A Note About Teachers

Teachers who enjoy their work...
...make clear presentations
...work students hard
...treat students with respect
...are witty and humorous
...do not talk over student's heads
...are patient and understanding
...return work promptly
...are interested in students outside of class

(yikes, can't remember source reference)

Always Working on Empathy & Compassion

Now, I understand that people have a very good reason for doing what they do. I just don't understand what it is sometimes. Figuring out the story can be interesting work. Knowing there is a story is always reassuring.

Taking the First Step

Which of the following requires the most energy output...
...moving matter at rest (for instance, a ball that is standing still)?
...keeping a ball in motion?
...accelerating a ball in motion?


Taking the first step feels hard because it is the hardest! That is why 90% of success is just showing up. Avoidance is the killer. What step have you been avoiding that you can safely take now?

The rest is nowhere near as hard - energetically speaking, that is. Just ask a physicist.

The most important thing is being willing to try. If you are willing to try, then you will learn from practice and mistakes and eventually achieve competence.

You never start out being competent, so waiting to be competent before you try, well I think you can see how that would be problematic – you will never make it out of the gate. Why box yourself in this way?

Science and Ethics

Sometimes scientific logic doesn't make moral sense.

Cool Quote About the Power of Art

"Arts challenge people cognitively, encourage collaboration and responsibility, and encourage persistence despite fear and anxiety."

(Fiske, 2000)

(I got it from Dr. Ken Wells)

Adoption-Specific Psychotherapy

"Facilitating kids and parents talking about important things."

"Average age at adoption is six years old."

"Adoption-specific psychotherapy developed for 7 to 12 year olds. Manual developed by bringing together the experts, looking at the literature and asking, what are the issues to help families? and finally getting feedback at a conference."

"I get her vs. where did that come from?"

"Claiming the child."

"Adoptive families with higher SES (socioeconomic status) tend to have poor outcomes."

--Dr. Jeanne Miranda

High Burden of Mental Illness After Hurricane Katrina

"1/3 experienced symptoms of PTSD and depression since hurricanes Katrina/Rita."

"Primary care clinics, social service agencies and neighborhood associations may be the most accessible and acceptable to persons with mental health needs (especially if there are only 19 psychiatrists in the area)."

"Mental health services capacity in Haiti was nearly non-existent prior to the earthquake."

"Trauma experienced by community providers and aid workers themselves is a major problem."

"Does building community efficacy make a difference for future threats? That is, are communities more resilient with subsequent threats?"

--Dr. Benjamin Springgate