Comments for PsychPage http://www.psychpage.com ...perspectives on psychology in daily life Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:31:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better off Financially by Richard Niolon PhD http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/brwaitgalligher.html/comment-page-1#comment-984 Richard Niolon PhD Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:31:43 +0000 http://www.psychpage.com/?p=235#comment-984 "The problem is one of causality. For example, if indeed married men on average live longer than single men, this does not necessarily prove that marriage is the determining factor of their longer lives. It may be that healthy men are more likely to marry. " You're exactly right - correlational research can not establish what causes what, just that they occur together. This is a valid concern about the research - thanks for reminding us :) “The problem is one of causality. For example, if indeed married men on average live longer than single men, this does not necessarily prove that marriage is the determining factor of their longer lives. It may be that healthy men are more likely to marry. ”

You’re exactly right – correlational research can not establish what causes what, just that they occur together. This is a valid concern about the research – thanks for reminding us :)

]]> Comment on The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better off Financially by Richard Niolon PhD http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/brwaitgalligher.html/comment-page-1#comment-983 Richard Niolon PhD Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:29:10 +0000 http://www.psychpage.com/?p=235#comment-983 Feel free to see http://student.bmj.com/student/view-article.html?id=sbmj.d404 (Gallacher and Gallacher, 2011) http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/07/marriageonhealth/rb.htm (DHHS, 2007) http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr08-je-je135.htm (Australian Government, 2008) Feel free to see
http://student.bmj.com/student/view-article.html?id=sbmj.d404 (Gallacher and Gallacher, 2011)
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/07/marriageonhealth/rb.htm (DHHS, 2007)
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr08-je-je135.htm (Australian Government, 2008)

]]> Comment on Therapy – Ethical Standard 10 by Richard Niolon PhD http://www.psychpage.com/ethics/pfstand10.html/comment-page-1#comment-982 Richard Niolon PhD Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:55:52 +0000 http://www.psychpage.com/?p=91#comment-982 I'm not sure how to respond to some of your comments. I think you're right that humans are built of emotions, chemicals, social pressures, personal biases... and so we can't disconnect our hearts, hormones, chemicals... from who we are. I don't think the research above asked about erections in session, but rather about attraction. It's one thing to sexually desire your clients, another to realize they are good people and you feel drawn to them in some way (maybe because they are like you in some way). That's very different from sexual attraction and arousal. It's a possible starting point to "slip" down the slope, however. Along the way are lower quality care and lost boundaries, and at the bottom is likely abuse of clients, so attraction (before it gets close to arousal) certainly deserves some discussion and monitoring. However, discussion and monitoring isn't arousal - in fact, it's designed to prevent arousal and provoke professional thinking, reflection, and establishment of boundaries. What is it about you as a therapist that makes you have these feelings? What does this tell you about your work with your client? Can you control your emotions? The ongoing data from researchers and malpractice companies about psychologists is that sexual abuse of clients is a stable 3-5% depending on how you ask about it. I don't think it is an epidemic... I'm not saying 3-5% is an acceptable ratio, but it is also not an epidemic. If you are including other professions in with psychologists, then I have to admit ignorance there. I don't know any statistics on social workers, counselors, etc... I’m not sure how to respond to some of your comments. I think you’re right that humans are built of emotions, chemicals, social pressures, personal biases… and so we can’t disconnect our hearts, hormones, chemicals… from who we are.

I don’t think the research above asked about erections in session, but rather about attraction. It’s one thing to sexually desire your clients, another to realize they are good people and you feel drawn to them in some way (maybe because they are like you in some way). That’s very different from sexual attraction and arousal.

It’s a possible starting point to “slip” down the slope, however. Along the way are lower quality care and lost boundaries, and at the bottom is likely abuse of clients, so attraction (before it gets close to arousal) certainly deserves some discussion and monitoring. However, discussion and monitoring isn’t arousal – in fact, it’s designed to prevent arousal and provoke professional thinking, reflection, and establishment of boundaries. What is it about you as a therapist that makes you have these feelings? What does this tell you about your work with your client? Can you control your emotions?

The ongoing data from researchers and malpractice companies about psychologists is that sexual abuse of clients is a stable 3-5% depending on how you ask about it. I don’t think it is an epidemic… I’m not saying 3-5% is an acceptable ratio, but it is also not an epidemic.

If you are including other professions in with psychologists, then I have to admit ignorance there. I don’t know any statistics on social workers, counselors, etc…

]]> Comment on Infidelity by Amanda http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/infidelity.html/comment-page-1#comment-981 Amanda Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:33:54 +0000 http://www.psychpage.com/?p=555#comment-981 Great article. Really helpful to write it out there like this since infidelity is such a common thing that therapists deal with. Thanks for sharing! Great article. Really helpful to write it out there like this since infidelity is such a common thing that therapists deal with. Thanks for sharing!

