#FF Friday's Fabulous Finds: Living With Purpose from Iowa, Mumbai, Oklahoma, Boston & DC

Thought for the Day: TGIF & it's time for my #FF Fabulous Finds. Although my #FF finds this week come from Iowa to Mumbai to Boston, Oklahoma & DC, the common element is "Living with Purpose."  Although the stories are diverse covering education, motivation, & entertainment, check these finds out & see how they are related. Have a wonderful weekend! Let me know what you think & I'd love to hear what motivates you, too. I hope you will join me tomorrow for Saturday's Songs for the Soul & Sunday's Comic Strips.

1) Memorial Day:  Iowa Veteran's 72 year wait to get a diploma. This week began with a Memorial Day Monday Blog post & my first finds tells why an Iowa veteran chose to miss his high school graduation 72 years ago. Be sure to watch the video till the end to completely understand what motivated him.

2) Thanks to social media a young woman, Shweta Katti, who grew up in Mumbai's red-light district, Kamathipura, may realize her dream to study in America. Send Shweta Katti to College

3) This video is an excellent example of how education is changing & available world wide via the internet & YouTube. It helps explain why traditional ideas about motivation don't work.

 
4) Social Action: Moms Demand Action Click here to automatically call your Congressman every day. I continue to be impressed by the resourcefulness of MOMs Demand Action. If you want universal background checks to happen, MOMs demand action needs your help see why & how easy it can be....

Photos from FlickrCC.com

 5) Carrie Underwood is donating the proceeds from her Blown Away concert tour to the Oklahoma Tornado recovery efforts.   If you love Carrie Underwood's music to support survivors of the  music her, generous donation to victims of tornadoes   in her home state of Oklahoma will make you love her even more.
 

NKOTB w Boyz II Men. Time travel

6) At the star studded 'Boston Strong' benefit Concert last night NKOTB, Aerosmith, Boston, James Taylor and Carole King, the J. Geils Band, Jimmy Buffett, Jason Aldean, and comedians Dane Cook and Steven Wright all worked for free Thursday.  TD Garden, Ticketmaster, and a host of local hotels also donated their services for free. they expect to raise over $1.5 million for the One Fund. The photo (courtesy of my brother who attended the concert) was just before the musicians went & hugged the victims & first responders.

Thursday's Psychology Trivia Answer: Who Is Dumber? Victorians or Google Searchers?

Take off the Dunce Cap*

Thought for the Day: This week we have been looking at what makes education work. We started with the debate over the time & energy spent on standardized testing raised by a poster on Sunday's Comic Strips.  Yesterday's Words of Wisdom were from Mary MacCracken encouraging educators to utilize sincere caring & find educational opportunities in all types of experiences. How will the internet & google searching impact on our intelligence?  The answer to today's trivia question may shed some light on the future of men & women's intelligence. On Tuesday's Psychology Trivia we asked:  
     
    Are we dumber than our Victorian ancestors? Who's IQ is higher? 
             a) Victorians
             b) People today

The answer is a. &, or b., depending on how you measure intelligence. A controversial study, by Dr. Jan te Niijenhuis & his colleagues, led me to ask this trivia question. Dr. Jan te Niijenhuis, a professor from the University of Amsterdam, found that all our technological advances & educational opportunities have not increased our IQ. In fact, according to his study, we have lost 14 IQ points since the Victorian Era. To measure such a shift, Dr. Jan te Niijenhuis analyzed the results of 14 intelligence studies conducted between 1884 to 2004. They used reaction time to measure a person’s mental processing speed as an indicator of general intelligence. One explanation they give for the decrease in general intelligence is related to the industrial revolution, the shift to cities & access to steady food supply. So, if we trust their findings, modern man is dumber than his or her Victorian ancestors.

Their findings are even more discouraging since they attribute the loss of IQ to women with higher IQ's having fewer children than women with lower intelligence. When searching for an image for this post, I felt uncomfortable choosing a girl in a dunce cap, but there were only cartoons or this photo to choose from. It would be sad to let this study's findings discourage women & girls from their their hard fought quest for knowledge, equal educational opportunities & advancement & make women feel guilty for having less children.

I prefer to see the decrease seen in IQ scores as a reflection of the methodology the researchers chose to measure intelligence. Since we no longer need to hunt for food, our reaction time is slower in modern times, but is that really an indication of lower intelligence? Other measures are better indicators of intelligence & problem solving skills necessary in modern times. When standardized tests of intelligence are used, the results are significantly different.

