Dr. Helen R. Friedman, Clinical Psychologist

06/30/2024

This article is fascinating and a must-read for all!

For every predator, there's an enabler—sometimes an entire network. Inside the mind of an enabler.

01/18/2024

I was interviewed on road rage on NPR’s St. Louis station (KWMU 90.7 FM). The show is “St. Louis on the Air.” Here is the link:

Aggressive driving is increasing, AAA reports.

06/06/2022

Just in time for Pride Month, I was quoted in an article in the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)’s website on misgendering nonbinary employees. Here is the link to view the article:

Employers unaware of the option to use the comments section of the EEO-1 Form to note nonbinary employees might unwittingly misgender employees as male or female as a result.

06/06/2022

I am pleased to be quoted on the back cover of my esteemed friend and colleague Dr. Alyson Nerenberg’s book, "No Perfect Love: Shattering the Illusion of Flawless Relationships."

12/06/2021

A great idea for each one of us to be the light:

“Some years ago, I was stuck on a crosstown bus in New York City during rush hour. Traffic was barely moving. The bus was filled with cold, tired people who were deeply irritated with one another, with the world itself. Two men barked at each other about a shove that might or might not have been intentional. A pregnant woman got on, and nobody offered her a seat. Rage was in the air; no mercy would be found here.

But as the bus approached Seventh Avenue, the driver got on the intercom."Folks," he said, "I know you have had a rough day and you are frustrated. I can’t do anything about the weather or traffic, but here is what I can do. As each one of you gets off the bus, I will reach out my hand to you. As you walk by, drop your troubles into the palm of my hand, okay? Don’t take your problems home to your families tonight, just leave them with me. My route goes right by the Hudson River, and when I drive by there later, I will open the window and throw your troubles in the water."

It was as if a spell had lifted. Everyone burst out laughing. Faces gleamed with surprised delight. People who had been pretending for the past hour not to notice each other’s existence were suddenly grinning at each other like, is this guy serious?

Oh, he was serious.

At the next stop, just as promised, the driver reached out his hand, palm up, and waited. One by one, all the exiting commuters placed their hand just above his and mimed the gesture of dropping something into his palm. Some people laughed as they did this, some teared up but everyone did it. The driver repeated the same lovely ritual at the next stop, too. And the next. All the way to the river.

We live in a hard world, my friends. Sometimes it is extra difficult to be a human being. Sometimes you have a bad day. Sometimes you have a bad day that lasts for several years. You struggle and fail. You lose jobs, money, friends, faith, and love. You witness horrible events unfolding in the news, and you become fearful and withdrawn. There are times when everything seems cloaked in darkness. You long for the light but don’t know where to find it.
But what if you are the light? What if you are the very agent of illumination that a dark situation begs for?. That’s what this bus driver taught me, that anyone can be the light, at any moment. This guy wasn’t some big power player. He wasn’t a spiritual leader. He wasn’t some media-savvy influencer. He was a bus driver, one of society’s most invisible workers. But he possessed real power, and he used it beautifully for our benefit.

When life feels especially grim, or when I feel particularly powerless in the face of the world’s troubles, I think of this man and ask myself, What can I do, right now, to be the light? Of course, I can’t personally end all wars, or solve global warming, or transform vexing people into entirely different creatures. I definitely can’t control traffic. But I do have some influence on everyone I brush up against, even if we never speak or learn each other’s name.

"No matter who you are, or where you are, or how mundane or tough your situation may seem, I believe you can illuminate your world. In fact, I believe this is the only way the world will ever be illuminated, one bright act of grace at a time, all the way to the river."

~Elizabeth Gilbert

06/09/2021

I was interviewed in an article on celebrities opening up about their own emotional struggles.

One clarification: Before a performance many people, especially introverts and people with social anxiety, may need to shore up their energy (not anxiety—there’s already plenty of that). This helps ensure peak performance!

Why celebrity confessions about emotional pain helps the greater good.

04/21/2021

I was briefly quoted in an article on Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID, formerly multiple personality disorder). The link is below.

I bumped into my first multiple early in my career and it became my first specialty. The research shows that multiples tend to be brighter and more creative than average. Essentially the young, chronically traumatized child says, “I can’t make myself believe that this isn’t happening, but I can make myself believe this isn’t happening to ME” and an alternate identity is created. Once started, it becomes a way of life to deal with continued difficulties and more identities are created. It is a creative response to ongoing trauma. DID typically begins in very young childhood (average about 3 years old), because as an individual gets older, they achieve object constancy and would not be able to begin this process. That is what is meant by “primitive” in the article.

The "90210" actress opened up about her disorder for the first time.

10/28/2020

Performing acts of kindness enhances physical and mental health!

A new study shows why performing acts of kindness and helping other people can be good for your health and well-being.

09/25/2020

This is a thoughtful article on life changes and transitions.

Transitions feel like an abnormal disruption to life, but in fact they are a predictable and integral part of it.

09/01/2020

I am open to serving new, returning, and existing clients by telephone or video, for the safety and well-being of us all. I can now provide Telehealth (and up to 30 days in person services) to clients in all PsyPact states: Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah. Virginia and North Carolina will be added in early 2021. For more information, please call (314) 781-4500.

05/21/2020

I am open to serving new, returning, and existing clients by telephone or video, for the safety of us all. Call (314) 781-4500 to schedule an appointment.