A beautiful gift for Lake House

A Christmas gift -- a new logo from my creative friend Andrew Beierle, a journalist, novelist and web designer.

Thanks, Andy!

P.S. Learn more about Andy and his fascinating new novel, "First Person Plural," an amazing story, at www.andrewbeierle.com.

Free hugs -- and a bit of street theatre

Theatre can take place in a variety of settings and in a variety of ways. Here's a fascinating bit of street theatre, a happening, that's been circulating online:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4&mode=related&search

After you watch it, you might want to watch it again, and talk about it...

Celebrate with us with free programs on alternative health

Lake House Health & Learning Center, 932 Lake Ave., Racine, will celebrate its first anniversary with 15 free programs about complementary health topics, including free brown bag lunch discussions, a demonstration of qigong and a talk and demonstration of Kundalini Yoga, one of the fastest growing yoga styles in the world, a program on nutritional alternatives to psychiatric medications, a training for professionals, sample Native American talking circle and other spiritual topics.

In addition, copies of the 2006-2007 Guide To Health, Wellness and Creative Living will be available on Thursday, Sept. 14 from noon to 4 p.m. and from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 15 for pick up by single copies or bundles to distribute. This free annual directory is a comprehensive listing of complementary and holistic professionals in southeastern Wisconsin with resources and articles about various health and wellness topics.

Among the activities:

Psychotherapy Can Be Alternative, Too: Working With The Sand Tray with Karen Carnabucci, psychotherapist and coach, at 12:15 p.m. Sept. 19. Innovations in mental health treatment abound, with many alternatives to talk therapy including sand tray, art, and drama. Helping professionals and laypersons welcome. Bring bag lunch if you wish.


The Anti-Inflammatory Diet with Arthur Shattuck, physician of Traditional Chinese Medicine, at noon Sept. 20. Topic will focus on how dietary choices contribute to arthritis, cancer, heart disease and pains and aches -- and how to change your diet to heal according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Bring bag lunch if you wish.

Energize and Balance with Qigong with Joe Mayer from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Sept. 22. Mayer, a certified qigong and tai chi chuan instructor, will discuss and demonstrate the basics of qigong, a centuries-old Asian regimen of movement and its many health benefits for all ages. Bring bag lunch if you wish to attend Kundalini Yoga program at 1 p.m.

Kundalini Yoga: A Different Kind of Yoga with Joe Mayer at 1 to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 22. Mayer, the region's only Kundalini Yoga instructor, will discuss and demonstrate this style of yoga which is growing quickly around the world. The yoga uses dynamic breathing, postures, movement and chanting.

Nutritional Alternatives to Traditional Psychiatric Medications with Donald Jacobson, M.D., at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 25. Dr. Jacobson, a Racine psychiatrist, will discuss how Omega-3, SAM-e and other nutritional supplements can make huge differences in the treatment of depression, Attention Deficit Disorder, anxiety and other mental health disorders. This program is open to both professionals and laypersons.

Relax with Guided Imagery with Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP, psychotherapist and coach, at 12:15 p.m. Sept. 26. She will briefly discuss the concepts of guided imagery, also known as guided meditation, and lead the group in a relaxing imagery. Participants are welcome to bring a brown bag lunch; tea will be available.

Mind, Body, Spirit -- How It All Works for Your Health with June Scott Nettles, M.Div., from noon to 1 Sept. 27. Rev. Nettles, a retired United Methodist minister and co-owner of Synchronicity, will discuss how the mind, body and spirit interact to enhance health and well being. Bring a bag lunch if you wish.

Dr. Mom-- Healthy Healing Methods for Common Illnesses with Essential Oils with Mary Heffel, health and wellness consultant, at 6 p.m. Sept. 27. Learn how essential oils can provide safe, easy simple relief for adults and children with colds, flu, headaches, stomach aches and burns.

Keeping a Journal: How Writing Promotes Growth and Reduces Stress with Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP, psychotherapist and coach, at 12:15 p.m. Sept. 28. She will discuss how journal writing can promote change, awareness and personal growth, either by itself or in conjunction with psychotherapy. Participants are welcome to bring a bag lunch and a journal or notebook; tea will be available.

