Topic: Health & Wellness

Dr. David S. Feldman is an internationally recognized, American board certified, orthopedic surgeon with over 33 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University medical school in 1988. Dr. Feldman completed his residency in orthopedic surgery in June of 1993; he spent the next year in fellowship at The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto. Dr. Feldman was also the Chief of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery and a professor of Orthopedic Surgery and pediatrics at NYU Langone Medical Center/NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases. In 2015, he became the Associate Director of the Paley Institute and leader of the Spine Deformity Center and Hip Pain Center. Dr. Feldman specializes in scoliosis, spinal deformity, hip preservation, limb lengthening, and reconstruction surgery.

Dr. Feldman has been at the forefront of both simple and complex pediatric orthopedic treatments. He has helped many children with orthopedic deformities and conditions avoid surgery through early detection. His expertise with advanced non-surgical and surgical techniques has allowed hundreds of children to resume their normal activities after recovery times that are shorter than those of other methods. Dr. Feldman has helped create devices that help with complicated surgical techniques and is currently engaged in various clinical research studies. With his wealth of knowledge and friendly nature, Dr. Feldman shares his highly praised, “Fridays with Feldman,” which is a weekly Facebook Live discussion on a particular topic in which he engages with viewers answering related questions. “Fridays with Feldman” are free of charge and accessible to anyone that is seeking information and/or treatment on scoliosis, kyphosis, arthrogryposis, achondroplasia, multiple hereditary exostosis (MHE), hip dysplasia, Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease, lower limb deformities and limb length problems.

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Dr. Feldman discusses symptoms, treatments, early detection signs, and innovative strategies for a person living with scoliosis. The interview also explores how scoliosis can affect body image; especially for adolescent girls, who commonly are the most associated group with having scoliosis. While there is a maze of information available to those who want to know more about scoliosis, look no further, as Dr. Feldman makes sense of the ins and outs of scoliosis in the most relevant and informative way.

David Susman, PhD is a clinical psychologist, blogger, college professor and mental health advocate. Dr. Susman holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Virginia, his Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Marshall University, and his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kentucky. Currently, Dr. Susman is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Kentucky. He serves as director of the Jesse G. Harris, Jr. Psychological Services Center, which trains doctoral students in clinical psychology in how to provide psychological testing and therapy. He is also the training director of the University of Kentucky Internship Consortium, a pre-doctoral health service psychology internship program. a member of the Association of Psychology Training Clinics, an active nationwide group of training clinic directors. In addition, Dr. Susman is the director of University of Kentucky Internship Consortium and was the founding director of Eastern State Hospital’s Recovery Mall.

Dr. Susman believes strongly in contributing to the larger community. He blogs about mental health, wellness, and recovery through, “Stories of Hope;”* which is a remarkable series of interviews chronicling people’s journey with mental health challenges. Dr. Susman was recently named by PsychCentral, as one of the “21 Mental Health Doctors and Therapists You Should Be Following on Twitter.” He also has served as President of the Kentucky Psychological Association (KPA) and is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

In this interview with our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Dr. Susman shares information on the impact of the pandemic on one’s mental and physical health, what signs family and friends should look for when noticing mental illness in their loved ones, and the necessity of seeking help when it is needed. Dr. Susman also discusses his primary focus, which is mental health advocacy and destigmatization. Dr. Susman states, “I believe that by getting better informed and more involved in advocacy, we can all help make a difference to reduce stigma and to promote better mental health programs and services.”

*These stories are available at Advocating for Better Mental Health (davidsusman.com)

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Advocating for Better Mental Health

It is no surprise that as our world has gotten more intensely complicated over the past year, that therapists are seeing an increase of clients who are experiencing significant symptoms of anxiety. Physical symptoms such as racing hearts, shortness of breath, headaches, sweaty palms, sleeplessness, stomach problems, and nausea that become not only unmanageable but can even escalate into full-blown panic attacks. I would say that it’s an epidemic within a pandemic.

As we try to navigate these unprecedented circumstances, we are finding that the outlets we used to rely on to manage our stress are either no longer available to us or no longer seem to be working. Things like going to the gym, social activities, participating in sports, shopping, self-care, going to the movies, concerts, restaurants and so on, used to counterbalance whatever stressors we faced in our daily lives. With a shortage of alternatives, anxiety has grown and with it, what I call “anxiety about getting anxiety”; the anticipatory dread of developing those extremely uncomfortable symptoms of anxiety. This secondary anxiety is what often takes previously manageable stress to an unmanageable level.

