James Marston
Certainty & Self-Diagnosis
I work with people who have varying degrees of mental illness. I spend a lot of time thinking about what it means to be "mentally ill."
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James Marston
Jul 13
Motivation and Self-talk
Motivation can be built through intentional choices about how we think about ourselves, the task, and the outcomes of the task.
James Marston
Jun 21
A Therapist’s Thoughts on Social Media and Children - Please Like and Subscribe! (Social Media Series, part 5 of 5)
Like anything, there’s a healthy way to engage with social media and there are risks we have to mitigate.
James Marston
Jun 10
TikTok, Fortnight, and a Variable Ratio Of Positive Reinforcement (Social Media Series, Part 4 of 5)
I said in an earlier post that digital media is designed to offer on-demand stimulation to minds, and I wanted to say a little more about th
James Marston
May 24
How We Police Social Media Use: Be Part of the Conversation (Social Media Series, Part 3 of 5)
I went to a training once that described many children as “digital natives.” The idea was that kids who grew up with access to technology...
James Marston
May 11
The Complicated Business of Health Technology Use in Families (Social Media Series, Part 2 of 5)
Technology is a tool that has many uses. Determining what uses we’re okay with and which are unhealthy will guide us in determining what...
James Marston
Apr 16
Technology and Socials and Screens, Oh My! (Social Media Series, pt. 1of 5)
A topic I get asked about a lot is social media use for children. It’s a big topic, and one that I try to be realistic about. First, I...
James Marston
Mar 29
Our Bodies Remember
I was recently watching a show on Netflix called Resident Alien. It’s a sci-fi comedy starring Alan Tudyk and Sara Tomko. It’s cute and...
James Marston
Mar 15
You Are Not Your Thoughts
We cannot control our brains. They are complex organs that operate quickly and autonomously, processing information, coming to...
James Marston
Feb 19
"Just Think Positive Thoughts" & Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Telling someone who is depressed, “Just think positive thoughts,” is about as helpful as telling an angry person to, “Calm down.” As well...
James Marston
Feb 8
Feedback-Loops' Effect on Mental & Physical Health
I think a lot about fitness influencers. They sell this message that the way they stay fit will work for anyone, and then hold themselves...
James Marston
Jan 22
Self-Esteem in Kids
Self-concept is the image we have of ourselves in our heads. It includes our values, strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, and abilities....
James Marston
Jan 5
Self-Talk: Feelings & Language
I used to work with a psychiatrist who said that with kids, thoughts were as good as feelings. He suggested that kids may not be able to...
James Marston
Dec 16, 2023
Falling Skies?
How do we know the sky ISN’T falling? Anxiety is tricky. At a certain level, anxiety is a good thing–it’s a healthy byproduct of being...
James Marston
Nov 4, 2023
Recognizing Anxiety
In school, I had to write a “comprehensive theory of mental illness.” It was an academic exercise, intended to help a student with little...
James Marston
Oct 24, 2023
Attention, Memory, & Development
The ways children learn and retain information develops as they mature and grow. Learning and retaining information involves a few...
James Marston
Jul 24, 2023
Recognizing Anxiety
In school, I had to write a “comprehensive theory of mental illness.” It was an academic exercise, intended to help a student with little...
James Marston
May 22, 2023
Active Listening
There’s this scene in movies and tv where the psychotherapist has their client lying on a couch, staring at the wall, talking. Meanwhile,...
James Marston
Apr 29, 2023
Privacy and Confidentiality in Online Therapy
Confidentiality and privacy are essential to mental health treatment. The confidence that you can be yourself and allow yourself to be...
James Marston
Apr 1, 2023
Trauma and PTSD
Almost every person I’ve ever treated for PTSD has compared their experience to someone else’s in a way that played down their own...
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