Photographs and Faith Journeys with June Scott Nettles, M.Div. from noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 29. She will discuss how her faith impacts her photography and how she uses images in 1-1 spiritual direction and for spiritual growth, as she talks about the background of the photographs in Lake House Gallery. Bring a bag lunch if you wish.

Experience Makes The Difference: Introduction to Experiential Psychotherapy with Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP, at 9 a.m. Sept. 29. This 90-minute program, geared to mental health professionals, other helping professionals, educators and group leaders and pastors, will provide an overview of experiential work and show how it is applicable in many settings. CEUs will be provided, and tea will be available.

Pre-registration is highly recommended to hold your seat as space is limited; call (262) 633-2645. Copies of The Guide will also be available at all sessions, as will free information on other health-related topics, including substance abuse and recovery, organic farming and psychodrama.

In addition, the public will have the opportunity to enter a prize sweepstakes for a "Health Basket" worth $600 in gift certificates, books, teas, gifts and other health-related products by taking an online survey at www.lakehousecenter.com.

Happy birthday to us!

Here at Lake House, we're celebrating our first anniversary. It was just one year ago this week that a group of idealistic and excited practitioners came together to put our dreams into action.

A year later, I'm both grateful and full of wonder. The response of the community has been great; it seems a day does not pass without getting a question about Lake House -- "What do you do there?" -- or a comment -- "By the way, I like the way you call it Lake House...it reminds me of the place that President Franklin Roosevelt went to rehabilitate, Warm Springs, or something like that."

The wonder comes from knowing that we are led by gentle forces that allow us to continue our work, day after day, even with squirrels in the chimney and all the surprises that go with maintaining an old house.

Thanks for your support.

Used books for sale

We've begun a used book and CD "sale shelf" here at Lake House.

Buy a used book on topics of self help, recovery, wellness or another health-related topic for $3; the proceeds benefit a Lake House scholarship fund for those who do not have insurance to pay for psychotherapy. You may also bring in a book or tape for trade -- take one, leave one -- in good condition, please.

We've got classic self-help books and some current titles. Titles on the shelf at this moment include:

Codependent No More
Love Beyond Addiction
Laurel's Kitchen
What Kids Need Most in a Dad
8 Weeks To Optimum Health
Children of Alcoholism
How To Take Charge of Your Life
Loving Each Other

CDs and tapes on topics of self-help and for meditation also welcome. On the self is Kitaro's "Kojiki," great for relaxation and meditation. Catch us by appointment or by chance at 932 Lake Ave., Racine.

Wanted: Teen-age "Chicken Soup" stories

The editors of Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul are searching for submissions.

Even better, they pay $200 for each published story. The general theme of the book focuses on difficulties associated with relationships, friendships, family matters and self-image. Editors are seeking first-person non-fiction narratives. Learn more at this Craigslist posting at

http://tinyurl.com/edjz3 or email mailto:chickensoupforteens@yahoo.com

Women's brains are different

Louann Brizendine is a neuropsychiatrist who says the differences between women's and men's brains are very different.

How different? You can find out in her new book, "The Female Brain." You also read this article in The San Francisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/08/06/MNG3HKAMVO1.DTL

Here's a few teasers:

• Thoughts about sex enter women's brains once every couple of days; for men, thoughts about sex occur every minute.
• Women use 20,000 words per day; men use 7,000 per day.
• Women excel at knowing what people are feeling; men have difficultyspotting an emotion unless someone cries or threatens bodily harm.
• Women remember fights that a man insists never happened.
• Women over 50 are more likely to initiate divorce.

Anti-depressants -- or not?

One of the most frequently-asked-questions that I get concerns anti-depressants.

This is a real issue in our culture, which looks at a pill as the solution to all of our ills. Unless there is a crisis, I typically suggest alternate methods to my psychotherapy clients -- care for self, attention to diet, counseling to address issues relating to depression and sadness, a genuine support system, and a reduction in the use of alcohol which is in itself a depressant.

Here are some highly recommended books by Joseph Genmullen, M.D.:

The Antidepressant Solution: A Step-by-Step Guide to Safely Overcoming Antidepressant Withdrawal, Dependence, and "Addiction" by Joseph Glenmullen (2004)

Prozac Backlash: Overcoming the Dangers of Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and Other Antidepressants with Safe, Effective Alternatives by Joseph Glenmullen (Paperback - April 17, 2001)

A new food pyramid!

