Wellness & Mental Health by Kaveh Farrokh - Langara College
This article is a write-up of a presentation “AI, New Technologies & Counselling: Challenges & Co... more This article is a write-up of a presentation “AI, New Technologies & Counselling: Challenges & Constructive Solutions” delivered in-person at the PSCA Conference entitled “Enhancing our Practice: Working Inclusively with Difference”, on May 1, 2025. This article discusses the implications of AI technologies on counselling in the following eight sections: [1] Distinctions between AI Chatbots and Conversational AI [2] Current research trends on AI Therapy platforms [3] An Overview of AI Chatbots for Mental Health [4] An Overview of Conversational AI for Mental Health [5] Challenges posed by AI Therapy platforms to counselling and mental health jobs [6] Six Risks posed by AI Software platforms to post-secondary students’ mental health [7] Seven Ways Counsellors may choose to work with AI software platforms and high technology for the Benefit of Students and [8] International Developments towards Mental Wellness Delivery at the Governmental, Think Tank, and Military Domains in the 21st Century.
This article examines the latest research on Zoom fatigue and methods of coping with this phenome... more This article examines the latest research on Zoom fatigue and methods of coping with this phenomenon.
This article examines the latest research findings (Fall 2019) with respect to the impact of WiFi... more This article examines the latest research findings (Fall 2019) with respect to the impact of WiFi-based technology (notably smartphones and social media platforms)
Compiled by Kaveh Farrokh (Ph.D.), Counsellor and Learning Specialist, Langara College Counsellin... more Compiled by Kaveh Farrokh (Ph.D.), Counsellor and Learning Specialist, Langara College Counselling Department. =============================================================== One of the key neurotransmitters of the human brain is oxytocin, commonly known as the "love drug" which facilitates one's feeling of being connected with others as well as falling in love with another person. Oxytocin is also generated in large amounts in mothers who have given birth, which then creates a powerful bond between child and mother. Of course, there are a variety of other scenarios in which oxytocin can be released such as when one pets a small puppy for example.
Our (emotional) feelings and (rational) thoughts operate from different parts of our brain. Put a... more Our (emotional) feelings and (rational) thoughts operate from different parts of our brain. Put another way, how we "feel" and how we think (rationally) are not coming from the "same place" in your brain. Our "upper brain" is what makes us more evolved from our arboreal cousins in that we have a highly developed neocortex (lit: new brain) of which our frontal and temporal lobes are critical elements in the processing of our learning and memory, as well as critical thinking, problem-solving, planning, learning from our mistakes in constructive way, our capacity for language, auditory learning etc. -pretty much what makes us human and what has allowed us to become the masters of the planet.
One of the key neurotransmitters of the human brain is oxytocin, commonly known as the "love drug... more One of the key neurotransmitters of the human brain is oxytocin, commonly known as the "love drug" which facilitates one's feeling of being connected with others as well as falling in love with another person. Oxytocin is also generated in large amounts in mothers who have given birth, which then creates a powerful bond between child and mother. Of course, there are a variety of other scenarios in which oxytocin can be released such as when one pets a small puppy for example.
While this may surprise readers, UK's Prime minister Theresa May appointed (a first in British an... more While this may surprise readers, UK's Prime minister Theresa May appointed (a first in British and indeed world history) a "Minister for Loneliness". There is clearly a recognition at the state level that loneliness is a major factor impacting mental and physical health. Often laypersons will attribute illness to factors such as lack of exercise, disrupted sleep, unbalanced diet, obesity,
This article provides an overview of the latest research with respect to the characteristics of h... more This article provides an overview of the latest research with respect to the characteristics of happiness, drawing upon recent research findings as reported in various editions of the Scientific American Mind (in 2015-2018) and various other sources. The context of this article is focused on post Secondary students, however the findings discussed can also be applied to non-post Secondary learners of all age groups.
College students who fail to adopt more wholesome sleep habits are more likely to find themselves... more College students who fail to adopt more wholesome sleep habits are more likely to find themselves unable to handle their chosen course load and less likely to reach their academic potential, according to a national study of more than 55,000 college students.
Learning Performance by Kaveh Farrokh - Langara College
The traditional methods for assessing a person's intelligence or "IQ" has been through the use of... more The traditional methods for assessing a person's intelligence or "IQ" has been through the use of paper-pencil tests developed since a century ago. While psychologists continue to utilize statistical techniques to quantify various aspects of IQ, it is important to note that these aspects have been, up to very recently, based on theoretical parameters and that aspects of IQ can be changed over the human lifespan. Theoretically, all IQ tests of mental abilities often have statistically positive relationships (despite content differences) between them. For example, a person who achieves a high score on a particular test will also tend to score highly on another (different) test. The theoretical implication of this is that all tests of IQ are measuring a common General Factor of Intelligence, also known as the "G" Factor.
A landmark study by Phivos Phylactou has been published in 2019 in EFPSA (Journal of European Psy... more A landmark study by Phivos Phylactou has been published in 2019 in EFPSA (Journal of European Psychology Students). The original intent of the study was to examine the mental preparation strategies and processes of Greek-Cypriot Olympic weightlifters. In a sense, this study is a continuation of the ongoing plethora of studies focused on expertise and motivation (especially mental and emotional mind-set) in the fields of learning and athletics as well as other domains of endeavor.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable finds in learning research overall has been the efficacy of ve... more Perhaps one of the most remarkable finds in learning research overall has been the efficacy of very simple strategies for enhancing student success. One of these strategies as reported by Carey in 2010, pertains to what is commonly known as the "Go Places" study strategy. As noted by Corey [as cited by Simpson (2013, p.145) and Fleming (2013, p. 726)]:
The Einstellung Effect occurs when your brain tends to doggedly stick to a familiar way for solvi... more The Einstellung Effect occurs when your brain tends to doggedly stick to a familiar way for solving a problem-at the expense of other possible (and more efficient) ways. The reason we tend to ignore other alternatives is because we often prefer using what is familiar to us. This article looks at strategies for overcoming the Einstellung Effect.
Our brain is thought to create new neurons in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that regulat... more Our brain is thought to create new neurons in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that regulates emotion and memory, in a process called neurogenesis." I am unaware of any such assumption in the research literature. Instead, the general (scientific) consensus is that the hippocampus, is the builder of memories -NOT neurons. "Neurogenesis" is the generation of new neurons, a process distinct from the building of memories. Yes, neurons build memories, but that is not the same neurons themselves being generated or created. As noted by Donald G. Mackay (Professor of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles) one of the world's top researchers in memory and amnesia, the hippocampus region is involved in:
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Wellness & Mental Health by Kaveh Farrokh - Langara College
Learning Performance by Kaveh Farrokh - Langara College