There are few constructs in psychology that are as misunderstood as those relating to dissociation. There are times when many of us have experienced the sensation of being away from ourselves – so engaged in a book or movie that we lose track of time, or driving somewhere and having no memory of the journey. This is a very basic understanding of the concept however does explain the basic element o... »
It is important that children are able to express and understand how they are feeling. Some children feel uncomfortable talking about their feelings, therefore combining discussion with an external activity will often help them open up about their feelings. It is important when working with children to remember to apply the strategies and techniques that work best with the child. For example, a to... »
“When the wine goes in, strange things come out.” ~ Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller, The Piccolomini, 1799 »
Becoming a couple is one of the most complex relationships in adulthood. It is also well known that being a couple can contribute to personal growth and self awareness (Long & Young, 2007). Romantic couples are a unique type of relationship that is different from friendships and family bonds because it is based on romantic love. »
There is a plethora of information available on the topic of bullying. There are many different types of bullying including; child or school based (schoolyard) bullying; workplace bullying; cyber bullying; military bullying and hazing. The purpose of this article is to focus on child or school-based bullying as opposed to any of the other types of bullying. »
There is a difference between substance use, abuse and dependence. Substance use, as the name implies, refers to the use of substances in low to moderate amounts and does not interfere with social, occupational or educational functioning. »
The fundamental approach to motivational interviewing interactions?contains the following four elements: »
Addiction is a plague that affects individuals and society in an adverse manner. It is a very costly illness that has worldwide prevalence. A study conducted in Australia found that $437m was lost in 2001 due to alcohol related absenteeism (Pidd, Berry & Roche, 2006). In the United Kingdom, a study conducted in 2001 found that alcohol related work absenteeism had an economic cost of an average £1.... »
A requirement for being an effective counsellor is being able to practice and impart the skill of empathy in the client-counsellor interaction. Being empathetic ensures you are listening and dealing with the clients concerns as they present them. You are not judging them. In this post we’ll look at how empathy can assist counsellors when dealing with challenging clients. Here are some issues... »
Almost all substance use affects the “reward mechanism” in the brain. The main chemical messenger involved in the brain’s reward mechanism is dopamine. Each time the person uses a substance they will tend to feel ‘good’, which makes them want to use the substance again. Over time, changes in the brain occur (e.g. less dopamine is produced), which lessens the pleasurab... »
Cognitive-behaviour therapy aims to help substance-dependent people abstain from using by applying the same learning processes that developed the substance dependence initially. In treating substance dependence, the goal of cognitive behaviour therapy is to teach the person to... »
Learning is a change in behaviour based on previous experience. It may involve processing different types of information. Learning functions can be performed by different brain learning processes, which depend on the mental capacities (of which are dynamic) of learning subject/agent, the type of knowledge which has to be acquitted, as well as on socio-cognitive and environmental circumstances. In ... »
Suicide is a serious health problem. The World Health Organization estimates that one suicide attempt occurs every three seconds and one completed suicide occurs approximately every minute (WHO, 2000). Each day, approximately 210 Australians attempt to end their life and each year over 2500 will commit suicide. Suicide in Australia kills 8.5 times more people than homicides and 1.5 times more than... »
Struggling to find time in your daily life? Consider the following proven time management principles and techniques. »
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