A problem that exists in both substance use and mental health disorders is that there is no direct measurement of the disorders. We identify them indirectly by self-report, observing behaviors, employing screening and assessment instruments, ...

“Girly thoughts” is the term noted psychologist Dr. Patricia O’Gorman coined for the “toxic inner voice” that women oftentimes have—the negative self-talk that causes them to focus on counterproductive messages and diminishes their personal power. ...

Whether you call addiction treatment professionals “change agents” or “agents of change,” one thing is for sure, the goal is to help people make changes in their lives that lead to improvements in quality of ...

This is the final installment in a two-part series that focuses on applying the virtue of patience in recovery from addiction. The first column focused on patience as a vital ingredient in the overall recovery ...

The forthcoming month of September usually means that summer is coming to a close. Picnics are over, school begins, the weather changes, leaves begin to fall, and another season has passed. For many people however, ...

Why Did She Jump? conveys the heartbreaking tale of author Joan E. Childs’ experience of losing a daughter to suicide—suicide that was a direct result of bipolar I disorder. Childs takes readers through her family’s ...

The language we use has the potential to have a significant effect, either positive or damaging, which is especially important in relationship to a disease marked by stigma and misunderstanding. Many people—including people with substance ...

This is the second column in a three-part series on client motivation to change. The first part discussed motivation as a state, examined levels of motivation to change, and provided examples of clients with different ...

Dear Dr. Toni,   I have been following your column for about a year now. My closest girlfriend is a therapist and she keeps Counselor magazine in her office and I read it when I ...