Have you ever lied to someone you loved or yourself...?

Well, if you are being honest you probably answered yes! From our earliest days in life, as humans, we may try to deny reality to help us feel better or even survive. This is a powerful technique that our minds reflexively use to protect us however at times he can go awry and leave us stuck and painful repetitive patterns. Frequently these patterns are diagnosed as depression, anxiety, or social phobia, and can manifest as relationship problems,  difficulty sleeping, or overeating, drinking, sleeping.

There can be such powerful feelings that leave us moving away from greater understanding of why these things occur aka we do them. Frequently, my work with patients is in these areas and can help provide relief.

Here is an article, from current news, that provides a great illustration of how anyone can find themselves in a situation they would never wish for.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/02/09/psychiatrists-view-why-would-brian-williams-make-up-stories/

Posted By:
Dr. Charles R. Davenport
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D. LLC.

Phone: 941-321-1971

www.drcharlesdavenport.com

Venice Office

1525 Tamiami Trail S.

Ste. 603 A

Venice, FL 34285
Venice Officeon 

Sarasota Office
950 South Tamiami Trail
Ste 202
Sarasota, FL 34236

Sarasota Officeon 

Childhood Psychological Abuse as Harmful as Sexual or Physical Abuse

This new study speaks to the severe impact of psychological abuse on children. This study finds that psychological abuse could have more severe  impact on children that sexual or physical abuse alone.

I have seen many  examples of external ailments being seen as more "valid" by popular culture than things that cannot be directly seen on the outside. For example, if a student was struggling with depression and as a result had low energy levels, seemed to not care about things as much as they used to, and had a hard time with sustained concentration and attention they may be judged by teachers or parents as not applying themselves or being lazy. However, if the same student had a broken arm and couldn't write or engage in activities as they once did it would be more acceptable allowing time for them to heal. f we allow ourselves to take into account what happens inside we can create space for healing so it will change. If we criticize as in the case of the depressed student it is likely to leave the person feeling more intense feelings.

As related to this study, typically, sexual or physical abuse are seen, in popular culture, as likely to have more of an impact on children's functioning than psychological abuse however this does not seem to be the case.

http://apa.org/news/press/releases/2014/10/psychological-abuse.aspx

Reposted By:
Dr. Charles R. Davenport
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D. LLC.
Phone: 941-321-1971
www.drcharlesdavenport.com

Venice Office
1525 Tamiami Trail S.
Ste. 603 A
Venice, FL 34285

Sarasota Office
950 South Tamiami Trail
Ste 202
Sarasota, FL 34236

Report underscores link between mental health and learning on college campuses

We can easily miss or accidently overlook the impact of emotion on academic performance. Emotions are not always easy to identify on the outside they don't always have a physical presentation. This all makes it easier to overlook their presence and impact on academic performance. World class athletes hire psychologist to help them perform at their peak why not do this for our students?

Dr. Charles R. Davenport is a Licensed Psychologist who provides counseling and services in Venice,  FL and Sarasota,  FL.  He works with students who are struggling academically or emotionally or who have a learning disability and or are gifted.

Check out this article below for more information about the impact of emotion on academic performance...

Common mental health myths as well as effective models and approaches for treating college-specific issues are included as part of the primer published by APA and other educational organizations. Providing culturally competent services and outreach to specific populations is vital to helping all students seek help when needed,” the report states. “Students who participate in counseling report improvements in their satisfaction with their quality of life.” About one-third of U.S. college students report having had difficulty functioning in the last 12 months due to depression — almost half said they felt overwhelming anxiety in the prior year, according to the 2013 National College Health Assessment. Along with stress, these mental health problems can interfere with learning, limiting students’ creativity and interest in new information, the primer states...

http://www.apa.org/pubs/newsletters/access/2014/10-14/mental-health-college.aspx

Reposted By:
Dr. Charles R. Davenport
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D. LLC.
Phone: 941-321-1971
www.drcharlesdavenport.com

Venice Office
1525 Tamiami Trail S.
Ste. 603 A
Venice, FL 34285

Sarasota Office
950 South Tamiami Trail
Ste 202
Sarasota, FL 34236

Can I feel less stress and stop self-defeating patterns?

Have you ever wished that you could feel less stressed, feel closer in important relationships, or stop self-defeating patterns? This kind of change is possible. Dr. Charles R Davenport provides individual therapy and couples counseling to help adults, children, and couples. Dr. Davenport is a Licensed Psychologist who counsels people through life transitions, career stress, and relationship problems.

Many times our behaviors are driven by avoidance of uncomfortable feelings or thoughts. Frequently, this kind of avoidance happens reflexively without our conscious awareness. If we were aware of all of the potentially threatening things in our environment we would be overwhelmed so, our mind streamlines information processing to keep help us and keep us safe. The part of our mind that protects us from threatening events frequently responds more in the short term and can leave us feeling stuck or not able to fully reach the life we dream of. When we do not feel in control of our own destiny we can begin to have symptoms of depression or anxiety. They can present as difficulty sleeping, change in appetite, loss of interest in things we used to like, or even ongoing worrying. Through increased awareness of our automatic processing of thoughts and feelings and having greater understanding of their impact on our actions we can find change even when things feel hopeless.

Counseling and therapy sessions are used to help understand the underlying feelings that arise and frequently drive us to avoid unpleasant situations. Beginning therapy or counseling is a commitment and it is very important to find a good match with your therapist or counselor. For a telephone consultation please call Dr. Charles R Davenport PsyD LLC at 941-321-1971. Dr. Davenport has counseling offices in Venice FL and Sarasota FL.

Posted By:

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.

Licensed Psychologist

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.

1525 Tamiami Trail S., Ste 603 A

Venice, FL 34285

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.

950 South Tamiami Trail, Ste 202

Sarasota, FL 34236

Phone: (941) 321-1971

Fax: (941) 866-0936

www.drcharlesdavenport.com