Elizabeth A. Stanley, Widen the Window: Training Your Brain and Body to Thrive During Stress and Recover from Trauma (Avery/Penguin Random House, 2019).

Most of us have been there: You are working 100-hour weeks or more in one of the agencies and or departments that work on national security, feeling depleted at best, near broken at worst. Youve deployed to war zones, seen horrors, and worked ungodly hours. Looking back, you are not sure how you survived. You have worked hard to project a demeanor of success that does not match your inner self: trails of unkept promises to friends and family, broken relationships, drug and alcohol abuse, or other hidden shames. Stress and trauma imbue our national security enterprise.

For many in our field, long work weeks, the stakes, and where we are stationed create prolonged stressors. Anne-Marie Slaughter famously wrote about the long hours at her job as director of policy planning at the State Department and the havoc this created in her personal life. A study of the National Security Agencys cyber operators found that lengthy hours and high stakes created levels of stress that often led to cognitive overload among other issues. Although the sakes of decision-making can obviously be higher in military contexts, the overarching national security culture retains a pervasive norm of stressful high stakes. Whether a decision-maker at the U.S. Agency of International Development puts money into one village or another can have life or death consequences for the individuals involved. Whether directly involved in combat or not, war zone environments create hypervigilance in individuals, so much so that the State Department created a new Center of Excellence in Foreign Affairs Resilience in October 2016 to help those with high stress levels deployed to troubled places.

Trauma happens when our survival brain feels powerless and lacks control during a stressful experience, and can triggered by different events for each individual: a horrible situation at work, a car accident, or being exposed to a combat environment. Trauma is well-documented in military personnel, including that which induces post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and even suicide. Sadly, 2018 was a record year for active duty military suicides, tied with the next highest year, 2012 (we do not yet have last years figures). What is less known is that 89 percent of U.S. adults have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lives. The percentage of men who develop PTSD is between 4 and 6 percent. For women, it is 10 to 13 percent. The rates are three times higher for men exposed to combat or women who are sexually victimized. For U.S. government civilians working in war zones, the rates of trauma and potential PTSD are higher than for the general civilian population, although solid statistics are difficult to obtain and getting these civilians help is still a struggle. A 2007 State Department report indicated that seventeen percent of foreign services officers in Iraq displayed PTSD symptoms. And the cycle of broken individuals in our field is self-perpetuating: Many foreign service officers, for instance, do not seek help, fearing for their security clearances since PTSD is seen as taboo.

This chronic stress and trauma affect not only the individuals involved, but also our institutions; and, accordingly, our ability to achieve national security objectives. According to the American Psychological Association Center for Organizational Excellence, more than one-third of U.S. employees report chronic work stress, with the American Institute of Stress estimating that stress costs U.S. employers over $300 billion per year in lost days, retention problems, reduced productivity, and so on. For a variety of reasons, but clearly including long hours, stress, and time away from family, the average political appointee lasts only about two years (although numbers are hard to come by, as no one agency has oversight responsibilities for tracking such numbers). Turnover amongst the civil service workforce is also high, with the State Department losing 9 percent of its civil service and 20 percent of its staff with five to nine years of service in just two years (2016 to 2018). The Office of the Secretary of Defense saw a 24 percent drop in staff with the same experience level during the same time period. And among those who stay in, decision-making is impaired in high stress environments, as a study on military decision making showed.

Luckily, there is a way out of this stress and trauma toxicity. It is brought to us by Elizabeth A. Stanley in a new book, Widen the Window: Training Your Brain and Body to Thrive During Stress and Recovery from Trauma. Stanley is one of us: an Army veteran and international security professor who used her own experience with stress and trauma to create a training regimen for people to re-regulate themselves even in toxic environments. I value her findings so highly that I got involved: I served on the board of a non-profit she founded to teach these techniques in high-stress settings. The books title refers to our window of tolerance to stress arousal, which is unique to each of us and adversely affected by chronic stress and trauma without enough recovery. Unfortunately, if we try to get any help for our overstressed or traumatized selves at all, we tend to focus on thinking-brain-dominant interventions like cognitive therapy or positive reframing. These top-down techniques start with our conscious thinking. But, as Stanley explains, recovery after stress and trauma are not controlled by the thinking brain, but by the survival brain, which means these common strategies are incomplete. For this reason, she argues that we need to use bottom-up strategies that include our survival brain and target the nervous system and body.