**Perhaps Victorians should wear the Dunce cap

It does not surprise me that a study conducted by James Flynn found a steady rise in IQ scores around the world since the 1940's. When any standardized IQ test, like the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), is used to measure intelligence, they consistently find an 18 point increase in IQ since 1949 (3 points per decade). Because of this rise, called the Flynn Effect, IQ tests need to be revised & re-standardized. This would suggest that intelligence is increasing, not decreasing, in our era thanks to better education, nutrition & technological advances. Perhaps, the rise in the numbers of educated women & working mothers since World War II, is actually contributing to a well documented rise in IQ. Therefore, educated mothers don't need to feel guilty for working or having less children & girls should put the dunce cap on their Victorian ancestors' heads, since women's educational advances may play a role in the rise in intelligence in the modern world.

Which study do you think is more accurate? Are we dumber than our Victorian ancestors?

The jury is still out on how computers & the internet will impact on IQ. What skills will our children need in the future? Some people worry that memory skills will decrease, since computers & google searches will replace our memory. How important are standardized tests & memorized knowledge in a world where information is at our fingertips in seconds? Should problem solving, creativity & learning how to analyze information be the goals of education? What are your thoughts?


*Photo from FlickrCC.com
* Take Off the Dunce Cap 'untitled' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/9020344@N02/7990153054 
** 'Queen Victoria' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/96526303@N00/3435244541

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom: Mary MacCracken, Caring: The Key to Education

*Photos from FlickrCC.com

“Almost anything can become a learning experience if there is enough caring involved.” - Mary MacCracken

Thought for the Day: I love when a quote introduces me to someone new who has helped people reach their dreams. Mary MacCracken, whose words of wisdom are featured today is one such person. Her work helped emotionally disturbed children, who were stuck & unreachable (& teachers who have learned from her work), succeed & move towards their dreams. I hope you enjoy learning about her work & that you will take the time to listen to the interview with her from 1987. 

 

      Mary MacCracken, a special education teacher, discovered that the secret path to the hearts of her students was caring. Two of Mary MacCracken's autobiographical books, A Circle of Children & Lovey, based on her experiences as a teaching intern, became TV specials. MacCracken had been a special education teacher for 6 years when she went back to college. After a 25 year break between her sophomore & junior years in college, she needed a degree to continue teaching. As an intern, frustrated by simply observing & documenting the behaviors of emotionally disturbed children, she began to connect with them. She discovered that through love, honesty, trust, & compassion she could help seemingly unreachable emotionally disturbed children learn & succeed.

     If you have time take a look at this interview with Mary Maccracken from 1987 conducted by Connie Martinson about MacCracken's book City Kids. It is well worth spending a half hour with this insightful passionate teacher & therapist. 

      Come back tomorrow for the answer to Tuesday's Psychology Trivia Question: Are we dumber than our Victorian ancestors?

Books by Mary MacCracken:

• Turnabout Children: Overcoming Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities (Jul 7, 1987)
• Turnabout children, part one (1986)
• City Kid (Feb 2, 1982)
• A Circle of Children (Mar 1, 1977) Made into a TV Movie
• Lovey: A Very Special Child (Oct 1, 1977) Made into a TV Movie

*Photos from FlickrCC.com

Right top: '0216' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/26611570@N04/3019776218
Right middle:  'Focused' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/90963248@N00/299066758
Right bottom: 'Joaquin y sus 9 meses' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/28328732@N00/3222146311
Left top:  'Hey teacher! I know the answer!' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/12836528@N00/3364591795
Left bottom: 'who do we appreciate' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/73645804@N00/2408048812

Tuesday's Psychology Trivia: Are We Dumber Than Our Victorian Ancestors?

Original Photos from FlickrCC.com*

Thought for the Day: On Sunday's Comic Strip I posted a bold sign posted by teachers at Roosevelt High School raising questions about what real education is. Today's Psychology Trivia Question raises another question about how well we are doing intellectually.

Here's Tuesday's Psychology Trivia Question:
          Are we dumber than our Victorian ancestors? Who's IQ is higher? 
             a) Victorians
             b) People today

Are all our technological advances & educational opportunities increasing our IQ? What do you think?