There's a new food pyramid!

It's not the same-old same-old stuff pushed by the food industries to line their pockets with profits with questionable effects to your health. This one comes from the University of Michigan Integrative Medicine Clinic, and the Healing Foods Pyramid was conceived by Monica Myklebust, M.D., and Jenna Wunder, MPH, R.D., in their passion for food in all of its beauty, variety and healing benefits.

Remember that the foods we choose to eat are essential to how we care for ourselves. In choosing the healing foods on this pyramid, each one of us contributes to our own health. See this link to view the pyramid and learn more about how it works:
http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/clinical/pyramid/index.htm

Then plan dinner.

A book for parents who love their teen-age kids

Here's another book I'm reccomending for parents of teens:

"The Five Love Languages of Teenagers" by Gary Chapman. It contains practical guidance on how to discover and express the teen's primary love language -- the way that he or she will best receive love. If you've got a teen who's misbehaving, uncommunicative, angry or otherwise having difficulty, it will open your eyes about communicating with your teen in life-changing ways.

Directions for the occasionally confused!

Here's a treat. It's a new CD release from working psychotherapist John F. Elliott and a mix of songs and commentary about love, relationships and stuff like that.

It's called "Directions in Life for the Occasionally Confused" -- and let's face it -- who isn't?

You can listen for free! Find it at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/johnfosterelliott

Reflections on relationships

Last night we attended a lovely event, the wedding "reception" of two members in the Racine healing community.

This middle-aged couple had actually gotten married more than a year ago in a very private and quiet ceremony -- and were looking for the right time to their their commitment with their circle of friends.

This was no ordinary reception. Both were were dressed in full Renaissance regalia, all skillfully and amazingly sewn by the bride. He in elegant gold and black pantaloons, vest and shirt with a sword by his side, looking remarkably like Henry VIII. (Where's the turkey leg?) She in a frothy lemon yellow gown trimmed with pearly beads over the traditional corset, her hair in braids wound around her head and a big smile on her face.

There was bagpipe music, sweet cakes, simple snacks and wine and spring water. In the deep of the evening, they renewed their vows publicly while a boom box played the appropriate music.

Simple, fun, playful, relaxed and serious. Which brings me to Clarissa Pinkola Estes, the wonderful storyteller and psychoanalyst who holds a lot of wisdom about all kinds of things, including relationships. In this season of weddings -- and anniversaries! – now is a good time to review what makes a good relationships. Here is her take:

• How well does this person relate to friends and family?
• What value does this person place on money, material possessions, caring for a home?
• Is this person generous in spirit and with resources?
• Does this person have a desire to learn and grow?
• Does this person enhance your life and make it "bigger"?
• Is this person strong, practical, grounded and sensitive, like a rooted tree that is also flexible?
• Can this person feel pain and have compassion for others in pain?
• What inspires and motivates this person?
• Can this person laugh easily at himself or herself?
• Can this person stop a brewing argument quickly and easily?
• Is this person able to be a good friend, willing to listen and to share?
• Does this person carry grudges or is this person able to forgive and move on?

Although none of us is perfect, this list of questions is a good starting point for self-examination and discussion.

P.S. If you haven’t already, be sure to read Clarissa’s "Women Who Run with the Wolves." It’s a classic.

Who has made a difference in your life?

This just in:

Lake House Health & Learning Center is now hosting a community notebook from The Journal Times, the daily newspaper in Racine. The notebook is just that -- a spiral-bound and lined notebook in which visitors are asked to thoughtfully answer a question about the connections in their lives.

Our question is, "Who has made a difference in your life?"

This is a great question. It's exactly the kind of question that I like to ask the people I work with who may come to me for counseling or coaching so they can reflect on the people who have influenced their lives and how they are changed through their relationship with another person.

With so much of the content in our news media focusing on what we consider traditional news and what I call trauma -- war, vehicle accidents, crime, disease and pain -- it is good to have intelligent articles that encourage us to reflect on what relationships makes a person and what makes a life.

Stop by Lake House at 932 Lake Ave., Racine, Wis., to write in our notebook (only first name and place of residence required). Or just take a moment to ponder the question and answer for yourself.

