Popular scam - Someone wants to give you lots of money. Yeah right.

You were chosen to receive a Cash Grant Donation of €1,700,000 from Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler, Respond back for more details email me at: I did not include the email. This email was sent to many people. Their hope is that at least responds. As you know I like to share these emails because so many people suffer when they act on this. Protect yourself from these predators. Enjoy your day. Talk soon.

Adler School of Psychology - catching up notes

I promised you more notes from conferences etc….and then I want to return to my abnormal psychology notes. It has been awhile since I was invited back to Adler. The last time there was a focus on coaching which is not my interest. However, I did meet many interesting people. But I did find some notes from previous lectures there and I thought I would talk about that and sum it up. They were discussing Cognitive Behaviour Therapy which I incorporate very much in my practice. They talked about automatic thoughts which triggers an emotional and behavioural response. So I noticed I drew a picture of a person and at the bottom I have a line to thoughts, another to emotions and another to behaviour. They suggested using the magic wand to avoid the emotional behaviour. These are very basic in theories. What I may say to a client is “If I had a magic wand and anything is possible, what would you like?” Responses usually depicts what the client really wants. It may be to be clear of horrible memories. It may be to be able to go outside and just enjoy it. It may be to be more assertive…etc….That allows me to understand what the client’s objective is. It gives us something to work with. I find that often a client comes to me and thinks one thing is bothering him or her and it is something more much deeper that is surfacing. The Adler person whose name I believe is Erin Bech went further and suggested the following: You are going to have a fear - but this magic wand will remove the behavior. She uses the example that a person hates you and if this person didn’t you would have a different emotional response. Reinforcement of a pattern where it is logical for them. You have beliefs, assumptions, and rules. If this happens, then this happens and is what I have to do. We also had another instructor speaking to us by the name of Vytas, Velyuis (I hope I have this right). Velyuis spoke about core beliefs, belief assumptions. He said that things should be settled by age 50 (I find that in my practice, this is not so). Velyuis spoke of powerful people working, and therefore there are more options, more to talk about. There was talk about collaborative therapy. That humour is ok and being yourself. As I type this, I know this is just refresher from undergrad and post grad. I do have a wonderful sense of humour if I do say so myself, but I do try to keep it in check. Am I myself, yes. I would not want to be anyone else. We talked about the DSM and changes. I have written to you before about the changes but will include what I have in these notes. There is more detail and new diagnosis. There is a restructuring of personality disorders, on going as new data researches comes up. www.DSM5.org Depression is not changed at all. Roman numerals are dropped. There is the elimination of GAF. Numeric is still numerical. Assessment - added idea that disorders and problems and functioning and psychometrically or self assessment. Standardized - using dimensional method. www.psychiatry APA online measure assessment. WHODAS. 2.0 Separation Disorder is new as in separate from family. Bi polar is separate from mood disorder. Majority of the time is spent more on depression. Anti depressant induced mania. Ok, that is that for now. I have two more notes from seminars etc…I want to write about before I continue with my undergrad psych notes. Note that all those notes are before the changes but I still find value in them. There will always be changes with research and that is a good thing. Have a nice week, enjoy the sun that has come out here in Toronto at least, and hope you return next week or catch up on what you still have to read. What do you think? www.redigondapsychotherapy.com

