Interesting Way to “HEAL”
Andrea Grimes writes about attending a “bootcamp” aimed to heal people who are in emotionally abusive relationships. The bootcamp was based on Dr. Steven Stosny’s method. Dr. Stosny is an anger and domestic abuse expert.
Andrea cringes at the $800 price tag for the event, and learns the acronym “HEALS” for Stosny’s compassion-grounded process:
“H” - visualizing the word “HEALS” when you feel angry
“E” - experiencing core hurts
“A” - accessing your core value
“L” - loving yourself
“S” - solving the problem
Although Andrea described examples of the “HEALS” process, I suspect that most situations may end up in the “self love” bucket. That is, whenever you become angry at someone’s actions, it may be because you perceived that action to mean you were unlovable and undeserving in some way. Then you lash out at the perpetrator that has triggered this experience in you, thereby inflicting abuse. The solution is then to swim in imageries and experiences that make you feel good and lovable, which are usually conducive to compassion.
Abusers need to practice these steps 12 times a day for 6 weeks, essentially reprogramming how one reacts to a situation.
(P.S. Perhaps those with road rage may consider Stosny’s “compassionate driving” method for one’s intermittent explosive disorders.)
Father Liable for $400,000 for Emotional Abuse
A Canadian man was ordered to pay $400,000 to his 41 year old daughter for a life time of emotional and physical abuse that amounted to severe mental distress for the woman.
Gory details of emotional and physical abuse amounted to the father attempting to kill his daughter. The woman was also sexually abused by her uncle when she was young. Not surprisingly, the woman suffers from numerous mental and anxiety disorders.
While putting a “dollar amount” on the horrendous suffering this woman has gone through may put this story in the headlines, and help bring awareness to abuse, I wonder if this has truly served justice for the woman. $400,000 seems a measley amount for 20 years of suffering. A few million dollars may be a better beginning (but of course, the father wouldn’t be able to pay that).
It was shameful that the father showed no remorse. It was unforgivable that the mother did nothing to protect her daughter from the abuse.
Misdiagnosis and Back: My Journey Through Depression
Prologue
I was misdiagnosed as having type 2 bipolar disorder sometime in February or March of 1998. These entries are excerpts from my journal, and documents the process of misdiagnosis, treatment, and correct diagnosis of depression.
Over time, as I look back at my experience and gain better understanding of the drugs and treatment side effects, I added notes that may help you gain perspective with my experience. If you are taking any of the medications I had taken and were wondering what was happening to you, I hope you didn’t have to wait years (like I did) before learning what was going on.
Original publication: 1998. Last Update: 2006.
Disclaimer
These are my personal experiences: as with all medications, side effects and positive effects differ from person to person. These are my interpretations of how I was feeling, and may not necessarily mean that I actually had the condition. For example, when I felt asthmatic, I may not actually be having an asthma attack; instead, I was feeling shortness of breath. Read more