Amy Buesing, Psy.D,

Hello, my name is Amy, and I'm an addict. Our collective struggles during January to eat less and exercise more have raised an interesting question: why are intelligent and active adults so reliant on pizza, sugar, alcohol, and other self-destructive activities for pleasure and entertainment? The crux of the answer is in a word - habit. A habit is an automatic response to improve well-being. Habits are learned and maintained by reinforcement circuits - neurotransmitters in ou...Continue reading

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." ~ Mother Theresa Many of us resolve to do more for others, but we often become paralyzed by the multitude of ways to give. So frequently we forget the simplicity of providing kind words. ... According to Professor Norihiro Sadato, a professor at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Japan, To the brain, receiving a compliment is as much a social reward as being rewarded money. We’ve been able to find scientific proof that a person performs better when they receive a social reward after completing an exercise. Complimenting someone could become an easy and effective strategy to use in the classroom and during rehabilitation. Researchers have discovered that the same area of the brain affected in this study, the striatum, is activated when a person is rewarded a compliment or cash. I encourage everyone to be liberal with their compliments (if the sentiment is genuine). People can sense and appreciate authenticity. So, when interacting with others, don't skimp on the sweetness. It's a very simple way to make good on your resolution to give more of yourself to others, every day.

Work Hard, Play Moderately A recent book called The Longevity Project, penned by psychologists Howard S. Friedman and Leslie Martin, pulls together eight years of research examining different factors related to longevity. Many of the findings were not only surprising, but actually contradict widely-held beliefs about the relationship between stress and health. It turns out that in terms of personality traits, persistence is one of the best predictors of health and long life.... The study participants characterized as unconscientious were more likely to grow up and have poor marriages, smoke and drink more, achieve less education, and be less successful at work. And these risk factors contributed to death at an earlier age. So it seems that slowing down and taking on less responsibility is not the best course of action for our health. Those who stayed involved in full, meaningful activities for the longest amount of time lived the longest. The findings of the research reflect that in order to achieve greater longevity, we should work hard, live a full life, and stay connected in positive relationships. So this New Year, instead of just resolving to get more exercise and lose weight, set some goals for your career and your community involvement. And be sure to make time for your friends and family. Such is the richly-paved road to wellness. See more

Tips to Avoid Child Victimization http://www.traumapsychologist.com/blog.html

This week is Homelessness Awareness Week Let's all be grateful for what we have and donate to those who have less than we do. I am posting a link to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and some very distressing statistics on homelessness. For just $1, they can provide $8.47 worth of food to hungry families.... STATISTICS AND MYTHBUSTERS The fastest growing group of homeless people is children under 9 years of age. Atlanta is the poorest city in the U.S. for children - more children in Atlanta live in poverty than in any other city. 48% of all the children in Atlanta in poverty live in families with annual incomes of less than $15,000 a year. 98 million children in the U.S. have no health insurance. Eight million of those children without health insurance live in working families. Did you know that 40% - 60% of homeless people work? Minimum wage in Georgia is $5.85 per hour, which yields $12,168 per year, before taxes. HUD says you should pay no more than 30% of your income for your housing. (30% of minimum wage yields $270/mo. for rent) The average two-bedroom apartment in Atlanta rents for $834/mo. (which is 30% of an annual income of $33,360 or hourly rate of $16+ per hour). Thus, you need to earn $16+ per hour to afford that apartment, according to HUD. 46% of the jobs with the most growth between 1994 and 2005 pay less than $16,000 a year. 40% of homeless men are veterans. The wealthiest nation on Earth has a wider gap between rich and poor than any other nation. from the Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless

Pizza is a vegetable - so are Whoppers. http://www.traumapsychologist.com/blog.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com//ashlynn-conner-suicide-fa_n According to the experts the best thing we can do is something - INTERVENE. http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/04/bullying.aspx