Ken Howard, LCSW

Gay Men and Fitness: Moved to Move…Finding the Mental Motivation for Exercise

June 18, 2021February 24, 2005 by Ken

As a psychotherapist working with gay men in West Hollywood, body image and fitness issues come up more often than if I were practicing with another population in a different place. Our culture “suggests” – some would say vehemently “demands” – high levels of fitness in part for our health but largely for our looks. … Read more

Tsk, Tsk: People with HIV are being disempowered in ways they don’t even know

February 11, 2005 by Ken

After recently shifting my focus after 10 years of working with non-profit HIV and mental health social service organizations, I’ve been reflecting on both the positive – and negative – things that I witnessed. With the re-election of President Bush and a Republican majority in Congress, social services and other “liberal” institutions are certainly out of favor and have come under fire as a low priority for the American public and taxpayers.

The Gifts from Oz: Lessons for HIV

January 25, 2005 by Ken

The recent annual telecast by cable network TBS of the classic 1939 MGM film, “The Wizard of Oz” marks an annual ritual for me that dates back to when I was four. Watching this wonderful work of Hollywood magic each year gives me a chance to revisit its dazzling color, charm, and beauty like visiting an old friend. It also gives me a chance to contemplate its universal, timeless themes that coincide with the characters’ deepest desires:

7 Ways to Take Care of Your Financial Self – Now and for the Future

February 7, 2020January 23, 2005 by Ken

Part of my initial assessment as a psychotherapist for gay men examines their current financial security, goals, fears, risks, and rewards. Our finances contribute to how we perceive our external environment, and they affect mood, feelings, behavior, and relationships. Since starting in practice as a gay men’s specialist therapist in 1992, I have observed certain “true-isms” about guys who have it together financially – regardless of their income bracket. What is the connection between good financial habits and coping with depression and anxiety? Here are some time-honored tips:

A Second Bush Presidency in the Third Decade of HIV: Now What?

December 14, 2004 by Ken

What does the re-election of President George W. Bush mean for the mental health of people living with HIV/AIDS? That’s a complicated question.

Crystal…Clear?

December 7, 2004 by Ken

In considering the combination of gay men, sex, and crystal meth, a number of considerations come to mind for mental health professionals and researchers. For the first part, discussing gay men and sex, care must be taken to avoid generalizations, just as care would be taken to demonstrate cultural competency and absence of prejudice in discussing any subgroup of the general population. Why is it that gay men (excuse me, “men who have sex with men”) are still subject to a certain scientific, distancing condescension that is widely recognized as off-limits (rightfully so) for any other American minority?

The Demon Within: Resolving the Anger at the Person Who Infected You

November 13, 2004 by Ken

The release of the latest installment of “The Exorcist” film franchise, “Exorcist: The Beginning” is another variation of the now classic theme of exorcising an invasive supernatural demon who has taken possession of an innocent young person – in the original film, a young girl, in the latest installment, a young boy. What is it about this story that fascinates us so much that Hollywood re-tells it every few years? Perhaps it is the classic battle of good versus evil, or perhaps it resonates within us the age-old mythologic struggle for us to identify and drive out the most nefarious aspects of our own personality. For many, the struggle with their own personal “demon within” is that of anger.

Express Yourself, Part II

October 3, 2004 by Ken

For the previous article to this, click here for Express Yourself, Part I

Last month, I related a story of a recent study from Dr. Kevin J. Petrie at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) of how 37 people living with HIV were studied in two groups: one group who expressively wrote about their feelings for 30 minutes a day on 4 consecutive days, and a comparison group who wrote objectively about how they occupied their time.

Express Yourself: Writing About Your Feelings About HIV

August 3, 2015September 3, 2004 by Ken

A friend of mine recently was telling me about an article he read about a study where people living with HIV who were shy – socially, emotionally reserved – had significantly worse overall health than people who were not shy. This story seemed to underscore the old adage about how “it’s not good for you … Read more

Beyond Recovery

June 7, 2004 by Ken

Recently someone very close to me had surgery for a health issue not related to HIV. She had the surgery, went home, began to recover for a days, went to the mall, and then suddenly had a fever and post-operative infection and had to be re-admitted to the hospital for a long course of intravenous antibiotics. This kind of setback made me think about the roller-coaster ride that can be our health status, physically and emotionally, as people living with HIV.