J.K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy (2012) is her first novel for adults and has been well received. Again, she shows an impressive grasp of adolescent psychology. Her most fully realized characters in this novel are five teenagers. Trying to grow up, they struggle with their severely flawed parents as well as one another’s inabilities to give full mutual support, mostly because they are too busy with their own attempts to find ways to develop and because they are very young.
“Studies on placebos for depression show … that they can reproduce more than 80% of the positive effects of antidepressants.” (Scientific American Mind, 2013, 24, 1, p. 34.)
Researchers have consistently found that high levels of parental conflict during and after divorce are associated with poorer adjustment in children. (Scientific American Mind, 2013, 24, 1, P. 68)
“Mindfulness is a mental mode of being engaged in the present moment without evaluation or emotionally reacting to it. Hundreds of articles lay out evidence showing that training to become more mindful reduces psychological stress and improves both mental and physical health.” Scientific American Mind, 2013 , 24, 1, P. 28) Mindfulness is often achieved through meditation.
The average time it takes most people to fall asleep is 15 minutes. (Scientific American Mind, 2013, 24, 1, p. 12.)
70 million Americans have a chronic sleep disorder. (Scientific American Mind, 2013, 24, 1, p. 12)
TV depictions of marital relationships can build unrealistic expectations for marriage that contribute to disappoints and divorce. (Scientific American Mind, 2013, 24, 1, p. 10)
I just returned from a two day workshop in Boston entitled ” Therapeutic Action of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.” The invited speakers were experienced and renown. They presented both challenging and clarifying perspectives on the way psychodynamic therapy can be at its best. I’m very glad I went.
The effectiveness of psychotherapy is widely accepted. “Indeed, about 80% of those receiving psychotherapy will have mental health status superior to those receiving no treatment. (Psychotherapy, 2013, 50, 1, p. 17)
New research suggests that being kind to others may benefit you as much as those whom you are helping. (Mind, Mood, & Memory, 2013, 9, 4, p. 2)
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