Wise words for parents of ADHD children

Dr. John Breeding, professor, author and Ph.D. psychologist, calmly discusses Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, the decade's diagnosis-du-jour, in this YouTube video. ADHD is the diagnosis that results in the medicating of millions of children who are prescribed mood-altering psychiatric drugs in the United States every year.

He has some wise words for parents and other adults concerned about their children's behavior: look at these children not as strange or pathological but as talented, energetic and zestful. He also says:

"Your child needs you to be relaxed and confident."

And:

"Remember to see your child through the eyes of delight."

Breeding is author of the "The Wildest Colts Make the Best Horses" and frequently speaks out about the overuse of psychiatric medication. His site offers an alternative perspective to the bio-psychiatric industry, and to the millions of psychotropic prescriptions written for children and adults.

Although there certainly is value in psychiatric medications, I tell the people who I work that that they should be first resort only in a dire emergency and more frequently, last resort -- after counseling, lifestyle changes and serious self exploration -- when there is no emergency. Breeding speaks for the natural, built-in ways of psychological healing and maintains that with attention and adequate resources anyone can reemerge from even the greatest distress and most extreme states of mind.

What we eat affects our mental health too

Eat Right Racine gave a beautiful gift to our community on Wednesday night – the chance to learn about healthy food.

This a very important project for our community. Congratulations to the three energetic women with the vision to put this program together and the many, many others who lent their time and skills.

What we consume not only affects the quality of our physical health, it also affects the quality of our mental health. It has now been shown that foods and beverages impact our brain and nervous system and ability to learn and retain information – as well as our memory and our ability to think clearly. We can also experience depression, anxiety, mood swings, PMS, and addictive cravings related to what we eat and drink.

For more information, see Elizabeth Somer’s newly updated Food and Mood: The Complete Guide To Eating Well and Feeling Your Best and Barbara Stitt’s Food and Behavior: A Natural Connection who actually relates certain foods to criminal behavior.

I suggest both books to my clients who come with depression and anxiety and don’t want to start with medications to address their mood swings or cravings. Also, check out Eat Right Racine for more ways to learn and get involved.

Publishers Weekly said this about Somer’s book:

"What at first glance would appear to be yet another look at the relationships of food with emotional state is, instead, an extremely well-researched probe of what a good diet can mean to both body and mind. Somer, editor of Nutrition Report, dispels many of the myths about specific foods and diet patterns, putting in their place scientific studies showing the links between mood and diet. Among the topics she discusses are food cravings, stress and diet, food allergies and intolerances, eating disorders, premenstrual syndrome and how food can affect sleep patterns. More than 100 tables, charts and worksheets help readers evaluate their diets and make appropriate changes. Menus and recipes are also included, and the need for supplements is discussed. Readers will appreciate Somer's no-nonsense style and the absence of contrived anecdotes to make important dietary points. Although some may find that the book gets off to a slow start, those who stick with it will find a valuable nutritional sourcebook."

12 reasons why people don't have health care

I was pleased to participate in Friday’s noon march and rally for health care changes in Racine. (See picture at top originally published in the Racine Post with accompanying story.) There are many reasons why people are not able to receive quality health care. As a practicing health care professional, I have observed and discussed all of these reasons:

They have lost their jobs, due to plant closings, business layoffs, downsizing and other factors relating to our current economy.

They have depended on receiving benefits from a spouse’s health care plan and the spouse has lost his or her job due to plant closings, business layoffs, downsizing and other factors relating to our current economy.

They have a job, but it does not provide health care benefits. They must pay for all health benefits out of pocket.

They are in transition – just graduated from high school or college, for instance, and are hunting for a job. Or they may have moved with a spouse to a new area and are still job hunting. Or they may have moved home to care for the needs of an elderly relative which they consider their unpaid “job.”

They have depended on receiving benefits from a spouse’s health care plan, and the spouse is abusive (physically, emotionally, sexually) to themselves, their children or both. They must leave the relationship to maintain their safety, sanity or their lives. Once they are divorced, benefits are no longer available.

They have health care benefits but the insurance policy has a very high deductible ($4,000 or more) and they cannot use any benefits until that annual deductible is met.

They have health care benefits but cannot afford the fees that are out-of-pocket expenses, including co-pay charges, medication charges and the like.

They have health care benefits but the benefits are very limited and do not cover certain procedures or kinds of care. Strangely enough, one benefit that is not covered by some insurance policies is treatment for nicotine addiction, which as we know, brings or exacerbates multiple serious physical health problems – high blood pressure, heart attacks, respiratory difficulties and the like.

