Superhero Therapy

Geeky Psychologist using Superhero Therapy to treat anxiety, depression, and trauma Superhero Therapy | Twitter | Facebook |

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At the moment that you feel your weakest, that is the moment that you have the access to your greatest strength.

http://www.superhero-therapy.com/2018/08/defining-your-origin-story/

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I am so incredibly grateful to each and everyone of you for all your support and for believing in me and in Superhero Therapy.

This past month has been magical. I have been able to visit four different countries in 16 days - Germany, Italy, Ireland, and England, in order to train mental health professionals in how to conduct Superhero Therapy and advocate for mental health destigmatization via pop culture.

I was also able to do a panel and a book signing at London Comic Con as a part of my work with the Pop Culture Hero Coalition - an amazing Coalition set out to fight against bullying, mysogyny, and prejudice. Our motto - "we all love heroes, why not be one?"

Your incredible generosity is allowing Superhero Therapy to help others in need. How are you helping:

1) We are still giving away FREE Superhero Therapy books to those organizations/individuals who cannot afford them. People in need can email [email protected] request one.

2) After learning about the extraordinary high suicide rates in Ireland, I've decided to send this month's Superhero Therapy donation from Patreon and book sales to Samaritans, an organization set to support individuals who are experiencing mental health crisis in the U.K.

3) While doing a book sale in London, we offered many of our books for "pay what you can" and gave away some for free to those who could not afford them.

4) Superhero Therapy, in partnership with the Pop Culture Hero Coalition, is conducting several free mental health workshops for refugee families in San Diego and giving away free self-help books, including Superhero Therapy

In addition, so many exciting things are happening because of all your support!

I was able to train a few hundred mental health providers in Europe over the course of two weeks about how to use Superhero Therapy. In addition, it looks like Superhero Therapy may be getting translated to more languages, such as (possibly) German, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Russian (fingers crossed for all these). Currently, it is available in English, Italian, and will soon be available in Chinese.

My goal is to be able to make Superhero Therapy attainable and affordable to everyone who needs it. I would love to hear your ideas about how to continue serving our community in this way.

Thank you for all your continued support and generosity <3

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Using #HarryPotter in treating #depression #anxiety and #PTSD http://ow.ly/wMdH30dStdb‬

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So many painful events in the world today. If you are struggling and need some help, please reach out. Here's the information for a fully confidential free text messaging service in the US. The number is 741741 https://www.crisistextline.org/textline/ You are loved. You matter. You are not alone

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Exactly two years ago today I finished my first book, "Superhero Therapy." Last week I finished "Harry Potter Therapy" and am working on editing two other books that are in production. How time flies. I am so grateful for all your support. I wouldn't have been able to get here without it. Thank you ❤️

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‪Geomagnetic storms can affect many people's physical and emotional pain. You are not alone #depression #anxiety #chronicpain #psychology ‬

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Sometimes #depression hurts. Sometimes it feels nauseating. Sometimes it feels like you've been gut-punched, kicked, and stabbed all at the same time. Sometimes it feels like numbness, a cold, empty feeling, as if someone or something inside you died forever. Know that if you feel this, you are not alone. Know that this feeling passes. Know that you are loved. Know that you are magical and you matter to this world. #WandsUpForMentalHealth

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Wonder Woman Psychology

Last night I saw "Wonder Woman" in the movie theatre. I already had high expectations of it from all the hype and the movie surpassed all of them. Here is why:

Warning: some spoilers to follow

Wonder Woman (AKA Diana Prince) grows up among the Amazon women, all of whom are incredible warriors. The movie passes the Bechdel Test, in having multiple women speaking to one another on the screen, their conversation focusing on a variety of topics (i.e., not necessarily on discussing men).

Diana is a fierce warrior but struck me the most was not her outstanding fighting ability, but her sense of compassion. This was also true of "Wonder Woman" comics, in which Diana reminds Ares, god of war, that her compassion is her strength. In the film, Diana witnesses the suffering of the people affected by the war. She is visibly affected by this. The pain on her face and in her heart is apparent as she tries to comfort multiple villagers and is told that she cannot save everyone.

Diana appears to experience empathic distress, a condition in which someone might become overwhelmed by the suffering of others and feel helpless in the situation. If not addressed, empathic distress can lead to emotional (and possibly physical) burnout, which can potentially lead to depression and health problems.

Luckily, Diana addresses empathic distress head on - she finds a way to help, at least some of the people, at least in some of the ways. This allows for mutual benefits - both to the people she is helping, as well as to herself.

In watching Diana take charge in the Great War, I found myself deeply touched by this scene, as I was reminded of the current political events and recent London attacks. It is easy to become overwhelmed and feel powerless in situations like these. However, "Wonder Woman" serves as a great reminder that we can all do something. We can all stand for justice. We can all fight for love because love is the most powerful weapon.

