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Art Therapy: An Adjunct in the Therapeutic Process

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Art Therapy: An Adjunct in the Therapeutic Process

By: Julia Massa

Art therapy is defined as “an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.” Art therapy is used as an adjunct in the therapeutic process when working with diverse populations, but predominately children. This type of therapy can be exceptionally beneficial for parents of a child who has a medical illness or struggles with expressing or verbalizing their feelings or thoughts. Though this form of therapy is not commonly used when treating the adult population, it is frequently used diagnostically for those experiencing illness, trauma, or a mental health condition. For instance, art therapy can be an effective treatment for individuals diagnosed with cancer or traumatic brain injury.

Art therapists typically work in hospitals, psychiatric, and rehabilitation settings, as well as other clinical and community settings. In particular, art therapy can help support an individual’s ability to cope with certain medical challenges as well as long or short-term hospitalizations. This type of therapy can serve as an outlet for those who have difficulty expressing their daily thoughts. The creative process allows an individual to foster self-esteem as well as self-awareness.

Using a variety of forms of expressive art, such as dance, music, writing, visual arts, drama, etc. can allow an individual to not only express, but reflect on their own thoughts and emotions. In turn, an individual can explore and understand why they react to their experiences in a particular way and how they can initiate change.  Art therapy can be a key enhancer towards personal growth.

If you or someone you know is seeking therapy, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Sources:

About Art Therapy
https://www.atcb.org/what-is-art-therapy/

https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/art-therapy

Dependent Personality Disorder

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

    By: Lauren Zoneraich

    Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD) is characterized by an overdependence on others to feel secure and function. A personality disorder is defined by the possession of an unhealthy and unwavering way of thinking, functioning, and behaving. People with personality disorders often experience difficulty in relationships, school, work, and social situations because their unhealthy cognitions often lead to problematic behaviors that may upset or bother people in their life.

    For those with DPD, it feels impossible to function without the help and support of others. This overwhelming reliance on others for emotional and physical security causes an intense fear of abandonment, often leading to anxious behaviors that partners or friends may describe as “needy” or “clingy.” Anxious behaviors include being overly passive or submissive, being unable to disagree with others, and tolerating poor treatment by others. People with DPD would rather stay in a bad relationship than be by themselves. When relationships end, people with DPD may feel depressed. Immediately, they may begin searching for new relationships, as the thought of being alone is unfathomable.

    People with Dependent Personality Disorder often lack self-confidence and self-efficacy. As a result, they cannot make decisions, even small decisions, without the approval or validation of others, nor start projects on their own.

    There are no direct causes for DPD, but there are some risk factors that may contribute to its development. These risk factors include traumatic abandonment during childhood, a family history of personality disorders, a family history of anxiety or depression, and chronic childhood illness. Also, growing up with withdrawn, abusive, or overly- controlling parents is a risk factor for DPD.

    Psychotherapy can help one address the symptoms of DPD, specifically Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and psychodynamic therapy. CBT can help one learn to reframe one’s cognitions, while psychodynamic therapy can help one become conscious of the roots of one’s personality disorder.

    If you or someone you know is struggling with relationships, self-esteem, or daily functioning, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

    Sources:

    https://www.sheppardpratt.org/knowledge-center/condition/dependent-personality-disorder/

    https://www.healthline.com/health/dependent-personality-disorder

    https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/dependent-personality-disorder

    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/personality-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20354463

    Image Sources:

    https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/personality-disorders/what-is-dependent-personality-disorder-and-what-does-it-mean-for-me/

    Parenting: Introverted Children

    GalleryJudy Gurfein 1 Comment

    By: Yael Berger

    Initially, one might assume that it is certainly easier to raise an introvert than an extrovert. In theory, introverted children demand less attention and less maintenance than extroverted children. An introvert can also be viewed as being more self-contained, which in turn can be thought of as a calmer child, than an extravert. However, it is not necessarily the case that introverted children are easier to raise.

    In actuality, the child’s level of extroversion has less to do with the ease of parenting than one might think. What really determines how hard it will be to raise a particular child is the level of similarity between the parents or parents and the child. If the parent and child share a similar constitution, it will be easier for the parent to determine the child’s needs, even if he or she is not exceedingly verbal about them. Conversely, if the parent and child have very different natures, it might be nearly impossible for the parent to decipher what the child’s needs are.

    If the parent and child differ in disposition, it may also cause negative feelings toward the child in the parent. Because parents usually believe that their lifestyle is the “right” one, they will be inclined to try to change their child’s personality, which does not work and is damaging to the child and his or her relationship with the parent. For example, if the parents of introverted children attempt to raise them to be an extrovert, they will feel as though the person closest to them is rejecting who they truly are, resulting in feelings of shame. Once there is a barrier between parents and their children, it can make a child more susceptible to anxiety and depression later on. Because children are essentially incapable of affirming their worth internally, they must feel validated by their parents in order to feel nurtured and accepted.