Come back on Thursday for the answer.

*Photos from Flickr.com

Photo on Right:  'Queen Victoria' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/96526303@N00/3435244541
Photo on Left: 'untitled' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/9020344@N02/7990153054

Memorial Monday: How Driving A Truck Helped A Bereaved Father Cope

Photos from FlickrCC.com*

Thought for the Day:  Sometimes in the midst of barbeques, travel & celebrations of the beginning of summer the harsh reality of Memorial Day is forgotten. It is a day to remember those who gave their lives to protect the freedom & opportunities this great nation offers. I usually leave my song choices for Saturday's Songs for the Soul where I share songs that are therapeutic. "I Drive Your Truck" (shared here)* certainly fits that category. It captures one man's grief after losing a loved one. With over 5 million hits on YouTube since it was released last December, it hit a chord helping veterans & families around the country.  The song performed by country artist, Lee Brice,  was written by Jimmy Yeary, Connie Harrington & Jessi Alexander. It is based on a true story one of the songwriters heard on NPR about how a father, who's son died in 2006, would drive his son's truck. On the radio broadcast, Paul Monti, said his reasons for driving the truck his son, Sgt. 1st ClassJared  Monti, left behind were simple: "What can I tell you? It's him. It's got his DNA all over it. I love driving it because it reminds me of him, though I don't need the truck to remind me of him. I think about him every hour of every day."

If you would like to support programs that help wounded warriors returning from Iraq & Afghanistan, you can purchase my book The Wake Up And Dream Challenge with 1/2 of the profits being sent to Higher Ground. Higher Ground uses recreational therapies to help wounded warriors & their families regain their independence.

*Official video from Lee Bruce's album, Hard 2 Love. Available on iTunes: http://bit.ly/Hard2Love

*Photos from FlickrCC.com

Top Right: 'Scouts salute Fort Sam Houston Cemetery with+flags+of+honor' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/37353087@N03/5766778920

Left Middle: 'Scouts salute Fort Sam Houston Cemetery with+flags+of+honor' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/37353087@N03/5766764544

Right Bottom: 'Soldier graves' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/22929260@N06/5784853348

Sunday's Comic Strips: Teachers Giving A Sign! What's Real Education?

Thought for the Day: It's time for Sunday's Comic Strips. Today I bring a funny sign that I found on Pinterest posted by Janice Malone. Teachers at the Roosevelt Middle School made a bold statement protesting the time spent on State assessment testing. Those of you following my blog know I wish there was more emphasis on children's emotional well being & teaching them to be respectful of one another. I applaud Roosevelt Middle School's teachers & administrations public protest.

Parents should take a stand, if they want things to change. What do you think is "real" education? Do you think schools are spending too much time on standardized tests? What would you like to see added to schools programs?

Saturday's Songs for the Soul: Clouds, A Young Cancer Victim's Legacy

Photo from FlickrCC.com*

Thought for the Day: On Wednesday's Words of Wisdom, psychiatrist, Elizabeth Kubler Ross's words related to her pioneering research which has helped countless people deal with death & critical illnesses. Today's Song for the Soul selection is by a young singer songwriter, Zach Sobiech, who used his musical talents to help cope with osteosarcoma. His music led to over 4 million hits on YouTube, touching all those who heard it. This week he lost a 4 year battle with cancer at just 18 years of age. His memory & mission to find a cure for childhood cancer will live on through his inspirational song, "Clouds, " which the congregation sang at his funeral. The song will help fund research to save lives of other children affected by cancer.


*Photo from FlickrCC.com

www.flickr.com/photos/57917705@N00/88699234

#FF Friday's Fabulous Finds: Resilience & Medical Miracles Keep Dreams Alive

Thought for the Day: It's Friday & time for my fabulous finds. These are truly inspirational. This week I have been writing about how to recover from trauma following the Tornado in Oklahoma. Here are 3 finds related to resilience, a major goal of positive psychology in the face of traumatic events. Since Monday is Memorial Day, my first find is a wonderful video about a veteran's drive to beat the odds & continue to achieve his dreams. See how he is beating the odds & running marathons despite having lost not only his leg, but also his hip. The second find is an indigogo crowd fundraising campaign which will surely help others amputees. A Canadian group is using the youngest victim of the marathon bombing, Martin Richard's words "No More Hurting People," to raise funds for survivors of the Boston Marathon Bombing.  You can view a video, buy a tee shirts or help their cause by sharing the site with others & keep Richard's dream alive. My third find is a miraculous new medical achievement. Doctors were able to a 3-D laser printer to create an airway splint to save the life of a baby boy who used to stop breathing nearly every day.

