So last night our youngest daughter won a semifinal softball game allowing her to play for the league championship next week. We are proud of her accomplishment and the hard work this team has exhibited. They were in fourth place in regular season play but clawed their way to the championship game, beating the first place team twice in the tournament. Fall is a busy competition season in our family. We have softball, but both daughters are also in band. Their competitions are both individual (solo contests with band) and team (marching band, softball). These competitions are fierce and challenging. Our oldest is in marching band as a drum major and if you think high school football in Texas is exciting and competitive, just go to a high school marching contest in the fall in North Texas and you might think you have seen a whole new level of competition. Though we have seen our share of successes and “wins” in the lives of our girls, we have had more losses. Out of all t...

In May 2013 the American Psychiatric Association published the newest diagnostic tool for mental health, the DSM 5. This is the fifth major publication of what many consider to be the Bible of mental health. It is used by mental health practitioners (psychiatrist, psychologists, and counselors), courts, insurance companies, and government agencies in their diagnostic and decision making activities related to mental health. As a result of its widespread use, any changes receive increased media attention and scrutiny by professionals. It has been fifteen years since the last revision of this book and the changes made this year have not necessarily been welcomed by professionals and other interested groups. The controversy over the removal of Asperger's as a diagnosis is one example you may have heard about and one change that has received considerable attention. In the interest of public education I would like to offer a couple observations about the DSM 5 and how it may affec...