#Breakthroughmovie

I was invited and attended the Premiere of the movie Breakthrough last night. I have probably mentioned that I am often enough invited to events, seminars etc…..by hosts I do not know. This time I asked. Why was I invited? The host stated that there was a media firm that had. Ok, so I went to find a good seat and got it. Before the film started, the host stated that we were chosen because we are influencers. I had to think about that one. In psychology, I learned that when someone gives us something small, our response is to give more. Marketers use that. Did you ever get that salesperson who annoyingly comes to your door and offers you a small gift for your attention? Then you feel obligated to talk to them a bit. Did you ever have that same person take the gift back? I do not consider myself an influencer. Ok, I blog and tweet etc….These are the times when we can do that. I wondered if I was invited because I write my school notes, speak my mind etc…..Is it because I write my notes on theology or is it a contact? Who knows. Who cares? However, they chose well, because I am writing about this movie. When you ask someone to come to a premiere, you need to select someone who will speak well of the movie. They did their job. I drove to the Queensway and hold and behold, there was a huge movie theatre which didn’t exist years ago when a good friend of mine and I used to go eat at a sports bar once in awhile. Boy time flies. I like the theatre, which has a VIP section and lots of parking. Parking is an issue these days because as you know, they all turn into condos. So, though initially I had hoped they would hold the event closer to home, it was ok after the rush hour was over and even more so when all the people leave Toronto after work to return to their respective homes outside the city. My bad. I am thinking of my property taxes that have risen. One politician vocalizing the increasing of my taxes even more, and whom I voted for will be missing at least one vote at the next election. Mayor Tory was right in not supporting him. I did not listen. Nor did I listen to others. Back to the movie. I enter the theatre and am greeted warmly. I find the film area and am greeted once again even more warmly. I love the photo release of the movie. I find my seat right where I want it, and go off to get my treats which would cost the same as paying for the movie, if not more. Back at my seat I see a man entering the theatre and I watch him intensely because he looks just like Josh Lucas and my heart skips a beat just for a second. He sits behind me and as soon as he opens his mouth, I know it is not him. I am too polite to turn to look. The show is about to begin when the friendly host stands at the front and explains that we are invited because we are influencers. I ponder about that. She wants us to take a picture of the screen and to post it. I take a picture of the screen and save it. I only use my phone for clients and family if needed. I ponder……..I had reached out to a charity organization because I was very interested in being a provider for who they were attracting. However, there is a catch, which explained why they don’t have many representatives from Toronto. I would have to advocate for them. Though I am very interested in their work, I decide by the end of the movie that I shall not. Their loss. I don’t think it is ethical. Back to the movie. The host asks that people refrain from using their cell phones and ask that all be shut off. Us influencers were allowed to bring a guest. I am sure it was a guest sitting ahead of me, who was always checking her facebook page, because her partner, certainly an influencer, kept giving her the look, which she was ignoring. It was hard for her to see my look, since she had her back to me. I could see another up front doing the same. They really don’t believe they are annoying in a theatre. I begin to wonder if it is impossible for some to turn off their phones for two hours? I have no problem with that. I was the last of family and friends to get a cell phone, because I wanted the freedom of that. However, now I have a business. The movie begins and I lay back in my comfortable seat which I want to bring home with me. What do I think of the movie? I enjoyed it. The popular cast worked hard at making me want to cry which I didn’t of course and laugh and chuckle which I did. There are so many messages in this movie that it can replace a book club. Start a movie club. Are there any out there? There are plenty of themes that can be discussed. This movie is about love and God and of course the two are interlinked. It is about prayer and it is about community. It is about judgement and it is about tragedy bringing people together. It is about a miracle and about medical science. It demonstrates the depth of what emergency service responders and medical staff face. It is about life and death. Did I enjoy the movie? I did. Is it worth seeing? Well, if you need a break from vampires and horror (my bad, since I am writing one when I can), violence and gore, well yes, since it is based on a true story. I left the movie after it was over, and as I was bumping into each who I had talked to earlier, I saw the elation on their faces. “You are going to talk to your friends about this?”one woman asked me. I nodded smiling. Heck why don’t I just tell the world. That’s what we can all do nowadays. The movie is coming to a theatre near you 17 Apr 19. That is what the host told us and asked us to repeat so it stuck in my brain. What do you think?

Breakthrough | Official Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX

World Religion - Theology Notes (cont) Hindu (also sadness expressed for killings in White Chuch)

