In exploring culturally competent mental health diagnoses, I found Paganism and Counseling: The Development of a Clinical Resource by Harris, Panzica, and Crocker (2016) illuminating and thought-provoking. The article highlights how Pagan clients, often misunderstood or stigmatized, may present beliefs and experiences (such as magical thinking, animism, and mystical experiences) that risk being pathologized when viewed through a traditional clinical lens.

Drug screening has become a common practice in various settings, including workplaces, criminal justice systems, and substance use treatment programs. However, its role within general mental health treatment remains controversial and under-examined. While drug testing may offer some benefits, such as supporting medication compliance in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment or encouraging patient honesty, the risks and limitations must be critically evaluated, particularly when mental health care emphasizes therapeutic alliance, client autonomy, and trauma-informed practice.

Hello and welcome to my page! In this blog I hope to provide the individuals who visit my page with information to help them along whatever journey they might find themselves on. From information on mental health services, understanding your insurance benefits, and what exactly is a therapeutically applied role-playing game, no topic is too big. I am aiming to publish a new post once a month at the least, and I invite you to read and comment. Please note if you are looking to set up an appointment with me use the Contact page and not the comments on a blog post.