What is START? It is a model of short-term psycho-dynamic psychotherapy that was developed at the McGill Mental Health Service in the years 1995 to 2006 for the treatment of emotional distress in students. It us specifically oriented towards an adolescent or young adult population, though it is effective in any age group. It was […]
Evan Tran and the Sad State of University Services
The news of Evan Tran’s tragic death should give us all a pause to think. Here is another talented, well liked young man who decided to take his own life. There will undoubtedly be numerous articles written about the hardship of “mental illness” and the difficulty faced by university student services in providing help to […]
The Law of Averages
In most professions in life, average implies not too bad. One isn’t getting the best, but hopefully one isn’t getting badly treated. The average car mechanic will be perfectly good at doing an oil change or general repairs. The average family doctor will be able to handle most common ailments, like high blood pressure, sore […]
Donald Trump, Stephen Harper and Mental Health
There is much that can be said about Donald Trump’s and Stephen Harper’s views on mental health. Both seem intent on labelling people and seeing “mental illness” as the root of many of society’s problems. In their approaches one can understand the real cause of emotional distress in our societies. Both men, and to some […]
Walter Palmer, Narcissists, Psychopaths and Crimes Against Humanity
What is the difference between a narcissist and a psychopath (or Anti-Social Personality as named by the DSM)? Basically there is little difference. Both are determined by a profound lack of empathy and guilt. The main difference is that a person is considered to by a psychopath if they have been convicted of crimes, while […]
The Problem With Research Models of Psychotherapy
There has been extensive promotion of research models of psychotherapy, largely due to the demand from certain industries for evidence based practice. The problem with psychotherapy research is not necessarily in the research itself but in the superficial application of whatever evidence one can glean from the research. There is now a growing concern […]