By Laura Price, PhD
 
The headlines are screaming what we already know and feel: Too much work, too much pressure, and too little space to think, to play, and to love, is a recipe for burnout. 
 
Consider this study from the World Health Organization and International Labor Organization published in May in Environment International. It is the first global analysis of loss of life and health related to working long hours:
 
“The study concludes that working 55 or more hours per week is associated with an estimated 35% higher risk of a stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease, compared to working 35-40 hours a week.”

By Jennifer Newman, PhD
 
Can you really find joy when you have no energy left to truly enjoy it?
Do you want to live in a constant grind, so busy you don’t have time to slow down and notice the daily pleasures that surround you?
 
As a young professional chasing more was the constant pursuit. Higher grades, advanced degrees, better jobs, higher salaries, more, more, more… Burning out in the rat race façade of success. 
 
As a slightly seasoned professional I am on the constant pursuit of less. How can we, as a community, encourage each other to find balance and not reward overworking, work less. Not reward projects that are of no value to you, do less of what has no meaning to you. Not reward doing everything you can at all times, do less and have it be what you are really good at. 
 
The constant pursuit of less means having to really figure out what matters, and spending your time doing that, and not finding excuses for why you are too busy. ​

J&L Psychology Group is currently accepting applications for a full-time, one-year postdoctoral fellowship with a flexible, immediate start date (estimated that position will begin in summer/fall of 2022). The position requires 20-25 clinical hours (1:1 patient care, group) in addition to attending a weekly clinical meeting, projects meeting, and individual supervision. Administration time and project development hours also are included in the 40-hour workweek. 
​
We are looking for candidates interested in working with children, adults, families, and/or couples in a close-knit, collaborative therapeutic group practice. Our practice is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and all services are primarily being provided virtually due to COVID-19 crisis.

By Emily Brackman, PhD

At the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, our inboxes and social media feeds are inundated with creative tips and tricks to improve our emotional well-being. Although there is light at the end of the tunnel, we continue to endure drastic changes to daily life.

While staying in touch through Zoom meetups or taking a relaxing bath certainly can help soothe the effects of mind-numbing work-from-home days and prolonged social isolation, sometimes these one-size-fits-all strategies simply do not do the trick. 

​If you find yourself anxious, depressed, or lost as we arrive at this anniversary – you are not alone. During times of prolonged uncertainty and constant change, it is remarkably human to at times feel less hopeful or excited about the future. You may find yourself asking, “What is the point of it all?” 

By Jennifer Newman, PhD

Have you felt judged, been criticized, offered suggestions, or given unsolicited advice that you don’t need, at a time you are barely making it through the day? ... Know that you are not alone. 
​
Don’t fall prey to the hype. Don’t read the blogs, the social media posts, the interviews, the books that make you believe you are doing it all wrong. Don’t shame scroll on social media to feel bad that you haven’t baked, crafted, or walked together today holding hands.  Don’t buy into the fantasy picture of parenting during a pandemic ... It’s not real. 

Emily Brackman, PhD, is quoted in an article about coping with grief during the holidays.  She suggests helpful activities such as creating a new ritual that allows you to mourn, and recommends that you consider ways you can honor your loved one's memory with traditions that matter most to you. You might share a story about your loss with a friend, go through an old photo album, write a letter to someone you are missing, or ask a shared person in your life to tell you a little bit about their relationship with the person you've lost.

Read the full article at MyWellbeing >

Dr. Newman was honored to contribute to this promising work, which helps to advance scientific understanding and personalized medicine for PTSD.

Read the article here >

Dr. Newman has the chance to share with Sarah Sloat one of her favorite go-to gifts, with a mental health twist. Curious what that is? Give a read here to find out what she shared, along with what many other colleagues had to say, in this well-timed gift guide to give your brain a mental hug!