Gratitude and Mindfulness: A Great Combination to Counter Mental Illness

February 22, 2022 Scott Kampschaefer

If you suffer from depression at times and tend to get lost in negative thought spirals, you’ve probably noticed how these tend to bring your mood down in a hurry. If you also often find you struggle in finding anything to look forward to, then mindfulness and gratitude may be very important tools in improving your mood and outlook. Read on to learn more about how you can reverse depression by taking up both of these practices.

Addiction Recovery Essentials, Pillar Two: Community

February 8, 2022 Scott Kampschaefer

If you are someone who struggles with addiction issues and find yourself mystified by how cunning and baffling your own situation is with your own ‘drug of choice,’ I am presenting my own condensed version of my latest book on the topic: The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery. This month’s pillar or installment is about the role of community in overcoming addiction.

How to Cope With Anxiety When You Can't Start Therapy Immediately

January 25, 2022 Scott Kampschaefer

Are you stuck on somebody’s waiting list for therapy because they are full, but still feeling acute anxiety? Maybe you haven’t even called someone to get therapy help because you are feeling frozen from doing anything about it. You don’t have to sit on your hands in the meantime: there are some things you can do while you wait.

Addiction Recovery Essentials: Pillar One

January 12, 2022 Scott Kampschaefer

If you are someone who struggles with addiction issues and find yourself mystified by how cunning and baffling your own situation is with your own ‘drug of choice,’ I am presenting my own condensed version of my latest book on the topic: The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery. This month’s pillar or installment is understanding your addiction, in particular the recovery process.

4 Reasons Why Love Bombing is a Bust

December 21, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

Are you someone who has ever been love-bombed only to later be left in the lurch by someone you thought loved you? Are you someone who’s ever love-bombed someone else and later realized you didn’t really mean what you said and did? In either case you could be a victim of love-bombing and the likely underlying mental health diagnoses that goes with it.

Isolation During the Holidays and 3 Ways to Fight It

December 7, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

Are you someone who normally struggles with isolation, but the holidays add an extra layer of loneliness and pain to an already deprived existence? Do you tend to just hope that something or someone comes along to spring you out of your lonely cell of existence at this time of year to somehow break the uninterrupted sense of aloneness you experience? All this has major implications for mental health which I go into below.

The Curious Case of Ted Lasso

November 8, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

If you’re a fan of Ted Lasso, like I am, you’ve probably noticed he has developed a case of anxiety and panic attacks since the start of the show and moving to England. His situation is very similar to many people who suffer from anxiety and panic in that the anxiety and panic are definitely not the main issue that’s driving his or anybody’s disease.

Betrayal Trauma and How It Affects Mental Health

November 1, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

Visit our page on trauma therapy to find out more about how Scott can help you with trauma.

About the author: Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, Maryland. He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin. He now works with adults and adolescents 14 and up in private practice. His most recent book is titled The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery and is available for purchase on Amazon and in paperback on this website.

Gabor Mate Knows Trauma

October 18, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

If you want to know what the essence of trauma is, I highly recommend watching The Wisdom of Trauma featuring Gabor Mate. He is a very gifted doctor who understands the subject both from a clinical and personal point of view. I review the movie/documentary in this week’s blog.

The Causes of Road Rage and How to Cope with It

October 5, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

woman sitting in car looking back at camera with sunglasses lowered — Image courtesy of Pexels

Are you someone who feels like there are times when you just can’t seem to control your temper behind the wheel? Are you consistently appalled by how other people drive and can’t help but let them know about it? If you are concerned about how upset you get behind the wheel or you have someone in your life you are concerned about struggling with road rage, I have some important information for you.

Read my editorial on Suicide Awareness and Prevention in the Frederick News Post!

September 22, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

September is Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month, and I want to take some time to explain why it is no less important this year than any other. It’s probably more important in 2021 than perhaps any other year.

The Misinformation Around Sex Addiction

September 9, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

Have you ever wondered if you suffer from sex addiction or not, then been confused by what mental health professionals say about the topic? It’s not just you, it’s the therapeutic community as a whole that is confused by the topic. I will do my best to try and clear up the misinformation to give you a better idea about what you have and what to do about it.

How to Counter Overspending and Problematic Sexual Behavior

August 26, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

Are you a person who normally has reasonable spending habits except when it comes to problematic sexual behavior? Have you amassed unwanted credit card or other debt because somehow you don’t have any discipline when it comes to this area? Is your spouse demanding to look at or have control over your credit and spending situation? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then read on.

6 Things You Can Do To Cope with Fear of the Unknown

August 11, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

Do you feel like you are constantly bombarded with crippling fear of what might happen? Are you continually running on adrenaline and feeling tired of how much you have to work just to deal with what may lie ahead? Do you see all kinds of terrible outcomes for what may lie ahead and have trouble relaxing because of them?

Avoidance, Retraumatization, Simone Biles, and You

July 29, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

If you watched the Olympics or the news about our most accomplished gymnast of all time and were left wondering why she withdrew from competition, this blog post is an attempt to get insight into how trauma, avoidance, and retraumatization can help explain things. It’s not so much to explain her behavior, but more to gain insight into your own.

What to Know if You Think Your Partner Has a Problem with Sex Addiction

June 17, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

There may be nothing more beguiling than feeling like your partner is cheating on you, but not knowing for sure what is going on. They may or may not be gaslighting you or pulling the wool over your eyes, but regardless of this they are probably a mystery to themselves as well. It can be helpful to understand more about them and what you are and are not capable of doing for them.

How Harvey Penick Can Help You With Taking Risks

May 28, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

Have you spent much of your life being afraid of trying new things? Have you lived your life afraid of what would happen if you failed at something new? Have you wondered what your life would be like if you weren’t afraid so much of the time of doing something totally new? If these questions resonate with you, then you need to keep reading…

Does Change Trigger Your Addiction Issues?

May 21, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

Do you tend to struggle with change? Do you hate that unsettled feeling of knowing something you’ve counted on staying the same is suddenly going away? Even knowing something as awful as the pandemic may be ebbing away can fill you with a sense of dread along with the excitement of being able to get out more? Does change tend to worsen your compulsive or addictive sexual behavior, too? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, read on.

Overcoming Religious Trauma

April 27, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

Do you feel guilty much of the time for doing and thinking things that others have told you are ‘bad?’ Have you been taught repeatedly that what you do and think can lead to eternal damnation and that you need to continually ‘make up’ for all the things you do? Has the name of God been invoked as a source of judgment against you? If your answer to most of these questions is ‘yes,’ then you need to read more below…

3 Things You Can Do To Cope With Racial Trauma

April 13, 2021 Scott Kampschaefer

Have you ever been victimized in your school or community because of race? Do you feel like you have been mistreated because of your cultural beliefs and values at school? Have others treated you differently because of your racial affiliation or gender? If you have, then reading the rest of this post could be very helpful for you.