Their health care plan does not provide for pre-existing conditions. This means that if you have a medical problem which exists at the time you enroll in or purchase your health insurance, the insurance company will deny all claims pertaining to this medical problem for a certain period of time. In other words, a person facing an emergency situaton may have to wait 12 to 18 months to receive treatment -- at which time the siutuation could deteriorate.

Certain parts of their health care plan are limited to a specific number of sessions, perhaps just six or 10 sessions a year. This is common with certain policies relating to mental health treatment. While some issues are able to be addressed in that amount of time, other serious conditions may need much more time to treat and resolve.

Their health care plan does not provide for treatment from certain hospitals, clinics, physicians, dentists or practitioners. They are extremely limited in the care they can receive and from whom – even if they would be better served by the practitioner or clinic of their own choice.

Their health care needs can be resolved – often easily and more affordably – from a practitioner who uses complementary or alternative medicine, such as an acupuncturist, massage therapist, naturopathic physician or another professional in a similar field. Their insurance policy does not recognize the value of these fields, nor does it reimburse for such treatments.

Education to prevent disease, reduce stress (which is often the precursor for physical and mental health problems), high levels of training for practitioners and changes in certain lifestyle habits that contribute to illness are also important, of course, but not a substitute for good health care.

Relax with Reiki and build your vital energy

Helene Hellesen’s June special with Reiki turned out so fabulously that she’s extended the offer through August 2009. Here it is:

Book a session or buy gift certificates during July and August and mention this offer for a $45 (regularly $60) session for Reiki, Reiki-ssage or a Reiki-reflex session.

These 50-minute sessions great gift idea for birthdays, stress relief, weddings, showers, new mothers, and yourself - and Helene will give you a pretty gift certificate, too. I like to refer to this amazingly calming modality for people experiencing stress, anxiety, racing thoughts and difficulty sleeping, among other difficulties.

The Reiki technique involves a Reiki practitioner focusing energy on the client, either through direct hands-on contact or with the hands several inches away from the client's body. The universal energy may be directed to an area of the body or it is simply "allowed" to flow to where it seeks a balance.

Watch a demonstration of a treatment by well-known Reiki instructor John Harvey Gray here, one of many excellent examples on the Web, where he tells how the method raises general physical vitality:

Reiki is a positive form of energy and cannot cause any harm. It does not have any side effects and it only serves for the highest good of the person who is receiving it.

People who receive Reiki-ssage are finding better results than with traditional massage or pure energy work. They describe the benefits as "a massage that keeps going for days" or "refreshing - like waking up from a 10-year sleep."

Reiki-ssage is much more than just another technique. It is blended within a complete philosophy and approach to healing that can support and strengthen any other modality of healing. Reiki-reflex blends together concepts from Reiki, Reflexology and Zone Therapy. Working on the feet, shoes and socks are removed. The session begins with the client laying on his or her back on a massage table or sitting comfortably in a reflexology chair.

Reiki-reflex cannot make any condition worse. It helps nature normalize body functions. A session relaxes the stress that can affect your health safely and effectively -- and who doesn't need that right now!

Reiki-reflex is blissfully relaxing for the client, and lasts about 45 - 55 minutes. Call Helene Hellesen, Certified Massage Therapist, Reiki Master and Certified Reiki-ssage Practitioner, at (262) 880-7594 to order your certificates.

A powerful health care video by Community For Change

Here’s a moving and important video from the folks at Community For Change, a grassroots organization in Racine that is creatively exploring how to promote equity and choice within our health care system.

Be sure to join the members of Community for Change for the upcoming “Community Conversation on Healthcare Reform” and accompanying Expo on from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 26, at the Masonic Center, 1012 Main St., Racine. The event is is free and open to the public. Watch for Lake House’s exhibit table where you can learn about the options at our center and sign up for our free e-mail newsletter.

Find more videos like this on Yes We Can Racine

Healthy energizing ideas -- without caffiene or sugar!

As a psychotherapist – including having done work with addicted people – there is a great need for information about learning how to find ways to become more energetic without caffeine and sugar.

Here are ideas that you may wish to try:

Start with yoga and especially the classic yogic breathing activity called, “The Breath of Fire,” which involves very fast breathing in and out of the nose – pant like a dog, some say. You can observe a teaching demonstration of this technique at YouTube.

