Gratitude Journal

Both scientific and spiritual resources indicate that keeping a gratitude journal is a useful tool for personal growth. A daily commitment to this practice can enhance one's life immeasurablely.
To begin, choose a journal and writing instrument with care as they are reflective of your commitment.
Next set aside time at the end of your day to write down at least 5 things you were grateful for during the day, nothing else. Just jot down what comes to mind. At the begining this journaling practice may seem a bit awkward but with time you will see many fruits in your life.

Your Gratitude Journal : www.simpleabundance.com

Ritualizing the Practice of Gratitude

Ritualizing gratitude in our daily life instills a sense of thanksgiving to God. It is a reminder not to take people or things for granted. In the Talmud a Rabbi instructs us to recite one hundred blessings thoughout the day. Indeed there is in Judaism a blessing for almost everything. Blessings are divided into two types: those that respond to awe, and those that seek to stimulate awe within us. Blessings that respond to awe are experieces such as the birth of a child. Those blessings that seek to arouse awe within us spring from every day routines such as blessing our food before eating which reminds us of God's presence in the mundane.



Today as you end each activity pause in gratitude for God's presence in the ordinary and not so ordinary things of your day.


Book Excerpt: Jewish Ritual, by Kerry M. Olitsky, Daniel Judson

Gratitude,the Scientific Data

Gratitude is a concept usually associated with religion and spirituality rather than psychology. Emmons and McCullough at the University of CAL Davis have been engaging in scienctifc research designed to create a body of data on gratitude. They found that grateful people were happier and reported positive states of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy. The researchers report that those individuals who kept a weekly gratitude journal exercised more regularly, reported fewer illnesses, and felt better about their lives as a whole. Grateful people are more likely to help others and are more empathic, maybe because they felt more connected to others. Those who engaged in religious practices such as prayer, religious reading or worship were more grateful. Finally grateful individuals placed less importance on accumulating wealth and were more likely to share their possessions with others.

It seems like there is truth and wisdom in the adage that urges us, 'to count our blessings'.

What are you grateful for today?

At this moment I am personally grateful for ---
--- the beautiful sunny yet cool autumn day
--- a friend who sent a funny card, 'just because'
--- clients who allow me to journey with them

"The Road To Resilience"

A resilient person is someone who adapts well in the face of difficulty or even significant stress.
This trait is common. It consists of learned behaviors, thoughts and actions. What are some ways you can develop resilience, an invaluable assest. Where can you find resources to help you develop this skill? Read the article that is linked below to begin your quest.


APA Help Center - Featured Topics - "The Road To Resilience"

Depression in women: Understanding the gender gap - MayoClinic.com

About twice as many women as men experience depression. There are biological factors and psychosocial and cultural issues unique to women that put them at risk for anxiety or mood disorders. The good news is found in the effective treatments that are available. Click on the link below for an informative article from the Mayo Clinic.


Depression in women: Understanding the gender gap - MayoClinic.com

In the news on Sun.10/14, Stories of Depression

On a CBS morning show today, one story featured MaryLou Retton the figure skater who won gold medals in the Olympics in the 1980's. She related her struggles with depression and her family history of the illness. Behind her smile that she displayed for the public was a sad, at times dependent individual. No amount of fame or fortune could ease the symptoms of depression she felt. Only with talk therapy and medication is she able to manage her depression,

In today's Washington Post was an article, "Depression Reported by 7% of Workforce". The article reported that people who tend to the elderly, care for children and serve food and drinks have the highest. rates of depression among U.S. workers. Women were more likely than men to have had a major bout of depression, and younger workers had higher rates of depression than their older collogues. For the unemployed the depression rate is 12%.

NIMH · Stories of Depression Does This Sound Like You · Brenda’s story:

NIMH · Men and Depression · Men and Depression

October is "National Depression Screening Month". During the month this blog will look at various aspects of depresson and how this illness may affect you or someone you love. Click on the link for an informational article on how depression affects men differently than women.

NIMH · Men and Depression · Men and Depression

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Find out about SAD, the symptoms and what you can do if you suffer from it.

