By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC & C.R. Zwolinski
Dr. Marla Deibler
More with Marla Deibler, PsyD, on trichotillomania, a hair pulling disorder. For our first post on this topic, see When Hair Pulling Is A Problem.
Welcome back, Dr. Deibler. At what age does trich (trichotillomania), generally begin?
The average age onset is between 11 and 13 years of age, although hair pulling behavior may begin as early as the first year of life.
It is believed that hair pulling prior to age 5, known as “baby trich,” may be a distinct phenomenon and is often transient, while the typical pattern of symptoms in children and adults is chronic with a course that waxes and wanes over time.
What causes trich?
Research suggests that trichotillomania is associated with genetic vulnerability; that is, the disorder occurs more frequently in the first degree relatives of individuals with trichotillomania, than it occurs in the general population. Other factors that may contribute to the onset include personality/temperament, life stressors, environmental factors, gender, and age.
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By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC & C.R. Zwolinski
Dr. Marla Deibler
Sara pulls the woven, green hat from her head to show her nearly bald scalp, with only a few tufts of long, thin hair surrounding her crown. Sara has trichotillomania. She pulls her own hair out.
“This is where I pull from, Dr. Deibler,” she explains. I nod and say nothing, not because it’s unimportant, but because it’s important to react as if this discussion is like any other discussion, even though she has never before revealed her trichotillomania to anyone.
This is not the first time I met with Sara. In fact, we’d been working together for months, but this is the first time she felt comfortable enough to show me what she’s done to herself.
It hadn’t always been this way for Sara. She began pulling her eyelashes and eyebrows at age 7. Now, at age 14, she’s pulled nearly all of the hair from her head and wears a cap so that no one can see. It’s not that she’s never sought help. She’d been to therapist after therapist, each one helping her cope with her parents’ divorce and family problems, but none of whom knew how to help Sara with her hair.
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By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC & C.R. Zwolinski
Fran Walfish, PsyD is back with us. She’s a leading child and family therapist in private practice in Beverly Hills, CA. Over the years, Dr. Walfish has served a diverse patient population, including working-class families as well as Hollywood’s elite, and has achieved recognition as a respected child development specialist and parent educator.
As the author of The Self Aware Parent: Resolving Conflict and Building a Better Bond with Your Child she was a natural choice to interview for the Therapy Soup series of interviews and articles leading up to National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 6-12, 2012).
Last week Dr. Fran explained what self-aware parenting is; this week she’s going to talk about empathy.
Welcome back. Dr. Fran, you say empathy can be taught. First, let’s understand what empathy is and why it is a valuable trait to have:
Empathy is the capacity to imagine how another person feels. Empathy is learned experientially. In other words, the way we learn to be empathic is by being empathized with. This must come early during infancy and toddlerhood. When we cry, the hope is that there is a consistent warm empathic response from a steady primary attachment figure, usually the mother.
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By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC & C.R. Zwolinski
As part of our series on National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 6-12) we’re posting interviews and information about children and mental health. Today, we’re posting an invitation from Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, president of The Child Mind Institute.
Dear Readers,
Though 15 million children in the United States have psychiatric and learning disorders, very few of them will be identified and get the help they need. Stigma, lack of awareness, and a deep anxiety about labels and diagnosis mean that many kids will miss out on life-changing treatments even if they actually make it to the office of a mental health professional.
The issue of childhood mental illness is too often a silent one, and the existence of these well-documented and researched disorders—depression, ADHD, Asperger’s—is even actively denied by some people.
“That’s not real” turns into “Boys will be boys” or “I am not depressed,” which too often becomes “I am just worthless.” That is why every year we take time to Speak Up for Kids—to let the world know that that silence and shame are not options.
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By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC & C.R. Zwolinski
Frances Walfish, Psy.D. is a leading child and family therapist in private practice in Beverly Hills, CA. Over the years, Dr. Walfish has served a diverse patient population, including working-class families as well as Hollywood’s elite, and has achieved recognition as a respected child development specialist and parent educator.
As the author of The Self Aware Parent: Resolving Conflict and Building a Better Bond with Your Child she was a natural choice to interview for the Therapy Soup series of interviews and articles leading up to National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 6-12, 2012).
We’re going to be speaking with Dr. Fran about self-aware parenting in this post, and empathy, in the next.
Thanks so much for joining us, Dr. Fran. In the heat of the moment, it’s easy for a parent to “lose” themselves. It’s so important to understand what works with children and teens, and what doesn’t. In fact, just identifying the qualities that make for effective parenting, is a good first step. Let’s focus on understanding: What is a self-aware parent?
The Self-Aware Parent is one who is always curious and open enough to look within and become more aware of their own strengths and weaknesses based on the parenting they received from their mothers and fathers. They are kind and nice to their child(ren).
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By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC & C.R. Zwolinski
A neuro-scientist who’s done research for the Pentagon, Paul MacDonald, PhD, has created an online center on Facebook for veterans, many of whom need some kind of assistance reintegrating back into daily life after their tours of duty.
The site is also an excellent resource for veterans struggling with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and other mental issues.
Veteran Central is the result of creative problem solving by Paul MacDonald and IT expert Jonathon Lunardi.
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By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC & C.R. Zwolinski
Once again we’re devoting this blog to bring you information on children and mental health in recognition of the upcoming National Children’s Mental Health Week.
Can children as young as 6 to 12 months old show signs of autism-related delays?
Today, we’re posting information about autism-delays in children in that age range, from Dr. Rebecca Landa, director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Md. Dr. Landa says that parents need to be empowered to identify the warning signs of ASD and other communication delays:
Though autism is often not diagnosed until the age of three, some children begin to show signs of developmental delay before they turn a year old. While not all infants and toddlers with delays will develop autism spectrum disorders (ASD), experts point to early detection of these signs as key to capitalizing on early diagnosis and intervention, which is believed to improve developmental outcomes.
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By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC & C.R. Zwolinski
We’ve been using this space to bring you information about National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week along with the not-for-profit Child Mind Institute, who has been sharing some important and helpful information with us.
Today we want to link you to a series of videos with Orlando Bloom, who spoke with Dr. Harold Koplewicz, the president of the Child Mind Institute about dyslexia, the creative process and his experiences dealing with his own dyslexia.
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By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC & C.R. Zwolinski
It doesn’t matter if it’s real or fake, it’s confirmed: pot kills. (And once again, it’s in the news).
That’s still my answer to the client who questioned me this past weekend when I told him the dangers of smoking pot.
“What about medical marijuana?” he asked. Well, the marijuana-like drug, marinol is proven to work and it does not impair cognition. It also doesn’t have the same side-effects as smoking pot. (Medical cases where marijuana is said to be the only option should be evaluated on an individual basis).
Many Americans consider pot a “light drug,” akin to alcohol and those who smoke it love to argue that alcohol is worse for you. There are plenty, though, who say otherwise.
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By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC & C.R. Zwolinski
In addition to regular posts, throughout upcoming weeks we’re going to use the Therapy Soup blog space to bring you fascinating interviews and important information about National National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 6-12, 2012).
But first, a call to action from the Child Mind Institute for our readers who are mental health professionals:
The Child Mind Institute’s “Speak Up for Kids” connects parents and teachers with professionals in their community for free talks on psychiatric and learning disorders and other issues relating to raising healthy, happy kids. Speaking up is the first step to getting kids the help they need.
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