Clinical Psychologist and Writer Dr. Margaret Rutherford Encourages Openness About Therapy and Mental Issues

Clinical psychologist, blogger and now contributing author to a new book that examines the highs and lows of living with mental illness, Dr. Margaret Rutherford has teamed up with The Good Men Project in a study to explore male depression and openness to therapy.

Living with a mental illness is a journey that one in every four Americans will travel at some point in their lifetimes. Those with symptoms fear judgement and being ostracized, leaving many to suffer in silence. Awareness and understanding are crucial in eradicating negative attitudes about those with mental illness. By creating an honest dialogue about the highs and lows of mental illness, the non-suffering public will gain better understanding, and those suffering may be more likely to seek the support they need.

Dr. Rutherford has been a clinical psychologist in private practice for over 20 years in Northwest Arkansas, and her writing at http://drmargaretrutherford.com offers hope, humor and practical advice about therapy and about just life itself. In her mission to educate people on the do's and don'ts of good therapy, Dr. Rutherford has made available a straightforward guide for the everyperson called Seven Commandments of Good Therapy, available as a free download to all her blog subscribers. Co-creators of groundbreaking anthology Surviving Mental Illness Through Humor approached Dr. Rutherford to write the epilogue to the book so that others may feel empowered. The book is filled with inspiring personal stories from talented humor writers, all of which demonstrate that living with mental illness does not have to equal a life of endless misery. Dr. Rutherford is donating a portion of her book earnings to the Northwest Arkansas Free Health Center, where she also currently volunteers as a mental health professional.

In a recent blog post called "Real Men. More Suicide. What Will It Take for Men to Seek Help?", Dr. Rutherford discusses her growing concern for how suicide rates in the United States are rising sharply, especially in middle-aged and older men. "Tired of it because it’s so incredibly sad for them. Tired because there are spouses, parents, friends and children who are left behind. Who loved these men," Dr. Rutherford writes, "I want men to tell me if they believe that they can be depressed. And if they would get help."

Just as Surviving Mental Illness Through Humor sparks conversations that inspire attitudes of acceptance and compassion, Dr. Rutherford wants to make a difference first by asking men questions and interviewing them about therapy and depression. She has designed an anonymous survey instrument comprised of only 10 questions, and she has asked bloggers and websites all over the country to post the survey. She is asking men to take just a few minutes to provide their feedback. Dr. Rutherford is collaborating with The Good Men Project to distribute the survey, and she is working with a research team to analyze and present the results. The survey is available here: http://tinyurl.com/maledepressionsurvey.

Dr. Margaret Rutherford is a clinical psychologist who has been practicing for over 20 years in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She began blogging in 2012, with her posts evolving from an initial empty nest focus (“NestAche” as Dr. Margaret termed it) to posts describing her work in mental health. Her writing can be found on her own website http://drmargaretrutherford.com, as well as The Huffington Post, Midlife Boulevard, Boomeon, BetterAfter50, WeWantMore and now at The Good Men Project.

About Seven Commandments of Good TherapySeven Commandments of Good Therapy by Dr. Margaret Rutherford outlines the basics of how to identify bad therapy and what one can expect in good therapy. Dr. Margaret Rutherford provides an introduction to the eBook here: https://youtu.be/l6E0R_Dh4Bo. The eBook is available at no cost to subscribers to http://drmargaretrutherford.com.

The Good Men Project was founded by Tom Matlack in 2009. Tom set out to collect men’s stories about the defining moments in men’s lives. The Good Men Project is a diverse community of 21st century thought leaders who are actively participating in a conversation about the way men’s roles are changing in modern life—and the way those changes affect everyone. The site explores the world of men and manhood in a way that no media company ever has, tackling the issues and questions that are most relevant to men’s lives. Visit http://goodmenproject.com/author/margaret-rutherford/ to read contributions from Dr. Margaret Rutherford.