Category Archives: Self Care

Eat Your Way through D.C.!

Washington D.C., one of the paramount locations for advocacy and legislation, is also home to amazing eateries, coffee shops, and cocktail bars. This post will cover some of the area’s tastiest eateries for foodies, people on a budget, and those who want to splurge a bit.  Now, for breakfast the APAGS Convention Committee has you covered with our Food for Thought breakfasts from 7:30-8am Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (August 3-6). The breakfasts will feature distinguished psychologists: Dr. Alette Coble-Temple, Dr. Kevin Cokley, and Dr. Deborah Tolman. Make sure to arrive early as the APAGS suite fills up quickly!

DC eatsNow, onto the eats…

Hoping to get a nice meal, on a budget? D.C., has several options priced at $10 or less per person. First, A Baked Joint  offers several options for soup, sandwiches, and salads priced at $10 or less. Ph: (202) 408-6985

Next, Wiseguy Pizza serves up solid 18” Pizzas available for carry out for under $10 a person. You can order online or by phone. Ph: (202) 408-7800

Not in the mood for pizza, but don’t want to break the bank? Then check out Beef ‘N Bread which dishes up tasty roasted beef, corned beef, turkey, or veggies sandwiches at $9 or less. Ph: (202) 393-0406

One last thing before we move into the more expensive spots. Each location mentioned above is less than1 mile from the Convention Center.

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7 Tips to Help Create a Positive Mental Attitude

PositivityOur thoughts and emotions play a large role in determining the state of our mental attitude and although we don’t always realize it, repetitive words and actions affect our behavior by seeping into our subconscious and becoming second nature. This applies especially to negative thoughts that easily take over our thought patterns and put us into a permanent state of pessimism.

The intentional decision to create a positive mental attitude can make a huge difference in your everyday routine with concrete and constructive results that will reflect in a happier, more optimistic state of mind.

Below are 7 tips to help create a positive mental attitude:

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On the Pulse massacre: Who is left out of the current discourse?

Pulse2Photo by PeskyMonkey / iStock.

This blog post is a joint collaboration between: Minnah W. Farook, APAGS member and Student Affiliate Member of Divisions 17, 45, 35, 29, 52, and 56 and Counseling Psychology Ph.D. Candidate, Roberto L. Abreu, Counseling Psychology Ph.D. Candidate and Co-chair of the  National Latina/o Psychological Association Orgullo Latinx: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity SIG  and Division 45 Student Committee Co-liaison, and James J. García, Clinical Health Psychology Ph.D. Candidate and Past Chair of the APAGS Committee for the Advancement of Racial and Ethnic Diversity (APAGS-CARED).

Disclaimer: The opinions in this blog represent the personal opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of APA, APAGS, NLPA, or any other divisions of the APA.

A year ago we mourned the loss of 49 LGBTQ+ victims (58 wounded) during the Pulse nightclub massacre, most (90%) of whom were of Latinx and Puerto Rican heritage.  Since then, the LGBTQ+ community, especially queer Latinx and people of color (PoC), have struggled to heal while fostering resilience and finding ways to work through fear and hypervigilance.  Needless to say, both the Latinx and LGBTQ+ community at large have, and will continue, to mourn.  Additionally, there have been repeated attempts by conservative politicians to co-opt this traumatic experience for the LGBTQ+ and Latinx community in order to advance an anti-Muslim agenda.  This has contributed to a sociopolitical narrative that:

  1. Allows the media and politicians to scapegoat the Muslim community by promoting anti-Muslim rhetoric and policies.
  2. Does not recognize the complexity of internalized homophobia and heterosexism, mental health issues, and gun control legislation that may be factors in the Pulse attack.

On June 10, 2017, ACT for America, a group that has been identified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, organized a “March Against Sharia” in 20 states and 28 cities across the country.  Although described as defenders of Muslim women and human rights, the founder of the group, Brigitte Gabriel, has equated all Muslims with terrorists, claimed that Muslims cannot be loyal to America, and has spread hate speech to demonize all Muslims.  In close proximity to the march, and timed with the anniversary of the massacre at Pulse nightclub, members of the group took the opportunity to connect their anti-Muslim message with support for LGBTQ rights.  This opportunistic ploy has attracted misinformed LGBTQ individuals and LGBTQ allies to these marches and to the thinly veiled anti-Muslim agenda of ACT for America.

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Top 10 Reasons to Complete Your Dissertation Before Internship

I, like many other interns, started my internship year without having completed my dissertation. I knew it wasn’t ideal to be a full-time intern and work on my dissertation, but I figured since I made it through 5 years of graduate school simultaneously juggling other responsibilities and survived, I would be “okay” managing both of these tasks. Upon reflection, I wish I would have considered just how different and more demanding the internship year really is. As such, here are my top 10 reasons to complete your dissertation before internship (in no particular order). Please feel free to share your reasons in the comment section below!

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Are You A Covert Narcissist?

A few years ago, I visited the tomb of Oscar Wilde, atop of which is a glorious WIlde2sculpture by Jacob Epstein which sets it apart from all others in Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris. Something else which set it apart is the covering of lipstick kisses which I am almost certain Wilde, as a covert narcissist would have approved of. This adoration he would have regarded as rightly deserved after being misunderstood at the very end of his life.  

The Covert Narcissist

If you, like Wilde are apt to see all around you as inferior and rather than make a scene, retreat into either spoken or written witticisms,  knowing that one phrase from you is worth ten of everyone else’s then you may well be a covert rather than a more obvious narcissist.  Wilde could encapsulate a whole paragraph of superiority on any topic into a few pithy and extremely witty words.  One of my favourite quotes is his commentary upon poverty: “Charity creates a multitude of sins”.

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