by Jeff Clark, MD | Feb 22, 2021 | Ambivalence, Baby Steps, Behaviorism
Why do we do what we do? Because it makes sense. Our actions may not be fully aligned with our long-term goals. But in the moment, there is a reason for what we do. We may want to feel better or avoid immediate pain. We may do something we’ve always done without...
by Jeff Clark, MD | Feb 8, 2021 | Addiction, Ambivalence, Baby Steps, Brain
Mental health is complex. The brain is an intricate structure that we don’t understand well. And when it interacts with culture, relationships, life experience, stressors, trauma, and all the other usual and unusual parts of life, we’re bound to encounter complexity....
by Jeff Clark, MD | Sep 28, 2020 | Ambivalence, Models, Relationships
How many psychiatrists does it take to change a lightbulb? It’s a dumb joke, and I’ll let you suffer through it. But first, let’s talk about relationships. Every relationship is more than just two people. There is an unspoken middle ground called the relationship...
by Jeff Clark, MD | Sep 14, 2020 | Ambivalence, Baby Steps, Goals
Last week, I wrote about two different types of goals: outcome goals (where the focus is on achieving a specific outcome), and process goals (which we use to create behavioral change). We fail at our process goals all the time. Need an example? It’s September. How’s...
by Jeff Clark, MD | Aug 25, 2020 | Ambivalence, Baby Steps, Goals, Learning Theory, Motivational Interviewing
Why is it so hard to change? Because we experience ambivalence and struggle to learn. Ambivalence means that we feel two ways. We have reasons to change and reasons to stay the same. And even when we feel perfectly motivated in one moment, a slight change can remind...