The Mental Illness Recovery Paradox

Most people think the hardest part of a Mental health crisis is the illness itself. In my case that would entail the acute experience of psychotic depression. And it is often true that acute mental ill health is extraordinarily disorienting and frightening. I wouldn’t wish my previous symptoms of psychotic depression on anyone and they […]

Why Coping Skills Therapy May Not Produce Durable Recovery

Whether depression, anxiety, psychosis, trauma reaction, or some other Mental health difficulty, the common refrain I hear (from family, friends, YouTube followers, potential individuals for therapy) is, “Aaron, I am doing…” and then a laundry list of coping skills: walking, box breathing, tai chi, petting their schnauzer. They are putting out fires. Some Mental health […]

Infidelity in Relationships and Recovery in Couples Therapy

Infidelity is probably one of the most painful and destabilizing events that can occur in a romantic relationship. It breaks trust, can lead to psychological trauma, emotional suffering, or even the onset of mental illness, and often raises questions about the future of the relationship. As a couples therapist, I’ve noticed that the meaning of […]

Where Race and Caste Collide in Trauma Recovery

In the United States, the language of race is always close to the surface—coded in ZIP codes, school districts, traffic stops, and sentencing disparities. But caste walks in differently. It is quieter, more camouflaged, wrapped in euphemisms like “merit,” “culture,” “upbringing,” or “respectability.” It is dressed up in family WhatsApp threads and diaspora fundraisers. It […]