• Eating foods that are whole foods, rather than processed foods, including quality protein. Quality protein includes lean meats, fish, small portions of nuts, peanut butter -- no sugar is better -- whole cheese rather than processed, and combinations of beans and rice.
• Therapeutic-grade essential oils – a number of oils are especially energizing to the brain, including basil, rosemary, orange, peppermint and lemon.
• Practice qigong, a meditative Asian exercise that is similar to – but much easier – than tai chi. Tai chi is also very good for balancing and giving energy.
• Reduce use of computer, especially at night before bedtime.
• CD guided meditations and imageries, or imageries on your own. When I’m not creating my own imageries for my clients, I suggest the wonderful CDs from Health Journeys.
• Bioenergetic exercises, which are body exercises that are often amazingly simple and easy, can change your mood very quickly. One exercise, simply stamping your feet (left, right, left, right), can reduce anger, lift mood and give energy.
• Rest.
• Drink water. When plants don’t get enough water, they wilt. You will feel like wilting too, when you don’t give your body enough. And drink water, not tea, soda, so-called “energy drinks” or alcohol.
• Spend time with people you like, people who are positive, caring, fun and supportive.
  

Healing trauma is possible -- just not always easy

I’m just finishing a four-session group on recovery from trauma at Lake House. One of the questions that has been asked is:

“Do people who have experienced trauma ever really heal?”

And one of the counter-questions that survivors often hear is:

“Can’t you just get over it?”

Both of these questions have value, and both of these questions are, in fact, entwined. Survivors of trauma are often eager to get “over” the trauma but find they can’t get past it despite their best efforts. Other people who cannot understand their reality often experience impatience, confusion and misunderstanding.

For people directly affected by traumatic experiences, there still may be tears, pain, confusion and the continuing reminder of someone who is beloved who is gone. For the community at large, there may be lingering shock that something so awful could happen in a community they love, just a glance from their own back yard, and questions about how this cycle of pain can be changed. In today's world, there is increasing human-made violence that is causing all sorts of extra trauma, such as school violence, gang crimes, domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault, terrorism like Sept. 11 and war.

Although some people believe there's no way that anyone could recover from such personal devastation, healing is possible. Many people do recover, even finding themselves with a greater sense of personal resilience and wisdom -- strong at the broken places.

Here are some things to know about trauma:

Experiencing trauma -- by definition, an experience that overwhelmed your ability to cope -- is a natural part of being human. Unexpected loss, natural catastrophes, illness, great pain and accidents are part of the normal human condition. At some point in each person's life, he or she will experience some kind of situation that we now call trauma. There is no shame about this.

Trauma destroys trust -- the trust of one’s own capabilities, the trust of others and the trust of the goodness and predictability of the universe. Because the person cannot seem to feel safe, even with himself or herself, there is constant stress, vigilance and suspicion.

When we have been traumatized, we naturally seek to feel a sense of power again. Many people seek to regain this power in unhealthy ways, including drugs, alcohol, disordered eating and compulsive behavior. Some become perpetrators, hurting others to continue the cycle of violence.

Healing is possible.

First, you must open your eyes and be able to label the traumatic experiences and violence you and others in your families and communities have experienced. This is the first step to recovery. Break the cycle of silence, and trauma can begin to be healed. Tell someone what you feel, what has happened to you. It is OK to talk to someone safe.

Secondly, you have to be willing to experience the pain of the trauma, rather than avoid it. Typically we avoid pain in many ways -- drinking, using drugs, overeating, denial or simply fantasizing that we can return to "normal," the way it was before the trauma happened. However, the real healing comes with your willingness to let yourself be confused and angry and sad during what may be an extended period of time. There is power in being able to identify and express feelings. At some point, it may be appropriate to acknowledge any responsibility you might have had in the incident yourself, but only so you can forgive yourself and move on, not so you can wallow in guilt and shame.

If the pain is so great that you cannot imagine that it would be possible to feel it or contain it, seek out additional help rather than think that you can do it alone. You will want to begin to find people who can accept and listen to your pain. These people and places may be family members, friends, teachers, counselors, pastors, support groups, churches and other palces of worship, Twelve-Step meetings, --anyone who is willing to listen, learn more and can understand.

Advances in technology has made it possible for us to measure how the brain changes from overwhelming stress and violence. This has profound implications for treatment and recovery. Talk therapy manages symptoms. You can learn how to identify what reminds you of a trauma in the past and how it is affecting you in the present. Then you can make sense of the nonverbal, emotional symptoms of PTSD for yourself or others close to you. Experiential, body-oriented and action therapies directly treat the nonverbal, emotional symptoms of PTSD and provide immediate empowerment for people and communities.

Although recovery is possible, do not expect things to go back to "normal." The reality is that life will be different. Life will never be the same as they were before the "thing" happened, but if you go bravely through the grieving process, you can come out the other side better than you were before, rather than worse, and learn how to attend to reminders of your pain in healthy ways.

It's doubtful that you'll actually be happy that the event happened, but you may be surprised that you can actually feel respect or gratitude for difficulties and tragedies that take you to higher levels of personal development. By active grieving and recovery, you transform the event into something helpful and beneficial, rather than letting the event transform you into something broken and hopeless.

