There has been an enormous amount of press and publicity about the Ebola virus and the lives this terrible communicable disease has recently claimed. The current statistic reports that presently the Ebola death toll nears 1,000 people worldwide. Thank goodness, steps are being taken to overcome this horrible killer. Lots of discussion, awareness, worry, work, research and … Continue reading
Tag Archives: recovery
The Bystander Effect
I believe that the Bystander Effect needs to be considered as seriously as leaving the scene of an accident or leaving the scene of a crime. Continue reading
Mother’s Day and Mythology
For many children, Mother’s Day is a myth. It is a fantasy; an idea or illusion a child wistfully carries in their mind, but never truly experienced. The population of these children who are older, are the ones who linger by the Hallmark cards for long periods of time: reading and replacing; reading and replacing. They finally settle for some benign message that ultimately says “Have a Nice Day”, but nothing more. Continue reading
Compliant Children of Divorce: Unwanted Lessons Learned
Children of divorce probably watch their parents lead by example more closely than the general population of children. Why? Because they simply do not know what to do, what to say, or how to feel. They may have heard the word “divorce”, but may have very limited internal resources with which they can make sense of the concept. Continue reading
Holiday Stress: Not Very Merry
The American Psychological Association conducted a study in 2006 and found that while 78% of respondents reported feeling often happy around the holidays, about two-thirds sometimes or often felt stressed and fatigued. Continue reading
9/11 Still an Issue a Decade Later
Can you imagine that helping professionals and other caring witnesses are still suffering trauma responses a decade after the 9/11 tragedy? That certainly speaks to how insidious the effects of vicarious trauma can be! It also demonstrates a saddening lack of compassion and absence of resources for our heroes. Continue reading
Virtual Vexation: Is Social Media Endangering Your Health?
Last week, I shut down my computer, packed a small bag and headed for the mountains to hang with my dear friends and let my brain stop aching. I felt like I was coming down from a serious binge and had to heal from a heavy hangover. What was the drug? Social Media; a “drug” … Continue reading
The Precious Spirit of Aloha
Aloha is a commonly used word for “hello” and “good-bye” that we say when we are fortunate enough to visit the Hawaiian Islands. However, “Aloha” means much more than hello or good-bye. Aloha is an extension of your loving inner spirit and it leads us to a powerful way to resolve a problem, accomplish a goal, and to reach a peaceful state of mind. Continue reading
Road to Resilience Can Be Rocky
Attending and graduating from the “School of Hard Knocks” plays a key role in how a person learns to be resilient. Studies show that kids who grew up in adverse living conditions seem to demonstrate a richer depth of resilience in adulthood. Continue reading
Divorce, Domestic Abuse and Brainwashing
Women or men who stay entangled with aggressor partners do so because they have become brainwashed by the aggressor over time. The method of brainwashing in a verbally abusive domestic relationship is no different than the method of brainwashing used with POW’s. Continue reading