Psychotherapy News and Research

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Psychotherapy is “talk” therapy. It involves talking with a mental health professional to treat a mental illness. Psychotherapy can occur one-on-one or in a group. Research shows that support from family and friends can be an important part of therapy.

Majority of Americans unaware of law mandating equal coverage of mental health benefits

An overwhelming majority of Americans remain unaware of a law mandating equal coverage of mental health benefits by insurance companies, a cause for concern by psychologists at a time when one-quarter of Americans are reported to have a mental health disorder and only a minority are receiving treatment.

25 Jan 2011

New study on pain-relieving effect of transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation

The medical device company cerbomed cooperated with the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University of Regensburg 2010 on a randomized, controlled study into somatosensory pain processing. The study, lead by Prof. Dr. Peter Eichhammer and Dr. Volker Busch, aimed to judge the pain-relieving effect of transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (t-VNS).

25 Jan 2011

Concomitant physical symptoms in patients with depression and anxiety associated with poorer prognosis

This study, published in the last 2010 issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, indicate that concomitant physical symptoms in patients with depression and anxiety are associated with a poorer prognosis of symptoms of depression and anxiety and that it might prove worthwhile to pay attention to the role of multiple physical symptoms in the process of tailoring interventions to meet the needs of depressed and anxious patients in primary care.

19 Jan 2011

Study highlights utility of CDS for diagnosing major depression

In the last 2010 issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, a new scale for measuring depression in cardiac patients is presented. The Cardiac Depression Scale was initially developed specifically for cardiac patients. Its purpose is to allow measurement over the continuum between low-level depressive symptomatology and major depression.

19 Jan 2011

Study elaborates relationship between obesity and MDD-R, long-term use of ADs

This study demonstrates that patients using antidepressants continuously, mostly serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitors, show significantly more overweight and obesity than those using them intermittently or not at all.

18 Jan 2011

New study unravels neural mechanisms underlying inability to express emotions

This German study demonstrates that the supragenual anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is constantly activated more strongly in alexithymic subjects and that this activation is related to the symptoms of alexithymia and not to associated symptoms such as depression. These findings also support the hypothesis of an altered function of the ACC in alexithymia.

18 Jan 2011

Researchers present new findings on role of relationship between patient and therapist

This study published in the last 2010 issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics suggests that therapist and patient ratings of therapeutic alliance predict therapeutic progress.

18 Jan 2011

7,8-Dihydroxyflavone holds potential for treatment of fear based disorders

Living a traumatic experience favours the persistence of fear associated with an aversive stimulus, known as fear conditioning and such effect, in mice, can be suppressed with a single dosis of 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone, a type of flavonoid which boosts the ability to acquire new emotional learnings.

13 Jan 2011

Mental health concerns for women

A new study said that more than 15 million women have suffered mental health problems of some kind, and are twice as likely as men to be depressed. The report from a support group Platform 51, formerly the YWCA found that depression in women can be seriously damaging leading women to engage in “self-destructive” behaviour such as drinking, sexual promiscuity and building up debt.

11 Jan 2011

Winter depression is more common in women than men

As the winter months approach bringing holidays and good cheer, certain health issues may arise that women should have on their radar. From mental health issues like stress, depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), to physical concerns like skin care, the winter can certainly pack a punch.

6 Jan 2011

Personality characteristics impact psychological recovery after breast cancer treatment

Certain personality traits are linked to higher quality-of-life scores in breast cancer patients who undergo breast reconstruction after mastectomy, reports a study in the January issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

4 Jan 2011

Touro University Worldwide introduces new online program in Marriage and Family Therapy

Dr. Bernard Luskin, CEO and Senior Provost of Touro University Worldwide recently announced its new online program in Marriage and Family Therapy with concentrations in pastoral counseling, coaching, mediation and dispute resolution.

