Therapist etc...Book Recommendation

June 21, 2002

Just wanted to add my .02. First, be glad you have the support of your

family and the means to investigate all different modalities of treatments

for yourself. As I'm sure you have figured out, finding a

doctor/therapist/whatever is incredibly difficult. It is an arduous process

finding someone that you really click with and trust. Therapy is not an

overnight process so IMHO there are much better ways you could spend the 2

months.

I applaud your determination to help yourself and exhaust all resources but

you have got to start with yourself and the way you are thinking.

Visualization is incredibly powerful and you are seeing how things work when

you use negative thoughts. Next time you have a negative thought literally

turn it into something funny in your mind. The more senses you can involve

in your visualization the more powerful it will be. I have a fascination

with birds of prey so I usually imagine a large black bird soaring in from

the distance then swooping down and taking that image away. I listen for how

the wind sounds, I imagine the moment of contact with an appropriate weight

and speed as it gets ripped from my shoulders. My worry birds smell of

cinnamon - a smell that I find comforting. Having a smell you attach to a

mood purpose is actually quite useful and you can choose anything you like.

You seem to be fairly intuitive and possess the knowledge of your body

required to play around with biofeedback. The first book I'm going to

recommend is written by Candace B. Pert, PhD - called Molecules of Emotion.

In it she explains the scientific basis for health and happiness. I found it

a quick read and not too dry. It is one of the few books I have actually

re-read from time to time - it is very interesting . It also gives an

interesting perspective on the politics of research. You'll learn why your

thoughts are literally translated into energy and chemical messengers that

spread the work all over your body. Just like you are careful with what you

eat and put on your skin, be careful with the thoughts in your head.

The second book is written by Olympic Runner Billy Mills. It is called

Wokini. It is super short and gives practical native american method

suggestions for happiness. You can't control that you think only what you

think about so you have to make a conscious choice to think positively and to

be happy.

I have seen therapists on and off for years for depression - not in the last

7 years though - so they definitely can help. One thing that frustrated me

every time though was it takes so long to get through the stuff about the

past that the pace is sometimes maddening. I don't know of anyone who has

only done 2 months of therapy though. I have also benefitted from

depression/anxiety medication though again not recently.

Use that same passion you have for fixing your skin on fixing your mood and

see what direction that takes you. In my case I think I inherited horrible

coping skills that needed some remediation and now I'm doing OK.

Many blessings to you as you tackle this next demon.

Jana

June 21, 2002