Category: Blog Posts

How would you like a no cost way to stay in shape, clear your mind, spark creativity, reduce depression and anxiety, and change the way your brain works? It’s easy. Just go for a hike! Now that spring weather is warming up here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s a great time to get outside and take a hike in the woods. Not only will you see beautiful scenery, smell wonderful woodsy scents, and exercise your muscles, you’ll actually be making positive changes to your brain, as the following studies show.

University of British Columbia researchers found that aerobic exercise increases hippocampal volume in women over the age of 70. That’s the part of the brain associated with spatial and episodic memory. Who doesn’t want a better memory? Hiking will do that and so much more. It also reduces stress and anxiety, boosts self-esteem, and releases endorphins.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports on a study about how rumination (repetitive negative thought about self) is affected by urban setting versus a 90 minute walk in the woodsy park. Not surprisingly, they found that spending time in nature significantly decreases obsessive, negative thoughts. It also reduces neural activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain related to mental illness. Those who walked through an urban setting, however, didn’t receive these benefits. In fact, the researchers discovered that increased urbanization correlates to increased mental illnesses.

When you go for your hike, leave your phone off! Here’s why…Psychologists Ruth Ann Atchley and David L. Strayer found that creative problem-solving skills are greatly improved by ditching technology and going for a hike. After a 4 day backpacking tip, (without any tech tools turned on), the participants’ creative thinking and problem-solving skills improved 50%. It also improves your relationships since you’ll have more of an opportunity to talk. For your safety, I would suggest having the phone with you, but only turn it on if you experience problems and need help.

Hiking also helps children with ADHD. Frances E Kup, Ph.D. and Andrea Faber Taylor, Ph.D. found that children with ADHD improved their ability to pay attention and control their impulsive behavior when they engaged in nature activities.

We live in such a beautiful area. I hope I’ve motivated you to find a few trails and recharge. However, it’s important to realize if you or your loved one is experiencing serious mental health issues such as persistent anxiety or depression, it’s important to consult a mental health professional for proper diagnosis and treatment. If you live near Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA please contact my office and schedule an appointment.

Why is it that people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can look you in the eye sometimes (albeit briefly) and at other times they can’t? Until now, ASD researchers have had difficulty identifying the triggers that cause people on the autism spectrum to avoid eye contact.

Psychology Today reports on a new study that is unlocking the puzzle. Researchers at the University of Vermont (UVM) devised an experiment using eye-tracking technology and Skype. The scientists observed and tracked the eye movements of children between the ages six and twelve. Nineteen of the participants were typically developing children and the other eighteen were children with autism.

As they conversed about “things people do” topics, all of the children made eye contact. However, when the conversation switched to talking about “things people feel,” the children with ASD began looking at the mouth rather than the eyes. The researchers also found that the more severe the autism is the more frequently the child avoided eye contact.

The researchers associate the shifting gaze and autism severity with lower levels of executive function (EF). They hypothesize that talking about emotions short circuits their EF, so the children shift their gaze so they won’t overload their cerebral limit. Whereas, the NT person looks for emotional and social cues from facial expressions, especially from the eyes, the ASD child finds it too overwhelming. As a result, children with ASD haven’t developed social skills.

To summarize what lead author Tiffany Hutchins, Ph.D. said:

“When a child with ASD talks with me about emotions, it’s very draining. It’s like driving in a snowstorm. They don’t just watch passively. They have to monitor my engagement, think about what I’m doing, my tone, and my affect to get my full meaning. They are totally focused, every move is tense and effortful, and their executive function drains away. In fact, we found that decreased working memory correlated with decreased eye fixations, so as working memory decreases, we see fewer fixations on the eyes.”

She concluded that pressuring children with autism to make eye contact can potentially backfire. It may be best to recognize their need to gaze away in order to reserve his or her executive function resources. Instead, she recommends changing how you phrase things using “what people do” versus “how they feel” and you’ll have a profound impact on where the eyes go for information. And don’t forget to give positive reinforcement for their good behavior.

Does your family need personalized help with learning how to cope with Asperger’s Syndrome, a high functioning form of Autism Spectrum Disorder? If so, and you live near Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA please contact my office and schedule an appointment.

Have you ever wondered why the symbol for “Justice” is a woman and she’s blind to boot? Or another curiosity is that the statue in New York harbor, representing the United States of America is Lady Liberty. What is it that these female spirits represent? Why are women the symbol of our judicial system and the country as a whole?

One of the most interesting areas of the dynamics between men and women is how they make decisions. One way I sum it up is that men make the first best decision, but women seek out the best-best decision. In the fashion of Lady Justice (where the blindfold represents impartiality), women look at all sides of an issue before deciding anything. They value everyone’s opinion in the process of moving toward a decision. They may have a strong opinion themselves, but like the blind Lady, they’re willing to stay impartial until they’ve gathered enough information from others.

Men on the other hand seek to move the situation along as swiftly as possible. Regardless of everyone’s view, men tend to value the efficiency of getting to the answer quickly. If a man has an opinion, dialogue with others is not always to merely gather information, but to persuade others toward his point of view.