Photo from Eduard Lychik's Facebook

 Eduard  Lychik, wounded warrior, beats the odds.

Photo from Facebook

Martin Richard's message helping to raise funds for Boston Marathon Bombing victims.

Kaiba Gionfriddo (Facebook)

Medical invention saves a baby's life.

Thursday's Psychology Trivia: Oz, Tornadoes & Regaining Control

Thought for the Day:  As the people in Oklahoma begin to cope with the the aftermath of the tornado, & I reviewed the literature on recovery, I was reminded of the fact that The Wizard of Oz begins with a tornado in Kansas. Dorothy is thrown into a foreign world filled with new dangers. She simply wants to get home to her family & the life before the storm. The characters she meets along the away are searching for things they may never have had. The story can be seen as a metaphor for recovery from traumatic events. They are all on a psychological journey as Dorothy, the Tin Man, Scarecrow & the Lion reclaim their sense of control in a world filled with dangers. Dorothy yearns for home & family; the Tin Man searching for a heart, the scarecrow, for a brain & the lion, to become brave. On Tuesday's Psychological Trivia I asked the question:

True or False: The belief in one’s capability to exercise some measure of control over traumatic adversity is central to recovery from trauma.

The answer is a very strong true! Just as the characters in The Wizard of Oz were searching for the strength to overcome adversity, survivors of all traumatic events must rediscover their ability to cope with life's challenges. Charles C. Benight (University of Colorado) & Albert Bandura (Department of Psychology, Stanford University) study reported findings from diverse studies of traumatization. They found the role of perceived coping self-efficacy to be central to enhancing recovery from all kinds of traumatic experiences. What is interesting about this finding is that it held true for many different kinds of trauma when variables like severity of the trauma, loss of loved ones, fear of dying were held constant.

Natural disasters literally turn people's lives upside down. Trauma steals one's a sense of security. Given the overwhelmingly consistent finding of the importance of a rebuilding a sense of self efficacy, family, friends, volunteers & therapists need to focus on helping trauma survivors take back  control of their lives.

Therefore, it is important to support them so they can proactively improve their sense of well-being. It is only natural for caregivers & volunteers to want to do things for survivors. However, as soon as possible, it is important to shift their role. Since regaining a sense of self efficacy is pivotal to long term recovery, as soon a possible the caregivers' role should change. Survivors should be helped to find ways to see that they are capable of rebuilding their lives, instead of passively waiting for someone else to help them. The more they are able to take charge of their lives, the less powerless & vulnerable they will feel. In Coping with Traumatic Stress Emotional Recovery After a Disaster, Melinda Smith, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D give additional tips to help survivors cope & begin to regain a sense of control. They suggest that survivors be encouraged to: 1) Reestablish a routine, 2) Challenge their sense of helplessness, & 3) reclaim your sense of power is by helping others, in addition to taking care of their emotional health.

Ironically, this is not the 1st time I have referred to imagery from The Wizard of Oz. I wrote  Over the Rainbow Deep in the Heart of Texas  & Part II: Over the Rainbow in the Winds of Texas in April of 2012. I hope you will join me tomorrow for Friday's Fabulous Finds & over the weekend for Saturday's Songs for the Soul & Sunday's Comic Strips.

 *Photos from FlickrCC.com

Top left: 'The Wizard of Oz (1939)' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/89093669@N00/3088817250

Top right: 'The Wizard of Oz (1939)' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/89093669@N00/3088817250

Bottom left: 'Over the Rainbow' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/10646468@N02/152625215

Bottom right: 'The Wizard of Oz (1939)'http-/www.flickr.com/photos/89093669@N00/3087915161

Middle: 'Oz' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/56727790@N06/6264330941

 

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom: Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Thought for the Day: Today's Words of Wisdom come from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D. She was born in 1926 in Zurich Switzerland.  She graduated from medical school in Switzerland in 1957 & specialized in psychiatry in United States. As a medical student she was disturbed by the treatment of dying patients. in her groundbreaking book, On Death and Dying (1969), she first discussed her theory of the five stages of grief.<sup>[1]