Organic produce and a recipe to try

Onions, green peas, sweet strawberries! The fresh produce, delivered here to Lake House from Full Harvest Farm, is just delicious. Every week a box arrives, and our subsribers in this community-supported agriculture farm look with delight to see what's inside. I am one of those who waits with eagerness and delight. In this week's box was a variety of red potato that is called Red Norland. The texture of these potatoes is smooth as silk. Here's a recipe to enjoy:

Potatoes with Fennel

Wash and slice one pound of potatoes into ¼-inch circles or half-moons.
In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, melt:

2 tablespoons butter

Add:

1 medium onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

Sauté the onion, garlic and fennel until the onion is transparent, 2-3 minutes. Add sliced potatoes and freshly-ground pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add:

½ cup water or chicken stock

Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, approximately 10 minutes. Now add:

1 tablespoon chopped fennel leaves
Salt to taste

Serve immediately.

Bless this house...

We had a beautiful time on Sunday when Didi Ananda Hiteshana, an international mediation teacher for Ananda Marga from India, led a house blessing for Lake House Health & Learning Center. Meditation students, Lake House practitioners and friends danced through the house, chanting in rhythm simple ancient words before returning to the house's Fireplace Room to give this blessing:

May the wind bring blessings with it!
May the ocean yield felicity!
May our herbs be blissful!
May the day and night be sweet!
May the dust particles be blissful!
May the world’s spiritual realm of the divinities and the venerable ancestors prove sweet!
May our plants be charming!
May the sun shower felicity!
May our domestic cattle be blessed!
Onm Madhu
Onm Madhu
Onm Madhu (Brahma is sweet.)

We must admit, we giggled at the "domestic animals" part. We also have our share of dust particles here at Lake House, no matter how much we try to keep the floors clean. We like the fact that they will be "blissful," more than ordinary dust bunnies.

Thank you, Didi, and friends, old and new. For more on the Ananda Marga, the social and spiritual organization the promotes meditation and awareness, see http://www.andandamarga.org.

P.S. This is the second house blessing for Lake House in a second indigenous st yle; the first came from David Granados (Eight Eagles) who blessed this house in the Native American tradition on Sept. 7, 2005.

12 steps, a million little pieces, a few lies

By now you've surely been reading about the great big mess that James Frey is in, having made up big pieces of his so-called memoir about his drug and alcohol addiction, "A Million Little Pieces."

The book was published by Random House and endorsed by Oprah Winfrey herself. Most recently, Oprah has un-endorsed the book after it was revealed that the tale, although powerfully written, included many lies and fabrications.
Frey participated in a treatment program at Hazelden, a respected drug treatment facility in Minnesota, but he did not embrace the suggestion of attending 12-step programs to support his sobriety.

In fact, Frey has been highly critical of the 12-step movement. He has been quoted as saying that "sitting in church basements listening to people whine and bitch and complain" is nothing more than "the replacement of one addiction with another."

Either James Frey did not attend a very good meeting or he wasn't paying attention.
It is true that many people manage to stop drinking without the use of the 12-step program. The 12-step program, based on the organization, Alcoholics Anonymous, and the book of the same name is essentially a system of philosophy and direction established by the founders of AA, a stockbroker and a physician who just could not stop drinking. It has since been adopted and adopted by many other organizations that aim to help people stop other compulsive and addictive behaviors, including drug use, nicotine use, overeating, overworking, debting, and hyper-sexual activity.

It is true that many people stop drinking on their own, with the help of their own determination, their church, good friends, a wise psychotherapist or other groups such as Smart Recovery or Women In Sobriety. The fact is that AA is more available in more places than other programs and is available when other groups simply are not. Since the 1930s, this program has helped millions of people stop the drinking that was ravaging their bodies, souls and minds and devastating their family life. Millions more have been helped to stop other destructive activities through its suggested steps.

The fact is that we do need other people in our lives; they keep us honest if we are able to accept their support. Addiction, by its nature, infuses us with denial, minimizing our use and the chaos that follows.

There is also a difference being "dry" and being "sober." Many people manage to stop drinking on their own and are considered "dry." But the behavior that creates turmoil -- the anger, the controlling relationship patterns, the isolation and the dishonesty -- remains.
Being sober means that the person is actually restructuring his or her life according to a particular system. He or she takes steps to make these changes and understands that change and growth is a lifelong process.

The first step admits, "We were powerless over alcohol and our lives had become unmanageable."

