Kellevision

Intervention

Can you be addicted to a show about addiction?

What a Difference a Year Makes!

Hello loyal readers.  I apologize for my absence, but I had to get some things straight in my own life.  So I quit my job working for an abusive boss and asked myself what kind of counseling I would do if I could any kind at all.  I've seen a lot of violence and I've learned that there is only so much I can do to stop it.  Though I can't change the entire world, I can create a safe place in my little corner of it.  And if there are two things I want most in this world, it is to save children and animals from violence.  So I created a nonprofit organization which rescues animals, rehabilitates them and works with them to provide animal assisted therapy to children who have experienced violence.  We are small, but growing and you can visit the website for my new organization, TherapyWorks.

As for this blog, I shall now take up my "pen" and try to return to regular posts.  I am reading all of your comments during this past year (I'll try to catch up on responding to them) and appreciate your patience. 

"If you don't live what you sing about your mirror is going to find out." 
Ani DiFranco,  "The Million You Never Made"

 

 

Another "ADHD and Bipolar Child" - Not

He is six years old.  His mother begins the intake stating that he is "ADHD" and "Bipolar".  She tells me his 3 year old little sister is also "Bipolar".  I'm horrified.  She's only 3 years old!  The mother states this as if it were a fact.  She continues...

The Prostitute in the Alley

I work in a homeless shelter so I see a lot of street people.  While leaving the building the other day I overheard two coworkers derogatorily discussing a well known prostitute who was in the alley.  It made me sad.  If only they knew.

Most prostitutes I've worked with have had a long history of sexual abuse, often starting in early childhood.  They were trained as children that they were on this Earth to provide sexual favors to whoever asked.  And they carried this into adulthood.  Drugs and alcohol are often involved to numb the emotional pain of the early sexual abuse.  Many attribute prostition to drug or alcohol abuse, but the sexual abuse often preceded the addiction.  The person continues to use alcohol and/or drugs to numb the pain to the continued sexual abuse as an adult.  So when I see a prostitute, male or female, this is what I think of.  They should not be a subject of scorn, but of empathy.

 

 

 

To "Heal" or not to "Heal"...

... that is the question.  A veteran of Vietnam was talking about his experiences in Vietnam, about coming home and about the trauma he experienced and about how others believed he should react to that trauma.  The mental health professionals, the V.A., his family and his friends all wanted him to "heal".  But what they meant by "heal" was to forget, to stop talking about it, to move forward as if nothing happened.  But he disagrees.  He doesn't want to "heal".  He wants to remember.

When Childhood Bipolar Disorder - Isn't

I really have a problem with the recent surge in diagnosing children with Bipolar Disorder.  The children I see with this diagnosis are often the victims of serious issues at home, issues which may even include abuse.  Some struggle with PTSD and the mood swings which are inherent in a traumatized individual are attributed to "Bipolar Disorder" and medicated. 

Take Two Yoga Classes and Call me in the Morning

I'm reading the August 2009 edition (yes I am a little bit behind in my reading) of Yoga Journal and I am reminded once again of all the benefits yoga has to offer in one's struggle for peace of mind and mental health.

How to Deal with Trauma Nightmares

One of the most distressing symptoms of trauma can be the nightmares it evokes.  They attack when you are peacefully asleep and off guard.  Not being able to get a good night's rest can seriously compromise your mental health and make other trauma symptoms worse.  If they persist you may even develop a fear of going to sleep. 

Maintaining the Cycle of Abuse

People who were abused in their families of origin may practice the same abusive behavior towards themselves.  They may also pass it on to their children.  This creates a sick, and sometimes fatal, cycle of abuse that repeats itself generation after generation.

Trauma and Numbing

Survivors of trauma, especially childhood abuse, often use numbing as a technique for dealing with strong or painful emotions.