The above quote, "I'm not Ok, you're not Ok & that's Ok." reflects her belief that when we are grieving we should not have to pretend to be "Ok." By accepting that part of the process of grief is to be depressed, people are better able to get support of others & work through the stages of grief. All too often, modern society expects mourners to act as if they are OK. Her work helped teach therapists, ministers & other caregivers ways to help people deal with the normal process of grieving. Kubler-Ross passed away in 2004.</sup>

 

Tuesday's Psychological Trivia: Recovery from Trauma

 

Photos from FlickrCC.com *

Thought for the Day: The news from Oklahoma is heartbreaking. Mother nature has again sent a devastating blow to families & children. Between natural & man made disasters the last year has been difficult. If you are looking for was to help in the relief efforts, here's a link to an article with multiple options (American Red Cross. Salvation Army, United Way of Central Oklahoma, Feeding America). It felt awkward to switch from disaster to psychological trivia, but it's Tuesday & I simply changed the question for today to have it be connected to the news.

True or False: The belief in one’s capability to exercise some measure of control over traumatic adversity is central to recovery from trauma.

Come back on Thursday for the answer.
 
Photos from FlickrCC.com

*' CSM Volunteers Loading Dock' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/38389073@N04/5701248536 
 ** 'Joplin 2011 115' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/72309532@N08/6851950838 
 *** 'Joplin 2011 071' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/72309532@N08/6851952826
 **** 'CSM Volunteers Loading Dock' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/38389073@N04/5700678461 

Throwback Motivational Mondays: What Inspires You?

Throwback Monday: Since today the holiday of Passover begins, I decided to repost a post from about a year ago. Since the number of people viewing these post has increased significant;y since last year. Here's a request for feedback from you about things that have inspired you. Here's the older post:

Sunday's Comics: No Brain No Gain READ

Photo: No Brain No Gain READ*

Thought for the Day: Today's Sunday's Comic is not exactly a comic, just a funny twist on the idea of "no pain no gain". With all the new ways to read books, e-books, audio books, television lessons & all kinds of apps, at times one worries that the art of reading & writing is being lost. However, it may simply be transforming to new ways of learning. Reading will survive. Sorry for posting so late, but spent the day with old friends in the States for just a few days.







*'No Brain No Gain - READ'
http-/www.flickr.com/photos/47823583@N03/5008900979
on FlickrCC.com

Saturday's Songs for the Soul: Maria Callas, Bizet's Carmen & Ravel's Bolero

 

Photo from Gemm.com

Thought for the Day: Today I chose one song from Bizet's Opera: Carmen & Ravel's Bolero. It is performed by Maria Callas in 1964. I dedicate this classic to my mother & step-mother as part of my Mother's day month. As a young child, I listened to Carmen hundreds perhaps thousands of times. I don't remember exactly what the cover looked like, but the above cover reminds me of it. It was one of my two favorite albums from my mother's extensive collection of classical music. I did not understand the words to the opera, but the raw emotions came through loud & clear. I chose a rendition of L'amour est un oiseau rebelle - Habanera - Carmen - Bizet performed

by Maria Callas in honor of my step-mother, Noni. I first heard about her in the 60's from Maria Callas from Noni who loved & spoke about her. The music from Carmen still strikes me as some of the most expressive ever written. Ravel's Bolero was another record that we nearly wore out. I still love how it gradually builds up from a quiet tempo to a powerful surge.  My brothers & I listed to both of these LP records till they became scratchy. This version is by the Wiener Philharmoniker
conducted by Conductor: Gustavo Adolfo Dudamel Ramírez. Have a wonderful weekend.

#FF Friday's Fabulous Finds: Salma Hayek, Saving Women & Children, Best Places to Be a Mother & Advice for Divoced Parents

Photos from Wikipedia commons & FlickrCC

Thought for the Day: TGIF & it is time for Friday's Fabulous Finds.  I hope you enjoy them. See how you can help a new organization empower women; how a man gave up the glamor & comfort of Hollywood to help save children in Cambodia; where the US ranks in the top 30 places to be a mother; & some great advice for divorced parents. Have a wonderful weekend.
  -->

An article by actress, Salma Hyak Pinault,  CHIME FOR CHANGE, – for Every Girl, Every Woman, Everywhere is a bold new initiative promoting girls' & women's empowerment, with a focus on education, health & justice. It is my first fabulous finds.

