I’m sitting in Judge Peagler’s Courtroom at the Dekalb Co. Juvenile Courthouse, waiting for a hearing to finish and I’m always so broken-hearted sitting on these pews, listening to the stories of physical and sexual abuse and neglect of children. I’m reminded of my many studies in child development and psychology and the effects of abuse and neglect on a child’s self-efficacy and independence, their autonomy, their ability to form meaningful relationships and trust others, their ability to learn and adjust to new surroundings, among so many other issues.

Right now, I’m working on a case that involves a child who is displaying enuresis (bedwetting) and public masturbation and was originally removed from her home when she was 3 years old for sexual abuse and neglect. This child has been in the system for over 9 years, bouncing from foster home to institutional foster home, never finding a permanent resting place due to behavior issues, her mother showing up here and there with promises to get her life together and follow her case plan, and defects in the Georgia child welfare system.

I’m meeting with the child today to discuss her desires and her progress and see where she is with everything. More soon…

I haven’t performed salsa in a couple years now so I’m a little nervous about my performance tomorrow night. Gonzolo, my partner, is one of the best Salsa Rueda dancers I’ve met and I’m excited to get the opportunity to dance with him again (it’s been about 2 years!). Wish me luck! I will post an update after everything is all said and done.

Also: Fernbank Museum of Natural History has “Salsa Night Featuring Salsambo Dance Studio” every 3rd Friday of the month. Join me for some of the best Salsa in Atlanta!

Since Hadley and I put the finishing touches on our kitchen (FINALLY getting the gas turned on, installing the gas cooktop, checking for gas leaks, and finally installing the oven) we’ve been checking out some new recipes.

See, the story is that throughout the course of our courting and engagement, the ONLY thing I cooked for Hadley was (drum-roll) frozen pizza. I’m justified, I swear! The old oven was non-functional, however on one special day it decided to come alive, so I zipped over to Publix (because who knew how long I had before it pooped out!) and grabbed the fastest oven-friendly food I could think of: DiGiornos. In fact, I grabbed TWO of them in the hopes that our oven would finally pull through. One of those pizzas is still sitting in the freezer just waiting for some hungry bellies.

Now that we have replaced the oven (thanks to Granny Jean) and have a functional kitchen, I’ve been testing the ropes and cooking up a storm. In fact, the few days before we had a functioning cooktop and oven, I cooked homemade vegetarian lasagna in the microwave! The night before that, I prepared fresh tilapia with chopped tomatoes, green onions, mushrooms and a special au jus in the microwave!!!! There’s an entire world of microwave cooking of which most are unaware! Microwave cooking still has that…rubbery feel….to it….there’s no way around it. If you’re in a pinch, though, there are some great recipes.

On to newer and brighter things: Hadley and I tried a new recipe this evening, Indian Spiced Beef Filets with Cucumber Raita (RI-tah). Wow. Mmm’s throughout the entire dinner. It incorporates yogurt, cucumber, mint, and jalapeños with the perfect amount of seasoning to create the Raita (which is supposed to be a popular Indian salad/condiment). The Raita is paired with seared and baked filet mignon also perfectly seasoned in Cayenne peper, ground cumin, curry powder, etc. If I could do that Italian hand kiss thing for you right now, I would. This recipe deserves the Italian-kiss-gesture-thingy. Wow-wu-we-wow. Email me for the recipe as I’d like to be conscious of Pampered Chef’s copyright.

This is my first publication. Many thanks to Dr. Steven Platek for this opportunity.

An Old Brain with New TricksSpicer, K. R., Platek, S. M.

So, we know that urinary incontinence continues to plague women, mainly larger women and those who have had hysterectomies. The reason urinary incontinence is seen in women who have had a hysterectomy is because the surgery removes a good portion of the tissue that helps to prevent incontinence. (Hint: only get a hysterectomy if you MUST!)

Women do not have a urinary sphincter to manage urination; the tissue and muscles in the abdomen act as a “flow control system” to manage urinary urges and flow.

Yoga/Pilates is a great way to increase “core” muscle and strength, especially in the upper and lower abdomen. I would argue that women who practice some form of “core” body training (i.e. Yoga, Pilates, Ballet) have a lower risk of incontinence. Similarly, I would argue that women who have had hysterectomies and/or have incontinence will most likely experience a decrease in their symptoms after a “core” body workout regimen.

I was sitting in the B building Atrium and was becoming progressively annoyed by a loud-spoken boy until I looked to see what was actually going on. A guy, about 20 years old, sat facing a beautiful girl his age, and loudly imitating Count Dracula. The girl, striking in beauty , was providing enough positive feedback to keep him going. It was obvious, however, that she was not impressed when moments later she picked up her things and moved over to another table.
This boy was engaging in a mating call. Unfortunately for him, it was unsuccessful. Although awkward and extremely embarrassing, he put in sufficient effort to grab the attention of most bystanders. He was unaware that in his attempt to grab the attention of his prospect, he succeeded in performing all of the wrong social rituals needed to attract a woman.

Over the past decade, therapists have been confronted with some major issues regarding homosexual therapy. Attempting to change a homosexual patient to a heterosexual one was considered (and still is) taboo because there was little research to support successful changes. Additionally, many homosexuals who attempted change were shown to have higher rates of depression, suicide, and genderalized anxiety disorder post-therapy.

So why would we attempt to change homosexuals if the mental health risks are so high? Often, those who request therapy and assistance with their change from homosexuality to heterosexuality do so becuase of strong religious beliefs, the desire for marriage, and social pressures.

Spitzer (2003) interviewed 200 homo-to-heterosexual participants who reported successful changes (sustained heterosexuality for more than a year) with the use of support groups, church, therapy, and prayer. However, this study was limited because (a) those who chose to participate in the study had already undergone change and (b) those who chose to change from homosexuality to heterosexuality had strong motivation (e.g. religion, desire for marriage, and social pressure).

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Julie Harren writes:

 

Genes + Brain Wiring + Prenatal Hormonal Environment = Temperament
Parents + Peers + Experiences = Environment
Temperament + Environment = Homosexual Orientation

Read more here: Homosexuality 101

…and NARTH’s (National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuals) position statement on homosexuality says:

There is no such thing as a “gay gene” and there is no evidence to support the idea that homosexuality is simply genetic. However, biological influences may indeed influence some people toward homosexuality; recent studies point to prenatal-hormonal influences, especially in men, that result in a low-masculinized brain; also, there may be genetic factors in some people — both of which would affect gender identity, and therefore sexual orientation. But none of these factors mean that homosexuality is normal and a part of human design, or that it is inevitable in such people, or that it is unchangeable.

Read more here.

My point here is that we need to begin rethinking how we perceive and treat homosexuals, as a community and as Mental Health Professionals.

More to come.

This is just a test. I really have no idea what I’m doing or how to do it but I WILL figure it out!!!

More later.

K-Rae