by Gina Simmons, Ph.D. From grades 2 through 4 a popular and pretty girl named Paula tormented me in school. She paraded the halls of our school with an entourage of followers willing to answer to her every command. In the lunch room she’d gesture to someone behind me and my chair would be pulled [...]
by Gina Simmons, Ph.D. “I throw up every day before work now,” Karen said in her therapy session. “When I hear his voice, I shake. I can’t sleep, I’ve lost weight. This job is KILLING ME! “ she cried. Karen worked for a bullying boss who’s recent tirades escalated to an unbearable level. The last [...]
By Gina Simmons, Ph.D. Ben watched his wife from behind as she washed dishes. Feeling warm and sexual he swooped behind her and grabbed her around the waist. “Ahhhhh” she screamed whirling around with a pot in her soapy hands. “You scared me! You know I hate being grabbed from behind!” she shouted, throwing the [...]
By Gina Simmons, Ph.D. She called me a “stupid bitch!”, said Angela, aged 14, referring to her exasperated mother. Angela’s parents brought her to my office complaining about her defiance, her angry outbursts and poor school performance. Angela shouted and cursed at her parents and they shouted and cursed right back. Mom and Dad routinely [...]
By Gina Simmons, Ph.D. “I think my husband is sexually abusing our baby,” a counseling client confided. The young mother reported disturbing observations including: mysterious abrasions on her daughter’s rear end, the child screaming every time the dad approached, and the kicker, “I saw him naked with an erection in the babies’ room last night!” [...]
By Gina Simmons, Ph.D. This week a man in rural eastern Kentucky, furious about how his wife prepared his eggs, shot five people dead, then killed himself. Stanley Neace’s hostile behavior over the previous few months prompted eviction proceedings from his mobile home park residence. Apparently his family lived, for a long time, with an [...]
By Gina Simmons, Ph.D. Ever have one of those days when everything seems to go wrong? Recently I returned from vacation to find our refrigerator had died a horrible death. Greeted by the lovely aroma of decomposing food, our plans to unpack and relax promptly self-destructed. After filling three large bags with waste from the [...]
By Gina Simmons, Ph.D. “What’s wrong with my brain?” Michael asked. A high level manager with a great career, Michael feared his anger outbursts at work might cost him his job. “Why can’t I just put up with crap and not react?” he wondered. Michael learned what happened to his brain and body when he [...]
By Gina Simmons, Ph.D. Numerous studies show that dog owners obtain health benefits those without pets can only envy. Dog owners have better cholesterol levels, improved immune systems, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of heart attacks. Some dogs can detect the onset of seizures and sniff out a hypoglycemic attack. We all see service [...]
By Gina Simmons, Ph.D. In this seventh month, on the seventeenth day it seems appropriate to take the Problogger 7 link challenge. It’s a good time to review old posts and share some highlights of our work over the last few years. Here are 7 links that fit into seven themes picked by Problogger’s Darren [...]
to RSS Feed
by Email