Anti-smoking drugs may cause other problems

Two popular anti-smoking drugs -- Chantix and Zyban -- will now carry warnings about the risk of severe mental health problems, the Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday. This is important news, with Wisconsin public places going smoke-free one year from now in July 2010.

Read more here to learn about this research.

I predict this news will encourage smokers to reconsider and research more natural means of stopping smoking -- including hypnosis, self-help groups like Nicotine Anonymous, Chinese herbal remedies and acupuncture.

Why people are addicts -- the lizard brain!

One of the most memorable and informative lectures for patients and their families at Caron Treatment Centers in Wernersville, Pa., is the weekly “Lizard Brain” lecture by Dr. Joseph Troncale. As a former group therapist and family advocate at Caron, I really want to share this up-to-date information with you -- important since so many people struggle with addiction -- or know people who do.

Listen to this excerpt from a podcast as Dr. Troncale explains how a person’s brain chemistry factors into the disease aspect of addiction.

Addiction is now considered a brain disease – a disease that affects the disregulation of the brain's limbic system – or as he calls it – “the lizard brain.” Find out how to order the full copy of the DVD too -- or call (800) 678-2332, extension 6402.

Also from Caron: The second most used drug in the United States isn't illegal. They are pills -- perfectly legal prescription drugs.Here's a powerful video about addiction to prescription drugs and how recovery happens. Watch and listen to other people's stories.

Dove and the evolution of "beauty"

Here is a short video that we should all be watching and sharing -- especially with teen-age girls and other impressionable young women. It's a testimony to the sophistication of cosmetics, professional styling, the power of the photograher and the wizardry of the computer to enhance and promote. It's just one minute -- take the time.

A tale of two wolves

A wise Cherokee grandfather is telling a story to his grandson.

The story is about two wolves – two wolves that seem to be fighting within a human, a two-legged as the natives call the humans. Each wolf is big and strong and the battle is fierce.

One wolf is filled with anger, negativity, fear, arrogance, greed, superiority and false pride. The other wolf contains the qualities of peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

It is a great battle, says the elder, as his grandson listens.

The grandson thought about this fight for a little while. “Which one will win?” the curious child asks the grandfather.

And the grandfather answers:

“The one you feed.”

I don’t know if this story is true or not, or even if it belongs to the Cherokee nation or is just one of those tales that is passed around the Internet. However, one another level, this story is most definitely true. The fact is that what we choose to focus on will grow within our minds. It will soon dominate our thoughts and shade our mood. In the world, we will be alert to confirmations of the qualities of one world or another.

If we focus on our resentments and all the ways that we have been mistreated and misunderstood, we certainly will begin to feel like victims, full of pain and hopelessness. However, if we acknowledge our pain but focus on the blessings that rain into our world, we will grow in our ability to bless our present and our future.

Negativity can also poison our relationships with others. If we have a friend or family member whom we decide is thoughtless, we will watch for all those times when he or she is thoughtless, or careless, or wrong. We won’t be able to see – or will notice for barely a fleeting moment – when the person is caring, or concerned, or loving. The observations will infect the relationship as certainly as any real toxic substance.

What wolf do you feed?

Stopping smoking? Here's a kit to help you

Wisconsin's new ban on smoking in public places goes into effect on July 5, 2010.

Karen Carnabucci, a psychotherapist at Lake House Health & Learning Center, and Arthur Shattuck, Chinese medicine practitioner at Roots and Legends, have put together recommendtations for a kit that will support you in stopping smoking. These kit ingredients may be used on their own or to supplement professional treatment. You might want to make the kit with a group of friends who could serve as a support system for each other. We hope that it will give you support and strategies to help you in your intention to stop smoking and grow in good health.

Here is what is included and why:

Xiao Yao Wan, the Chinese herbal tea that is both soothing to drink and assists in detoxifying the nicotine from the body.

Lemon to make lemon juice -- add juice to a warm glass of water and take each morning and evening to cleanse the liver

Dental floss may be used to floss after meals, a primary time for many smokers to have a cigarette. The flossing not only promotes good dental hygiene but also gives the individual a new and healthy ritual to replace the habit of smoking after a meal.

Cotton in small bottle that is scented with lavender essential oil; lavender is a soothing scent that naturally relaxes the nervous system. The scented bit of cotton may be sniffed during times of stress or craving.

Indes card with help line numbers. Reaching out to talk and get options to a cigarette is helpful during times of craving. You may also list a number of supportive friends who are willing to take your calls when you are feeling a craving. The toll-free Wisconsin Quit Line is (877) 270-7867; you may also dial 211 for other resources.

Pen to add additional numbers of friends and other supportive places to call.

