Author Archives: Patricia O'Gorman, PhD

About Patricia O'Gorman, PhD

Patricia A. O'Gorman, Ph.D., is a psychologist in private practice. She is noted for her work on women, trauma, and substance abuse and for her warm, inspiring, and amusing presentations that make complex issues accessible and even fun. She has served as a consultant to organizations across the country in preventative and clinical strategic planning. Dr. O'Gorman is a cofounder of the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, and she has held positions ranging from director of a rape crisis center to clinical director of a child welfare agency, and director of the division of prevention for the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). She is a veteran of numerous television appearances, including Good Morning America, Today, and AM Sunday and is the author of eight books including: The Girly Thoughts 10 Day Detox Plan (2014), The Resilient Woman: Mastering the 7 Steps to Personal Power (2013), and Healing Trauma Through Self-Parenting (2012) 12 Steps to Self-Parenting.

Grand Island – Here I Come With NO Girly Thoughts

April 28th, 2015 | Posted by Patricia O'Gorman, PhD in Girly Thoughts | Health & Wellness | Women's Issues - (Comments Off on Grand Island – Here I Come With NO Girly Thoughts)

Have you ever gotten something really wrong? Have you ever based your conclusions on little fact and many feelings, and as a result you painted a truly erroneous picture for yourself of what you were dealing with?   I know I have, and recently.   My latest error didn’t begin with misunderstanding a Facebook post, …
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A Brief Encounter with Sexual Politics . . . No Girly Thoughts Allowed

April 24th, 2015 | Posted by Patricia O'Gorman, PhD in Body Image | Girly Thoughts | Health & Wellness | Relationships | Women's Issues | Workplace Issues - (Comments Off on A Brief Encounter with Sexual Politics . . . No Girly Thoughts Allowed)

Sexual politics run deep in our responses, even in casual meetings. We act like “dutiful little girls” in our responses, and in an almost instinctive reaction, we do to ourselves what society has taught us to do. This reaction, which I’ve named girly thoughts, is one I fight against, and I’ve coined the term and …
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Get Turned on In The City Of Lights—Schenectady

April 16th, 2015 | Posted by Patricia O'Gorman, PhD in Body Image | Girly Thoughts | Health & Wellness | Women's Issues - (Comments Off on Get Turned on In The City Of Lights—Schenectady)

Many things probably turn you on, as they should. One thing that really turns me on is going to the Electric City. For those of you who do not know the lore of upstate New York, this city is also called Schenectady, and it’s the home of GE, aka General Electric.   It is also …
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Students in Potsdam Are Learning About Girly Thoughts, Why Not You?

April 13th, 2015 | Posted by Patricia O'Gorman, PhD in Body Image | Girly Thoughts | Health & Wellness | Relationships | Women's Issues - (Comments Off on Students in Potsdam Are Learning About Girly Thoughts, Why Not You?)

I’m so excited . . . I’ve been invited to speak at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Potsdam on April 16.   I’ll be addressing a group of students from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the Fireside Lounge of the Barrington Student Union about hitting gender issues head on. I was invited …
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Being on the Front Page News with No Girly Thoughts

April 10th, 2015 | Posted by Patricia O'Gorman, PhD in Body Image | Girly Thoughts | Health & Wellness | Women's Issues - (Comments Off on Being on the Front Page News with No Girly Thoughts)

Have you ever been on the front page of your local newspaper? I don’t mean as a cute baby in the Easter Parade, or for having committed some terrible crime, or for being awarded a prestigious prize, but as an adult, and just because you were happy?   I was, and here’s the proof:   …
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A Season of Miracles and Second Chances

April 3rd, 2015 | Posted by Patricia O'Gorman, PhD in Girly Thoughts | Health & Wellness | Women's Issues - (Comments Off on A Season of Miracles and Second Chances)

“I believe in pink. I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and … I believe in miracles.” —Audrey Hepburn       I have always loved this time of year. As someone who has had her own share of life’s unfairness, I marvel that in early spring …
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Giving Up Sex for Lent

April 3rd, 2015 | Posted by Patricia O'Gorman, PhD in Body Image | Girly Thoughts | Health & Wellness | Sexuality | Women's Issues - (Comments Off on Giving Up Sex for Lent)

I was in my local health food store when I saw a neighbor and we began chatting. When she asked what I was up to, I told her about my recent blog on giving up a girly thought for Lent—you remember, the one where I suggested you give up one girly thought for Lent.   …
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You, Me, & Monica Lewinsky: Four Ways You Can Correct Your Story

March 27th, 2015 | Posted by Patricia O'Gorman, PhD in Girly Thoughts | Health & Wellness | Relationships | Therapy | Women's Issues - (Comments Off on You, Me, & Monica Lewinsky: Four Ways You Can Correct Your Story)

If you don’t know yet, Monica Lewinsky has gone public with a Ted Talk. It is well worth seeing because she does what I’ve been inviting you to do:   Stop listening to your girly thoughts; that toxic inner dialogue that blames you for anything that goes wrong in your life.     Monica’s Courage   …
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Giving Up a Girly Thought for Lent

March 20th, 2015 | Posted by Patricia O'Gorman, PhD in Girly Thoughts | Health & Wellness | Therapy | Women's Issues - (Comments Off on Giving Up a Girly Thought for Lent)

“Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.” —Pope Francis     Whether you are Christian or not, or devout or not, you are probably aware that we have entered Lent, a season of spiritual growth and self-examination, which often includes fasting and a tradition of giving something up (even though …
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