21 Dec 2010

Completely fearless woman stirs scientific interest

It has been known since the 1930s that when a certain part of monkeys’ brains were removed, the animals became fearless. Now similar effects are being seen in humans according to a study in the journal Current Biology. Justin Feinstein, the study’s lead author and a clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Iowa said, “There’s not very many humans with this sort of brain damage… Luckily for us, we had access to a patient, SM, and we studied her different fear behaviours and we read her personal diaries.”

19 Dec 2010

MDMA produces friendliness, playfulness, and loving feelings in laboratory setting

MDMA or 'ecstasy' increases feelings of empathy and social connection. These 'empathogenic' effects suggest that MDMA might be useful to enhance the psychotherapy of people who struggle to feel connected to others, as may occur in association with autism, schizophrenia, or antisocial personality disorder.

15 Dec 2010

Mental Health Research Network receives grant to create data resource for mental health researchers

Ask anyone: There must be better ways to treat mental health problems. Treatment hinges on research. But traditional research is slow-and so expensive that it can't even ask many pressing questions in mental health. And findings from academic settings may not apply to patients or clinicians in the real world of health care.

7 Dec 2010

Clinicians should specify subtypes of depression and combine antidepressants and psychotherapy

It is unlikely that different types of depression can be combined to one single disease called Major Depression. When testing the efficacy of antidepressants or psychotherapy, clinicians should make an attempt to specify the subtypes of depression and to combine antidepressants and psychotherapy in a sequential approach.

7 Dec 2010

Alexithymia associated with insecure attachment styles, emotional trauma: Research

Alexithymia is inversely related to mentalization and is associated with insecure attachment styles and emotional trauma, which influence the capacity to regulate affects induced by stressful events. Alexithymia and intrapsychic conflicts may both contribute to the pathogenesis of panic attacks.

6 Dec 2010

GoodTherapy.org adds post-graduate therapist training directory, psychology graduate school directory

GoodTherapy.org, an internationally recognized organization which promotes healthy psychotherapy practices and helps people connect with mental health professionals, is pleased to announce the addition of two new features to its comprehensive website.

4 Dec 2010

Grove School announces expansion of art therapy program

The Grove School, a co-educational, therapeutic boarding and day school for adolescents in grades 7-12, is pleased to announce the expansion of its art therapy program and to welcome Elizabeth Ferguson, an art therapist, to its clinical department.

29 Nov 2010

Study indicates high self-rated lifetime prevalence of depression among psychiatrists

This study addresses depression and burn-out among a sample of psychiatrists collected at a professional congress. Within several constraints, the results indicate an high self-rated lifetime prevalence of depression of 41.6% among the sample. Also noteworthy is that a fifth (20.3%) of the sample showed evidence of acute depressive symptoms.

26 Nov 2010

Psychotherapy News and Research

Further Reading

Majority of Americans unaware of law mandating equal coverage of mental health benefits

New study on pain-relieving effect of transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Concomitant physical symptoms in patients with depression and anxiety associated with poorer prognosis

Study highlights utility of CDS for diagnosing major depression

Study elaborates relationship between obesity and MDD-R, long-term use of ADs

New study unravels neural mechanisms underlying inability to express emotions

Researchers present new findings on role of relationship between patient and therapist

7,8-Dihydroxyflavone holds potential for treatment of fear based disorders

Mental health concerns for women

Winter depression is more common in women than men

Personality characteristics impact psychological recovery after breast cancer treatment

Touro University Worldwide introduces new online program in Marriage and Family Therapy

Completely fearless woman stirs scientific interest

MDMA produces friendliness, playfulness, and loving feelings in laboratory setting

Mental Health Research Network receives grant to create data resource for mental health researchers

Clinicians should specify subtypes of depression and combine antidepressants and psychotherapy

Alexithymia associated with insecure attachment styles, emotional trauma: Research

GoodTherapy.org adds post-graduate therapist training directory, psychology graduate school directory

Grove School announces expansion of art therapy program

Study indicates high self-rated lifetime prevalence of depression among psychiatrists

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