Natural licorice twig, which may be chewed or nibbled in place of snacks or sugary candy. Chinese licorice, which is called Gan Cao, contains a sweet component that actually lowers sugar cravings and appears to make cigarettes taste unpleasant if there is a slip. It is the only herb that relaxes all of the body’s 12 meridians and therefore makes a person a little less tense.

Sticker to remind you of your commitment to your health. It may be placed in a location that has been a common smoking place, such as the telephone or car. Use additional “sticky” notes as needed.

Inspirational statement may be read as many times as you wish as a reminder to keep your commitment to your good health. Here are are some samples:

• Many people have successfully stopped smoking, and I can too!



• I can take time to remember all the reasons that I have stopped smoking.


• I am free of nicotine. I am taking good care of my health.


• I am free at last -- no longer a slave to cigarettes!


• I turn away from cigarettes and turn toward a healthy life.


• This minute in this day, I am smober…a no smoker!


• I enjoy breathing deeply with my clean lungs. My lungs thank me for new energy.


• I am capable. I have strengths. I want to live.


• I am proud of myself.


• I am reducing my health risks and increasing my health capacity.


• It’s OK for me to reach for help rather than a cigarette.

Remember to practice deep breathing and simple yoga stretches to cleanse and comfort your body. Tai chi or qi gong are also helpful, as is exercise including walking. Give yourself a simple massage or find someone to give you a massage.

Hopes, hoops, optimism and options

Here we were in Chicago, surrounded by young African-American men.

The young men were tall, very tall, and garbed in the typical hip-hop wardrobe of wildly long shirts and extra-baggy pants.

And they were everywhere in this high-class hotel in Chicago. Strolling the lobby. Riding the elevator. Going to a nearby deli to fetch a take-out lunch.

The young men, surely dreaming of a career in the big leagues, were participating in pre-draft camp for prospective National Basketball Association players recently. In the same city where "Hoop Dreams" was filmed in 1994, the athletes had just finished three days of drills at a nearby college. Now they were receiving thorough physical examinations from a group of physicians specializing in sports medicine.

On the first evening, we shared an elevator with three of the athletes. It was easy to imagine the pressure that each of the young men was feeling. Hardly boisterous, their faces showed serious expressions. And this was serious business. Only a very few would take their place among the chosen ones. And being one of the "chosen" could ultimately mean a multi-million-dollar contract, worldwide fame and a life of travel and excitement, playing with NBA legends.

"I just want to go home," blurted one of the athletes to his new friends.

The next day, I saw another athlete in the lobby, carefully holding his lunch, a turkey and tomato sandwich fresh from the deli.

"How's it going?" I asked, wondering if his answer would echo yesterday's comment.

"It's good," he said, with a genuine smile on his face. "Real good. I think it's going to work out."

Now, all of this got me thinking about the attitude of optimism, the ability to stand tall in the uncertainties of life.

Martin Seligman and his colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania have been studying optimism for nearly 30 years. They actually teach the skills of optimism to help people look at the world with sunlight rather than gloom. The idea is that this attitude not only makes a difference in our emotional outlook, it also contributes to improved health. Optimistic people are generally more able to resist illness, including the common cold. When they are sick, they recover more quickly.

Optimism doesn't mean a denial of our distress, pretending everything is all right when it isn't. It means that we are able to find the spark of goodness in a situation and make healthy and useful choices. Optimists look at the glass as half full, trusting that new opportunities will appear in their world. Pessimists look at the glass as half-empty, anticipating doom and helplessness.

Seligman, the author of "Authentic Happiness," identifies three thinking styles separate these outlooks.

Pessimists blame themselves excessively when things go wrong. Optimists take responsibility for their mistakes and are able to assess situation the situation realistically, finding their strengths in the midst of challenges.

Pessimists believe the problem is permanent, not temporary. Optimists know the problem won't last forever and trust they'll find good times ahead.

Pessimists are sure that the problem will contaminate every area of their lives. Optimists, although able to recognize that things need improvement, are readily able to recognize parts of their lives are going well.

The good news is that we can shift our outlook from gloomy to sunny. Motivated people can notice patterns of thinking that are shaded with pessimism. With awareness and effort -- and maybe some note taking and the help of a friend or two-- we can reorganize thought patterns that show hope, strength and choices. This takes practice because our habitual thoughts seem to have a life or their own. In reality, we are the source of our thoughts.

Christine Shields Kann is one such optimistic thinker. A Racine businesswoman, wife, mother, volunteer and sports fan, she is known by her friends and colleagues for her relentless refusal to go negative.

"Of course, everyone has moments of frustration," she says. "But who can afford to be negative all the time? You have to keep moving forward."

As a teen, she developed a severe back problem that demanded the wearing of a brace. Doctors predicted she would have a myriad of related health problems that would limit her physical abilities. She proved the prognosis wrong, becoming a state-ranked competitive swimmer.

