I am not a blogger. Ceci n’est pas un blog. (jk)
What I mean is, welcome to my blog! I am a clinical psychologist who has worked in NY for 14 years across the age-range and in many settings. I am a scientist: my undergraduate career at MIT has enabled me to sift through the hype and put psychological evidence into a broader context.
Aim for my posts
I am just old enough to have known a time when announcing one’s thoughts to the internet was not a thing. Instead, I might read Michener, or listen to Simon and Garfunkel; play basketball, hang out with friends. Even when the internet first took off, dial-up connections meant those other activities often remained more engaging. Like all tools, websites and social media have their uses, and their limitations. I have endeavored to cultivate a healthy boundary for how much time and energy I put into social media. As it is for most people, this remains a work in progress.
With this blog, I hope to leverage my scientific training to equip people to handle complex, stressful situations more meaningfully. While this can give more people some access, and augment my job, it is not my job. Expect postings to be sporadic!
There is much talk in psychologist circles about dissemination. Dissemination means making the public aware of how the findings of psychological research can be linchpins when addressing the major issues facing us at local, national, and international levels. I hope this blog can do its part to aid in this dissemination. I’ve watched with frustration over the years as policies are implemented with complete ignorance either about their psychosocial consequences, or about how to convey their message in a way that will have a positive effect on how people respond.
And so, with my first post I’m saying, hello! And, when I have thoughts about the psychological scientific implications of important issues, I just might announce them to the internet.