Depression - Is It Ruining Your Life

Depression is a serious medical illness. It can be life threatening. It robs you of the quality of your life. Those who suffer from depression describe it as a bottomless black pit or a dark, swirling abyss. It is a debilitating illness affecting not only the person suffering from it but also their families and friends. Everyone feels sad, blue or down at times. These are passing feelings. Depression is not something that will simply go away. Professional help is needed. Symptoms of depression and their severity differ from person to person. However if you have 5 or more of the following symptoms you need to see a professional for an assessment. Symptoms include:

• persistent sad or tearful mood


• feelings of hopelessness or negativity


• loss of interest or pleasure in work or activities that were once meaningful or pleasurable


• changes in appetite or sleep


• lethargy or loss of energy


• withdrawal from relationships, isolating behavior


• trouble concentrating


• irritability, nothing seems to be going well


• using substances, i.e drugs, alcohol, food to medicate your feeling

If you are suffering from depression, know that it it is a medical problem, not something you did or didn't do. What stops you or someone you love from seeking help? Let's talk about it.

Virginia Tech A Focus on Healing and Prevention

With the beginning of the school year and the published report on the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech a key question is, ' Could anything have been done for Cho (the shooter) before his rampage.' He had all the mental health support possible while in high school and a minor.
However, what happens to a person with a serious mental illness when they become an adult? Issues of confidentially, institutional commitment and privacy have been debated by mental health professionals at least since the 1960's when the mental health laws were radically
changed. A person could no longer be commuted to an institution without their consent. Thus began a mass exodus of patients from the mental health system. Maybe this was a good idea without any foresight. Very few community supports and resources were put in place. Ever since a band aid and a 'finger in the dike' approach to mental health has existed'. The tragedy at Virginia Tech clearly shows the mental health system needs overhauled. Money needs to be behind any plan.

Some questions the Virginia Tech shootings and other recent failures of the system raises are:

• When should someone be involuntarily committed for mental health care? How long should the commitment be? Who decides?


• When should mental health records be shared? By whom, with whom? Where do privacy issues and confidentially enter the discussion? What about the person's consent?


• A person with a serious mental illness is best treated with talk therapy and medication , which may be for their life time? Who would follow this person's care? What would be done if the person is non-compliant?


• Should insurance companies pay for mental health care with the same guidelines as medical problems? Who pays for mental health services if a person cannot pay?

These are only a few of the questions and mental health issues once again brought to the light by a tragedy with lives lost and countless other lives affected.

Depression Resources

At this time of the year I am reminded that Fall is fast approaching. With the shorter day light hours people come to me with complaints of depressive symptoms. More often than not the problem is Seasonal Affective Disorder, a category of depression.
Depression is a debilitating illness affecting not only the suffering individual but also their family and friends. Thus when I recently saw the blog "Finding Optimism" I was glad to see a rather comprehensive list of resources for depression including traditional and alternative treatment options. I pass this list along because I believe that an informed client is an empowered one. And hopefully an informed client will realize how serious depression is and will seek treatment.
This resource list is not meant to replace an assessment, diagnosis, and treatment by a clinical social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist.
Blog: Finding Optimism Post: 94 Resources on Depression

Rainy day blues?

Creative Solutions

'Art Talk' is a psychotherapy small group that I facilitate at my private practice. Besides being a clinical social worker, I am also a polymer clay artist and often use art as a part of the therapy process. Unlike art therapy, clients in this group focus on their life issues and problems, not on the art. The clay work that clients produce is a by-product of the therapy session.

This small group was the convergence of several ideas. Some clients, including nursing home residents, find it difficult to talk about their problems. This can be due to anxiety. Thus the client is in constant motion,i.e. foot movement, finger tapping. Anxiety can result in an inability to focus. There are also clients who rarely talk about themselves and their struggles. So therapy itself can seem like being lost in a maze. I believe I provide a welcoming and supportive environment for people to work on their life challenges. However, for some clients this safe setting is not enough.

At the time I was working on a series of clay quilts. I had wonderful conversations with my Mom about quilting. In my family there are several generations of quilters. She told me stories about how small groups of women would come together to work on a single quilt. These gatherings were about much more than quilting. The women would talk about their problems and receive advice and support from the group. Working on the quilt made it easier to talk about what was important in their lives. Thus an informal support group was born.

