Author: artsmuklermd

Art Smukler, MD was born and raised in Philadelphia, went to college and medical school in Pennsylvania, and completed his psychiatric training at UCLA. He is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in the treatment of adults with a subspecialty in adolescents. As a member of the UCLA faculty, he ran an award-winning psychotherapy conference for psychiatric residents and received the coveted “Golden Ear” award. He has published in psychiatric journals, and won the award for excellence in creative writing at The Santa Barbara Writers Conference. Now a full-time author, he applies his deep understanding of the human psyche to the motivations of his fictional characters.

WHAT DOES A PSYCHIATRIST THINK ABOUT YOM KIPPUR? by Art Smukler, author & psychiatrist

by artsmuklermd, posted in Psychiatry, Self Examination, World events, a psychological view

I think a reprise is in order.

Yom Kippur is the Jewish day of atonement, the day when God will either write you into the “Book of life” or not. Holy Moses! (To coin an appropriate cliche). This is serious business. If you don’t make the godly cut, you’re no longer counted as one of 13.75 million jews that make up 0.2% of the 7 billion world population. You are officially part of the stuff that helps plants grow.

Obviously, I’m making light of the most solemn day of the Jewish year, but because I don’t believe that God has a GPS unit tied to all 7 billion of us doesn’t mean that I don’t think there are valuable aspects to this day and valuable moral and ethical things to learn. It is a day of coming together with family and friends, a day of reflection and tradition, a day when we are encouraged to make amends for any hurts and wounds we might have inflicted on another person. It is a day of personal reflection.

In my opinion, the key here is MAKING AMENDS AND REFLECTING ON OUR LIVES AND OUR BEHAVIOR. (Sadly, since the man in The White House never mistakes and is always right, he’s exempt.)

You aren’t absolved of your transgressions by a high-priest rabbi and you don’t have to kill any non-believers. You simply have to do what you should have done all along, fix whatever bad thing you might have done. In some cases, “sorry” may be enough. In others, you may need to do some real cash reimbursing or spend whatever time and effort is necessary to right the wrong.

If indeed there is a god who has all 7 billion of us hooked up to his Garmin or Google Maps, we’d be making him/her very proud. What a relief that he doesn’t have to keep a record of all our good and bad deeds or whether we paid 14% or 50% on our taxes. Acting like a decent human being will take a lot of pressure off the “big guy”.

If you enjoyed reading, Inside the Mind of a Psychiatrist, you might also enjoy Dr. Smukler’s novels, Chasing Backwards, a psychological murder mystery, Skin Dance, a mystery, and The Man with a Microphone in his Ear. All are available as paperbacks and eBooks.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Inside the Mind of a Psychiatrist.

WHAT DOES A PSYCHIATRIST SAY TO PENN STATE PLACE KICKER SAM FICKEN, WHO MISSED 4 FIELD GOALS? by Art Smukler, author & psychiatrist

by artsmuklermd, posted in Childhood Trauma, Penn State, Psychiatry, Raising Children, Self Examination, World events, a psychological view

Sam Ficken missed 4 field goal attempts and had an extra-point kick blocked in Penn State’s game against Virginia. What would I say to this young  freshman?

There’s another game next week! Really, Sam, it’s just a game. Think of all the energy and power we gave Joe Paterno, and where did that lead? This is an opportunity to show that this isn’t what you are all about.

Because others twist and attribute what we do or don’t do to suit their own needs, doesn’t mean we have to buy into it. I know it would have been easier and certainly more fun to be the hero. Well, you weren’t, but how many kids get a chance to play for a Big Ten team as a freshman? Not many!

Just getting out there, in front of thousands of screaming fans, even though you were frozen inside, was terrific. I hope Coach O’Brien gives you another chance. No-matter what happens, have courage and do your best. That’s how you’ll honor yourself. As we have learned, just winning football games is not what it’s all about. It’s about how we handle winning and losing and how we behave as human beings who care about other human beings that really counts.

Sam, don’t ever give up! And that goes for all of us…

Don’t forget to subscribe to Inside the Mind of a Psychiatrist.