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In life, getting dealt a hand of ACEs is surely not the thrill that it is in a card game. But thanks to the ACE study, communities are developing creative ways to intervene and prevent intergenerational transmission of the issues caused by high ACE scores.

As a psychology resident on staff at the mental health center in Key West, Florida in the early 90s, my interest in Cuba was piqued by work with Cuban-American exiles who brought their vibrant Cuban culture to our most southern American city. This past March my dream of visiting Cuba came true on a tour focused on birding, people, and cultural exchange.

What do you do when a client stops making progress in therapy and it seems like your sessions are going nowhere? There are many reasons why this can happen including fear of change, unresolved trauma or a lack of clarity between client and therapist on the goals for therapy. Here are 4 strategies that not only dissolve standstills, but can also trigger big breakthroughs for your clients.

An excellent way to manage both your stress and your client’s is to incorporate a Behavioral Stress Tolerance Plan. Get the worksheet and find out how it's different from most emotional management plans.

As a psychotherapist, it's your job to give your clients the guidance they need to make healthy decisions that will bring them contentment. This New Year, introduce self-compassion as a more worthy resolution than one that could lead to self-punishment.

When a client comes to you in emotional distress and you sense that childhood wounds are the cause, your instinct is to spring into action. We want to stitch them up and slap on a new metaphorical bandage.

But you can't fix them. And here's why...

You don't have to tell Martha Teater about the mental health crisis in Africa. She's witnessed the tragedy with her own eyes. Here she describes her time spent at the only Zambian psychiatric hospital where the patients appear to be either clearly psychotic and agitated, or over medicated to the point of drooling and appearing almost catatonic.