I thought about the clients who struggled to verbalize their problems and about the 'quilting bees' of old. Why not try a psychotherapy small group where clients
could also work on polymer clay projects. Would clients, like participants in the quilting project, find it easier to talk if their hands were creating? Thus 'Art Talk' was born a little over 5 years ago. It has been an overwhelming success. Once clients begin to work with the clay, serious issues begin to surface.
For me, it was another example of thinking about a problem creatively and finding a non-conventional solution. Do you have an example of creative problem solving to share?

A Journey - part 2

The journey inward is one of healing body, mind and spirit.
It is full of risks and rewards, pain and indescribable joy.
I invite you on just such a journey.

Look at the picture in 'A Journey' (previous post).

• Contemplate - what thoughts. words, feelings come to you.
• Create an image in any medium or a poem.
• Connect - share your work here on the blog.
• Compose - any final thoughts or feelings you had about this experience in your journal.

gracias, Julie

A journey

Open or closed? Locked or unlocked? In or out?

Welcoming or not? Secure or unsecure?

Approachable or not?

"Fat Friends, Fat You?

Science has given us yet another reason for our increased girth. and pounds, friends. A recent New England Medical Journal published a study that indicates you might be able to blame your friends for your excessive baggage.

Researchers found if you have an overweight friend you are 57 percent more likely to become obese too. If it is a close friend that number increases to a whopping 171 percent. Remarkably the close friend can be someone you see often or someone living hundreds of miles away! It seems obesity can spread like melted butter.

The study provides data on how Americans are growing fatter with every generation. For the first time ever there is a high probability that children will die before their parents because of health problems linked to obesity. This study does point out how our choices may effect others. It also raises the issue of personal responsibility Has our society become one that chooses the easiest way over what is the best choice?

(For excellent information and resources on obesity and weight management go to :

---The U.S. Library of Medicine at nlm.nih.gov

---Medline Plus, a branch of the National Institute of Health at medlineplus.gov)

Reactions to Report on Veterans Care - washingtonpost.com

Reactions to Report on Veterans Care - washingtonpost.com

Cures for Walter Reed - washingtonpost.com

Cures for Walter Reed - washingtonpost.com

Walter Reed - Don't Blame the Vets

As a clinical social worker who has 20 + yrs. experience in mood disorders, trauma, addictions, life stage and relationship issues, Walter Reed is a constant source of frustration and anger for me. Walter Reed and the military have been overwhelmed by the number of Iraqi vets needing mental health services. Because of the press coverage on this and other issues, those in charge proclaimed they would contract with civilians so that the vets would receive psych services in a timely manner. The military as usual proclaims but has done little but stonewall.

I am a participant in TriCare, the health insurance for active and retired military and their families and have done the security clearance things. A vet at WR needs only a referral from their doctor to make an appointment at my practice which is in the vicinity. TO DATE I HAVE NOT RECIEVED 1 REFFERAL FROM WALTER REED!

For the past several months I have made countless attempts to contact anyone at WR who might tell me why this is so. No one has ever returned any of my phone calls. Unfortunately it is the soldiers and their families who are caught in the military system that cares more about their maintaining control than about these courageous men and women.

What can you do? 1). E-mail senator Barbara Mikulski, Maryland and
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington District of Columbia. Tell them about this issue. Or direct them to this blog.
or 2) Comment on this blog site and I will forward your comments.

Walter Reed's Cold Shoulder - washingtonpost.com

Walter Reed's Cold Shoulder - washingtonpost.com

Children of Iraqi War Vets - The Silent Victims

I live near the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. It is not unusual to see the Iraqi and Afghanistan war vets who are being treated there in the community shopping or seeing the sights. Sometimes they are accompanied by a spouse, family member or their children. No matter which side you come down on the war, pro or con, it seems to be easy to support these brave men and women who have sacrificed so much. I sometimes wonder about the families, what they looked like before a parent went to Iraq and what were they like after the soldier returns home. The following article is from today's Times of London.