The second find is a story about how Scott Neeson, Former Century Fox Executive, Moved To Cambodia To Help Slum Kids.

In the third find, "The 30 Best Places in the World to Be a Mother," you may be surprised by where the USA ranks.

The fourth find was advice given originally in 1994, but it is still applicable: Parenting After Divorce: Minnesota Judge's Profound Advice For Divorced Parents.

Photos 

* Salma Hyak {{Information |Description=Actress Salma Hayek at the Deauville Film Festival 2012. |Source={{Derived from|Salma Hayek Deauville 2012.jpg|display=50}} |Date=2012-09-08 |Author=Georges Biard * Uploaded by MyCanon |Permission= |other_ver... on Wikipedia Commons

** File:Scott Neeson Pic.jpg - Wikimedia Commonscommons.wikimedia.org 

***'Aveces uno tiene el mundo a cuestas... / The World Behind you..'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33533488@N05/3219577797 from FlickrCC.com

**** 'Eye See You'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/21314760@N00/518956588 from FlickrCC.com

Thursday's Trivia Answer: How Psychotherapy, Relaxation, Hypnosis Can Help Save Lives

Photo from FlickrCC.com 'I Love Colors' *

Thought for the Day:  Those of you who have been following my blog know that there is nothing trivial about these posts. Today's post may save lives.  A new client, who was petrified about the prospect of surgery, inspired me to write Last Tuesday's Psychotherapy Trivia Question which was:

                True or False: Psychotherapy can improve the outcome of 

            high risk surgery.

      What was your guess? Since I posted it on Tuesday, I have met with the client, let's call her Judy, for a second time & will be meeting again today to help her begin to prepare for surgery. I know from my clinical experience that there are a variety of things I can do to help improve her prognosis. I will describe what I am doing with Judy, but first I will share some research supporting these kinds of therapeutic interventions.

     As a clinician, I have worked with many clients prior to & after surgery. I do not need a literature review to know that psychotherapy can help a client face & recover with greater ease. Since I take an eclectic approach to therapy, I have developed a "tool box" of techniques to draw from when my clients are preparing for operations. Since no one technique fits all clients, I can offer options. According to Herbert Benson, MD & Miriam Z. Klipper, authors of The Relaxation Response, any form of relaxation can improve the prognosis of patients with coronary heart disease. Therefore, I can offer either simple relaxation training or hypnosis depending on the client's preferences. I prefer to teach people how to use self hypnosis, since it is quicker & easier to use, but if a client prefers other approaches, I will teach them simple relaxation techniques. Another reason I prefer hypnosis is that it can be used not only for the reduction of anxiety, but also for enhancement of healing & reduction of pain. 

      Yesterday, I explained hypnosis to Judy. I answered her questions about the process. Today, I will be teaching her how to use hypnosis for relaxation & to reduce anxiety. Once she learns, she will be able to practice this form of simple hypnosis daily on her own until the operation in early June. In the interim, I will teach her to use hypnosis to enhance healing & reduce pain following the operation. 

        With Judy, if she is willing & there is time, I will help her process some of the trauma & grief over her mother's death when the Judy was a young child. This will help reduce Judy's fatalistic views about her medical condition. Instead of expecting to be the one in twenty to have a negative outcome, I hope to help Judy expect to be one of the nineteen who have positive outcomes. Her doctors have told her that her odds are actually much better, but she has not been able to hear them. Her unresolved issues from the past make her expect the worst. The fact that a parent dies at a young age, does not necessarily predispose their children to die young. Actually, Judy has already outlived her mother by twenty years. Perhaps because of her mother's early demise, Judy has adopted a healthy life style & gone for frequent check ups, so that Judy's medical problems were discovered early. Judy's life choices make her prognosis better from the get go. However, her unresolved grief has led to Judy's fatalistic expectations, increased anxiety & fears. In the next couple of weeks, psychotherapy will help prepare her for & more hopeful about the outcome of surgery. Judy knows that her request for help inspired this trivia question & answer, I asked her permission to let you know about her progress.

If you or someone you love is preparing for an operation, please let them know there are things they can do that will help them be better prepared & improve their prognosis. If you have learned hypnosis, meditation or yoga & used it to prepare for an operation, feel free to share your experiences here, they my help save a life.