Bhawani Caran Banerji was the first Hindu to became Anglican. He said it was wearing too stuffy shirts, so he became Roman Catholic. Brama - God; Badan; Friend. He was going to be a Catholic but would continue to dress like a Hindu monk. He said Vedes so instead of the Old Testament and New Testament in mass, he would do the New Testament and Vedes. So instead of Plato and Aristotle he would use Ramanja and Sankara. What all four said was almost the same thing. But, the message would be more cultural. The word of God in Hinduism: God is = to Sac - Being - Father C1/2 -consciousness - logus (son) - Anadvda - blis - Holy Spirit (fits into the culture of the Indian people). Some were not prepared to allow this. It must be done in Latin. So the response was Romans had no time for this because they wanted to remain Indian. He was excommunicated. When he died, the Hindus claimed his body. Jules Monchanin said the same thing - not to divide culture from faith. The church never allowed that. The church said accept my authority. 1950 established by Europeans SAC - C1 2 - ahank.de (incorporating culture). Look at map. You have Central Asia with Indous - Delhi at the top. Below in the left B you have Sindu, Sindhus and Isnuh - Bharat don’t say sanatana Dharme = quest to rititious. Hindu is geographical - would like to have Hindus Catholic and why not? What is the difference of saying Irish Catholic. When you talk to people of other cultures: People in India are tradition minded, not hasty minded. To the Western scholar is to study it in its history development. In India, they have no history because it was written mostly by foreigners. History does not seem to be of interest to Hindus. They believe that time is something that needs to be transcendent. Interest in the past has been tradition, rather than history. eg. dance like they did 3000 years ago. A temple here would be the same as a temple in India. Linear: Historical (Christian West way of interpreting) Beginning - middle - end. Eastern is cyclical view. Avatar(a) - means descent on one who has descended. In Hindu thinking - whenever things get missed up God comes here. It is the incarnation of God on earth. The concept of Incarnation is not only that God became human but became human more then one time. therefore, Jesus, Buddha ….all….Hindus love Jesus it is just Christians they can’t stand (this may be a bias opinion. I will talk to my old professor about this comment, next time I see him). Krishna, Buddha and Jesus - Christians may feel uncomfortable with Jesus being on par with the West. That is not only a Hindu part of view, it is also a Christian view. Not all RC’s have Bibles. Protestants usually do. RC Bible is longer than the Protestant’s. Buddhist Cannon - some 400 years before Christ, yet there so many similarities. Buddha since 16th century is considered a Saint. Heteronomous (law) therefore based on external eg. Pope for RC. India - autonomous - use reason to figure it out - found in secular culture. Theonomous - experience with Transcendent. Experience with your encounter with God. If India, need the following: theonomous, accommodate, Christianity appears to be excluding. Hinduism is non excluding. It is a tolerant religion. Tolerates diversity. Practical - yoga - finding union with God. Emphasis is an experience. The whole point of Indian religion is to realize the truth. Reason is helpful in feeling God, but have it leave your head behind and grasp it intuitively. Intuitively is only way to contemplate. This is why you have to go to retreats and not the women’s group. My prof said he had a student whom he told to visit different denomination religions for three months. At the end the student had to go to a retreat. All the places talked too much. Swami - level of spiritual development. You can’t give what you don’t have so go to Geru. Geru - reach a level where can. Point is not to get PHD, point is to experience what you are talking about. Need more than to be intellectually trained, you need to be formed. In Christianity you say love God but you don’t teach how. Sadhaner - spiritual practices. Hinduism - you don’t go to church once or twice a week. What you do is first thing in the morning is say your prayers in a prayer room. to be continued in two weeks. Next week more of conferences/workshops etc….. I was very sad to hear of the murders in Christ Church against the Muslim community. I agree that the killer does not deserve to be named or shown. Some thrive on this. It is so sad that there is so much hate based on ignorance. To be greeted as “Welcome Brother” and then begin a slaughter is horrific. I always feel for the children especially because of their innocence. What a cruel way to learn about what people can do to others. I marvel how the prime minister took swift action to ban these weapons. I find that here we do more talking than action. There is more manipulation from corporations. I hope we all find a path for reform so that we can take a serious look at ourselves and our place in our world. Our Muslim community opened their doors quickly to the public. I studied with Muslim men and women in my undergrad. I became friends with some who were modern. They wore clothes as I did. Clothing such as hiding your face and length and colour is all about culture and not religion. However, I believe that people can wear what they want as long as it is not forced upon them as in some countries. How nice our world would be if people just loved each other and accepted all as they were, respectfully. Will it happen? What do you think?