'...As long as dad comes back alive'.
US army children are fraying amid pressures that would crush many adults.
Report by Tony Allen-Mills, The Times, London

I am sitting in a field in central Oregon with an 11-year-old boy who calls himself “Twelve Thirty Savage”. His real name is Matt Evans-Spate, but last year he jumped off a stage at his children’s summer camp, hit his head on a rock and was taken to hospital by ambulance. His new name commemorates the time of the accident and the way he felt about it afterwards. Twelve - as I started calling him for short - seems an ordinary enough American kid, one of countless thousands across the country enjoying his summer at an activities packed camp in the woods. He has been swimming, canoeing and done archery, and later he will learn how to make a bird’s nest from twigs and mud. Yet Twelve was not quite as happy as he seemed. His father, a US navy reservist, is awaiting a summons to active duty in Iraq. “My dad’s on call,” he said. “It’s 50-50. If they can’t find someone else he’ll have to go.” It is hard to ask an 11-year-old if he is worried his father might die, but the question has long been preying on the minds of an estimated 155,000 American children with a military parent serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. “I’m okay with it,” Twelve answered bravely. But his voice tailed off as he added: “As long as he comes back alive . . .”
They are easily overlooked in the turmoil of America’s troop surge in Iraq, but a generation of military children is growing up amid pressures that would crush many adults. As US military deployments have lengthened and multiplied in a war with no victory in sight, children are going months without seeing their parents - months that are often spent frantically worrying they may never see that parent again. “The resilience of some of these kids amazes me,” said Joyce Raezer, head of the National Military Families Association (NMFA), an independent
charity that has been arranging special summer camps for children with parents on active duty. “But we’ve begun to see the cracks.” The story of the youngest American victims of the Iraq war is partly a dismal catalogue of anger, grief and Pentagon neglect. But it is also an inspirational tribute to the efforts of ordinary military families to shield their children from solitude, depression and stress.
On the other side of the Oregon field, Sarah Dizick, a friendly 12-year-old in purple-rimmed glasses, was trying to make giant bubbles by dipping a plastic hoop into a paddling pool filled with soapy water. Sarah’s parents are divorced, which is tough enough for any 12-year-old to handle, but she is also struggling to deal with the consequences of her father’s recent return from Iraq. “He hurt his arm,” she said. “He was near an explosion. He wasn’t, like, right next to it, but it blew up.” Her father was invalided home from Iraq a month ago and has been undergoing physical therapy in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He is due to return home to Oregon soon, but Sarah seemed strangely ambivalent about seeing him. Was she looking forward to him coming home? “Yeah, kind of.” How long ago had she last seen him? “Sometime around last Christmas.” But she must have missed him badly? “Yeah, kind of.” Then the reason for her reticence emerged. Her father had telephoned to say he would be taking her on a long vacation. They would have at least six weeks together. But wouldn’t that be great? “Yeah, kind of. But I’m worried about missing my mom.”
This summer the NMFA is running week-long Operation Purple summer camps at 34 locations in 26 states, caring for almost 4,000 children. Purple is the color the military uses to signify open to all services. The camps are free to military families and are aimed at providing the children with a friendly, stress-free environment where they are too busy having fun to worry about their parents in Iraq.
Patty Barron, the wife of a senior Pentagon staff officer and one of the NMFA’s deputy directors, has visited several of the camps and met children who left an indelible impression. “There was a girl in a camp in Rhode Island who told us she had always been used to being comforted by her mother when she cried or got upset,” Barron said. “Then one day she heard her mother crying in the bathroom. She felt she had to take over as the comforter, to be the one who was strong.”
Too many children have been trying to be strong for too long, added Raezer. “Some well-meaning adult has said to them, ‘Your dad’s in Iraq, you have to look after the family now.’ But the war has been going on so long. Families are experiencing multiple deployments. Many can survive a single deployment and adjust, but it’s happening over and over again. It’s too much stress for the kids. Some of them are trying to take on too much.”
Raezer says the Pentagon has already accepted it needs to do more work on the
widely reported problems of PTSD among troops returning from Iraq. About 75,000
cases have been diagnosed so far and countless children have had to contend with
the return of a parent they barely recognise. “They get very confused by PTSD,” said Barron. “The returning parent may look the same, but they are acting very different. The kids wonder, ‘Is Daddy mad at me? Why is he so angry?’” Then there are the children of the thousands of soldiers injured in combat. “They ask questions like, ‘Can my dad still throw a football? Will my mom still be able to hug me?’”
At the Operation Purple camp in Oregon, the activities last week included horseriding, learning to apply camouflage face paint, the study of flora and fauna and an “adventure swing” that hurls kids high in the air. “It’s hard for me sometimes,” said Michaela Shouldis, 11, the only child from her small town of McMinnville with a parent on active duty. “But it’s fun here.” Iraq seems far away, but even amid the happy chaos of a summer
camp in the Oregon woods, there were shadows over the fun. Jennifer Huggins, a pretty

