by Christine Hammond on March 26, 2020
The outbreak and subsequent isolation that Amanda experienced from the Coronavirus was devastating. She was stressed out to the max without her usual coping mechanism of spending time with friends. Her job ended abruptly with no promise of resuming anytime soon, her car loan was due, her rent was due, and her family lived in… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on March 20, 2020
Everyone is suffering from Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) with all of the continuous news reports, cancellation of schools, events, and employment, personal experiences from the quarantined, FB updates from family and friends in quarantined countries, and inability to get cleaning supplies or toilet paper. While the threat of the virus is real, the anxiety that… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on November 13, 2019
It wasn’t unusual for my mother to receive a note from one of my teachers when I was a child. The notes were filled with comments about me talking too much, interrupting the class, causing a disruption, not doing my homework/classwork, or picking on another kid. So, in 3rd grade, when my teacher handed me… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on July 27, 2019
Veronica was looking forward to coming home, having a glass of wine, and watching the latest episode of her current binge. Work was particularly difficult today with two key employees on vacation, an extra crisis project, and a demanding client. She called home to let her husband and kids know that all she wanted to… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on July 20, 2019
It is normal to feel anxious when traffic goes from 60 mph to a screeching halt in seconds. Or when your child’s school gets lock downed for some local police activity. Or when the credit card bill is larger than expected. These are anxious moments and feeling anxiety is not unusual. However, Maranda’s anxiety didn’t… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on June 2, 2019
As Pam was driving on a highway bridge overpass, she was suddenly struck with the thought that the bridge could collapse and she would die. She had driven on this overpass a dozen times without ever thinking twice about it so she dismissed the thought as ridiculous. But that did not work. Almost immediately, her… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on October 7, 2018
Amy’s anxiety was through the roof. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt at peace. Her mind raced obsessively with thoughts of worst-possible outcomes, reliving past hurts over and over, and fortune-telling what everyone around her was thinking. She found herself going to dark places of imagining what would happen if her husband died,… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on May 29, 2018
Sammy refused to go to school after hearing about the death of several students at a neighboring school. Even though he didn’t know the details of the event, he was adamant about not going to school. His mother tried everything, including bribing him. But the more she talked the more anxious he got until Sammy… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on October 12, 2017
The word “dependent” is the perfect descriptive word to summarize Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD). DPDs need other people for all areas of emotional support and affirmation. Frequently, they are reliant on one particular person such as a spouse, parent, or adult child. Often, their dependence is in direct contrast to the other person who is… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on October 12, 2017
Obsessive thinking is pondering the same point over and over with no new insight or outcome. Remember the old vinyl records? When there was a scratch on the record, the needle would go back and play the same small section repeatedly until the needle was lifted. That is obsessive thinking. The thoughts don’t have to… (more…)