If you enjoyed the movie, check out the "Wonder Woman Psychology" book, edited by Travis Langley and Mara Wood.

In the meantime, remember, that you are a hero, what you do makes a big difference to someone because you matter.

Keep superheroing and don't forget your cape!

Dr. Janina Scarlet is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, a scientist, and a full-time geek. A Ukrainian-born refugee, she survived Chernobyl radiation and persecution. She immigrated to the United States at the age of 12 with her family and later, inspired by the X-Men, developed Superhero Therapy to help patients with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Her book, “Superhero Therapy” came out on December 1, 2016 in the U.K. and on August 1, 2017 in the U.S.

If you would like to learn more about Superhero Therapy, contact Dr. Janina Scarlet Twitter, Facebook, website, or Patreon.

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I am over the moon thrilled to release the cover of my upcoming book, "Happy Potter Therapy: An Unauthorized Self-Help Book from the Restricted Section". It will be a free e-book available on September 1, 2017 (Welcome back to Hogwarts). Art by the amazing Vince Alvendia

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Happy Mothers Day to all the superhero moms and mother figures out there

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Psychology in 13 Reasons Why: Episode 2

“Losing a good friend is never easy, especially if you don't understand why you lost them in the first place.”

-Hannah Baker

In this powerful Neflix original series episode we learn about Hannah's friends, Jessica and Alex and some of the factors which contributed to her later dying by suicide. These factors are important to consider in terms of suicide awareness and prevention.

Warning: Spoilers ahead:

Hannah does not have many friends when she starts at her new high school, so her guidance counselor, Ms. Antilly, plays matchmaker in introducing her to another new student, Jessica Davis. The two connect over their use of dry humor and sarcasm.

Their friendship evolves when the two create "an office" and connect over hot chocolates at the local coffee shop, Monet's. There they make another friend, Alex, and the trio form an FML (F**K my life) club, in which they support one another. As much as the rumors about her sleeping with Justin bother Hannah, her new friends support her in this, which allows her to better cope with the rumors and slut-shaming that she is experiencing.

However, the trio does not stay together long. At first, Alex stops coming to meet them at Monet's and then Jessica stops showing up. Neither gives Hannah an explanation as to why they stop hanging out with her. She later finds out that the two are dating.

Arguably, it is not the fact that the two are dating that upsets Hannah, but rather that they hide it from her and stop hanging out with her. However what ultimately escalates Hannah's struggles is Alex's list.

Alex and Jessica break up after Alex makes his infamous list judging girls on their appearance. In this list he rates Hannah to have the "best ass" and Jessica to have the worst. The list makes its way all around the school, with no one except Hannah attempting to get rid of it. Hannah actually throws it out but her classmates fish it out of the trash and keep passing it around.

By making this list, Alex inadvertently makes both girls targets for harassment (more on that in Episode 3). Rumors spread that he slept with Hannah and he does not deny them. Jessica suspects that Alex is cheating on her with Hannah, so she breaks up with Alex, accuses Hannah of being a "slut" and slaps her.

The power of this episode is that it shows how important friendships are, in particular during adolescence, although they are important throughout our lives. Although Hannah experiences some truly horrendous things later in the school year, I believe that had she had the support of her friends, her FML Forever club, she might not have died. Friendships, support networks, allow us to feel supported in some  of the most challenging situations, whereas facing painful experiences alone can make some people feel incapable of coping and may lead them to consider suicide.

It doesn't take a lot to make a huge difference in someone else's life. It might sound cliché but sometimes all we need is someone to notice us, to show that they care. One of my closest friends, Travis, is a Marine Veteran, who was previously diagnosed with PTSD. He is now a peer counselor for other Veterans with PTSD and I'm sharing his story with his permission.

Not too long ago Travis came in to work and saw a man wearing a hockey hat sitting in the waiting room. Travis opened a conversation with the man, asking him about hockey. The man was reserved but started opening up eventually. Travis found out that the man was a Vietnam Veteran and had PTSD. The two men discussed their experiences and connected over hockey.

A week later Travis saw the man again. The man was waiting to see him and told him that he planned on ending his life the previous week but that having a conversation with Travis put him in a better state of mind. The truth is that we never really know what other people are going through. It doesn't take a lot to be kind. It doesn't take a lot to ask someone if they are okay. Every moment is an opportunity for action and in every action there is a chance for us to make a positive impact on someone else's life. Make it count.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or having suicidal thoughts, call National Suicide Prevention Hotline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text “START” to 741741.

Other resources:

For bullying survivors: www.stopbullying.gov

Sexual assault survivors: www.rainn.org

Dr. Janina Scarlet is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, a scientist, and a full-time geek. Her book, “Superhero Therapy” released on December 1, 2016 in the U.K. and on August 1, 2017 in the U.S. If you would like to learn more about Superhero Therapy, contact Dr. Janina Scarlet Twitter, Facebook, or through her Psychology Today Blog.

