10-19) -- The search for alternatives to steroid medications for treating millions of Baby Boomer males with age-related declines in the sex hormone testosterone has led researchers to report development of a nonsteroidal compound that shows promise as a new treatment for loss of muscle mass, bone tissue, and other problems linked to low testosterone. My wife, who is younger than I am, expressed consternation a few years back at my lack of libido. Not wanting her to replace me with a younger model, I talked to my Doc, who took some blood, and told me that I was not making much testosterone anymore, and hr prescribed some bioidentical testosterone cream that made my libido worse than it was when I was 13, and probably aged my brain until I got it that I could adjust the usage myself, titrating it to an effective amount. But overall, when I am not taking my omega 3 fatty acid my memory goes, and do not remember why I am using testosterone cream.

Aug 6, Romantic rejection stimulates areas of brain involved in motivation, reward and addiction

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:34:47 GMT

"ScienceDaily (2010-07-06) -- The pain and anguish of rejection by a romantic partner may be the result of activity in parts of the brain associated with motivation, reward and addiction cravings, according to a new study." This is very interesting information for me as a domestic violence educator. Stalking can be deadly, but is it criminal in it is simply a function of a reward system turned on, where the participants have been in a relationship? What about a brain scan for celebrity stalkers or stalkers who have no history with their target? Can that show evidence of criminality? Can stalkers be educated to grieve the loss of the relationship and to let go? Many questions.

Aug 5, Counseling in Rockford With Mike and Julie Logan

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:24:59 GMT

Want to get to know Mike and Julie a bit? You can listen to us on Blog Talk Radio now, and I have posted links to our fifteen minute shows on our counseling in rockford pages, and on our blog at http://www.logan-counseling.com, which is really directed at our local market. We have a lot of fun doing our quick interviews, and they are developing into resources for our clients and listeners which showcase our ideas about common issues faced by all us Rockfordians. You can listen in or hear the replays here.

Listen to internet radio with Michael S. Logan MS on Blog Talk Radio

Aug 4, Abusive mothers improve parenting after in-home training, emotional support of therapists

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:55:10 GMT

ScienceDaily (2010-07-27) -- Each year, US child welfare agencies log more than 3 million reports of child abuse and neglect. Many services aim to address child abuse but there's very little scientific data about whether the services actually work, say psychologists. A new study finds that women in families reported previously for child abuse improved their parenting after intensive, weekly, in-home, hands-on training by mental health service providers. In my practice, I see many couples where loving folks who are stressed economically, for example, which can lead to bitter, cruel comments to kids, who will work really hard to get mommy and daddy approval. The ideas in the research outlined here are very intriguing.

Aug 3, Men And Women Are Programmed Differently When It Comes To Temptation

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:15:58 GMT

Excerpted From Science Daily- "One interpretation of these studies is that men are unable to ward off temptation. We do not subscribe to this. Instead, we believe men simply interpret these interactions differently than women do," said Lydon. "We think that if men believed an attractive, available woman was a threat to their relationship, they might try to protect that relationship." Using virtual reality scenarios in the last experiment, the researchers wanted to see if 40 men could learn not to flirt when mingling with attractive women if they formed a plan or strategy beforehand. The researchers prompted half the male subjects in this experiment to visualize being approached by an attractive woman. They were then instructed to write down a strategy to protect their relationship. These men were more likely to distance themselves from an attractive woman in the subsequent virtual reality scenarios. Lydon says women, on the other hand, don't need to be trained to withhold any reactions when approached by attractive men. "Women have been socialized to be wary of the advances of attractive men," says Lydon. "These findings show that even if a man is committed to his relationship, he may still need to formulate strategies to protect his relationship by avoiding that available, attractive woman. The success rate of such strategies may not be 100 percent but it is likely to be significantly higher than if the man was not made aware of the specific consequences of his actions." So guys, we have to be aware of our physiological response to an attractive lady, which, in my experience, happens whether she is interacting with me or not, and make some choices, very quick choices, about how to behave. If we do not practice a response of awareness and choice, our biology can drive some inappropriate behaviors. Wonder what Helen Fisher,Ph.D. would say about this research?

Aug 1, Body Language Explainded?

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 12:36:25 GMT

ScienceDaily (2010-07-10) -- What can a wide-eyed, talking robot teach us about trust? A lot, according to psychology professors who are conducting innovative research to determine how humans decide to trust strangers -- and if those decisions are accurate...The researchers are examining whether nonverbal cues and gestures could affect our trustworthiness judgments. "People tend to mimic each other's body language," said DeSteno, "which might help them develop intuitions about what other people are feeling -- intuitions about whether they'll treat them fairly." It has been my experience that I form those intuitions quickly, and from watching my clients over the years, I think I can get a sense of their experience of me as well, although I think there is a difference between a personal and professional trust. In other words, my court ordered clients will develop a bit of personal trust, and still reserve a level of awareness as they make sure the legal issues surrounding their involvement are attended to. But can you imagine yourself interacting with a robot, and developing trust for the machine?

