The Papal visit to North America in late September is expected to bring with it a wave of not only spiritual change but social change as well. More than any other pope in history, Pope Francis has proved to be concerned with the way in which his power is able to affect the lives of people across a broad swathe of society. This leader, who has cast himself as more than a spiritual guide and more than a political figurehead, is poised to offer a challenge to millions to change the way that they think about social justice, the way that they think about others, and even the way that they see themselves within their own world.
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Dellarontay Readus, a Memphis high school grad, already made the news when he was accepted to every Ivy league school in the United States. This accomplishment was made even more amazing in understanding the obstacles Readus was up against. Growing up with just his mother, the small family struggled to make ends meet. Readus shared that he would have to take a bus every night to the public library to use the computer and internet for homework, since his mother could not afford such things at home. Despite the hurdles in his way, Readus was one of a few teens ever accepted to every Ivy league. Readus announced his enrollment at Stanford University with a full ride scholarship, but he then had to face perhaps the biggest hurdle of his life.
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After years of intensive counseling work with couples at a renown marriage retreat center in Texas, Dr. Terry Hargrave and co-author Terry Pfitzer pioneered Restoration Therapy and published their foundational book describing the concepts and techniques. Developed "from the tradition of Contextual Family Therapy, the Restoration approach provides the therapist with clarity of assessment of individual and relational issues yet utilizes sound mindfulness strategies to produce real and long-lasting systemic change," writes Hargrave.
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Although the brain is complex, it requires regular maintenance in order to operate at its full capacity. Mindfulness is likened to closing the apps running in the background on a smart phone in order to increase speed and performance. Slowing down and living in the moment can actually improve the function of the mind, body, and overall life experience (Albeinz & Holmes, 2000).
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April 30, 2015
by Joan Childs,LCSW
What is happening to Bruce Jenner is a microcosm of what happens to human beings when they have an identity crisis. What is an identity crisis? Theorist and social psychologist, Erik Erikson coined the term identity crisis and believed that it was one of the most important conflicts people face in development.
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101 year old Rosa Camfield’s picture holding her newborn great-granddaughter instantly went viral across social media pages. Camfield died March 30, 2015 just after creating an internet legacy. The picture was posted by Camfield’s granddaughter, Sarah Hamm, mother of the baby pictured. It did not take long for the photo of the intergenerational duo to take storm on the internet.
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Within the last few years there has been a plethora of information about the importance of gratitude in shaping one’s mental health and improving one’s outlook on life. Expressing gratitude and appreciation can be very powerful.
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Taking the time to learn how to be more mindful is well worth the effort. Researchers are more interested than ever in how mindfulness and meditation affects our health and well-being. According to 2011 research published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, there are several ways that mindfulness training can be good for our mental and physical health
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Sleep shouldn’t be a luxury that we only grant ourselves on Saturday mornings. It’s a necessity if we want to have a healthy mind and body. Sleep gives us a chance to recharge, heal, and process our experiences. Lack of enough good quality sleep not only makes us grumpy, but it can also negatively impact our memory, our mood, and our overall health and well-being.
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There are some eastern philosophies and treatments that aren’t as well known here in the west, but which may offer alternatives and help for those struggling with conditions like anxiety and depression. Two such approaches are Morita Therapy and Naikan Therapy, which both have their origins in Japan. With a little investigation, we can see that Japanese therapies like Morita and Naikan have different philosophies about why people suffer and develop symptoms of mental illness and how they can recover and feel better.
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