People dealing with this scenario describe feeling “out of control,” and it can be extremely frightening as ruminating fear-based thoughts snowball and careen towards some imagined catastrophic outcome. Those thoughts take hold and influence the way that we feel, which in turn influences the choices we make and the actions to follow. One of the most widely utilized therapeutic treatments to help clients interrupt that cycle is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), an evidence-based model that has been shown to be widely effective for mood disorders as well as many other presenting issues.

CBT works like this:

Something happens, it could be anything (Situation). We interpret this situation (Thoughts) based on ideas we have about the world & ourselves in it (Core Beliefs). The thoughts that we have trigger feelings (Emotional Response). Based on these feelings, we make decisions about how to act moving forward (Behavior). If we are operating from a positive core belief, the outcome is likely to be desirable. However, if we are operating from a negative core belief, we can expect the opposite.

Here’s an example:

Situation: My friend Sue doesn’t return my text.

Core Belief: I am not loveable.

Thought: Sue doesn’t like me & is avoiding me. No one likes hanging out with me. I’m boring & no fun. I will always be alone.

Emotions: Sad, lonely, afraid

Behavior: Crying, isolate in room, can’t focus on homework, difficulty sleeping.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) works with people to identify their Core Beliefs, and on changing thoughts from Irrational to Rational (based on evidence) so that emotions and actions will lead to a more favorable outcome. For instance, in the example above a more rational, fact-based thought process could be “Sue always returns my texts when she is able. She texts me often and accepts my invitations to hang out. She also invites me to do things.” Emotions based on those thoughts might be: patience, calmness, optimism. Behavior based on those feelings might be: having dinner with family, doing homework, reaching out to another friend. As you can imagine, the outcome in the second scenario would be vastly different than in the first.

Regardless of the situation, even one as extraordinary as a pandemic, we can learn to manage our anxiety by being mindful of the thoughts we are having in response to it. Once we learn to recognize our core beliefs and the irrational thoughts that can get triggered by a situation, we can make the decision to counter those thoughts with more reasonable, healthy, productive ones. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a useful and easily learnable path to controlling our reaction to a world that at times, can feel wildly out of control.

What is nice about CBT is that it works well with and is adaptable for people of all ages including children, adolescents, and adults. In addition, it can be utilized with a variety of presenting concerns, such as both depressive and anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and many others. CBT can be just as effective online as in face-to-face therapy, which is particularly useful with the current increased use of Teletherapy. While therapists do not need to be certified to utilize CBT, those who specialize may have a certification. If interested, The National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists, www.nacbp.org, has a list of certified CBT practitioners. To find other therapists who regularly utilize CBT in their practices, you can request one from your insurance company, or go to the Psychology Today websites therapist finder page and filter for CBT, as many qualified therapists are available to work with you using this very effective approach.

Professor Jean-Michel Gracies, MD, PhD, completed his residency in intensive care, neurorehabilitation, neurology, and acute stroke care at Hôpitaux de Paris, France and received his medical degree and doctorate in Neurophysiology from University of Paris VI. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the pathophysiology and therapy of spasticity at Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute in Sydney, Australia, and a fellowship in neurology/movement disorders at Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York.

After working 10 years as Attending and Clerkship Director in the Neurology Department (Movement Disorders Division) at Mount Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Gracies took a position in 2007 as Professor and Chair in the Department of Rééducation Neurolocomotrice at Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France. Dr. Gracies has written over 200 original articles, book chapters, theses, reviews, and abstracts. He has served on the editorial board of the Journal of Neural Transmission and is an ad hoc reviewer for Brain, Experimental Brain Research, Muscle and Nerve, Stroke, Movement Disorders, the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, Clinical Neuropharmacology, Clinical Neurophysiology, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, and The Lancet Neurology. Dr. Gracies is a world-renowned expert on the neurorehabilitation of movement.

In his current position at Hôpital Henri Mondor, he is launching novel pathophysiological concepts, neurorehabilitation programs, and clinical research projects for syndromes such as spastic paresis, parkinsonian syndromes, tremors, peripheral facial palsies, and other movement disorders. His main published contributions to date have been the design, validation, and promotion of the Tardieu Scale for spastic paresis, which he later incorporated into a 5-Step Quantified Clinical Assessment of Spastic Paresis; the definition of the phenomenon of spastic contraction and its recognition as a primary disabling symptom in spastic paresis; and the concept of Guided Self-Rehabilitation Contract (GSC) to be used in the treatment of spastic paresis in particular and in disabling chronic disorders generally.

