Psychology practices come in all shapes, sizes and modalities. To many of you who have decided to visit a therapist for the first time this can be a step into the great “unknown”… and a trifle intimidating.

Television, movies and magazines have all done their part in feeding these expectations.

Over the next little while, I thought it would be useful to share a little more about us and our West-Coast Canadian practice Tri-City Psychology Services, and what better way to do this than by posting some photos.

We have worked in good, bad and positively ugly offices in our time. I often reflect on what must goes through a therapist’s head when they choose a space to work in, and exactly what criteria they consider, and in so doing they what they hope to convey from their chosen surrounding to their clients.

We have always believed that the space we work in has a profound effect on the client, for us the space had to be comfortable and functional to work in, and also reflect a peaceful tranquil and professional space that clients would relax in and feel instantly at ease. I think we have accomplished this and I will share some pictures over the next few days… and you can tell us what you think.

This is the waiting area in reception. Its a lovely cool, zenlike and tranquil space. The nic naks and other touches reflect something of the West Coast, and things we like (like the lovely Stendig calender on the wall).

To break up the space we hit upon the idea of this lovely woven screen. It maintains the light and airy feel and provides a nice barrier between the waiting room, therapy rooms , bathroom and kitchen space.

The artwork reflects the West Coast feel, and the plants add to the ‘green’ fresh spa like environment.

We are lucky to have a fireplace, this really adds a cozy feel in the winter months. To enhance the fireplace we added a roughly hewn mantle, made from a rough cut piece of cedar… its rather splendid and has garnered lots of admiring compliments! Its a great place to display nic naks.

 

You may feel productive putting in long days at the office. But while your mind is active, your body isn’t. There is a growing body of research that supports the idea that, regardless of your exercise routine after hours, the more time you spend sitting each day, the higher your risk of heart disease. Evidence suggests your hips, spine and shoulders suffer as well.

“It’s important to get up and move around throughout the day. Exercise not only helps with how you feel physically, but it also improves your mind and your memory.”” says Julia Henderson-Kalb, a Saint Louis University occupational therapist. “

While it’s not always feasible to hit the gym at lunchtime, some small changes to your routine can add up quickly to make a positive impact your health.

Henderson-Kalb suggests these simple habits to help you increase your daily activity in a substantial way.

• Sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair. You’ll strengthen your abdominal and back muscles and improve your posture.

• Set an alarm to go off every hour to remind yourself to stand up and stretch. Get in the habit of walking around your office while you talk on the phone.

• Always take the stairs and use the restrooms on another floor.

• Park far away from the entrance to your office building. Wear a pedometer and aim to get 6,000-10,000 steps per day.

• Bring your lunch to work. Not only is it less expensive and can be healthier, but you’ll leave time in your day to take a lunchtime walk or exercise break.

• Bring light weights or exercise bands to the office and build an exercise routine into your day. Follow this link for specific exercises and a demonstration.

To hear more about the importance of avoiding sedentary work days, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz35RPBQlyI&feature=related

Source: Saint Louis University Medical Center

Cyclical relationships — is the term used for a couple who breaks up and then gets back together. Amber Vennum, assistant professor of family studies and human services at Kansas State University, looking at why couples reunite and how it affects the relationship.

“There has been very little research on this topic, but it turns out that cyclical relationships are quite prevalent,” Vennum said. “With college-age kids, about 40 percent are currently in a relationship where they have broken up and then have gotten back together. That’s shocking, especially when you factor in the outcomes of being in a cyclical relationship.”

For her research, Vennum analyzed information that cyclical and noncyclical couples gave about their relationship and its characteristics. The information was evaluated using the relationship deciding scale, or RDS, which assesses relationship qualities and accurately predicts what the relationship will be like 14 weeks into the future.

While movies, books and TV shows may portray rekindling a relationship as romantic, Vennum found that the results of getting back together were less than desirable.

Findings showed that couples in a cyclical relationship tended to be more impulsive about major relationship transitions — like moving in together, buying a pet together or having a child together — than those not in a cyclical relationship. As a result, the couples in cyclical relationships tended to be less satisfied with their partner; had worse communication; made more decisions that negatively affected the relationship; had lower self-esteem; and had a higher uncertainty about their future together. [continue reading…]