My Reflections on September 11

September 11, 2001. It is a day when most of those alive remember where they were, and how they felt. I myself was a child at 8 years old. I came home from school early that day, not thinking much of it. Teachers and faculty did not appear to be tense at the time, soContinue reading “My Reflections on September 11”

U.S.-Canada Border Separates Couple During Pandemic

Longtime couple Mert LaBounty and Tammy Yonkers never met an obstacle as large as the pandemic-related U.S.-Canada border closure. Since March 20 of last year, the couple have had to rely on technology to communicate. This reached a breaking point for LaBounty, which he recounted. “I got into this wicked depression where all I couldContinue reading “U.S.-Canada Border Separates Couple During Pandemic”

Hudson Valley Parents Debate Masks in Schools

As the Delta variant rages on, so does the debate over students wearing masks in schools come fall. Children across the country, especially those ineligible for the vaccine, are ending up in the intensive care unit for COVID-19. This is a concern for Tameka Arroy-Santiago, a Hopewell Junction parent of two school-aged children under theContinue reading “Hudson Valley Parents Debate Masks in Schools”

New Jersey Teen Inspires Mental Health Movement

When Jersey City teenager Hunter Reinholt died tragically at 15 after an accidental overdose in 2019, his mom Tracy decided to take action. She gathered his group of friends to figure out how to honor his legacy. “Everyone was focused on how he lived,” she said. “We decided to start something that focused on that,Continue reading “New Jersey Teen Inspires Mental Health Movement”

The Trauma of Racism: A Therapist’s Perspective

Racial tension is a hot-button issue today in our schools, workplaces and the political discourse. It is an issue that many of psychologist Dr. Cassandra Hutchins’ patients look to deal with in therapy. “I would say the racial climate impacts 95 percent of my patients,” she said. “Regardless of their race, I am seeing thatContinue reading “The Trauma of Racism: A Therapist’s Perspective”

COVID Survivors for Change Founder Shares Story

Lawyer and gun control advocate Chris Kocher pivoted when the pandemic hit New York City the hardest last spring. After seeing friends survive COVID-19 or lose loved ones, Kocher knew there was a need to address the emotional trauma. “I wanted to see if there was something I could do to support families most impacted,”Continue reading “COVID Survivors for Change Founder Shares Story”

Spotlight On: Saiwa Healing Arts

It was her own anxiety that led Lauren Haimelin Carter to embark on a career healing others. As a student at the State University of New York in New Paltz, being an overachiever had its limits. When she came back from studying abroad in Spain in 2002, a doctor diagnosed the now-41-year-old with anxiety. “IContinue reading “Spotlight On: Saiwa Healing Arts”

Spotlight On: Hudson Valley’s Dr. Denise Morett

As people begin to embrace a post COVID normal, Hudson Valley psychologist Dr. Denise Morett gives her take on having a balanced mind. Dr. Morett practices bioenergetic medicine, which emphasizes how one’s mental state impacts energy. “Everything is energy and affects energy,” she said via email. “Not just having ‘energy’ to take actions, but whereContinue reading “Spotlight On: Hudson Valley’s Dr. Denise Morett”

On the Frontlines: Nuvance Health’s Dr. Paul Wright

By: Mallika Rao While the COVID-19 virus began to ravage Nuvance Health’s New York and Connecticut facilities, another mysterious medical issue arrived not too long after. As the senior vice president and system head of the Neuroscience Institute, Dr. Paul Wright quickly noticed how patients fully recovered from COVID-19 reported other physical and mental healthContinue reading “On the Frontlines: Nuvance Health’s Dr. Paul Wright”

Spotlight on: Dr. Roseann of Ridgefield

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge knew from a young age she had a calling to help children. “As I went to school, I saw the impact that could have on kids,” she said. Years later, when she had a psychotherapy and pharmacology practice, she saw her young patient bouncing off the walls. She knew she had toContinue reading “Spotlight on: Dr. Roseann of Ridgefield”