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The recent terrorist attacks on Paris once again remind us that terrorism continues to be an unpredictable threat to the peaceful lifestyle that most countries want to have. It is in fact human nature to become anxious when we face things we can not control or prevent. Often in the aftermath of horrific, senseless events, people have a difficult time not panicking. [More]

The Kennedy family has been in the news lately. Patrick Kennedy, son of former U.S. Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, has released a memoir that has become controversial, at least within the Kennedy family itself. In the memoir, Patrick, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, details a family history of alcohol abuse and mental illness. [More]

Monday September 14, 14 year-old Ahmed Mohamed was arrested when school administrators and local police suspected him of having brought a bomb to school. Family Systems Theory provides a unique conceptual framework with which to view Mohamed’s story in an attempt to move toward an objective explanation of events. [More]

Ashleymadison.com, a well-known website for spouses wanting to have affairs, has been in the news lately. A group of hackers has threatened to post the personal information of its 37 million users if the Canadian site isn’t closed down. As of July 22 the first names of its customers have been released. This news story once again ignites the age-old question: Why do folks cheat on their spouses? [More]

The amount and intensity of the public response to photos of a young not-very famous woman and her decision to post photos of herself with and without make-up is very interesting. It highlights a well-known fact; people write things on social media they would be unlikely to say directly to someone they know. Family Systems Theory provides a particular framework for understanding such harsh rhetoric directed at strangers and/or posted anonymously. [More]

Although the brain is complex, it requires regular maintenance in order to operate at its full capacity. Mindfulness is likened to closing the apps running in the background on a smart phone in order to increase speed and performance. Slowing down and living in the moment can actually improve the function of the mind, body, and overall life experience (Albeinz & Holmes, 2000). [More]

Angel Soft toilet tissue has posted an interesting and provocative ad for this Father’s Day. The short video features adult men and women thanking their single mothers for fulfilling the role of mother and father. The ad ends by wishing all the mothers a Happy Father’s Day. The sentiment is sweet; grown children acknowledging the difficulty of solo parenting by mothers, and is clearly designed to bring a tear to the eye of the viewer. However, and perhaps predictably, the ad has turned out to be something of a lightning rod for controversy. [More]

A new study in the June issue of Emotion found a connection between people with the short version of gene 5-HTTLPR and a more significant sense of humor. The study looked at 336 adults, showing them humorous comics and film clips, and rating the participants intensities of smiles or laughter. Those with the shorter alleles had more intense reactions of laughter or smiles and rated the comics or film clips as funnier than those with the longer alleles of the same gene. In past research, the 5-HTTLPR gene has been linked to regulating serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is thought to be related to mood fluctuations. [More]

In this video, learn about the nature of trauma, it’s symptoms, and how it is connected to our bodies. Why do we experience flashbacks, nightmares, and rushing adrenaline in unexpected moments? We will discuss how seemingly unrelated triggers can wreak havoc on our bodies and in particular the potentially retraumatizing effect of current events in the media. [More]

CNN (L. Jones, April 3, 2015) reported that the owners of Memories Pizza, Crystal and Kevin O’Conner, have closed down their store and have gone into hiding. This was in reaction to threats to burn the store down and personal death threats directed toward the O’Conner family after publicly stating they would not cater a same sex wedding. In reaction to the threats The Dana Show, a nationally syndicated radio talk show, (April 3, 2015) set up a fund and raised $842, 387 in less than a week [More]