She is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been working with children, adolescents and adults for many years providing counseling and assessment services across a variety of settings, including school systems, university counseling centers, mental health clinics, and hospitals.

Dr. Higgins has neuropsychological assessment training from North Shore Medical Center (NSMC), New England Medical’s Center for Children with Special Needs, Massachusetts General Hospital’s Learning Disorder’s Unit, and the Disability Resource Center at Northeastern University.

Dr. Higgins does testing and reports in the assessment of ADHD, learning disabilities, mood and behavioral disorders, as well as other areas of concern. As a therapist and therapist-in-training at North Shore Medical Center, Louisiana State University’s (LSU) Student Mental Health Center, and Tufts University, Dr. Higgins has also helped individuals to develop positive goals for themselves, reduce negative feelings of anxiety and depression, resolve problems, improve relationships, and find ways to communicate more effectively with others.

Currently, Dr. Higgins is a psychologist at a local school district where she provides counseling and assessment services, consultation with teachers and parents, and behavioral and social support services for children with social, emotional, and behavioral problems. In addition, Dr. Higgins is a consulting psychologist at The Shriver Center where she completes evaluations for children and young adults with autism and other disabilities.

Dr. Higgins is excited to join Dr. Vermilyea and his associates in making CBTA LLC. a well-respected destination for patients in Woburn, MA and adjacent areas. She is currently available to do neuropsychological evaluations assessing for ADHD and learning disabilities, particularly with children and young adults. In addition, Dr. Higgins is available to work with children, adolescents, and adults with depression, anxiety, and other emotional concerns.

When your thoughts are wandering:

Deep breath, let it out..

Think of:

FIVE things you can see around you (like the chair you are in or the suns shadows on the floor)
FOUR things you can feel with your body (like your toes in your shoes or the feeling of the warm air as you exhale)
THREE things you can hear (like our own breathing, or the sound of a train)
TWO things you can smell (like the room you are in)
ONE thing you like about yourself (like “I am a good person” or “I like my hair)

You should not be focused on the present and yourself. Keep the focus there and on what you are doing not the next moment.

Here’s today’s “Thought of the day”:

“Make a to do list that you can complete with confidence. Only add other things on if you finish the initial things you are sure of. Give yourself credit for finishing each item on the list. Do this every day, it will help make you more confident in yourself over time, and make you feel better about your accomplishments.”

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These “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Thoughts of the day” are presented by James Vermilyea, Ph.D., all rights reserved. Copyright 2011. For more information, visit my blog at blog.cbtallc.com

Here’s today’s “Thought of the day”:

“When you don’t follow through with something you promise yourself you want to do, you lose faith in yourself. So try picking something you want to do and following through to reverse that lack of confidence.”

If you enjoy these thoughts, subscribe to our RSS Feed to be the first to be updated.

These “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Thoughts of the day” are presented by James Vermilyea, Ph.D., all rights reserved. Copyright 2011. For more information, visit my blog at blog.cbtallc.com

Imagine for a moment, whoever you are, whatever makes you different, that you could never put up a picture in your office of your loved ones, never have one in your wallet, never talk about what you are doing on a weekend, never talk about what you did last night even? You’d have to hide from family, friends, coworkers even casual acquaintances. Say the guy at the service station you go to who asks you if you have a hot date with your opposite gendered person tonight. When faced with such questions many people in the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered (GLBT) community feel its often easier to go along, say nothing or use gender neutral phrasing. This creates a sense of isolation from the society we all live in.

I’m gay. Most of you who know me know that because I have told you or you figured it out. Sometimes I don’t tell people if I think it’s totally irrelevant or it just never comes up. Some patients are homophobic, or act like they are, and for the sake of their therapy at first I might not mention it, hoping someday that their beliefs will be open to change. I am a great therapist, perhaps one of the better ones around. I am an expert in a lot of different areas. My being gay is not really an issue in your therapy but it is part of what makes me who I am.

I’m glad “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is history.  The end of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” will not solve the problem of intolerance in our society though.  Legislated equality seldom takes effect immediately. The African Americans were freed for than a century ago, are they equal today?

Intolerance is an issue that is killing young people. In what some are calling an epidemic atmosphere, gay teens are 3-5 times more likely to kill themselves (Hatzenbuehler, Pediatrics, 2011; 127:5 896-903).