Come back tomorrow for Friday's Fabulous Finds, Saturday's Songs for the Soul & Sunday's Comic Strips.

If you would like to read more on the topic:

      I did a quick google search to find the most recent studies supporting the benefits of psychotherapeutic techniques to improve the prognosis & outcome of surgery. I chose to share findings from a review (Depression and anxiety and outcomes of coronary artery bypass surgery Virginie Pignay-Demaria, MD^a,c, François Lespérance, MD^a,e, Roland G. Demaria, MD, PhD^b,d, Nancy Frasure-Smith, PhD^a,f, Louis P. Perrault, MD, PhD^b* ) of research connected to cardiac surgery. There are studies of other types of surgery, but to keep things simple, I'm only reporting the ones about cardiac surgery. The review found that:

      "A small prospective study in 32 patients admitted for CABG evaluated the potential benefits of self-hypnosis–based relaxation taught before surgery. Subjects in the self-hypnosis group were more relaxed and required smaller analgesic doses postoperatively compared with the control group [71]. These findings expand those of earlier studies [72, 73], in which psychological interventions significantly reduced pain, mean hospital length of stay, and post-surgical morbidity. These data support the possibility that pre- and postoperative psychological support may improve quality of life in cardiac surgical patients....

      "...clinical experience suggests that routine evaluation and effective treatment of preoperative psychological distress in patients scheduled for coronary revascularization may facilitate postoperative recovery, which may translate into a better cardiovascular prognosis [18, 73]."

*Photo from FlickrCC.com:

'I love colors' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/39528897@N06/6282476027

 

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom: Psychiatrist Thomas Szasz on Finding or Creating One's Self

 Thought for the Day: Today I am reposting a quote from Wednesday's Words of Wisdom a year ago. I created a new image to go with it:

  “People often say this or that person has not yet found himself.  But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates.” Thomas Stephen Szasz

     What are your thoughts? Are you trying to find a profession or a job in order to "find" yourself? Or are you creating yourself by exploring your interests, finding your passion & then pursuing a profession?

Dr. Thomas Stephen Szasz*

Thomas Stephen Szasz (1900 -2012), was  a controversial psychiatrist. He was "a well-known social critic of the moral & scientific foundations of psychiatry, & of the social control aims of medicine in modern society, as well as of scientism. His books The Myth of Mental Illness (1960) & The Manufacture of Madness (1970) set out some of the arguments with which he is most associated." (Wikipedia)

    

I hope you will come back tomorrow t=for the answer to Thursday's Psychotherapy Trivia.

Photos: 

* Dr. Thomas Stephen Szasz JennyPhotos.com from Wikipedia Commons

Tuesday's Psychotherapy Trivia Question: Can Psychotherapy Improve the Outcome Of Surgery?

 

Photos from www.FlickrCC.com*

Thought for the Day: Yesterday, I was very busy & did not have time to write a post, but I did get an idea for today's trivia question. I met with a new client who needs to undergo a serious heart operation in a couple of weeks. The odds for a bad outcome (death, paralysis, brain damage) are 1 in 20. Understandably, they are frightened. Since the client's mother died young, they fear that the worst will happen to them. They feel sure history will repeat itself & are afraid they will leave their children without a parent. Here's my trivia question:

                True or False: Psychotherapy can improve the outcome of 

            high risk surgery.

What are your thoughts? Come back on Thursday for the answer.


Photos:
*1 'Medtronic EnRhythm Pacing System' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/23508701@N00/2015221291
*2 'Love is in the Air' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/75199686@N00/2566674431

Sunday's Comic Strips: Einstein's Theory of Motherhood? & Hooter's Ad

Thought for the Day: I made this comic on hetemeel.com. It's actually not a quote from Einstein, but I thought it would be appropriate for this week's comic strip. Mothers do tend to see & bring out the genius in their children. I found a second funny photo surrounding Mother's Day (see below). It is an ad for Hooters in the LA area. It is quite clever, although I doubt that a visit to Hooter's is a mother's ideal Mother's Day outing. Have a Happy Mother's Day!