10-year-old from the neighbouring state of Washington, hasn’t seen her father since Christmas. “A lot of his guys have already been killed,” she said. “He goes patrolling a lot. But I think he’s pretty safe.” She paused and watched her new friends washing mud off their faces after their bird nest-building project. “I just don’t want him to get killed,” she said.

Who is your hero?

'Heroes are ordinary people who do extraordinary things'. They don't seek accolades or public acknowledgement. They see either a one time need or a need that requires a life time of attention and try to do what they can to change the situation. Their deeds inspire others.

This week one of my goals was to catch up on some professional reading. As I was glancing through the National Institute of Health's magazine, spring 2007, an article caught my attention, "The Streets Are Her Waiting Room" about Dr. Janelle Goetcheus. I have known Dr. Goetcheus since the early 1980's. She is indeed one of my heroes.
For nearly 30 years she has run a health care clinic for the homeless and others in need in the Adams Morgan part of Washington, D.C. She and her staff, paid and volunteer, have worked tirelessly to provide medical assistance to the destitute. Without Dr. Goetcheus' help countless numbers of people would have suffered needlessly and many would have died an early death. This commitment to the poor extended beyond her Christ House Clinic. She and her husband with their children have lived above the clinic choosing to live a simple lifestyle among those she serves. Dr. Goetheus reminds me what one person can do to change the world, one person and one day at a time. She reminds me to embrace and live the values of my social work profession and a spiritual life.
(To read this and other informative articles, go to NIH Medline Plus spring 2007)

Roles - part 2

We live in an era of instant communication which can be a blessing and a curse. Everyone needs quiet, disconnected time to center and reflect. As Socrates said, "An unexamined life is not worth living". Time is needed to reflect on the workings of our psyche and the spirit which is the higher power in our lifes. This is who we are at our core and who we want to become.

This blog provides reflection points for the thinker whose communication is primarily in words.
I also want to provide reflection starters for those who are comfortable in the world of images. Of course a balance of words and images is the goal.
Reflection: roles part 2
MATERIALS NEEDED: 3 sheets of unlined paper at least 8 1/2 x 11 in size
glue stick or other glue
scissors
magazines, newspapers or other print material

CAVEAT: It's best to just cut and paste without a great deal of analyzing.

DIRECTIONS:
Take you 2 pages and label them:
page 1--- Roles and attributes I have
page 2--- Roles and attributes others say I have
Now cut out words and/or images for page 1 and paste them.
Repeat for page 2.
After you are finished, take page 3 and jot down descriptors of you that are the same or similar on pages 1 and 2.

Sit quietly with your 3 pages in front of you, Are there any feelings that surface?
Do you reveal your self to others? Do significant persons in your life know the real you? Are their parts of you that you are hesitant to share? Why? Does your inside match your outside? In other words, 'Are you who you say you are?'. What roles do you portray that are not the authentic you?

The Roles We Have

Roles are abbreviated descriptions of some aspect of a person. They usually identify a function someone performs such as mother, accountant, clerk. However, each person is unique and cannot be confined by a role description. The challenge is to enhance the roles we have with personal attributes that are uniquely us. This my first post on my first flog. As a way of introducing myself I would like to tell you about three roles I identify with. These are as a nun ( a Catholic sister), a psychotherapist and an artist. These roles contain the essence of me and include my faith, my ability to help others as a therapist, and my challenge to be creative and innovative as expressed in art. Sometimes others try to limit who I am because of their views of these roles. It is my choice to let that happen or not. Besides being descripitve, roles are also lenses through which we view the world. I can only see a wider, more faceted world if others share their journey. And so I value your input.

Reflection: What are some of the roles you have? What roles do you like ? Why? What ones do you not like?