Narrative - Dr Allan Peterkin, another seminar delight

Notes: The speaker was Dr Allan Peterkin, McGill, Psychiatry, Mental Health, He has written 14 books for adults and children. Journal of Medicine, Narrative group for HIV for 14 years. Dr Peterkin reported that medical students inquire about spiritual care. What Dr Perkin does is he gets people to write their stories. It helps them for us to be narratively cognitive. His own father is a physician and his mom is a writer. He is both. His dad informed him he shouldn’t be a physician but a poet. Dr Peterkin explained how stories shape our world and the understanding of our identities. What are the elements of the stories? Being open to narrative. There is heart failure but how does a patient see it? Narrative Humility - we hear a story and we think we hear what it means, but it may not. In medical school you have a literary companion - short story perhaps three pages/4 year training. Invites them to experience the patient. They stretch our world view. Enter a world extremely different from our own. Allows us to stretch our world view and allows us to experience the unfamiliar. Illness narratives allow us to reflect on suffering. Stories engage right and left brain (analysis and creative). Narrative medicine - “I came to understand that what my patients paid me to do was to listen expertly and attentively to extraordinary complicated narratives.” Dr Rita Charon - In the U.S.A., the narrative is disappearing. Questions to patients are designed for more tests. Dr Rita Charon states, “‘ The ability to acknowledge, absorb, interpret and act on stories and plights of others” can be accomplished by reading of literature and or reflection writing. Narrative competence provides for self-reflection - develops professionalism - strengthens the provider- patient/client relationship. As one becomes narrative competence your work with your patient/client deepens. Stories - logic and feelings. We get close to what is really happening. Critical reflection on action and being. Self - assessment of values, attitudes, beliefs, biases, blind spots, reactions to experiences, learning needs. People with tatoos are used to test for STD etc…..Howard Brody, “….patients come to physicians with broken stories as much as broken bones……..There are three types of medical stories. Restitution: progress from disease and to treatment, to restoration of health. Most happy ending. Heroism filled with tests. The “wrong and right”. Some belong to a culture where they should not complain. Let them. Second is Quest: Illness becomes a condition from which something can be learned, something transformative, even healing is not possible (their choice). Third is Chaos: no order or answers in a whirlpool of suffering. Dr Peterkin hears all three in their stories. Patients can be left with a sense of bitterness, impotence, often misunderstood, wrong tests. The system itself often causes chaos. You may ask, “What would you like me to know?” Do not interrupt. Cry of the Wild - me. Dr Peterkin indicates that of course you are not going to tell the client/patient your own pain but to be aware of it. Our job is to be witness, to be in the now. A big challenge in training someone is how to sit with someone. In medical health one is trained to be hard on ourselves, particular with medical students, pretending they don’t need to go to the bathroom or to eat. Regarding patients look for the mystery in the patient and not only the problem. A white light comes into the room and the cancer is gone. “If you can’t name what you are doing, than what are you doing?” - one of his supervisors at M’Gill. Code Orange - mass casualty. Experience of the van attack at Yonge and Sheppard. “Organized chaos.” If you are involved in any hospital, expect the unexpected. Give your expertise to the people who may need it. I will not discuss anything else pertaining to this conference because personal experiences were being shared and policies that I think are Confidential. There were talks about the Bronco incident and the Danforth incident. Obviously once this happens in Canada we recognize a new awakening which previously was associated only with the States. What I think was a very nice gesture was how American emergency personnel demonstrated their condolences which was very appreciated here at home. The next topic the psychiatrist spoke of was the need to respect if the person wants to talk about it or not. Don’t keep pushing. Respect our own sense of limits. More is not more. #Toronto Strong# Holding on to the weak is called strength” TAO Te Ching (Book of the way) There is an importance to rituals. Therapeutic writing groups - You don’t have to and you don’t have to share - can just sit and listen. We must be responsible and not re-traumatize. Allow people to voice their anger. People need to voice their anger. We talked about secondary trauma which therapists can develop. I won’t talk about that because experiences were shared which I consider confidential. Clients often tell me their story. At times I do interrupt depending on what is being said. I will let them know that what they are saying is very important and perhaps it needs to be examined a bit closer and require some reflection. However, more often than not, a client in crises may need to tell his and her story and I will notice the urgency of the need do so which may take up an entire session. That is ok too. Often the client will state that they feel a burden lifted after a long sigh. In those situations regardless of what is said I do not interrupt. There is always time to examine at later sessions. Another thing I rarely do is follow up with clients who come for sessions and then stop. By not calling them I offer them the opportunity to recognize their own independence. I offer them the opportunity for their own decision making. It is their decision if they wish to have therapy or not, if they want to talk or not. They have the choice to continue, to stop or to return anytime. I have never refused a client to return to me, regardless of the time away. My job is to enhance their quality of life, not to impose upon them. I agree that rituals are important. Mothers who have had abortions and have regretted them find solace of having a ritual where they acknowledge, name and offer a rose or other flower or candle in their child’s memory. At the hospital where I interned there were ceremonies conducted for those patients who had died and their families returned to mourn. I found that this was welcomed by so many who were able to weep and find some comfort. I often suggest that clients begin to start a journal. I let them know that they can share with me if they wish. Sometimes they do and sometimes they do not. For clients who have been traumatized I often let them know that if they get a new memory, or they find themselves becoming upset, to stop writing and to discuss those feelings and memories in therapy. A person should never endure more than they can deal with. I also encourage support groups and they do not have to say anything or share until and if they are ready. Some times there are no groups and I am always willing to help them start one, if they wish. My fees do not fluctuate. Sometimes I am asked if I charge more if there is a couple or family in the room. I charge by the fifty minute hour which at times becomes an hour or more. But if one is charged more I would be questioning that.

My next book is a slow process

I have only written ten pages of my next book. This book will be very different from my other three. This will be a horror story based on God and the Devil and us. It will be fiction with a theological theme. It should scare the beegeeses out of you. I do my best writing in the morning when my brain is fresh. However, I also maintain a very balanced life especially because of my work. Helping people with psychological concerns can be quite draining at times and that is why I never take on more clients unless I can give each and every one my entire persona to help them on their journey. It is important for me to constantly monitor myself. I am very happy and content with who I am. I live in the present but am always prepared with options for my future. So, my priority is my work and for me to be my best at it, with focus on self care and professional development. With that is fun. I love people and love having fun. I also have a sense of humour which is not always appreciated, but I sure do. This next book writing is only allowed to time, when all else is done. I keep re-writing it and altering it more than my other books. I love to write and though it is a hobby, it is one I thoroughly enjoy. So this next book will be scary and well worth reading (I think all my books are). This book will be dedicated to another family member. So if you have not ordered anything please do so on line at www.silvaredigonda.com. Mabe then it may become more than a hobby. Indigo also carries my ebooks (two). Have a great day and tomorrow I will write more about any conference I have attended. As you know I am a tad behind.