Age of COVID: Health, Sensibility, and Rationalization
Ultimately, who we are is shaped by what we know and by our psychology. I’ve seen most people for psychotherapy face-to-face at a 10-12-foot distance in Uptown Charlotte, NC, since Governor Cooper imposed lockdown phases. Other sessions in NC are online. Flying from NC to a NY practice is not possible since Governor Cuomo prohibited travel of […]
Women and Sex: Shame vs. Expression
Women and men face a conundrum of mixed messages about sex while living in a culture that exploits sex and women on the one hand and encourages freedom of expression on the other. As a psychodynamic psychotherapist, I believe that unconscious processes matter a great deal in understanding human motivation. And to a female sex therapist, American culture […]
Food is Family
Reviving, restoring and creating new memories around food for those in recovery You don’t have to be an eating disorder specialist to understand the significance of food. Food plays a role in every physical, recreational and relational arena in life. Food is a representation of a family’s love and often becomes the battleground when a member develops […]
Talking About Sex with Your Children: Who Is Uncomfortable?
Parent’s sensibility and comfort level go a long way in sex talks with children. A friend recounted a story about her then eight-year-old daughter who from the back seat of the car blurted out, “Mommy, what’s an orgasm?” My friend paused in disbelief, but gave some thought to the situation and replied with a question, “What […]
Unconscious Communication in the Early Stage of Relationships
Most of the communication conveyed in the early part of a relationship is subtle, often indirect. We begin communicating our relational and sexual fears, wishes, desires, and expectations from the moment we meet a potential partner on a date or the moment we respond to a message sent on a dating website. Often we are unaware of […]
Of Porn and Toilet Paper: Control in the Age of Coronavirus
People worldwide are afraid and feel out of control as coronavirus spreads. Natural inclinations in the face of anxiety are to fight or flee to combat the threat and ward off helplessness and powerlessness. Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, made invaluable contributions regarding the function and purpose of anxiety, a manifestation of threat or fear of sexual and aggressive forces (Drives) inherent in humankind. […]
Women in Midlife With Eating Disorders
An estimated 13 percent of women over 50 engage in eating disorder behaviors. According to DSM-5 criteria, around 3.5 percent of older (over 40) women and around 1–2 percent of older men have diagnosable conditions (Mangweth-Matzeka). Triggers for midlife onset are often related to issues that come with aging, loss, menopause, and dissatisfaction with choices made in life and love. Middle age is also […]
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BDSM: What Is Healthy and What Is Pathological?
BDSM refers to sexual practices that incorporate bondage, domination, and sadomasochism. Many people have fantasies that involve some degree of BDSM or have engaged in some form of BDSM practice. But BDSM exists on a continuum. Fantasies are different from practices, and practices do not necessarily constitute a lifestyle. Often those who experiment, participate occasionally, or incorporate BDSM […]
Eating Disorder Symptoms and Shame
Patients with eating disorders experience many conflicting and competing emotions. Among them is shame. Often, they feel ashamed of their symptoms, their needs, and their wants in life and feel ashamed of their physical desires. The causes of eating disorders are complex and each person who suffers is unique. Symptoms emerge out of interaction among biological, […]