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6 Gentle Ways to Calm the Mind and Ease Sleep Anxiety for Autistic & Neurodiverse Individuals
Understanding Sleep Anxiety in Neurodiverse Individuals Sleep anxiety is the overwhelming fear or worry about not being able to fall asleep or stay asleep. It can cause racing thoughts, restlessness, and even panic — making sleep feel impossible. Why is Sleep Anxiety Common in Autistic Individuals? Autistic and neurodiverse individuals often experience heightened sensory awareness, […]
Women Trailblazers in Mental Health
As part of Women’s Health Month, ADAA’s Women Mental Health SIG presents a series of blogs and videos showcasing women trailblazers in the mental health sector. Watch important conversations with women paving the way in mental health to learn from their experiences and their advances in the field and read the stories of women who […]
Hedda Bolgar, PhD (1909–2013): Psychologist and Psychoanalyst
If Hedda Bolgar had a business card, it would read: “Psychoanalyst. Psychotherapist. Mentor. Educator. Supervisor. Social Activist. Feminist. Centenarian. Hostess. Friend.” The typography could be graffiti, spray-painted to represent revolutionary angst and the pursuit of social justice. The design would be delicate with a floral border reminiscent of the gardens at her Brentwood, California abode, […]
Eleanor Maccoby, PhD (1917-2018): Early Pioneer in Gender Studies and Child Development
Eleanor Maccoby was born in 1917 into a world in which biology was assumed to explain the differences between males and females and the effects of culture, parenting and gender roles on human development were poorly understood. She also had to overcome gender bias that made it difficult for women to be accepted into scientific […]
Facing the Uncertainty of Job Insecurity
One of the most worrisome situations that anyone with a job can face is the awareness that your employment might end through no fault of your own. What can you do when your employer announces cutbacks, layoffs, profit loss or restructuring that eliminates your department? How do you cope when you realize your history of […]
Derealization and depersonalization: Perceived madness | 2
It’s like you suddenly lost your grip on immediate reality. Or maybe you look in a mirror and a full sense of “you” doesn’t hit home. Derealization and depersonalization: perceived madness – the more we learn, the saner we feel. It just seems to me that when the mind knows it’s mega-overwhelmed, believing even the […]
Mamie Phipps Clark (1917-1983): Pioneer Psychologist on Racial Identity, Child Development, and Systemic Racism
Mamie Phipps Clark was a pioneering psychologist whose work fundamentally shaped our understanding of racial identity, child development, and the psychological impacts of systemic racism. Her contributions were critical to the advancement of psychology and the civil rights movement, particularly through her groundbreaking research and dedication to community-based mental health services. Born in Hot Springs, […]
Male Survivors of Interpersonal Violence: Getting Help
What is Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)? An intimate partner relationship is when two individuals share an emotionally close and/or physical relationship, regardless of how long they have been together. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) refers to a situation where one person uses power and control over another person in those relationships, which causes them harm. The […]
Margaret Floy Washburn, PhD (1871 – 1939): First Woman to Earn a PhD in Psychology in the USA
Margaret Washburn, a pioneering female psychologist in the early 20th century, was the first woman in the United States to earn a PhD in psychology (1894). During an era when universities refused to grant graduate degrees to women, this accomplishment marked a major milestone in the advancement of women in the field of psychology. […]
Paula J. Clayton, MD (1934 – 2021): Pioneering Psychiatry with Passion and Precision
Dr. Paula Clayton was a trailblazing psychiatrist who earned her medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine in 1960, becoming one of four women in her graduating class1. Her journey from a determined medical student to an internationally recognized researcher exemplifies her dedication and commitment to patient care, destigmatizing mental health treatments and strengthening […]