Andrew Kushnick Psychotherapy

Video chat can feel weird, whether we're socially anxious or not. But we need it right now to stay connected. In this article, a psychologist discusses the effects of the self-video box, what happens with the video freezes, and how we can quell our anxiety about this mode of communication.

Sheltering in place with your significant other? Crammed into a tight space? Couples are facing unique challenges these days. In this post I describe 10 practices that couples can implement right now, to help you get through this together. [Most of them apply to roommates and family members too.] Wishing you all good health.

Check out the third installment of Profiles in Tech, my blog series highlighting the unique mindset of those who work in tech their outlook, their concerns, and their quest for fulfillment. This chapter focuses on Rebecca, a senior product designer and mid-level manager at a large tech company. In liaising between product managers and software engineers, and in getting her direct reports to discuss their feelings, Rebecca's task is to bridge the left brain and the right brain. Each post in "Profiles in Tech" derives from an interview with an engineer, programmer, or developer in the San Francisco Bay Area, and begins with their story, followed by a few reflections from a mental health perspective. https://andrewkushnick.com//profiles-in-tech-part-iii-life

How late do you check your work email or Slack? Do you feel compelled to respond to work stuff, even at night? Our laptops are awesome, but may be killing work-life balance.

I'm excited to announce that I am now a Certified EMDR Therapist! EMDRIA-Certified Therapists are licensed mental health professionals who have a minimum of two years of experience in their field. They have completed an EMDRIA-approved EMDR Training, conducted a minimum of 50 clinical sessions in which EMDR was utilized, and received twenty hours of consultation in EMDR by an Approved Consultant. In order to maintain their EMDRIA Certification status, these clinicians must maintain their mental health license and complete 12 hours of continuing education in EMDR every two years. For more about EMDR, check out www.andrewkushnick.com/emdr.

Should couples therapy include MDMA? What about oxytocin nasal sprays? The authors of a new book promote the use of biochemical treatment for stagnant relationships. After all, MDMA has been shown to decrease irrational fear responses to perceived emotional threats. And external oxytocin boosts may enhance both empathy and prosocial behavior, according to studies. An interesting idea...

Check out the second installment of Profiles in Tech, a blog series that highlights the unique mindset of those who work in tech their outlook, their concerns, and their quest for fulfillment. Each post derives from an interview with an engineer, programmer or developer in the San Francisco Bay Area. In each post, I’ll first relay their story, and will then offer a few reflections from a mental health perspective. In Part II, we meet Morgan, a front-end developer who’s questioning whether coding is for him, and is seeking more from his work.

Therapy works... but why? Is the therapist a healer? A confidante? A clinical expert? A mental fitness coach? A mental health researcher suggests it's the attachment relationship between therapist and client.. and the restoring of attachment security.

Distancers get a bad rap. In times of stress, they’re the ones more likely to say I just need my space. This can lead to accusations that they’re insensitive or just don’t care. But this isn’t necessarily true. In this post, I explain how distancers are often pre-programmed to take care of themselves, and why this approach makes total sense.

Do you obsess about sleep? Perhaps by tracking it with your Fitbit, Apple Watch, or an app? Letting go of perfectionism may actually be part of the solution. http://ow.ly/CxH950xoTGa

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Instagram is getting rid of "likes" in the U.S. Will this reduce "approval anxiety" and positively impact mental health? https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/921373#vp_1