Not much is out there on male victims of sexual assault. The site 1 in 6 does a great job providing resources, but most of what I've written about sexual assault has appeared on Huffington Post Women. 

I interviewed a male victim of sexual abuse and attempted to tackle a few of the issues that make that crime such a difficult one to talk about. Seems it's even more stigmatized than sexual abuse/assault against females. 

So, check it out: Is the Man Box Preventing you from Confronting Past Abuse? 

Also, are the winds changing in the NFL, or has it always been a more stand-up organization than the media gives it credit for? 

I talked to Chad Johnson, chaplain of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Check out what he does to help players find balance in a cut-throat profession. 

Also, I was impressed by the 49ers reaction to the recent arrest of the often-in-trouble player Aldon Smith. Read about their unusual response.

Obesity is coming for your pets, a Washington Post article from 2014 discusses the impact of the obesity epidemic on our furry friends. Excerpt: "In the case of pets, we are killing them with 'kindness.'

Take off that Fitbit. Exercise alone won't make you lose weight, another Washington Post article that states the obvious: If weight loss is your goal, you need to take a look at your diet. Exercise has many benefits other than weight loss, and I personally love my Fitbit. Still an important reminder that working out will not help you downsize if you don't pay attention to what you eat. Excerpt: "A growing body of scientific evidence shows that exercise alone has almost no effect on weight loss."

Don't let cyberbullying ruin fitness. Sue Scheff writes in the Huffington Post that cyberbullying and fat-shaming can discourage people from working out. Excerpt: "Bullying individuals about their weight has become such a critical issue that British researcher Dr. Sarah Jackson believes mocking overweight individuals should be illegal." 

Preschoolers aren't getting enough exercise, study says. A Time article about children and physical activity. Exercise used to be called simply "play time." These days, though, kids are more sedentary, a trend that will have long-term, negative consequences for individuals and the public. Excerpt: "Getting plenty of exercise at a young age is essential for a child's development and for preventing obesity."

Today I helped kick off Sexual Assault Awareness Month at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker, Colorado. 

One of the highlights of my visit was learning about the university's cut suits people can wear to simulate the look, feel, and smell (yes, smell!) of a traumatic injury. It ends up providing a realistic training experience for students. Some of the features seem really intriguing. Interchangeable organs with variable wound patterns?  Get out of town! Customizable wounds? Whoa! Reparable skin and organs? Heck yeah! 

... Seriously, it is a great training tool, something the Army already uses. 


The main highlight, though, was seeing an organization so committed to promoting awareness of sexual assault, cultivating a culture of safety and respect, and training medical professionals to treat the whole person, not just a patient's physical illness. I was encouraged students were asking questions about ways to provide emotional and psychological comfort to patients, screening for trauma compassionately, and looking out for warning signs of trauma and abuse. 

If you've experienced emotional or psychological trauma, what skills do you wish your physician had?