How does this dynamic work when a husband/wife team needs to make decisions together? If they understand each other well, then the decision-making dynamic is powerful. If they don’t, then each party can feel very misunderstood.

For example, if the wife is gathering information from her husband then she may initiate a discussion with her husband. He often doesn’t hear that she wants to discuss the subject. Rather he hears that she wants him to make a decision. Therefore he tells her his decision and considers the discussion completed. She leaves unfulfilled because she wants to toss ideas around before a decision is made. Later when the husband’s decision is not carried out, the husband may feel frustrated because he thought a decision had been made.

Sound familiar? It’s because women tend to have discussions and men tend to go strait to decisions. When a wife recognizes that her husband has a need to get things done as efficiently as possible, she can refocus her energy onto solutions, even if she would like just a little more discussion.

The different decision-making styles can be an asset, if there is an integration of the male perspective and the female perspective. However, often a husband and wife get stuck because they do not recognize the dynamic that is going on. They often find it beneficial to consult with a professional who can facilitate this discussion. If you live near Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA, feel free to contact my office and schedule an appointment.

Read more on my website: Conflict & Communication.

If you’ve been around someone with Asperger’s Syndrome for very long, you’ll notice our Aspie loved ones default to non-committal answers when they’re asked questions or are invited to fun activities. Some variations on NO! are, “I don’t know,” or “I don’t want to,” or just a blank stare.How do you react to this situation? Many people become infuriated by this behavior and give up. Hopefully you’ve gone beyond holding your own life back because your Aspie spouse can’t commit. It’s important to make plans without your Aspie.

It might help to understand the reason behind this behavior. That way you can plan accordingly. It’s pretty simple really. No is a response that buys time. It doesn’t really mean, NO! It means “I don’t understand,” or “I need more time to process what you are saying,” or “I don’t see what this has to do with me.”

Because Aspies lack empathy, they don’t bother to think about why you’re asking or what might be your motivation. They don’t consider doing something with you or for you, just for the simple pleasure of making you happy. They may want you to be happy but they can’t fathom why that means they have to answer your question – especially since the way you phrase it makes no sense to them.

For example, you might say, “Honey, I was thinking of taking the kids to the coast this weekend. What do you think?”

He/She says, “Have a nice time.”

You say, “Well I want to make it a family time for all of us.”

He/She says, “You go and have fun. I don’t want to go.”

You say, “Well it’s been a long time since you joined the kids and me for an outing. I’d like you to come along.”

He/She says, “I don’t have time to go. I have a lot of work to do.”

You say, “Why don’t you ever want to do anything with us?”

He/She looks at you as if you have two heads and says, “That’s not true!”

I could go on but you get the picture. If you’re a member of the Asperger Syndrome: Partners & Family of Adults with ASD Meetup, and you’d like to join 10 other NT members as we discuss this topic, please sign up for the next Video Conference: Why do they always say NO! on Thursday, April 14th 9AM PDT or Thursday, April 28th at 3PM PDT. There are still a few spots left. We’ll explore how to get past this resistance so you can have meaningful conversations that actually get somewhere, instead of pure frustration. I’m not promising you they’ll suddenly be a delight to live with, but there are some small detours around their penchant for saying NO!

Successful people who always seem to be in the right place at the right time aren’t any smarter than you are. They’ve simply learned how to trust an “inner knowing” based upon using all of the resources available to them. They have trained themselves to able to perceive, interpret, and act upon the emotional, mental, physical and even spiritual cues they receive in an effective manner.This heightened emotional intelligence is an invaluable skill that we all can learn and improve. While there is nothing like practice and life experience, here are a few basic tips to improve your decision making by including relevant feeling information.

1. Always checkout your feelings before making any decision.

2. Inquire after another’s feelings before proceeding to decision making.

3. Check your feelings again after arriving at the decision.

4. Remember that “feeling good” about something doesn’t always mean that the decision is correct.

5. Be willing to acknowledge that you’re afraid or angry or confused.

Hiding these feelings from yourself may deny you powerful and necessary information. These feelings are telling you whether or not you’re in alignment with your greatest purpose in life.

In practical terms, if you can agree with all of the following statements, your Emotional IQ is quite high.

1. I don’t become defensive when criticized.
2. I stay calm under pressure.
3. I handle setbacks effectively.
4. I manage anxiety, stress, anger and fear in pursuit of a goal.
5. I use criticism and other feedback for growth.
6. I’m a positive person.
7. I can maintain a sense of humor.
8. I see things from another’s perspective.
9. I recognize how my behavior affects others.
10. I air grievances skillfully.
11. I listen without jumping to judgment.
12. I freely admit mistakes.

How did you do? See anything you’d like to improve? Sometime long-held patterns of behavior are difficult to break. Many people have found that consulting with a psychologist give them the support they need to break through any lingering resistance. If this describes your situation, and you live near Portland, OR, please contact my office and schedule an appointment.