Julie A Swanson, PhD.

02/24/2022

Advice still relevant to me almost 25 years later.

it's been almost 6 yrs of wondering what's d title of the song that i've heard frm my frnds compilation cd.. thanks fredz galleto, now i hve a peace of mind....

04/01/2021

“One study found that social rejection provoked a response in its victims similar to that of victims of physical abuse; the anterior cingulate cortex area of the brain—the area thought to interpret emotion and pain—was active in both instances. ‘Exclusion and rejection literally hurt,’ John Bargh, a psychology professor at Yale, told me. But the silent treatment ultimately harms the person causing it, too.”

Social ostracism has been a common punishment for millennia. But freezing someone out harms both the victim and the perpetrator.

03/09/2021

Helpful for yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

On today’s episode, Dr. Jonathan Grayson talks about OCD, the role of uncertainty in OCD, and his approach to treatment.Resources:Grayson Centerhttp://laocdt...

02/10/2021

This Monk's description of his spiritual practice eloquently describes one of the mental health perspectives that makes the most sense to me.
I found this video to be a useful template for designing a more satisfied life.

Developing a Spiritual Practice | A Monk's Top 5 TipsWith all that has been happening throughout the world, people are recognizing the importance of developi...

10/24/2020

“At the core of Owning Your Experience is choosing to encounter reality just as it is rather than believing that it should already be different.”

Communicating Responsibly for greater Connection and Potency

10/14/2020

“Love isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.” Love this talk by Dr. Steven Hayes.

What can we do to prosper when facing pain and suffering in our lives? More than a thousand studies suggest that a major part of the answer is learning psych...

09/25/2020

And simple, practical tools to overcome these patterns

06/25/2020

I went to a fabulous training where a psychologist, working with clients with OCD who had anxiety related to germs and contamination, described her own experience of being in a public bathroom. She said she was in the stall and saw some gunk on the floor and the following thought occurred, unbidden and unwelcome, to her: "I wonder what would happen if I ate that." When she considered this thought, she felt the UGH! of that statement and the shudder that came with it, and then laughed at the absurdity of it.
Because, the fact that she had that thought meant nothing. She was able to observe the thought, set it aside, choose not to apply meaning to it, and simply laugh at it.
Our thoughts become more than just thoughts when we give them the power to do so. Our thoughts take over our lives when we apply meaning to them when they don't have to mean anything at all. We can make our thoughts mean everything ... or not.
When we learn to take a step back from our thoughts, and nonjudgmentally observe them, simply being curious about them, rather than assigning them all-powerful meaning and truth, we get to choose how much power they have in our lives.
We then recognize that we are soooo much bigger than our thoughts, and truly connect to our own Selves, Souls, Spirits ... in order to choose the direction of our own lives.

03/28/2020

With regard to covid-19, I will be closing the physical office until further notice, and continue to serve my clients through teletherapy. Please call the office, email, or use the therapy notes portal to contact me or schedule appointments.You can email me at drswanson@leaguecitycounseling.com. Thank you for your kindness during this time.

03/28/2020

Psychologists say that what a lot of us are feeling these days is, in fact, a form of grief. Here's how to honor that feeling and regain equilibrium as we face an unknown future.

12/22/2019