I was quite taken by two cover articles in the 9 March 2018 issue of Science, succinctly titled “How Lies Spread.”  In the first of these, Lazer and colleagues (Lazer, D.M., Baum, M. A., Benkler, Y., Berinsky, A. J., Greenhill, K. M., et al. [2018]. The science of fake news, Science, 359, 1094-1096) reminded readers that journalistic objectivity as a broad construct is a relatively recent phenomenon that came about largely as a reaction to the blatant use of propaganda in World War I. The authors made the obvious point that the ability to reach huge numbers of electronic readers via platforms like Twitter and Facebook have created a renaissance in propaganda and false information, often via the use of bots that manipulate algorithms to spread content appealing to a particular segment of the electorate.

The National Register of Health Service Psychologists is proud to announce that it has been named the recipient of the 2018 Early Career Psychologist Champion Award presented by the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Early Career Psychologists.

Technology continues to have a dramatic effect on the practice of psychology. For example, a virtual reality environment may provide access for those unable to attend in-person sessions. This might include those with physical limitations, remote locales, or those with severe mental distress, such as agoraphobia. Patients who are fearful of stigma, or who wish to avoid any disclosure that they are in therapy, might also appreciate this approach as technically it is not a person but an online avatar that interacts with the psychologist’s online avatar.

In recent days, national attention has been drawn to a new policy implemented this spring by the current administration that has resulted in the forcible separation of children from immigrant families. No one needs the opinion of a doctoral-level psychologist to understand that such separations are devastatingly cruel to the families involved. What policy makers are less likely to understand are the pernicious and often life-long effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). How will we as a profession respond?

A very happy birthday to Dr. Zoltan Gross who is turning 98 years old.

If you missed the live-session webinar, watch now! Dr. Zelechoski reviews the types of requests for information that practitioners may receive for various legal purposes, including subpoenas and court orders.