Sunday, January 22, 2012

The Heart of the Story Part I: Yoda Meets Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

My mother recently sent me a rather long e-mail. That's not a particularly uncommon experience. Answering it here on my blog, however, is very unusual.
You talk a lot about life as the stories we tell ourselves.  I've been thinking about that a lot lately. Do you have a good resource for me to read about this?  Have you written anything about it on your blog that you could perhaps share with me?
Actually, I don't think I have written much here on my blog about stories--and how those stories are the way in which I've come to see as the way we create our own humanity. Since she asked, and since I've been looking for a good topic to write about, why not have you all join in on my response to my mother?
I just finished a book entitled, You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know.  It's a true story about a woman who came from a chaotic, dysfunctional family, as in her mother was a paranoid schizophrenic & her father, a cross dressing alcoholic who was also crazy.  She had been face blind all of her life, but didn't really realize it until she was in her early 40's...  I took some rather extensive notes citing the more interesting parts. 
For those of you who wonder how the Irreverent Psychologist got to be the Irreverent Psychologist: you might find some clues in the above paragraph. The Mother of the Irreverent Psychologist (MIP) notes that she has taken "extensive notes citing the more interesting parts" of the book. As regular followers on Twitter may have noticed, a small portion of the voluminous notes I take while reading appear on my Tumblr page. 

The nut doesn't fall far from the tree. 

...but I digress. The MIP started her email with a question about stories but manage to ask two questions. The first question--about stories--will come a little later. First I'll tackle the MIP's question about cognitive behavioral therapy.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

From the Mother of the Irreverent Psychologist

The mother of the Irreverent Psychologist sent in this humorous clip this morning. She thought it was appropriate seeing that we are getting our first major snow of the year in New England.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Can America Still Shine?

I came across Newt Gingrich's dissertation and tweeted a few select quotes. Watch what happens within my own little global community.


 Jason Mihalko 

"Some specialists argue that American society will be warped and disfigured by this growing disparity in living standard."


 RT 

@ 
  Yeah Interesting Quote , Caught my attention :) !


 RT 

@ 
  Well , I hope his political views really supports Justice and Welfare of others , We have been disappointed a lot :(


 Jason Mihalko 

@ 
 They most certainly do not support justice and welfare of others.
Retweeted by 


 RT 

@ 
 I dream everytime there's a new president 4 the most powerful country of the world


 RT 

@ 
 that he wud use this power to make the world a better place


My twitter friend from Egypt took my breath away.

I dream every time there's a new president for the most powerful country of the world that he would use this power to make the world a better place.

Such a simple wish. Such an embodied example of what American values are. Such a challenge for each of us to rise up and be more. When we watch these petty politicians on television debate, do you see any of them living up to this simple wish? Do you see any of them being able to stand up tall and wield their power--our power that we grant to our elected president--to make the world a better place?

Shame on them for being so small.

Shame on each of us that don't vote. Shame on each of us that continues to allow a politic of fear overshadow a politic of dreams.


 RT 

 Does Power spoil people that much ? why don't people treat it like a responsibility not a privilege !?


 Jason Mihalko 

@ 
 I think many use power to support their own self interested/not our shared global community.


 RT 

 In the endless fight between The Good & The Evil , How do you see it End !?


 Jason Mihalko 

@ 
 That's implying there is both a beginning and and end. It's what we do with what we have the concerns me the most.


 Jason Mihalko 

@ 
 It's how we each confront issues of power, violence, and domination that unlocks our potentials, or dooms us to failure.


I hope we find our way--and soon.


Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cites frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I light my lamp beside the golden door!"

Emma Lazarus, 1883

From: Ellis Island: Early Notions of a Multi-Cultural Society