Now a competitive amateur golfer, she loves the sport's maxim to "play it where it lies."

You don't always get the ideal shot," she says. "You have to think about what club you're going to use, what risk you're going to take, and forge ahead," she says. "You can't sit and whine about it. You have to take that shot and do the best you can. It's the same in life."

Back in Chicago, we saw two men sitting at the curb of the hotel, with a box of deflated basketballs nearby. As the young players walked by, the men called out to the would-be NBA stars, asking them to sign the basketballs.

The two men were a pair of entrepreneurs. And I'd say they were also optimists, trusting that the names on the balls would be worth something some day.

Systemic Constellation Work is the new frontier in healing

What if some of your feelings did not really belong to you – but came from one of your ancestors and you simply “inherited” them?

Systemic Constellation Work – sometimes called Family Constellation Work – is a remarkable healing process that has emerged from Germany in the past 30 years. It posits that our ancestors' suffering has leaked into our own lives, causing our own suffering, and that modern medicine and psychotherapy cannot fully relieve this pain due to its relentless focus on the individual rather than the larger family system.

Developed by Bert Hellinger, a former priest, missionary and psychotherapist, this process looks like blend of ancestor reverence, psychodrama and family systems therapy. Yet it is also nothing like anything you’ve seen before. Hellinger developed this process to address the suffering of the descendants of the German Nazis and the survivors of Europe’s Holocaust victims, but everyone soon figured that the healing that emerged was helpful to release deep patterns embedded in the family system, no matter that the issue of distress was physical illness or emotional distress. Rather than explore stories, emotions or cognitive content, it identifies the energetic blockages within the “soul” of the family. The facilitator helps restore the natural orders that must be present in the larger family system before all can experience love and feel peace.

Constellation work is gradually finding its way to the Midwest, thanks to my psychodrama colleague Ron Anderson who discovered the method in the early 2000s. I’ve now been studying this approach with Heinz Stark, a German psychotherapist who was one of Hellinger’s original followers for two years, and I am now integrating much of this work in my individual sessions with people; Friday’s introductory group session will be the first of several groups that we are planning at Lake House Health & Learning Center. See calendar for more information and how to register.

Dodie Corcoran is a massage therapist and bodyworker who has adapted Constellation Work for bodywork and periodically offers Constellation groups in Woodstock, Ill. I like how she describes this unique work:

This trans-generational healing process will bring to light that certain tragedies and pains your ancestors suffered years ago may adversely affect you or your loved ones today. Like open wounds held in your family's collective soul, resolution and reconciliation are still being sought out in the present, even though the events may have long passed, and the people involved may long be deceased.

The soul’s need for healing and closure remains like an irrevocable binding force, whereby innocent and unknowing family members from future generations get entangled in the fates of those who lived before. Such entanglements can truly be disastrous because family members are then not free to live their own lives, unconsciously perpetuating difficulties, tragedies, injustices and crimes - often for many, many generations.

This work may also reveal that your life’s present or recurring challenges may be directly connected to painful events or personally committed guilt from your own life still in need of closure, healing or reconciliation. Your soul can be held captive for years in this way, making it impossible for you to move forward in your life in a good direction. And if you are a parent, it may possibly entangle your child.

The beauty of this work lies in the fact that once entanglements are brought to light, unresolved issues can be brought to a peaceful close. Once that happens, we are set free from the forces that held us captive, even though we may have never known until then that we had been bound at all. Supportive healing energy, life force and love suddenly can touch us, thereby opening the doors for us to stand fully in our own life with peace, clarity and strength.

Learn more about Dodie and her services here. Hellinger’s voluminous writings can be found at his site here. Here is one of his basic thoughts:

"There is nothing a child won't do to help the family, even to the detriment of self."

Read more about where I go to study here and see the wide number of books and videos that are now available on this subject. For readers, the book, “Love’s Hidden Symmetry: What Makes Love Work In Relationships” by Bert Hellinger, Gunthard Weber and Hunter Beaumont is a good place to begin. Another is The Healing Power of the Past: A New Approach to Healing Family Wounds by Berthold Ulsamer.

By the way, The idea that we inherit feelings and experiences from our ancestors is now being proven by science. Here's an amazing video from BCC, "The Truth In Our Genes," here. You can find several examples of actual Constellation sessions on YouTube – just go to to the site and search for “Systemic Family Constellation Work.” Most of them are in another language but you can get the idea of how it looks.

Veterans, trauma and steps toward healing

Years ago, a veteran told me, "I was never really prepared for the reality of war."

As a psychotherapist, I often think about his powerful observation when I work with people who have suffered various kinds of trauma. His comment continues to prove true as I hear stories from people who have been affected deeply by various kinds of trauma, whether war, abuse, crime or Sept. 11.

