So-Mai Brown, M.A.

Q: I have a 14 year old son and we argue a lot about chores and house rules. Do you have any tips on how I can improve our communication? A: Adolescents are moving towards independence, more interested in peer relationships and going through many physical, cognitive and hormonal changes. As your child transitions into adulthood, how you two communicate is going to change and this transition can be frustrating for both of you. Your teen may be more defiant and complain of you interfering with their independence. This is …

What is Borderline? Is it when someone almost has a mental disorder? The word “borderline” can be confusing, but the disorder stands alone and is not tied to another diagnosis. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is under the umbrella of personality disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV-TR), the text used by mental health professionals to diagnose patients. Personality disorders develop in early adulthood, affect most areas of a person’s life, are long standing and are part of their personality. This is different from someone with a phobia, one …

Cyberbullying is any behavior through the internet that is aimed at an individual or group intended to be hurtful and malicious. This is beyond a harsh email. Cyberbullying can include hacking into someone’s online account, publicly ridiculing someone online, excluding someone from an online group, or posting private information publicly through social media sites or texting. There has recently been extensive media coverage about students who have committed suicide due to cyberbullying. This can be frightening to many parents, but the relationship between cyberbullying and suicide isn’t causal. Adults and …

The debate about health care reform was vicious and now that the bill has passed, tempers have subsided and we are left asking ourselves, “how and when will this affect me?” Health care reform will make some helpful changes in access to mental health. Below is a summary of the new changes. Mental Health Parity (January 1, 2010)- Under the Wellstone-Domenici Parity Act, insurance companies must provide the same coverage for mental illness and substance abuse as any physical illness. This means they can no longer charge higher co-payments or set …

The ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have shed light on the unfortunate reality of war’s effect on the mind. Studies have shown that upon returning from battle the number of soldiers afflicted by post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly referred to by its acronym PTSD, is steadily increasing. For those struggling with trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, EMDR may be an effective treatment to reduce the distressing affect and memories, allowing for a fuller life. More and more clinicians are being trained in EMDR and if you are suffering from a …

I get panic attacks, what can I do to get rid of them? Panic attacks are common (2.4 million suffering from them regularly) and very uncomfortable to say the least. A panic attack is a sudden and overwhelming sense of fear, coupled with body symptoms like racing heart, shallow breathing, sweating, numbness in the limbs, dizziness, and feelings of unreality, going crazy or dying. Even though they are unpleasant, the good news is that they will always pass, you won’t “go crazy” and they are not medically dangerous. So what …

I get so anxious for job interviews and I worry so much. What can I do to feel more relaxed? Now that the recession is lifting and the job market is opening up, people are starting to get more job opportunities. The interview process is emotionally taxing, particularly in today’s economic climate. An extended period of unemployment can create financial burdens and other turmoils. These various pressures can make the interview process scarier, because more seems to be at stake. First, being nervous for an interview is normal and can …