[fuckyeahstarwars]

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Official Poster

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Psychology of "13 Reasons Why" Episode 1

The new Netflix series, "13 Reasons Why," based on a popular young adult novel by Jay Asher with the same title, has created a lot of controversy. Some critics have deemed the show inappropriate for teens. While it is true that the show can be triggering for some viewers, I believe that it provides a powerful insight into a possible scenario of what might cause a teenager to die by suicide and can serve to help facilitate important conversation topics.

Warning: Spoilers ahead

The show opens to reveal that Hannah Baker, a high school student, has died by suicide. The episode shows different students' reactions to this event. While some people are taking selfies in front of her locker and putting them up on Instagram, others do not wish to talk about what happened. One of the students asks the teacher to stop bringing up Hannah's death and a number of other students agree, stating that they do not like to talk about it.

Aside from Hannah's grief stricken parents, the person who seems to be struggling the most with her death is her friend, Clay Jensen. Clay is having flashbacks of the time he spent with Hannah, clearly struggling when seeing her empty seat in the classroom. He remembers the times they have spent together, and avoids talking about her with his classmates or parents.

When Clay receives a set of 7 cassette tapes in the mail, he is surprised to find out that the tapes are from Hannah, recording a total of 13 sides (or reasons) why she died.

On Tape 1 Side A, Hannah tells the story of her first kiss with a boy named Justin Foley, whom she met at a party. Hannah recaps how the two made a date to meet in an empty park, goofing around on the park slides. Justin took a picture of her sliding, her skirt lifting, and then kissed her, her very first kiss.

However, the next day, when Justin shows the slide picture to his school friends, they automatically jump to a conclusion that the pair had sex. Justin does not deny their assumption.

The picture of Hannah on the slide quickly circulates around the school, making Justin the school hero, while Hannah is slut-shamed. Without necessarily understanding the implications of what he was doing, Clay jumps to the conclusion that the rumors are true and shames Hannah for not waiting before having sex with Justin.

The look on Hannah's face in Clay's flashback says it all - how heartbroken she feels, how alone. It seems as though Clay shaming her was worse than any others, perhaps because he was her friend, perhaps because he was a nice guy, and she expected that he would stand up for her.

The reason why this episode is so powerful is that it shows the ugly truth about some of the possible negative effects of bullying. Slut-shaming sadly still exists in many high schools and middle schools, and sharing of sexual images can drive an individual to consider suicide. Many of the teens I am working with have reported that similar scenarios of rumors and slut-shaming have happened to them or other students they knew. This episode provides for an opportunity for building empathy toward the targeted individuals with the hope that people who witness this form of harassment would be likely to not only stop passing other people's private pictures (as Clay did) but to also support the target (something Clay failed to do).

The opposite of a hero is not a bully, it's a bystander.

-Matt langdon

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or having suicidal thoughts, call National Suicide Prevention Hotline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text "START" to 741741.

Other resources:

For bullying survivors: www.stopbullying.gov

Sexual assault survivors: www.rainn.org

Dr. Janina Scarlet is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, a scientist, and a full-time geek. Her book, “Superhero Therapy” released on December 1, 2016 in the U.K. and on August 1, 2017 in the U.S. If you would like to learn more about Superhero Therapy, contact Dr. Janina Scarlet Twitter, Facebook, or through her Psychology Today Blog.

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There are three musts that hold us back: I must do well. You must treat me well. And the world must be easy.

Albert Ellis (via theemotionmachine)

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Good morning, Depression

You wake up and you know it’s going to be bad. Very bad. It feels like there’s a hole in your stomach, as if you’ve been kicked, punched, and stabbed all at the same time. You want to cry but you’re too numb. The lump in your throat and the ache in your heart feels like a cancer eating away at your soul.

“It will never get better” your mind tells you.

“What is the point?” you ask yourself. 

The thought of suicide flashes through your mind. On some days you can ward it off. On others... well.. it’s harder. 

Like the Dementors in Harry Potter, your internal darkness sucks away your happiness, feeling as if you’ve drank bottles and bottles of poison. 

“You’re so ugly” you tell yourself. “Nobody will ever love you.”

You are scared of being alone and scared to be around people. Loneliness consumes you, alone in your bedroom or out there, in the crowd. 

Hopelessness. It’s invisible. Dark. excruciating. And somehow sometimes familiarly comforting. Because it is one of your most loyal companions. 

Logically you know this will pass. Logically you know you’ve been through this before. But right now, at this moment it hurts. It just fucking hurts.  

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The cast of #StarTrek reminds us that a world without science would be illogical

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Flying to Wizard World Con with my emotional support Wookie and there's nothing wrong with that