Drug-Free Treatments For Postpartum Depression

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About 13 percent of all new mothers experience postpartum depression, which may start to develop within the first week after delivery. Not to be confused with the “baby blues,” postpartum depression is more intense and lasts longer, with such symptoms as severe mood swings, excessive crying, difficulty bonding with the baby, intense anger, severe anxiety, and thoughts of inflicting harm on oneself or the baby.

While psychotherapy is helpful, many are uneasy about the safety of taking prescriptive medication by breastfeeding mothers. Technologies are being developed for non-invasive treatment but further tests are still needed to prove their effectiveness.

Bright light therapy is an alternative treatment. Often used for seasonal affective disorders (SAD), this form of therapy may also be useful for treating postpartum depression where light is believed to induce a chemical change in the brain to lift the mood.

There is evidence that exercise improves mood, increases energy, and helps people with depression. Experts recommend moderate physical activity for 30 minutes a day, five times a week.

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Research shows that higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in women reduce the risk of developing postpartum depression. Consumption of food high in these fatty acids, such as low-mercury fish, might relieve the symptoms of depression.

Paul Gabrinetti, Ph.D. is a Jungian analyst and a professor in clinical psychology at the Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, California. Follow this blog for more updates on his field.

CBT: Managing the emotional situation of cancer patients

Patients diagnosed with cancer tend to feel emotional and overwhelmed with fears about how the illness would affect their lives and that of their families. There is a feeling of disbelief paired with other negative emotions such as depression, anxiety, helplessness, and so many uncertainties which affect their everyday routines and relationships with other people. Medical and psychological experts, together with loved ones, help these patients cope with the illness emotionally and physically to improve their quality of life.

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Most cancer patients undergo medical treatments like CT scans, MRIs, and chemo infusion. There are also some who undergo the treatment and visit psychotherapists to manage emotional stress. Because cancer patients feel anxious about their health, they usually have difficulty in sleeping and sometimes experience the pain and side effects of medical treatment.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is often associated with treatments that change the way patients feel, think, and deal with their physical and medical problems. CBT helps reduce the anxiety and improves sleeping conditions through different exercises that relax the mind and the body, such as deep breathing and meditation.

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Psychologists also provide counseling interventions where they help patients release their worries and emotional pain through a one-on-one conversation. This way, psychologists are able to determine and discover how their patients are coping with their situation. Experts are also exploring different ways on how to incorporate cognitive behavior therapy through mobile technology like developing an app with video lessons on breathing and relaxation techniques. More breakthroughs from this segment of behavioral wellness are expected to take place in the near future.

Paul Gabrinetti is an alumnus of the University of Southern California, where he received his doctorate in counseling psychology. Read more about his field here.

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A Guide To Achieving Individuation

In Jungian psychology, self-realization – the ultimate ideal – is achieved through individuation. According to Jung, the “self” archetype is the regulating core of one’s psyche. Instabilities and abnormalities within this center are what causes disorders or illness. An individual experiences the self through subconscious symbolism, usually in the form of dreams and religious attachment. Psychology, thus, becomes a tool that brings the subconscious to consciousness. It is only through the integration of these two concepts can self-realization be found.

Many analytic psychologists say that the process of self-realization is not difficult, only requiring diligence, patience, and practice. The first recommendation is starting a dream diary. As mentioned earlier, dreams carry hidden messages and meanings. These symbols project unknown fears and desires – fundamental concepts that need to be known. However, most people forget their dreams within a few minutes of waking. There is difficulty in keeping an accurate record of one’s dreams. The journal becomes a way for people to record their dreams accurately. From this, patterns can be found. These can be dissected and discussed with one’s psychologist. Effective therapy plans are now designed.

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Another good practice is to question one’s beliefs constantly. Again, beliefs are said to be the conclusion of subconscious feelings. By questioning these beliefs, people actively force introspection. This process though is met with success in various forms. Some patients find it to be beneficial, others not so much. Still, it is important for patients to try their hand at it for at least two weeks to see how much introspection can move forward conscious-subconscious awareness.

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Paul Gabrinetti is a Jungian-trained clinical psychologist. For more information on Jungian psychology, follow this Twitter account.

An overview of behavior modification: Definition, techniques, and significance

Behavior modification consists of strategies that aim to reinforce desired behavior and eliminate or change undesirable ones. Behavior management techniques are used in the classroom, therapy sessions, and in other psychological settings. The concept blossomed from the theories of classical conditioning by Ivan Pavlov and operant conditioning by B.F. Skinner, the “Father of Behaviorism.”

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Appropriate application of the techniques can yield positive results. Behavior modification techniques are widely used to treat disabilities such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, oppositional defiant disorder, and other issues like phobias. However, teachers and therapists should keep in mind that not all students and patients will respond positively to these strategies. Treating a person’s mental illness and other disabilities should not follow the “one size fits all” principle. Professionals should get to know the person to determine what techniques and treatments are best for the patient.