The following 11 steps suggest some kind of spiritual connection that must be developed to continue to evolve into a new life. There is the important action of connecting with other people that help keep us "honest." There is also evaluation of the behaviors that have come before the addiction and have become engrained after the use of the chemical stops.
This examination, as well as the people in the program, supports the change in the behaviors that accompany the addiction, including the tendency to lie, cover up and minimize these behaviors.

It would seem that James Frey lied. "Dry" he may be. But when lying and defending his life and his made-up memoir, however, we would not call him "sober."

Got books?

One of the most commonly asked questions from clients is this: "Can you suggest any books that I can read to help me grow and change?"

And the answer is…

Yes. There are a great number of readable and easily accessible books that I am currently fond of. They're available at local book stores, your local library and online.

"The Language of Letting Go" by Melodie Beattie. Classic and inspirational, this book reminds us daily of the importance of relaxing into the flow of life rather than trying to control every little outcome.

"Changing For Good" by James Prochaska. Understanding the process of change is the first step to making real and lasting change. I've based a workshop on this book, which has always been well received -- and eye-opening for people who haven't be able to stop bad habits or start good ones.

"Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman. Psychologist Goleman tells how the ability to respond to your feelings and the feelings of others gives you an edge in work success and personal satisfaction.

"Your Heart's Desire" by Sonia Choquette. Sonia gently encourages you to focus on your dream, giving specific steps to bringing it to reality.

"Food and Behavior" by Barbara Reed Stitt. Written by a former probation officer, this book shows how simple dietary changes can and does reduce violent behavior. A must-read for educators, corrections officials, helping professionals and anyone who eats junk food.

"Woman Who Glows In The Dark" by Elena Avila and Joy Parker. A curandera -- an indigenous folk healer -- treats problems that are recognized as illnesses in Western medicine, as well as many that aren't. Thought-provoking and helps us ponder what healing is.

Do you have books that you love -- books that have shifted your perspective and changed your life? Let us know and we'll print their titles here.

In the news

Lake House's Melissa Taylor, shiatsu massage practitioner, was featured in the Jan. 23, 2006 edition of the The (Racine Journal) Times. In case you did not see it, you can find it the "news" page of www.lakehousecenter.com.

A handful of resources

If you or someone you know is dealing with a physical disability, check out a new book, "Coping with Physical Loss and Disability: A Workbook," by Rick Ritter, a disabled veteran and social worker. The book is published by Loving Healing Press. See http://www.lovinghealing.com.

Educators, youth leaders and others will appreciate knowing about an organization that offers an amazing number of free resources for addressing youth violence. The organization is National Youth Violence Prevention Center, and the web site is http://www.safeyouth.org.

Here's a site that's always looking for counselors, consultants and trainers with sensitivities to ethnic groups and specific cultural traditions. If you are a professional who would like to be listed, go to http://www.ethniccounselors.com and look for the "register here" prompt. I'm on the list and I think this a great resource.

The American Bar Association’s Commission on Domestic Violence has published a new tool to help attorneys screen for domestic violence. Attorneys who provide individual representation can use the new resource to identify whether a client is a victim of abuse. Click here to access this tool.

Blessings...

Lake House Health & Learning Center, birthed on Sept. 6, received a house blessing on the very next day. Our ceremonial leader: David Granados, a medicine man who integrates Native American indigenous spiritual practices.

As David waved the the pungent smoke from the burning sage into the air with his sacred eagle feather, it seemed as if we were clearing out the old energies and ideas. We sprinkled drops of cedar water at every corner of every room, speaking of our dreams for this new house and our own lives.

Now -- after much cleaning, painting and remodeling -- we at Lake House are moving into the new year. Indeed, there have been many blessings with a dedicated contingent of practitioners who have come to this special house as a place where they will offer their skills for healing and learning. There have been many enthusiastic inquiries about what we are creating here, Racine's first integrated health center offering diverse opportunities to learn and grow. There has been generous coverage by The Journal Times, our local newspaper, and curiousity from our neighbors and plaudits from our friends.

We are looking forward to our next house blessing from Didi Ananda Hiteshana, a teacher from India who practices and teaches meditation in the Ananda Marga tradition on Feb. 5. What other blessings await?

Visit us at www.lakehousecenter.com.