Continue from: Paradigms and Psychology as related to abnormal behaviour and classification (notes)

Freud Id, Ego, Super ego. Anxiety - Egos’s reaction to danger in external world - defence mechanism.Retreating to behaviour patterns of an earlier age. Primitive definitions: regression (sucking thumb as an adult is too wordy. Tantrums - retreating to behaviour patterns of an earlier age. If you want a good read, read Freud’s original. First: unconscious - People are not aware of doing things - Free associations - repression. Patient laying on the couch: free association - class- mother cold and distant; runaways- transforms into butterfly where warmer, on palm. cold->run->butterfly->hot->tree Noise- possibility of flying a little higher and giraffe swallows leaf: Popcorn->giraffe. Patient male depressed- can always tell a story. This is an art, not science. Rorschach Ink blot test: ten at a time. Projection Psychotic people have difficulty with associations. Example: Female patient, 19, incest with father? Did test. Pleasant conversation - down elevator going home next day. First card: looks at card and “freaks out” - a lot of blood (suicide). Your brother got it for me to show me. Tried another card: same reaction. Brother is here and becomes psychotic. Stops - let’s go upstairs. Cards stimulate. TAT - picture scenes: Gave her a neutral card “tree comes into my room through the window and tree strikes her. 15 minutes. To get patient back to the 9th floor, first had to go check if brother is in it. Tells psychiatrist there is a potential for suicide. A visitor tells patient that if she wants to kill herself, to go ahead. Psychotics - sit back and watch. Stressors occur in environment where can’t confront them openly. Therapists - confronts them with themselves. We are all uncomfortable about something in our lives. If it causes us stress, we go for help. Next…………………Learning/Cognitive Paradigms

More advertisement for the summer

For your information I am advertising in the Guardian Paper in Toronto, The Catholic Register, monthly in Toronto, Psychology Today, OAMFT, CAMFT and CASC. That should be it for now. I may be missing one or two. Of course I am here which is where I sold most of my books, as well as Twitter and http://linkedin.com/ I do not twitter too much. Regarding book clubs, which has nothing to do with my private practice, I am available to come and talk about my books and sell them to you if you are interested - no pressure. Regarding insurance companies - I do belong to several but have non-disclosure contracts so you need to check with your insurance company if I am a provider for them. You may also check if your insurance company accepts registered psychotherapists as a provider. I am covered as a pastoral counsellor for some and not a psychotherapist. I am now availabe for pre arranged telephone psychotherapy/pastoral counselling. Have a wonderful weekend. Next week I go back to my regular blog posts. Am enjoying the wonderful weather and playing outside.

Telephone Psychotherapy/Counselling - Temporary trial basis

I am routinely asked if I provide telephone counselling and I always say no. I wrote a paper on internet counselling, which you can look up since I posted it a while ago. I examine the various methods, concerns etc…..I prefer face to face because I do believe that it is best for the client and myself for offering the best I can. The body language is lost which is very important. However, I am told that there are people out there who do no want to be seen. They do not want to be exposed, and so I have discerned over this. Then there are those in isolated areas who simply do not have access to facilities. So, though I have resisted for several years, I am willing to give it a try. I want to see if there is a need and also if I feel that this will work out in the best interest of the client. As you know I have two web sites, one for psychotherapy and one for selling my books. For the sake of ease I am using my book web site for payment for telephone psychotherapy. The fee is the same in American dollars because that is the way the site is set up. I will not be offering this service during the weekends. So, if interested, contact me via email so we can arrange something mutual. I will also send you two basic client forms which I need compiled for my files. My web sites are www.redigondapsychotherapy.com and www.silvaredigonda.com My books have nothing to do with my practice. Appointments need to be pre-arranged. I hope you had a nice weekend.