Jul 31, Elder Care Puts Strain on Adult Parent-Child Relationship

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 12:55:41 GMT

"ScienceDaily (2010-07-27) -- Relationships between elder and younger members of a family can be strained and positive and negative in nature, even when affection is shared. A new study finds that long-term caretaking duties puts further strain on adult parent-child relationships." I have clients who are struggling with this issue now, and I am concerned for my own family, as I am 62 and my wife is 46, and her parents are in their 70's, and our kids are only 12 and 6, so there is a tremendous potential for aging related stress in our family also. I am also reminded of my own maternal grandmother, Elsie Burke, who was crippled with athritis when I was a young man, and often needed my help to go to the bathroom. As compassionate as I was to her inability to move, it was embarassing for me as a kid, so this issue has been around for awhile.

Jul 29, Brain Strength

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:14:07 GMT

"ScienceDaily (2009-09-22) -- Physical therapist-directed exercise counseling combined with fitness center-based exercise training can improve muscular strength and exercise capacity in people with type 2 diabetes, with outcomes similar to those of supervised exercise, according to a randomized clinical trial." What the research above doesn't mention is the huge impact that physical exercise has on brain fitness, and how important neurogenesis can be on the course of type 2 diabetes. Neurogenesis is the growth of new neurons, which happens daily if we take care of the pillars of brain fitness. Another very important result from physical exercise for the brain is neuroplasticity or the way neurons connect to form new circuits, which we call knowledge. So not only is physical exercise good for type 2 diabetes, it grows your brain, and when it comes to brains, bigger is better.

Jul 28, Forgetting Helps You Remember the Important Stuff

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:10:13 GMT

ScienceDaily (2007-06-09) -- For the first time, Stanford researchers using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have discovered that the brain's ability to suppress irrelevant memories makes it easier for humans to remember what's really important. Too bad I did not have this article last week when I forgot that I had a Blog Talk Radio Show scheduled with my lovely wife, Julie. I got myself thrown off my regular schedule, and when I do that, I am prone to significant memory lapses. As the memory researchers are determining, context is very important to memory, and if I do not follow my usual schedule, I can forget important appointments. And to top it off, at least for Julie, I am at a loss for how to use a cell phone. No text, no call. The lesson? Carry a schedule book. Mike

Jul 27, Eating Dark Chocolate an Efficient Way to Keep Your Weight Down?

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:02:41 GMT

ScienceDaily (2008-12-23) -- Dark chocolate is far more filling than milk chocolate, lessening our craving for sweet, salty and fatty foods, according to new research. In other words, eating dark chocolate may be an efficient way to keep your weight down over the holidays.

Jul 24, Are you a Depth Counselor? This Research Could Amaze You.

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:40:47 GMT

ScienceDaily (2010-01-27) -- Psychodynamic psychotherapy is effective for a wide range of mental health symptoms, including depression, anxiety, panic and stress-related physical ailments, and the benefits of the therapy grow after treatment has ended, according to new research. Wow, this is interesting news. I have not seen anything like this in counseling research for a long time. If you are a believer in psychodrama, for example, this should be vindication that there is value to exploring those inner child or family of origin issues.

Jul 23, Chemistry.com Free for the Weekend!

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:02:48 GMT

The folks at Chemistry.com are offering you a chance to be involved with several matching profiles, based on Helen Fisher's personality test for free this weekend July 23rd-25th. Helen Fisher, Ph.D., has been studying our mating rituals for 30 years, and has them down to a tee. Some of them she has observed happening in the brains of some of her clients using a fMRI machine. That is precision. Find yourself a match in time for the fall and winter.

Jul 22, Anxiety Counselling

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:50:20 GMT

Anxiety Counselling

Jul 22, Stop Panic Attacks

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:46:29 GMT

Stop Panic Attacks

Jul 22, Anxiety Relaxation

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:46:14 GMT

Is Anxiety Relaxation and Oxymoron?

Jul 21, Therapy Grief

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:29:06 GMT

Therapy Grief

Jul 21, Cognitive Reserve

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:28:26 GMT

Cognitive Reserve? How Much is Too Much?

Jul 21, Neuroplasticity exercise reverses age-related cognitive decline

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:30:12 GMT

ScienceDaily (2010-07-19) -- Specialized brain training targeted at the regions of a rat's brain that process sound reversed many aspects of normal, age-related cognitive decline and improved the health of the brain cells, according to a new study. This study offers more proof that we can work to improve our brain fitness at any age. I mean, if rats can do it, we should be able to, right? Want a specific tool? Look to Posit Science for auditory training programs.

Jul 20, Good News for Addictions Counseling and Your Brain

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:17:49 GMT

ScienceDaily (2010-07-08) -- Scientists have found that a particular type of genetic material plays a key role in determining vulnerability to cocaine addiction and may offer an entirely new direction for the development of anti-addiction therapies.

Jul 19, Self Esteem Counseling

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:35:00 GMT

Self Esteem Counseling

Jul 18, Tired

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:31:06 GMT

I'm a dad of two teenagers. I love my kids and my wife very much. I was laid off from work in Sept. 2009, I just got hired for a new job seven months later.This

Jul 18, Shira...Lifestyle Fitness coach www.fitfan4fun.com

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:29:46 GMT

Hey Mike; What a great site! I am a talk show host on VoiceAmerica on lifestyle fitness. Bottom line: you have much to offer our listeners, and we will