New article: "Hillary Adams: A Brand Spanking New Poster Child"

I was moved by the horrific viral video of Texas Judge William Adams beating his then 16 year old daughter to write this article. You can see the article in its entirety by clicking here. I used the story as a way to highlight the cycle of abuse that is prevelant in domestic abuse relationships. Hillary Adams has gone on to speak very eloquently about her abuse in numerous interviews.

“I could tell because of the pattern that things were escalating again, so I set up my video camera on my dresser and covered the little red light with a scarf.” And with that one action the previously secret video Hillary Adams uploaded on YouTube has propelled her into the national spotlight as the poster child for both domestic violence and child abuse.

Redefining Crazy

Please check out my newest article on serious mental illness, "Redefining Crazy". Here is the link.

Which of these people is the “crazy” one?


A. A person who reads the newspaper everyday, grocery shops, cooks healthy meals and has an immaculately clean house.

B. A person who is petting an imaginary cat and speaks in “word salad”.

C. A person who is a talented creative visual and musical artist.

D. A person who has 12 inch paths through their house due to clutter.

E. A person who loves to talk about cultural history, has a lovely apartment and drives every day.

F. A successful writer with multiple publications and speaking engagements.

Did you pick Person B, or maybe D?

You'll have to read the article to see what the answer is!

Video still of Britney Spears performing "Crazy".

An excellent article on Sjogren's Syndrome by Angela Hill

Here is a really well done article on Sjogren's Syndrome featuring local Bay Area folks who suffer with this disease. According to Dr. Sarah Schafer, MD, who suffers with Sjogren's, "It's the most common disease that nobody's heard of"

Ron Hansman, 67, says "I'd love to have diabetes instead of this"

The author makes a great point about how this is one of those illnesses in which people look great, but feel terrible - a hidden disability. This leads to misdiagnosis, underdiagnosis, relationship problems, even suggestions of hypochondriasis. Many thanks to Venus Williams for going public about her struggles with Sjogren's Syndrome which has caused an upsurge of interest in the most common autoimmune disorder nobody's ever heard of!

Photo of Venus Williams by Nhat V. Meyer, Mercury News

October 6th is National Depression Screening Day

Depression affects many people at some point in their lives. Here is a little assessment you can take to check on your own mental health. If the depression lasts more than two weeks, it's time to get help. Call me if you or someone you love is depressed. I'm happy to chat with you about it. My number is 650-720-0912.

Dangerous communication - how are you communicating with your partner?

Please read my newest article on couples' communication about the four communication styles that spell doom for a relationship along with tips to improve things.

Ever heard of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? I’m not referring to those of the biblical John the Divine, but the Four Horsemen of John Gottman. Dr. Gottman is the foremost authority on couples thanks to several decades of research at the Gottman Relationship Institute’s famous “Love Lab” in Seattle, WA. According to him these are the four types of communication that spell doom for a relationship.

"Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" by Michael Newlyn can be viewed here.

To Spank or Not to Spank?

Here is a link to my latest article on Patch entitled, "To Spank or Not to Spank?".

The California spanking law essentially states that a parent may spank a child on the buttocks with an open palm hand. If you leave a mark that lasts more than 24 hours or you use any other object besides your open palm hand you have broken the law. Now most people reading this are thinking that their parents would have been put in jail, and feeling that is ridiculous – and you are right. We did not have research on the outcomes of spanking back then. Children’s Protective Services was not even born until 1974.

Article on Kate Goesslin spanking Leah can be seen here. Photo by Ant Griffith.

The children of 911 - a sweet video

Here is a link to a lovely video about the children born on 9/11 who lost a parent in the Twin Towers. I thought this was a touching way to remember the day by seeing the beautiful faces of the children.

This is a photo of the story. Click the link above to watch the video on YouTube.