There are several realities to the experience of trauma, which we can describe generally as a situation that is a shock to the system of the human being. The experience calls upon all of our resources -- physical, mental and emotional -- to survive.

There are a number of online resources about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a normal response to war which affects many veterans after their service; one of the most comprehensive is The National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, offering information for veterans and families as well as health care providers.

After the survival of war, the self continues to feel the reverberations of the event. These after-effects may show up in many ways:

Hypervigilance. Keeping highly watchful is an important survival skill in wartime. In ordinary life, however, this watchfulness creates huge problems; the veteran is unable to relax and perhaps may find himself or herself suspicious of others, having difficulty in crowds and certain situations, even in close relationships.

Unexpected trauma bubbles. Ordinary events, such as seeing an insect crawling up the wall or hearing helicopter noise on a sunny day, can be extremely unsettling. They stir up feelings both consciously and unconsciously that make us erupt in anger and irritability or sink into depression, which cause personal difficulty and problems in relationships with significant others, family members and friends. Although the veteran may sometimes feel "crazy," these are normal responses to the experience of trauma.

Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction. Mood-altering substances may seem to help veterans relax the super-vigilance, stop nightmares of painful image-memories, and numb emotions that may be too difficult to bear or even identify. Use of drugs and alcohol, however, can cause serious physical health problems, and contribute to further depression since alcohol actually depresses the central nervous system and other chemicals play havoc with brain chemistry generally. Addiction, too, can create even bigger problems for the veteran.

Many veterans shy away from talking about their experiences or reaching for help because they do not believe help or healing is possible. However, the good news is that healing IS possible, as we are able to understand more clearly than ever before the components of trauma and the needs for true recovery. The first step is to admit that the war experience has affected you, perhaps even in ways that you cannot name. The next step is to reach out for resources that reduce isolation, which in itself causes depression and emotional distress.

The newest scientific research is helping us understand more clearly how traumatic experiences are stored in the body and mind. Therefore, while traditional counseling is important, other means of help are equally valuable.

Experiential modes of psychotherapy -- such as EMDR, creative arts therapies and psychodrama -- are extremely helpful in accessing the parts of the brain where trauma memories reside. So are various kinds of bodywork treatments and other modalities, such as acupuncture and acupressure which can reduce stress as well as physical pain. Some veterans have found that regimens of breathing, yoga and energy work, including Reiki, are relaxing and stabilizing -- sometimes reducing physical pain or distress as well as contributing to mental calming.

Psychologist Ed Tick has documented significant healing of veterans in his book, "War and the Soul," that includes genuine connections with older veterans and others in the community, Native American ceremony and sweat lodges, storytelling and other non-medical means. Sometimes the best healer is the hope that is generated within a human being by knowing someone who has survived trauma and has found healing and peace.

Simple coaching tips for resumes

As most everyone knows, job hunting in these economic times is a highly competitive sport.

Just the other day, I had the opportunity to review a resume of a retired businessman who was making plans to return to work. Such reviews are often part of my coaching sessions, as I work with career changers, newly graduating seniors and people who for many reasons, inlcuding layoffs, are seeking employment. In this world of layoffs and scare news, take heart. A good resume and a good attitude can make the difference.

The best time to look for a job? When you've got one. You can take your time to write, edit and polish, as well as network, gather references and job prospects.

First, the simple stuff:

Use your spell checker. Then proofread for spelling, grammar and punctuation. Then proofread again. If you aren’t great at these tasks, get a grammar book or ask a friend who has excellent English skills to proofread for you.

You can find resume templates online to make your resume look really crisp. My favorite choices come from Microsoft, which has a library of good-looking templates that fit a variety of needs. Click here for more info.

Then:

Use action words to note what you have DONE and how you have been valuable to each organization where you have worked. Words like “pioneered,” “introduced,” “integrated,” and the like make you a valuable employee and therefore valuable to the organization and its success. If you have saved the organization money, developed new procedures that have helped with efficiency, better service or some other advantage, be sure to mention them.

Spend some time to take inventory of your special contributions to each work setting. Don’t think you have to go on and on with lots of verbage – give the message clearly and directly. Don’t feel afraid to brag. You’ll want make yourself look very good.

If you have done volunteer work, include it on your resume. Ask the person who has been or is your volunteer “boss” to provide you with a letter of praise, a reference or both.

Don’t think you have to say everything in your resume. Remember that you will also have an accompanying cover letter, at which place you can go into detail about special skills or attributes for a specific job. Each cover letter should be crafted to address a specific job that is available.

There are a zillion books that can help you craft a really good resume. You can find them in your local book store, online or at your public library. One is The Resume Handbook: How to Write Outstanding Resumes and Cover Letters for Every Situation by Arthur D. Rosenberg.