Elder abuse

I was supposed to go to two seminars yesterday but after the day, I was too tired to go to the evening one, one of my associations was doing at U of T. I had already turned down the meet and greet for my other association. Why does everyone pick the same day? This is how I decide which ones I go to. I will attend a full day event rather than a short one. I thought I could go to a day one and then later to a night one, but I was wrong, so I know for next time. I hate cancelling at the last minute, I really do, but when tired I have to come first. So I am fresh for today. The day was sponsored by the elder abuse organization which I have attended before. It was free which is always a bonus and a full day. I didn’t really learn anything new but I believe I was the only therapist in the room so my learning experience was the response from the audience. What I normally take for granted as common knowledge is not. I have to be mindful of that. The speaker talked to the group about self esteem as it applies to seniors. She spoke about depression which she said is common among seniors and she stressed that a big problem for seniors is how everyone wants their money. They have a “nest egg” and a monthly pension which is attractive. Her advice is to socialize and not isolate themselves so that this can be controlled. There was no handout with numbers listed that was shown on a slide, so I won’t be able to provide that for you, but I am sure that you can type out elder abuse and some numbers should pop up. Popular scams were talked about. It is unfortunate that there are so many scams, - the granny scam, the door to door scams, the banking scams, the holiday scams, the revenue Canada scam etc… There are so many scams out there that it makes one wonder why not more is done at the government level to stop this? Don’t even get me started. They will be decreasing about 450 police in Toronto within the next three years and closing police stations. And why not? There are more shootings than I can ever remember in my home town and in three areas, within a few miles of each other in my neighbourhood there has been separate shootings. Makes sense than to close down police stations and reduce police right? One of those police stations is my police station. Anyhow, back to seniors being scammed right and left from everyone - there was also a representative from Health Canada, talking about nutrition. This hasn’t changed except that margarine is no longer considered a healthier choice than butter. I love butter. My mom once told me that butter was what makes everything taste great. So, I am back to butter. Actually, I have butter in my fridge. At the end of the day there was a member of the fire department talking about fire prevention. One person asked him how high the ladders can reach. “Seven floors” he responded. “What?” I gasped. He continued how they rescue in high rises to appease me, I'm sure. I think I will stick to a condo under seven floors, if I ever decide to take that route. He asked us how many sleep with their bedroom door closed? He was the only one. He showed us slides of how fires are prevented from spreading by closing the door etc… He was very informative and his slides were very telling, and I learned something important. The carbon dioxide sensor should be in the same room as the furnace. Mine is between the living and dining room. I will be making modifications and buying new smoke alarms. So, though I did not learn much about my profession, I did learn about fire prevention because it was in-depth and I had not attended one of those in a long time. Since this is all free, I would encourage organizations in Toronto to contact the Fire department, elder abuse people and health Canada to speak to the various organizations or work places. The Senior population is a growing one. The baby boomers are babies no more. I often hear people (who are not therapists of course) acting as if seniors are stupid. Seniors are not stupid. They are not confused as part of aging. The person I enjoy the most is 96 years old, and will be celebrating his 97th birthday next month. He is also one of the happiest people I know which is probably why I like his company so much. He is always providing me with newspaper clippings of articles he thinks I might like. He sings, he dances, he socializes etc….He enjoys life. He is also a World War Two vet who does not receive a pension for those years. Now tell me how that has happened? Anyhow, my point is that yes more elderly men kill themselves in Canada than any other group. However, there are also happy people out there, who are much more intelligent and accomplished than the people labelling them as less than. So, if you are a senior and you are sad (what they talked about yesterday is true), do not isolate yourself. If you find that you are doing that, make an effort to get some help. There is help out there. Spend your money on yourself. You have earned it. If you are being abused, call the police or get advise from Senior organizations. You have earned your years and you have earned the right to be yourself and do what you want. If you are depressed please do something about it. What do you think?

A week of tragedy in Orlando

I have been watching the news regarding the tragedies happening in Orlando. It is my vacation paradise and it is sad to see so many suffer. However, I also see the unity and love of that beautiful city. It is tragedy that can bring people closer together or can divide. There is so much grief and I hope that all involved receive the counselling they need so much. There is no harder grief than losing a child. An alligator attack at a Disney World resort I dreamed of one day affording was shocking. I am sure that even an intern lawyer will have a field day with that one, but I am not here to talk about the legal implications of failing to warn that alligators are in the water or can be. I am here to talk about grief and trauma. Grief is difficult. But these situations where so many people were killed in a gay bar that they thought was safe and which turned into a blood bath may cause severe trauma to the survivors, families and even the emergency responders. It is so important for everyone concerned to get the help they need to talk about their feelings. The first month is so important so that the suffering can be managed. I will talk about PTSD, but not today. The first month is crucial to get the help needed so healing can begin. Grief can become “Complicated grief” when an image repeatedly re-occurs. This requires therapy as well. I understand you have the support there, so please take advantage of that - heart wrenching. Grief is different for everyone. If someone is grieving, allow them to grieve on their terms. The new DSM has made grieving one year a disorder. However, in my experience, I have found that quite a few may grieve longer than that and recover fully. It takes time. And time is different for everyone. My suggestion to you who have friends who are grieving is just let them talk freely and be themselves. You may suggest therapy to help them but think of what you say because it hurts them rather than helps them. Saying things like, thank God you have more children, or you can have another child etc…..is very hurtful. No child can be replaced. The best you can do is really not judge but be a good friend by just listening. Many who grieve re-assess their friends during this difficult time.

Orlando - My condolences

To all the survivors, families and friends, my prayers and thoughts are with you.

Friday, Jun 10, come and say hello and see my office.

Tomorrow, Friday Jun 10, I shall be catching up with paperwork in my office so if you want to come and meet me, buy a book, see my office, ask a question or just say hello - come on down. I am at 2045 Dufferin Street, the Dufferin Medical Centre Building which is between Eglinton and St Clair, North of Rogers on the East side of the road. Take the elevator to the third floor and make two turns to the right. I am at Room 301. The door will remain open unless I have to step out for a few minutes. I am an early riser. Feel free to call me at 416-878-4945. I am available for any questions or concerns.