This is a hot topic among therapists, and certainly among potential clients who may be frustrated by this. In an ideal world you could see whichever therapist you wanted, he or she would be taking new clients, and that therapist would take your insurance. And, you would owe not more than a small copay perContinue reading “Why some therapists don’t take insurance”
Category Archives: Advocacy
Compassion: A Key to Happiness and Well-Being
I’m from the Philadelphia area, and this past weekend was the long-awaited Pope’s visit. During and afterward I saw lots of articles, video, and commentary on compassion being at the center of Pope Francis’ messages. And this seems to be a big part of his appeal- among Catholics and non-Catholics alike. This post is notContinue reading “Compassion: A Key to Happiness and Well-Being”
An Experience at the 2015 APA State Leadership Conference
Here is a write-up I did for a colleague on my experience at this year’s APA State Leadership Conference. She has a blog for Early Career Psychologists (ECPs): http://www.ecpproject.com. My article may appear there, but I thought I would still share it here. Stoking the Fire: My First APA State Leadership Conference Jesse D. Matthews,Continue reading “An Experience at the 2015 APA State Leadership Conference”
Obesity: Education vs fat-shaming, where is the line?
By now many people have seen this PSA by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, depicting a 300 lb, 32-year-old man in the ER with a heart attack. In it, one of the doctors asks, “How in the hell does that happen?”, at which point you see a graphic rewind of many of the unhealthy choices the manContinue reading “Obesity: Education vs fat-shaming, where is the line?”
Advocacy: Letter to the Editor re: Pro-Smoking Messages
Below is a letter I wrote today to the editor of a popular skateboarding magazine, regarding images I keep seeing that I believe portray pro-smoking messages. As a psychologist and father, I believe this is harmful and that people like magazine editors need to be more conscious of it. If I get a response I’llContinue reading “Advocacy: Letter to the Editor re: Pro-Smoking Messages”
Money-Saving Strategies for the Psychology Intern
In 2011-2012 I was on my predoctoral internship, the capstone year of a 5+ year doctoral program in psychology. This is full-time, so I had to leave my job of 6 years, taking a 50% pay cut in the process. FYI, a “good-paying” psychology internship pays about $20,000 per year, which at 40-50 hours a weekContinue reading “Money-Saving Strategies for the Psychology Intern”
Philadelphia’s Franklin’s Paine (Skate)Park: A Lesson in Resilience and Changing Stereotypes
Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013 was the grand opening of the Franklin’s Paine Park in Philadelphia, PA. I would call it a skatepark, but it was built as a multi-purpose city park, developed on the idea that, contrary to stereotypes and previously-held beliefs, skateboarders and pedestrians really can co-exist. I find this idea somewhat ironic, since JFKContinue reading “Philadelphia’s Franklin’s Paine (Skate)Park: A Lesson in Resilience and Changing Stereotypes”
On December 1st I’m Skateboarding 100 Miles to Raise Money for a Skatepark!
On Saturday December 1st a long-time friend, Wesley Terry, and I will be riding our skateboards 100 miles. Why would we do this? Can we do it? I don’t know, but we’re going to try. In 2009 we formed the Downingtown Skatepark Organization, a non-profit group out of Downingtown, Pennsylvania designed to advocate and fundraiseContinue reading “On December 1st I’m Skateboarding 100 Miles to Raise Money for a Skatepark!”
Advocating for Action Sports
Those who know me know that I have been skateboarding for many years. And for the past three years I have served on the board of a nonprofit organization called the Downingtown Skatepark Organization. Our goal has been to advocate for the local action sports community and to fundraise for an open-access concrete skatepark to beContinue reading “Advocating for Action Sports”
September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
It seems that every month is some sort of health awareness month- from Thyroid Awareness Month (January), to Alcohol Awareness Month (April), to National Breastfeeding Month (August), or Safe Toys and Gifts Month (December). It’s impossible to keep track of them all, but here is a calendar of the current such “months” in the U.S.Continue reading “September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month”