    In conclusion, it is best for the parents to attempt to parent children differently depending on their individual differences, as opposed to the common view that one form of parenting is the best form. In order to raise a happy and well-adjusted child, parents should understand and learn their children’s needs and level of introversion before forming a parenting style. For example, introverted mothers have to remind themselves to provide their extraverted child with more social contact than an introverted child. To have the best relationship with their children, parents should try not to have unreasonable expectations and understand their children’s personalities first. The way a family parents could shape the development of their children and impact their lives.

    If you are someone you know appears to be suffering from issues linked to parenting, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201)368-3700 or (212)722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.

    Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolution-the-self/201901/is-it-easier-or-harder-parent-introverted-child

    Image: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/8-tips-for-helping-shy-ki_b_5913864

    Recommended Book: Nurture by Nature by Paul D. Tiegar

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    Personality Psychology: The Big Five O.C.E.A.N.

    GalleryJudy Gurfein 2 Comments

    Personality Psychology: The Big Five O.C.E.A.N.

    By Crystal Tsui

    You may have seen quizzes online that can help determine your personality. Most of the quizzes online revolve around the basis of five core personality traits. Fiske, Norman, Smith, Goldberg, and McCrae & Costa were the leading researchers that brought evidence of the big five traits. The five traits are scaled on a spectrum, for example if a person was rated low in Neuroticism; they were rated high in Emotional Stability. The five traits are categorized as:

    • Openness: high levels of imagination, insight, tend to be adventurous, creative
    • Conscientiousness: high levels of thoughtfulness, goal-directed behaviors, good impulse controls, and organized
    • Extroversion: high levels of excitability, sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness, and high amounts of emotional expressiveness.
    • Agreeableness: high levels of trust, altruism, kindness, affection, and other prosocial behaviors
    • Neuroticism: high levels of sadness, moodiness, and emotional instability. They tend not to handle stress well.

    These five traits have been found to be universal. One study showed that people in more than 50 different cultures found that the five dimensions could be accurately used to describe personality. Also, the five dimensions have biological and environmental origins that can influence the change of personality.

    Another study showed that our five factors change over time. It showed that agreeableness and conscientiousness increased, but extroversion, neuroticism, and openness generally decrease as a person ages. Sex also contributes to the five factors as well. Women tend to score higher in both agreeableness and neuroticism. Even though sex differences have been found, it does not, by itself, demonstrate that the sexes are innately different in personality, although that is a possibility.

    Frank Sulloway, a psychologist who focused on birth order, found that personality traits correlate with the order of individuals’ birth. He found that firstborns are statistically more conscientious, more socially dominant, less agreeable, and less open to new ideas compared to those born later. This could be due to firstborns caring for their younger siblings at a young age.

    The Big Five is not based on any underlying theory; it is merely an empirical finding, meaning that the underlying causes behind them are unknown.

    If you or someone you know is dealing with borderline personality disorder, dissociative identity disorder or any other personality disorders, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/ .

    Sources:

    https://www.verywellmind.com/the-big-five-personality-dimensions-2795422

    https://www.mentalhelp.net/psychological-testing/big-five-personality-traits/

    https://blog.adioma.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/big-five-personality-traits-infographic.png

    Lies, Lies, Lies

    GalleryJudy Gurfein 1 Comment

    Lies, Lies, Lies

    By Crystal Tsui

    Lying is something that we are predisposed to do from the time we are born. Infants cry sometimes for no reason at all except for attention. Caregivers would see if the infant wants to eat or have its diaper changed, but in most cases, infants only want to get the caregiver’s attention. That is the earliest form of a lie and we don’t even recognize it.

    As adults, we lie all the time and it’s usually conscious. If we want to get out of doing something, we lie to get ourselves out of the situation. For example, if we want to get out of going to work, we would make something up like we’re sick or our stomachs hurt. We also lie with friends and colleagues too. If we were asked “does this outfit make me look fat,” we would likely to say “no” in order for the other person to feel better and to keep the peace.

    In the Merriam Webster Dictionary, lying is defined as “to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive.” However, when we speak, we can omit certain information that leaves the recipient an impression of something other than what we intended.

    So, what constitutes a lie?

    • A statement must be made
    • The statement must be untrue or an inaccurate description of reality
    • Speaker has the intention to deceive
    • The recipient believes the false statement to be true

    Types of people who lie the most are:

    • Psychopaths
    • Sociopaths
    • Young adults
    • Narcissists
    • Extroverts
    • Salesman

    Although you may spot these people in your life, consider why they may be lying before making assumptions about the person.

    If you or someone you know is a compulsive liar, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/ .

    Citations:

    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-nature-deception/201905/what-is-lie

    https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/the-truth-about-lying

    https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/lying-definition/

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiNh_WBuariAhXhRt8KHV97CZIQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.porticomagazine.ca%2F2015%2F10%2Flying-to-get-the-job%2F&psig=AOvVaw3au372DVa_mkb1rB9lTS66&ust=1558453235267372