Lessons from the psychotherapy chair
I have been in both chairs in the psychotherapy room, and I have learned the value of good therapy, and I have learned the value of bad therapy. Not only have I learned the value of therapy, but I have also learned a lot of lessons in both chairs. Today, I occupy the psychotherapist chair and sometimes the client chair, and I continue to learn lessons that both surprise me and teach me that a graduate degree does not guarantee expertise or even basic knowledge about mental health in today's world. I want to share some of the things that I have learned from both chairs that have set the course of my journey both as a therapist and a human being. These are the lessons learned by an OG WooWoo Therapist during 28 years in the therapist chair.
Lessons from the psychotherapy chair
When Trauma Meets Attention: CPTSD and untreated ADHD
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Today I talk about a common issue for many of my clients and that is untreated ADHD and CPTSD. Here is a list of resources you may find helpful.
Resources:
Arnsten, A. F. T. (2009). Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience.
Barkley, R. A. (2015). Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment.
Cortese, S., et al. (2021). Neurobiology of ADHD. Lancet Psychiatry.
Faraone, S. V., et al. (2021). ADHD pharmacology meta-analysis. World Psychiatry.
McEwen, B. S., & Morrison, J. H. (2013). Stress effects on cognition. Neuron.
Shaw, P., et al. (2014). Emotional dysregulation in ADHD. American Journal of Psychiatry.
Szymanski, K., et al. (2011). Trauma exposure and ADHD. Journal of Traumatic Stress.