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Paul Gabrinetti taught behavior modification techniques as a part of an experimental project through California State University Northridge. He is working as a core faculty professor at the Pacifica Graduate Institute in California. For more articles on psychology, visit this blog.

Who Was The Real Carl Jung?

Almost every college major who paid attention in class, who took up Psychology 101, knows a thing or two about the Jungian approach to psychology, or analytical psychology as it is called. But who is Carl Jung, really? Who was he before becoming world-renowned?

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Carl Gustav Jung was born in Switzerland on July 26, 1875. As an only child, there was a feeling of isolation and loneliness that hung over him. He spent his early years observing the much older people around him. His mother checked herself in to a psychiatric institution when Jung was three.

Jung did not follow in his father’s footsteps to become a protestant pastor. Instead, he left for the University of Basel, where he became fascinated with sciences and philosophy. He later on chose to take up medicine.

Carl Jung moved from the University of Basel to the University of Zurich where he earned his MD. It was in Zurich where he met Eugene Bleuler at the Burgholzli Asylum. Bleuler, who was avant-garde in his theories of psychology at the time, would soon become Jung’s mentor. It was Bleuler who would later on be responsible for what psychologists today know as the classical studies of mental illnesses.

It was in Burgholzli Asylum that Carl Jung learned and formulated the groundwork of what was to be analytical psychology. Through his observations, he came up with the term “complex,” which refers to human emotions.

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Paul Gabrinetti has a doctorate in counseling psychology. He was also on the board of directors in the Los Angeles-based CG Jung Institute. To learn more about Gabrinetti and the Jungian approach, read his blogs here.

Developing Mental Strength Through Analytic Psychology

Analytic psychology is based on the ideas formulated by Carl Jung. The Jungian school of thought is somewhat similar to the Freudian approach, in that it stressed the importance of the inner psyche, but differed in several distinct ways. Understanding this nuance is important for both mental health practitioners and patients. Any form of treatment, be it physical or mental, should be taken with a basic overview of how the plans are made and the underlying foundations for its strategies.

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All schools of psychotherapy aim to develop mental strength or what others would call enlightenment, peace of mind or the highest form of transcendence. Each field will have their specific term for it, but the main essence of psychology is becoming mentally strong to counter the inevitable challenges one will experience. Different schools of psychology, thus, only differ in the specific action plans to battle daily challenges.

Those who prefer Jungian psychology appreciate the importance of the unconscious. It is believed that all actions are influenced by hidden areas of a person’s psyche. Carl Jung divided the psyche into three different components: the conscious, personal unconscious, and the collective unconscious. How these three factors interrelate vary per individual as each person experiences and perceives life differently. It creates an infinite number of possible Jungian conditions.

Developing mental strength in Jungian psychology, therefore, is founded on understanding how these three factors affect a specific individual. Psychologists trained under the Jungian school of thought typically try to design a relationship chart that shows how these factors manifested themselves. The patient will then be assigned a treatment plan that will address the entire issue at once (it is rare for analytic psychology treatments only to tackle one factor at a time). Patients are expected to be able to practice their own self-assessment and strength-training once they become mentally stronger.

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Paul Gabrinetti is a certified clinical psychologist trained under Carl Jung’s school of thought. Learn more by following this Twitter account.

May Is Mental Health Month: Four Ways To Help

To raise awareness of mental illness, to educate people about its effects, and to help remove the stigma surrounding it, organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mental Health America run awareness campaigns every year in May. The following are four ways people can support the cause:

1. Take the pledge
The NAMI website asks individuals and companies to signify their commitment to learn more about mental illness, see people for themselves and not for their illnesses, and take action on mental health issues by signing the Stigma-free Pledge. Signing and sharing the pledge take less than a minute but go a long way towards promoting awareness and challenging stereotypes surrounding mental illnesses and the people who have them.

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2. Share personal stories of living with mental illness
Various mental health organizations have created their own hashtags to be used throughout social media to spread awareness. Mental Health America asks participants in its May campaign to share their personal stories of living with mental illness on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and to tag their posts with “#mentalhealthfeelslike.”

NAMI asks individuals who wish to help spread awareness to use the hashtags “#StigmaFree,” “#MentalHealthMonth,” and “#Act4MentalHealth.”

3. Encourage local leaders to participate
People can deflect negative attitudes towards mental illnesses at the community level by speaking to their local leaders, such as their mayors, and encouraging them to recognize May as Mental Health Month via an official proclamation.

4. Walk for mental health
NAMI organizations advocate the adoption of public policy for the benefit of individuals with mental illness, and the provision of support and education to individuals with mental illnesses and their families. Those who are interested in the cause can raise both awareness and funds for NAMI projects by going on a NAMIWalk. NAMI’s charity walk program has raised over $4.8 m

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illion in the past 13 years.

