At a workshop on couples therapy, the presenter came out carrying two Hula Hoops. (Please don’t start shoop-shooping, I thought.) He invited someone from the audience to come up on stage, and instructed her to do as he did: Put the Hula Hoop around your waist, and hold it so it’s against your back, facing out toward the other person. …
Resources: Blue light blockers and bright lights
I’ve written in other posts about the sleep problems that evening exposure to blue wavelengths from electronic devices can cause, or the benefits of bright lights for mood. Here’s where you can find the items I often suggest to patients. (Please note that this is not intended as medical advice; check with your own healthcare provider, and read this disclaimer. …
Calm Down! Quick! ? More than just another pretty relaxation exercise
Stressed out, or anxiety high? Feeling overwhelmed? Yelling at yourself to calm the eff down isn’t going to help… Here’s a practical, neuroscience-based, step-by-step exercise to get you calmed down, quick. This is more than just another pretty relaxation exercise. You’re going to be hacking and reverse-engineering the “alarm system” in your brain and body. If you want to learn …
How to file for insurance reimbursement for therapy
Filing for reimbursement for psychotherapy is actually very simple! You can do it online, or by mail. Here’s how. Most of the more skilled and experienced psychotherapists in the Washington, DC area are “out of network” providers, meaning you’ll pay your therapist directly, and then submit a claim for reimbursement from your insurance company. Your therapist can help answer any questions you have, …
Finding Sliding Scale Psychotherapy in Washington DC
If you’re looking for psychotherapy with a flexible fee structure in DC, there are a number of resources in the area for finding psychotherapists who offer sliding scale fees, typically based on your financial circumstances. (I always maintain a number of “sliding scale” spots in my practice, for current, ongoing patients who encounter a temporary job loss or other financial …
Brain-Friendly “Circuit Breakers” for Fear, Stress, and Anxiety
“Fear.” If I were perfectly concise and accurate, that would be the sum total of my response to the question, “What do you specialize in as a psychotherapist?” Because, when you get right down to it, that’s what we’re all dealing with, in one way or another. Fear, fear of fear, fear of conflict, fear of being alone, fear of …
When You Can’t Sleep at 3 in the F***ing Morning
It’s 3am and you can’t sleep. 3am and you can’t sleep? Ugh. This post is for you. This post isn’t about WHY you wake up and can’t get back to sleep at 3 in the morning, or HOW to stop waking up at 3 am every morning. (That stuff will be in the upcoming additional posts in this series.) This …
Mindfulness Meditation and the False Lure of ‘Zoning Out’
Why meditation does not make you a self-involved, zoned-out bliss-ninny. Here’s the polite version of a question I received recently about my support of mindfulness meditation as a practice for well-being in relationships: Why are you encouraging people to zone out? Sitting around pretending they’re above it all, and avoiding real feelings? Who wants to be in a relationship with a self-involved bliss-ninny? …
Free Book Excerpt: ‘Rewire Your Brain for Love’
Better integrated brains make better relationships! Download a free excerpt from the bestselling book, “Rewire Your Brain for Love: Creating Vibrant Relationships Using the Science of Mindfulness” (Marsha Lucas, PhD – Psychologist / neuropsychologist in Washington, DC) So many thanks, to so many people, for making my book, Rewire Your Brain for Love: Creating Vibrant Relationships Using the Science of …