Crimes of gender-based violence, like other crimes against subordinated groups are generally crimes of impunity. Victims are blamed, shamed and isolated, so that the violence becomes hidden and socially invisible. Shame and isolation in turn predict the malignant psychological harms of complex trauma, including the formation of a defiled identity. This talk, based on personal interviews and published accounts, explores survivors’ views of what might be a just resolution of the crimes they had suffered. In general, survivors wished above all for the truth to be known and the perpetrators…

The WMHC Early Career Members Committee is hosting our first ECM in-person meet & greet gathering! This will be a small get-together for those of you who consider yourselves early career members of the WMHC community to meet one another, introduce the ECM Committee, and get a sense of what you’re all interested in having us organize for the year to come. We will be serving light refreshments. Attendance is limited to 15 people which will create an informal and intimate setting. Please direct inquires for this event to our ECM Committee Co-Chair Yesel Yoon, PhD at…

This Event is Scheduled for January 21, 2024 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. THERE ARE TWO SPOTS OPEN both in the 10:00 - 11:00 time slot Expect to be in the studio for up to an hour - styling/makeup and photography, with some wait…

When a mental health provider becomes incapacitated or dies, a spouse or partner is often left with more questions than answers as to how to address professional issues. A Professional Will gives authority to a professional executor (a licensed mental health professional that you designate) regarding notifying patients, handling legal issues, accessing computer passwords, billing, etc. This document removes the responsibility from your family to figure out what needs to be done. In this workshop, Benjamin Caldwell, Psy.D. will walk you through preparing this document. IN…

Some say divorce can be more traumatic than death. While both involve loss, death can bring finality, whereas divorce lingers, particularly when children are involved. Parties must learn to move past anger, resentment, and distrust, while at the same time function as a parent, co-parent, or employee. Some may need to learn skills to re-enter the workforce. Many divorces are contentious, resulting in exorbitant legal fees, particularly if the cases go to trial. Mediation and collaborative divorce can provide an alternative to the contentious divorce, with parties having a hand in crafting a…

Join us to connect and reconnect with members of the WMHC! The first part of the event will be a great opportunity to meet members you don’t already know. Next, enjoy a wonderful Tony’s Di Napoli 5-course meal... Delish! After lunch, reconnect with everyone. Since we haven’t met in-person in over 3 years, we decided not to have a speaker so you’ll have ample time to connect and reconnect with members. We are thrilled to be hosting this networking event and look forward to seeing you there! To support making new connections in a fun way, we will be hosting …

It would be so much simpler if narcissism was just mirror-gazing and braggadocio. Conceptualization, assessment, and description of narcissism remains a primary stumbling block for many clinicians. We often get stuck in the DSM “narcissistic personality disorder” of it all and miss the varying presentations and the spectrum of severity that can inform treatment as well as understanding of relational dynamics. While there is a core phenomenology to narcissism, it’s important that clinicians let go of the “is this NPD or not” and understand the larger spectrum of antagonism as well as the other…

Research suggests that paternal depression affects between 8% and 13% of fathers at some point in their lives. The highest rates of paternal depression are generally seen during the postpartum period, specifically, when the baby is 3 to 6 months born. While a large body of research has been devoted to postpartum depression in mothers, far less research has studied the mental health of fathers during this critical period, especially for fathers from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. What does depression look like in men and fathers? Does it present differently than in mothers? What…

Sexual minority women (SMW; e.g., lesbian, bisexual, queer) report elevated rates of violence, alcohol use disorder, and alcohol-related harm, such as mortality and mental health comorbidities (e.g., PTSD, depression) compared to heterosexual women. This talk positions SMW’s increased risk of violence (e.g., childhood sexual abuse, intimate partner violence) and related mental and behavioral health outcomes within the context of societal and systemic stigma and ongoing inadequate social safety. The talk will also present a model for understanding SMW’s stress response and discuss how some SMW…

Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is a disorder of paradoxes, with the label itself being a misnomer. ADHD is not a deficit of attention; it’s an abundance of it, and the challenge is regulating it. This challenge, nevertheless, poses an opportunity: learning to harness one’s ADHD can open the doors to flourishing. However, this requires a shift as researchers and practitioners to consider not only the challenges these individuals face but also the unique strengths they possess and the conditions under which they are able to access them. Furthermore, working to acknowledge and…