Take your life in your own hands and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.

--Erica Jong

The November 1994 Consumer Reports (CR) published a landmark survey of people who'd seen a therapist that became one of the most widely cited advertisements for psychotherapy. However, the instrument used in that study was never statistically validated. A study in a recent Journal of Counseling Psychology found that that study overstated the effectiveness of psychotherapy. In particular, the follow-up study said that the methods used lead people to remember themselves as having been both in worse shape when they began therapy and in better shape when they ended than they originally reported.

There are several lessons, here. One is to question research reports quoted in the general media. Second, instead of placing so much of your resources and hope into a form of counseling that works with vague and ever-changing criteria (such as emotive-expressive forms of psychotherapy), wouldn't it be wiser to work with me in focusing on measurable goals? For example, if you come to me seeking assistance in finding a compatible partner, then, after we finish our work, you'll be able to tell fairly easily if our work succeeded. Contact me for more information about how this form of coaching differs from traditional psychotherapy and can produce measurable improvements in your life.

Here are some notes on winter depression, as reported in the November 2004 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter. For 1 to 2 in 100 people, a sluggishness and "down" mood in winter can take the more serious form of clinical depression, which was labeled Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in the eighties. Winter depression accounts for approximately 10% of the diagnosed cases of Major Depressive Disorder. It apppears to run in families, and, as shown by twin studies, there appears to be a hereditary disposition to seasonal mood change.

In addition to less sunlight, researchers hypothesize that people who experience SAD do not adjust to the disruption in sleep-wake patterns—called circadian rhythms—during daylight savings time. To some degree, SAD is similar to the jet lag experienced by travelers who cross many time zones. Note, however, that Melatonin, which is effective for jet lag, has been shown not to be effective for SAD.

As far as behavior changes that can help, adding more lamps, sitting near windows, or spending more time outdoors may help. In one study, an hour's walk in winter sunlight was as effective as 2 1/2 hours of artificial light—and the clients were getting exercise as well.

Once again, studies show that cognitive-behavioral counseling can be effective in combatting SAD. As an expert cognitive-behavioral counselor, I begin working in late summer with my clients who are vulnerable to SAD so that they have a plan in place and are practiced before winter arrives. Contact me for additional details about my approach to SAD.

The December 19, 2004 edition of the Boston Globe ran an article providing tips for people nervous about making small talk at holiday parties, entitled, Making small talk, stirring up anxiety. According to Claire A. Simmers, management professor at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, people struggle with this situation due to lack of practice.

Here is a list of her top ten mistakes when trying to make party conversation: not preparing several topics ahead of time; displaying closed body language (crossed arms, head down); remaining in one place like a potted plant; not introducing yourself; not adding more information when asked a "yes/no" question; not asking open-ended questions (questions that cannot be answered with only a "yes" or "no"); trying too hard to impress by talking too much; discussing tabboo subjects such as sex, politics, religion, illnesses, or personal problems; arguing over minor details (even if you're certain you're right); and abruptly ending the conversation after a negative comment or a moment of silence.

Next to assisting clients with finding compatible partners, teaching social skills is probably the subject that I cover most often with my clients. The ability to meet and socialize with people has a profound effect on self-esteem and emotional well being. Send some e-mail to find out how working with me on improving social skills can enhance multiple areas of your life.

It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.

--John Steinbeck

Here are some notes on winter depression, as reported in the September 2004 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter. The article points out that chronic pain is an emotional condition as well as a physical sensation. It is a complex experience that affects behavior, mood, and thought and can lead to isolation, immobility, and drug dependence, which are symptoms that parallel those of depression.

Pain is depressing, and depression causes and intensifies pain, the report adds. People with chronic pain have three times the average risk of developing psychiatric symptoms—usually mood or anxiety disorders—and depressed people have three times the average risk of developing chronic pain.

The convergence of depression and pain is reflected in the circuitry of the nervous system. Brain pathways that handle the reception of pain signals, including the seat of emotions in the limbic region, use some of the same neurotransmitters involved in the involved in the regulation of mood, especially serotonin and norepinephrine. When regulation fails, pain is intensified along with sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety.

Regarding treatment, pain rehabilitation centers treat both depression and pain together, often with the same techniques, including progressive muscle relaxation, hypnosis, and meditation.

In my work in assisting clients with many different types of problems—weight loss, cigarette smoking cessation, struggles with substance abuse, and struggles with anxiety, to name a few—I have developed expertise in hypnosis, progressive muscle relaxation, and a powerful meditative technique called "mindfulness." If you or someone you love is struggling with a condition that could benefit from these techniques, contact me for more information.

The December 23, 2004 edition of the Boston Globe ran an article detailing the difficulty some local teachers are having with nightmares, entitled, Worst fears.

In a dream, Concord-Carlisle High School guidance counselor Karen Bushey is sitting on a bench with the principal when a student rides by in the water atop a bomb. "You're the guidance counselor," the principal says. "Go diffuse the bomb." That is one of the many vignettes from the new book Water is Rising in the Classroom: True Terror Dreams of Teachers, by Elliot Lilien. The book is described as "an often amusing, occasionally disturbing, glimpse into the inner lives of teachers.

An occasional bad dream is not a problem. However, I recently worked with a client whose disturbed sleep made it difficult to wake up on time and to function at her job as a teacher. And, not surprisingly, she had many anxieties about her job performance at school.

Given that mainstream counseling provides almost nothing in terms of direct and speedy interventions for nightmares, I find that hypnotherapy is the most effective way to make a significant reduction in night terrors, including mid-sleep anxiety attacks. I would be happy to hear from you, if you would like more information about the ways in which hypnotherapy can assist with problems occuring during sleep.