They’re not doing it because homosexuals are sick. They’re doing it because society is so intolerant that they think they won’t be able stand the harassment, rejection and even the homelessness that can follow when a teen dares to come out.

America is founded on the notion that people are equal and have a right to happiness as long as they aren’t doing that at someone else’s expense. Let’s give everyone a break and start to try and enjoy each other’s diversity. Let’s also educate our children, family members and everyone we see that senseless hate unfounded by any ill deed is not acceptable. People of all colors, faiths, orientations and beliefs help make America great, they always have.

Many people are unemployed. The government statistics reflect percentages, and talk about new jobs created monthly.  My experience on this end of the economic pipeline is different. I am seeing many people who no longer have jobs. People who cannot find a job as good as the one they lost. People are also taking “anything” they can find, leading to underemployment. Many who have just graduated in the past year or two who can’t find any job; that’s right ANY job.

Human beings thrive on excitement and challenge as well as structure. Jobs tend to be where we spend more of our time than with our friends and family. Most people in this country work more than they do any other activity. We work 50% more hours than most economically developed countries, and take 50% less vacation.  We also have a genuine passion for what we do when were allowed to do. So it seems understandable that a lot of how we feel about ourselves (self esteem) is related to what we do.

The challenge is how to feel good about you while you are looking for work:

• Take care of yourself. Exercise, eat, have fun, laugh.
• Have a routine, daily activities where you are expected to be, or where you have committed to go
  • Volunteer
  • Take a class
  • Go on a trip
  • Pursue art as expression
• Do what you can to find a job. Search every day you can.
• Be kind to yourself. Give yourself little treats, a hike, a flower, a book.
• Enjoy yourself! You do not have to be miserable when you don’t have a job. You are not meant to suffer or hide.

If being unemployed is taking a toll on you, consider a support group or even therapy if you or those around you tell you you aren’t yourself.

Dr. Jim

HEALTH
No Surprise for Bisexual Men: Report Indicates They Exist
By DAVID TULLER
Published: August 22, 2011
A new report that reverses earlier findings suggests that men who identify themselves as bisexual may indeed experience arousal from both men and women.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/health/23bisexual.html

As a psychologist it continues to amaze me that America trails the world in acceptance of the most basic human behaviors.  We are the puritan prudes of the world when it comes to sex (barring those countries where it means death to have sex outside the strict constructs of the prevailing religion). Where else in the world are women’s rights and marriage between loving people able to divide a country that is in two wars and losing its political and economic leadership. One of my patients said that if we were anywhere else in the world there would be riots during the current political and economic conditions. 2 generations of young people without jobs, whole segments of the aging population without retirement plans. Big oil running the country and sucking us dry with high prices and government subsidies at the same time. Lets wake up and smell the coffee not the tea.

First off: Warning this blog may not be appropriate for all audiences. It is written for mature adults open to a diversity. Abandon all prejudice ye who enter here. Leave stilted thinking behind!

Second of all,  I’d like to thank all of the people who have made development of this site, as a work in progress possible. For all the previous versions of this site and those for other endeavors, Irene Pulfer. Irene continues to consult and assist in its creation. The second person primarily responsible for this new Cognitive Behavior Therapy Associates, LLC Web site is Mr. Tri D. Nguyen of Wheaton College.

In this blog I hope to comment on relevant events, developments in therapy, provide links to resources for patient and practitioner alike, and hopefully have guest blog contributions as well. I may also have theme blogs on specific disorders, comment on more general themes related to what I do, or even have an occasional rant or rave.

The main caveat is that this is not a scientifically accurate blog in all aspects. My main intention is to communicate ideas. Not all of these may be supported by well conducted and replicated researched studies.  So caveat emptor let the buyer, or in this case the consumer of the information beware. Check your facts.

Any examples cited unless specifically cited as such are not meant to represent any individual or class of people. I do not mean to ever harm or misrepresent any group. Please feel free to call this to my attention for correction. That said if you find any of the material offensive in terms of your personal beliefs, stop reading that post!  For example if we are discussing human sexuality, and you find it offensive, close that entry and move on.

I will delete all excessively negative, hateful or just plain ignorant posts at my discretion. If you find one flag it. It may take a while but I’ll look at it. This is obviously not my full time job.

All that said, please enjoy. I hope you find it to be as much fun and as stimulating as a trip to the library.

Dr. Jim