]]> Comment on The Sound Marital House by Relationship 101: How To Fight Well {Monrovia Marriage Therapist} » Marriage Counseling Monrovia Arcadia Sierra Madre & Pasadena Therapist http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/gottman.html/comment-page-1#comment-980 Relationship 101: How To Fight Well {Monrovia Marriage Therapist} » Marriage Counseling Monrovia Arcadia Sierra Madre & Pasadena Therapist Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:08:33 +0000 http://www.psychpage.com/?p=495#comment-980 [...] tone should be non-judgmental and neutral when you begin communicating about conflict. According to Gottman’s research, the first 3 minutes of this conversation will determine whether or not it can be successful or [...] [...] tone should be non-judgmental and neutral when you begin communicating about conflict. According to Gottman’s research, the first 3 minutes of this conversation will determine whether or not it can be successful or [...]

]]> Comment on The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better off Financially by Nicholas http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/brwaitgalligher.html/comment-page-1#comment-979 Nicholas Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:11:47 +0000 http://www.psychpage.com/?p=235#comment-979 You say so now. But only time will tell. You say so now. But only time will tell.

]]> Comment on The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better off Financially by Couples are Generally Happier than Singles - Supporting Happy Healthy Marriages and Couples in MaineSupporting Happy Healthy Marriages and Couples in Maine http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/brwaitgalligher.html/comment-page-1#comment-978 Couples are Generally Happier than Singles - Supporting Happy Healthy Marriages and Couples in MaineSupporting Happy Healthy Marriages and Couples in Maine Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:09:48 +0000 http://www.psychpage.com/?p=235#comment-978 [...] article reminded me of another that I recently ran across for the second time entitled,  “The Case for Marriage: Why Married People are Happier, Healthier, and Better off Financially&... by Richard Niolon, PhD.  In his article, Niolon asserts that couples have several advantages over [...] [...] article reminded me of another that I recently ran across for the second time entitled,  “The Case for Marriage: Why Married People are Happier, Healthier, and Better off Financially&… by Richard Niolon, PhD.  In his article, Niolon asserts that couples have several advantages over [...]

]]> Comment on The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better off Financially by Living in sin healthier than marriage « Str8Talkr http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/brwaitgalligher.html/comment-page-1#comment-976 Living in sin healthier than marriage « Str8Talkr Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:15:21 +0000 http://www.psychpage.com/?p=235#comment-976 [...] Studies being touted by pro-marriage factions that link marriage to adult well-being may “overstate the relative benefits of marriage,” writes Kelly Musick, associate professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell’s College of Human Ecology, who conducted the study, “Reexamining the Case for Marriage: Union Formation and Changes in Well-being,” with Larry Bumpass, a sociologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Our research shows that marriage is by no means unique in promoting well-being and that other forms of romantic relationships can provide many of the same benefits.” [...] [...] Studies being touted by pro-marriage factions that link marriage to adult well-being may “overstate the relative benefits of marriage,” writes Kelly Musick, associate professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell’s College of Human Ecology, who conducted the study, “Reexamining the Case for Marriage: Union Formation and Changes in Well-being,” with Larry Bumpass, a sociologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Our research shows that marriage is by no means unique in promoting well-being and that other forms of romantic relationships can provide many of the same benefits.” [...]

]]> Comment on The Sound Marital House by Maggie Keeling http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/gottman.html/comment-page-1#comment-974 Maggie Keeling Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:48:51 +0000 http://www.psychpage.com/?p=495#comment-974 Practitioners & trainees interested in Gottman's work can attend a training with John & Julie Gottman in Plano, TX on April 17 –18. The workshop: “Bridging the Couple Chasm,” will be at the SMU-in-Plano campus & is sponsored by the SMU M.S. in Counseling Program. For more info & to register: http://smu.edu/education/counseling/workshops/ Practitioners & trainees interested in Gottman’s work can attend a training with John & Julie Gottman in Plano, TX on April 17 –18. The workshop: “Bridging the Couple Chasm,” will be at the SMU-in-Plano campus & is sponsored by the SMU M.S. in Counseling Program. For more info & to register: http://smu.edu/education/counseling/workshops/

]]> Comment on Dealing With Anger and Children by Eight is a difficult age « Dad Who Writes – Gabriel M. Clarke's blog http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/angry.html/comment-page-1#comment-973 Eight is a difficult age « Dad Who Writes – Gabriel M. Clarke's blog Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:54:54 +0000 http://www.psychpage.com/?p=172#comment-973 [...] when possible and avoiding being negative. We’e already doing most of the things one finds on typical parenting checklists (except, of course, when we forget ourselves – we get tired too). I can’t help feeling [...] [...] when possible and avoiding being negative. We’e already doing most of the things one finds on typical parenting checklists (except, of course, when we forget ourselves – we get tired too). I can’t help feeling [...]

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