Simply taking part in the national conversation about mental health and taking action from the grassroots level up can further a national understanding of the scourge that afflicts many people today.

Paul Gabrinetti, PhD is an analytical psychologist. For more articles on mental health and psychology, subscribe to this blog.

A Jungian Approach to Treating Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses characterized by abnormal eating habits. Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa affect millions of people around the world. Recent years have seen an alarming rise in the number of recorded cases of eating disorders: Incidence has doubled since the 1960s, and it is no longer unheard of for children as young as seven to develop an eating disorder.

There are various factors that are theorized to contribute to the development of eating disorders, from biological ( chemical imbalances in the brain) to intrapersonal (a history of being ridiculed because of weight or appearance). Psychological factors, such as low self-esteem, perceived lack of control in life, and depression can also increase the risk for developing an eating disorder.

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Societal pressure is another oft-cited reason as to why so many individuals are developing eating disorders.

Some Jungian analysts believe that food, in the context of eating disorders, may simply be symbols for something else: An uncontrollable craving for ice cream in an eating disorder patient might mean an unspoken yearning not for a cold dessert but for comfort and sweetness. Bingeing and purging may be viewed by the patient as a way to take control of her life.

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Symbols are central to Carl Jung’s work. Jungian analysts use symbols in a patient’s daily experience, as well as from his or her dreams, fantasies, and the like, to connect with the patient’s unconscious. Understanding the symbols in the patient’s life can help both the patient and the analyst gain a better understanding about the underlying causes of his or her condition.

Jungian analysis seeks to use the unconscious (and a patient’s past traumas and insecurities that may be hidden there), not just as a way to learn more about a patient’s condition, but as the source and catalyst of the patient’s healing.

Jungian analysis is a lengthy process that requires a trustful, healthy relationship between the patient and the analyst. For more on how Jungian analysis can help patients with eating disorders, subscribe to this Paul Gabrinetti blog.

Jungian Archetypes: The Shadow, The Anima, The Animus, and The Persona

In his book, “The Structure of the Psyche,” Carl Gustav Jung, a renowned psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology, explained that “all the most powerful ideas in history go back to archetypes.” These archetypes, he said, define the thoughts and actions of a person. They are innate, universal, and hereditary.

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Based on his concept of the unconscious mind (a process in the mind that occurs automatically), archetypes, in Jungian psychology, are derived from highly developed elements of the “collective unconscious,” which is a structure of the unconscious mind shared among beings of the same kind.

There are four major Jungian archetypes:

The shadow. Often appearing in the form of dreams or visions, the shadow comprises of “repressed ideas, weaknesses, desires, instincts and shortcomings.”

The anima and the animus. This represents one’s “true self” as opposed to the image people present others in their waking life.

The persona. This refers to the aspect of someone’s character according to how he or she wishes to present himself or herself to the world.

Archetypes, according to Jung, are not static nor are they fixed. Apart from these, other archetypes may be related.

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Paul Gabrinetti is a Jungian analyst who received his certification from the CG Jung Institute in Los Angeles, California. Read more articles on Jungian archetypes here.

The Breaks Between Freud And Jung

Carl Gustav Jung had a strictly psychoanalytic phase between 1909 and 1913, and during these years, he corresponded with Sigmund Freud with an alacrity that would have assumed the identical nature of their theories. But the theories of these two most renowned psychoanalysts would later diverge, and Jung himself would define the body of his work under the rubric of analytical psychology.

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The so-called “intellectual break” between the two actually succeeded their common interest in the unconscious psyche. At some point in 1910, Jung was even president of the International Psychoanalytic Association, which he had formed with Freud. A bit after, they were disputing theoretical points such as:

1. Sexuality as a primary motivator of behavior: Freud’s study and interpretation of the unconscious led to a focus on childhood experience, notably the sexual desires repressed during this phase of life. Jung, meanwhile, in a significant break from this line of thinking, stressed the concept of the “collective unconscious,” a sort of personal imprint of humanity’s memories. Thus, behavior for Jung would tend to have a more social motivation.
2. Religion as either illusion or nature: Given Jung’s collective take on the unconscious, he understood religion as an inherent feature of humanity’s solidarity with each other. For Freud, meanwhile, religion had a personal flavor, and it took the form of illusion, or a repression of instincts or unsanctioned sexual desires. Religion, in the Freudian sense, is a form of hysteria.
3. What dreams signify: In line with his reductive reasoning, Freud thought that dreams reflected suppressed desires. Jung, meanwhile, was more expansive in his interpretation of dreams, refusing to limit these to a predefined set of symbols and experiences, such as sexuality.

Whatever the scholarly leanings of psychologists, however, these two had

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contributed greatly to the development of psychology as it is today.

Paul Gabrinetti, Ph.D is a Jungian analyst and clinical psychologist on the faculty of C.G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles’ analyst training program. For more articles on Jungian psychology, visit this blog.