Dr. Gracies is currently acting as the international coordinator of studies of spasticity using botulinum toxin. Dr. Gracies lectures worldwide on the pathophysiology and treatment of spastic paresis, the neuro-rehabilitative treatment of Parkinson’s disease, the treatment of tremors using botulinum toxin and motor strengthening, and programming methods for deep brain stimulation.

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Dr. Gracies shares his medical expertise about Functional Proprioceptive Stimulation therapy and its impact in neurorehabilitation. He also discusses the importance of self-rehabilitation in spastic paresis and how one can restore mobility of muscles and brain activation using the afferent impulses triggered by vibrations.

The holidays can be a wonderful, joyous time, but for some, they can be extremely hard for people who feel isolated, overwhelmed, or pressured with the demands of the holidays. Having another year with the presence of COVID can also add another layer of stress, making it harder to be with family and loved ones.

What can I do?

Understand that you are not alone- the holidays can be a hard and stressful time for many people. Do not guilt and shame yourself for having normal emotions.

Acknowledge How You Feel

It is okay to feel sad and not be in the holiday spirit. Acknowledge that you are experiencing these feelings and do not force yourself to feel emotions you do not have. You are not alone in feeling sad, lonely, overwhelmed, or anxious.

Plan

Traveling, shopping, or going to events for the holiday can be overwhelming and hard to navigate. If going somewhere new for the holiday or going to an event/party can be hard to navigate the first time. Look up the area, find the most accessible way to travel, so there are no surprises.

If you are going to be alone for the holidays, plan a day for yourself. Schedule things to keep yourself busy. Being alone does not mean you cannot have a good time or a pleasant holiday. There are many groups and meetings that are available to spend the days with.

Meet Virtually

If COVID-19 is making it hard to visit family and loved ones, do not let it ruin your holiday. Schedule a time to meet with the people you care about, watch a movie, do a virtual paint-and-sip or have a virtual dinner. Technology can be used to being us together and the distance between loved ones much closer.

Dr. Lara Boyd is the Canada Research Chair in Neurobiology of Motor Learning, a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Career Investigator, a Peter Wall Scholar, and a Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, at the University of British Columbia. She is a Neuroscientist and Physical Therapist and directs the Brain Behavior Lab at the University of British Columbia. Her work is centered on answering the question of what limits, and what facilitates, neuroplasticity. Dr. Boyd is also the Health Research Advisor to the Vice President for Research at UBC and the University’s delegate to the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. She is an expert in neuroimaging and neurophysiology and uses a variety of cutting-edge technology in her research.

In this interview, Dr. Lara Boyd discusses the process of mapping behaviors, environments, and experiences that can affect brain health. She also speaks about using techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging and non-invasive brain stimulation. In addition, Dr. Boyd talks about her newest focus on understanding the importance of the arts for brain health.

What would it be like to learn you have a mental illness as an adult? This is the experience that many people with mental health issues have, since often symptoms of serious disorders like bipolar and schizophrenia do not appear until a person has reached their twenties. By the time that she started having severe symptoms, Ellen Forney was already a celebrated cartoonist with a full life. Though her diagnosis explained a lot about her past that she had never understood, it also meant that she had to completely change her life. Going on mood-altering medication sent her into a profound and long lasting depression which affected her social life and her career. Exploring her family’s history with mental illness meant facing painful and challenging memories. Hardest of all, however, was Forney’s struggle to face her fear of losing her creativity.

Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, & Me tells the story of Forney’s journey to recover her health through Forney’s preferred medium: comics. This graphic memoir is sweet and serious, both a record of struggle and a testament to the power of hope, family, therapy, and medication. As Forney explains, after being diagnosed with Bipolar I she realized that she had long associated her mental health problems with artistic creativity, not illness. When she was in a manic state, she would find herself drawing for hours and hours, producing work she was proud of. When she completed a big project, she would often go into a depression, but she believed that depression was the cost of art. For her, being depressed after creating something great felt worth it.

As she learns about her diagnosis, however, Forney discovers that–though many great artists did have bipolar–many of them also fell prey to substance abuse and suicide because of it. Realizing that she does not want to end up like her hero Van Gogh, she puts her trust in her therapist and in her medications. Though she does go through a period of artistic inactivity during her depression, she ultimately finds her creative spark again. As she learns, her creativity was always a part of her. It wasn’t her bipolar which caused it. Rather, getting healthy meant that she would be able to make art for a long time to come.

We recommend Marbles to anyone who has ever feared that getting well would cause them to lose a part of themselves. This is often a particular concern for people who work in creative fields and find source material in their illness, or for people who have addiction issues. In the end, however, this is a great book for anyone seeking to understand their own differences or those of a loved one.

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If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.