Time to Eat Right Racine!

Make Racine more healthy!

Yes, this is a worthy goal, and has been one of my missions for some time now. And just yesterday I got a sneak peak at a wonderful new movement called Eat Right Racine that you’ll be hearing more about.

Eat Right Racine is a small group of people, including my energetic friend Heidi Fannin, a massage therapist and nutritional consultant, who are getting ready to educate people, parents, schools and community leaders. They want to see our city become healthier, happier, and more educated about the food that we eat.

I like this. Count me in, Heidi. For years, I’ve been preaching about the importance of healthy food, not only for our bodies but also for our minds and spirits. There’s mounting evidence that people who eat poorly – junk food, sugar, soda and the like – not only gain weight and develop physical health problems but also suffer mood swings, depression and anxiety. There's more. Cravings -- often caused by processed foods that contain appetite stimulants -- can cause shame and pain due to compulsive overeating and even start and exacerate addictions to alcohol and other drugs.

That’s where Eat Right Racine comes in. Its goals:

• Improve the quality of food that is fed to the students that attend schools within the Racine Unified School District.


• Help educate parents on nutritional issues so that they can feed their families healthy and delicious food that improves health, wellness, and self-esteem.


• Teach the residents of Racine how to find and prepare locally grown food.


• Encourage others to become informed about food so that they can teach these healthy habits that can change lives.

I love this and I'm going to do all I can to promote this project.

The new site Eat Right Racine includes ideas for children’s lunches, easy-to-prepare recipes for healthy meals plus interesting links about food, including Alice Waters' and Katrina Heron’s article for The New York Times on redesigning the traditional school lunch program.

Anxiety disorder may be linked to strep throat

Doctors and psychotherapists are now learning there are two kinds of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

The regular OCD – which is a neurobiological condition which is characterized by obsessive behaviors -- involves repetitive unwanted thoughts, ideas or images typically about harm that intrude in the mind and won't let up and compulsions-repetitive behaviors (washing hands, counting, tapping, checking) in an attempt to ward off perceived risk and harm. Unlike everyday worries, obsessions are experienced as disturbing, bizarre, senseless and counter to the child's sense of self.

Now there is also PANDAS – known as Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Strep – which is a subtype of OCD. For approximately 25 percent of children who have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, the sudden onset of the OCD is exacerbated or triggered by strep throat, in which the body's own immune cells attack a part of the brain, the basal ganglia, rather than the strep. This disorder does not occur in all children, but only those who have a genetic predisposition to OCD or tics. The difficulty in diagnosing may occur because the OCD can develop shortly after the strep infection but many times months after, and the strep infection could have been so minor that it was not treated. It is most common in children who have not yet reached puberty, though it is not limited to this age group.

The biggest difference between regular OCD and PANDAS-OCD is the sudden onset. OCD usually develops slowly over weeks, months or even years; however, PANDAS OCD seems to come out of the blue with parents saying one day their child woke up a different kid. There are also other symptoms that help differentiate the 2 types of OCD. PANDAS OCD is also characterized by:

• Choreiform movements: involuntary or irregular writhing movements of the legs, arm or face


• Presence of tics and/or hyperactivity


• Irritability, temper tantrums, or mood lability


• Nighttime difficulties


• Severe nightmares and new bedtime rituals or fears


• Separation anxiety


• Age regression: going back to younger developmental stage


• New handwriting problems, loss of math skills, sensory sensitivities

One of the most thorough books on OCD for parents is Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder by Tamar Chansky. If a parent is looking for a book to read to the child, try Mr. Worry: A Story About OCD by Holly Niner. For more, see Worry Wise Kids or this special link on PANDAS.

It's true - depression can break your heart

It’s true. Depression can break your heart.

Depression almost doubles the risk of developing heart disease over 12 years, according to a long-term study of twins. The findings are to be reported today at the American Psychosomatic Society meeting in Chicago. Mounting evidence has found that depression makes people more vulnerable to heart trouble. Recent studies, though, find that some genes that increase the risk of heart disease also may make people more prone to depression, which has raised the question of whether the depression-heart disease link is genetic. Read more at USA Today link.

The biology of addiction

Evidence is piling up that there is a genetic component to alcoholism and addiction. Michael Ferguson, a professional associated with the California treatment center Sober Living By The Sea, puts it this way:

"Genetics load the gun, and environment pulls the trigger.”

Research is showing that people with a certain gene have a tendency towards being unable to quit once they have started drinking or using drugs. However, if an individual has a great support system of family and friends, a good education and the understanding of a family history where addiction has been threading its way through the genrations, then addiction is certainly preventable.

For more on addiction and genes, here is a video worth watching.