America is at the precipice of democratic collapse with Republicans steadily pushing us toward the edge. As a clinical social worker, I look at this crisis from a behavioral perspective. Whether the issue is immigration, abortion, gay rights, voting rights or gun control, Republicans have one underlying agenda: to regain power. I call this dynamic…
Why Do Women People Please?
It’s more complicated than you think! Working with women (and girls) for almost three decades, I’ve been struck by how many feel inadequate (aka worthless, undeserving, not good enough), commonly referred to as imposter syndrome. My colleagues have observed this, too. In fact, it’s so pervasive, I can only conclude that the cause is cultural….
The January 6th Committee Forgot About the Officers
This article was updated on March 16, 2023. After the attacks on 9/11, I provided Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) services for a variety of private companies. In one case, I ended up staying a week – not just because of the attacks, but because the company was undergoing a merger. Employees were on edge…
Much Ado About Whoopi: A Jewish clinical social worker gives her take on host’s comment
Ironically, it was exactly 3 years ago when a 35-year-old yearbook photo surfaced of (then) Governor Ralph Northam in blackface. To make matters worse, there was another student in the photo wearing a KKK costume. The outcry was torrential. Everyone in the Democratic party, including (now) President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris, were calling…
Know a Trump supporter? Here’s how to talk to them.
People have good reasons for making bad decisions. Until you identify what those are and offer better solutions, they will not change. No matter how logical your argument, how many facts you present, how emotional your pleas or how often you repeat yourself, you cannot convince people to change. You see it in everyday life – overeating,…
Simone Biles: Re-modeling Mental Health and Female Self-Esteem
Listening to Simone Biles at Tuesday’s press conference, I was impressed by how comfortable she appeared with her decision. Let’s be clear: Simone is not the problem. We are. In our media-driven culture, where appearance is confused with substance and simple solutions are thrown at complex problems, Simone taught the country a lesson: mental health…
The strategy for beating Trumpism: Learn from the past and reach out to the future
This country was founded on two atrocities: the displacement and massacre of indigenous people and the abduction and enslavement of Africans. But this isn’t about “us versus them.” This is about us versus us. And Trumpism is America’s reckoning. Joe Biden was right. The 2020 election was about the soul of America. We’ve been in…
The Most Dangerous Man in America: It’s Not Who You Think
Published December 2019 Some readers may remember Congresswoman Connie Morella. I grew up in her district. I used to quip she was a “Republican in name only.” She even voted against impeaching President Bill Clinton. Morella served eight terms before being defeated by then-State Senator Chris Van Hollen. While I understood the Democratic Party’s desire…
“America is Not a Racist Country:” The politics of semantics
The comment by Senator Tim Scott and other Republicans that, “America is not a racist country,” is like saying humans beings aren’t violent. It is meant to provide an answer without addressing the substance of the question. If we look at America as a collection of ideals then, sure, you could argue it’s not inherently…
The Age of Ageism
Senator Diane Feinstein received a lot of criticism yesterday for calling the hypothetical retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer “a great loss.” She is quoted as saying, “My general belief is if a person serving with integrity and working hard and producing for whatever the constituency is, that’s what these jobs are all about.”…
It's More Complicated Than You Think 