Saturday's Songs for the Soul: Darryl "DMC" McDaniels & Sarah Mc Lauchlan - Angel

* 1 Photo 'Angel Awareness Day

Thought for the Day: Today I am at a corporation helping employees deal with the death of a colleague and therefore I decided to repost this from last year. It is a wonderful story and an inspiring song.
Thought for the Day: Today I am sharing 2 songs & an 11 minute audio recording. Please click on a link to listen to the recording 1st & come back to hear the music. The audio is from The Moth (True Stories Told Live) which I heard on public radio last week on my way home from Boston. I don't usually listen to hip hop  or rap music, but the story is truly inspirational & as Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels spoke about feeling suicidal, I got pulled in. I don't want to ruin it for you, so please just   CLICK on this link & click on the listen button. After you hear the story, come back to this post to hear the music.  Many of you know the song, "Angel," by Sarah Mc Lauchlan, but you will never hear it the same way again. 

Now that you have heard DNC's story, take a listen to "Angel."

Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels*3

Sarah Mc Lauchlan *2

      

Mother's Day is especially hard for both adopted children & for their birth mothers. Birth mothers make a very difficult decision in the best interests of their children. They hope that their children will have a chance at a better life if they are adopted. These 2 artists & their music can change lives & even save lives.

Have a wonderful weekend & a Happy Mother's Day to all!

* 1 Photo 'Angel Awareness Day' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/14111752@N07/6223275829

*2 Photo of Sarah McLachlan from Creative Commons Wikipedia
{{Information |Description ={{en|1={{Information |Description=Sarah McLachlin after her live performance at the Jet Blue terminal at JFK International Airport on July 29th, 2010. see more at [http://www.quintanomedia.com www.quintanomedia.com] |Sourc

*3 Photo of Darryl "DCM" McDaniels from Creative Commons Wikipedia
== Summary == {{Information |Description=Darryl "DCM" McDaniels at the Billboard-Children Uniting Nations after-party red carpet. |Source=self-made |Date=Sunday, February 24, 2007 |Author= Photographer JessicaPinney, [http://www.mod

#FF Friday's Fabulous Finds: Gifts for Mothers & Their Children

Thought for the Day: Here are my Friday's Fabulous Finds for the week. In keeping with Mother's Day, I chose articles that I see as gifts to mothers everywhere. If you are new to my blog, you may want to take a look at the 5 part series I posted last year as well. (Part I: How the World Would Change If My Mother Ruled the World, Part II- Mother's Day Series: If My Grandmother Ruled the World, Part III- Mother's Day Series: If My Grandmother, Mother and I Ruled the World. Mother's Day Part IV: If My Step-Mother Ruled the World, & Mother's Day Part V: If My Daughters Ruled the World. If you are looking for videos to send to your mothers, there are several good ones included in the Mother's Day series from last year. I hope you will have a wonderful Mother's Day. Tomorrow's Songs for the Soul will bring a special story about a song that helped save one songwriter's life, so tune in.


Here are this week's Fabulous Finds:

1) Child Abuse Hotline Ad Uses Photographic Trick That Makes It Visible Only To Children by Betsy Isaacson   An innovative sign that can help stop child abuse by using modern technology. It's message with a phone number to call if a child is being abused is visible only to children. (Sorry for the strange formatting, but I can't seem to fix it!)

Tracey Stewart with her daughter

2) Stand Up for Girls Big and Small by Tracey Stewart  addresses how to combat a strange tendency among some women to be hypercritical of other women.

 

 

 

3) Keep Your Flowers on Mother's Day, I Want My Rights by Shannon Watts. I had the honor of meeting Shannon Watts when I went to Washington DC to advocate for sensible gun control laws. Shannon is the Founder, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, which has grown to 100,000 moms across the USA. In her article, this Mother's Day, Shannon suggests that we skip the flowers & fight for our rights to make the world safer for our children.

4) A Mother's Day Letter for a Special Needs Mom  by Suzanne Perryman Perryman is a blogger at SpecialNeedsMom.com. This letter is written to mothers who's children may not write them Mother's Day Cards or thank them for all that they do 24/7, 365 days a year.

Claire Bidwell Smith's Mother

5) On Being a Motherless Mother by Claire Bidwell Smith,  a Los Angeles-based grief therapist & author of the memoir 'The Rules of Inheritance,' writes about an experience with her impulsive mother & how she reconnects with her mother who passed away. For those of you whose mothers are no longer living, Mother's Day can be rough. This touching post may be helpful.