This groundbreaking book is presented in three parts. The first part explains the culture that underpins our suck it up and drive on mentality, which ultimately disconnects our thinking brain from our survival brain, nervous system, and body. Its this disconnect that perpetuates so many of our coping strategies for stress and trauma, which are ultimately ineffective. The second part presents the science behind the window: how we initially wire it, how it can be narrowed over time, and why widening the window is necessary. Part two is critical for our thinking brains to appreciate the third part of the book, which explores the training practices for widening the window itself.

Explaining the problem (part one) and the science behind her problem diagnosis and solution (part two) will resonate with national security professionals. Although making it clear that she is not a clinician or a neuroscientist, the author dives into empirical and experimental research from a variety of fields. That said, she does so using her personal stories, to include making herself physically ill and even going blind for a period of time trying to maintain high performance after many traumatic events, including a near-death experience while deployed to Bosnia, sexual assault, and being deployed to combat zones. She also tells us the stories of the men and women shes trained. By combining her deep understanding of this wide-ranging literature on stress, trauma, resilience, decision-making, and performance enhancement with many relatable anecdotes, she helps the reader stay engaged rather than overwhelmed.

Stanleys resilience training program, the subject of much of the third part of the book, is as much about optimizing performance as dealing effectively with stress and trauma. Through a variety of accessible practices, and the context to understand how and why these practices work, Stanley points the way for national security professionals to thrive as much internally as they do externally in their professional lives. As Stanley points out throughout the book, there is no quick fix to our inner war, but there is a path towards training ourselves to feel more whole and better able to make good decisions in suboptimal conditions.

The importance of working on ourselves, even in a time-compressed environment, is stressed in the books final chapter, which also lays out why senior leaders (or anyone involved in complex decision-making) need to make the time for training their mind and body. Without prioritizing self-care, a leaders decision-making ability suffers. More importantly, perhaps, when leaders become dysregulated, their stress and emotions get conveyed to everyone around them, making the entire group less effective. The cumulative effect leads to less effective decisions that undermine our national security interests.

This book should be read by all national security professionals desiring a sustainable, productive career in a high-octane environment. Indeed, Stanley has trained some of the top national security professionals using some of the same techniques laid out in this book. Rarely does a book come along that is readable, yet grounded in scientific research, that has the ability to literally change lives; not only of national security leaders, but of those for whom they make decisions. This is one such book.

Dr. Tammy S. Schultz (@TammySSchultz) is a professor of strategic studies and the director of national security at the Marine Corps War College. The views expressed are the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Defense or the Marine Corps.

Image: U.S. Marine Corps (Photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan Hageali)

Link:
Training to Thrive in a Toxic National Security Profession - War on the Rocks

Nashville is as much Music City U.S.A. as it is a literary hub that plays host to dozens of publishers, including Christian houses. Devin Maddox, v-p of publishing at B&H in Nashville, became aware of both the literary and musical forces within the city at an early agehis father first worked for Thomas Nelson before becoming an attorney on Music Row.

When I think about my hometown, Maddox says, I think about both kinds of publishing that drive our influence as a citymusic publishing and book publishing.

The thriving metropolis is not immune to national trends, however, including the loss of bookstores. Tennessee alone had nine LifeWay Christian Storesall of which closed by the end of 2019. As Christian bookstores disappear and shelf space decreases, libraries have become key places for readers to discover new books.

The Nashville Public Library system has 21 branches serving more than 1.5 million peopleand according to statistics released in 2019, there were 3.3 million library visits, 6.9 million items borrowed, and 32,000 new library cards issued in the past year. Diversity and inclusion are among a librarians top priorities when it comes to collection development, and religious books are no exception.

Creating a varied collection is the key to survival for libraries, and librarians work diligently to provide information, says Rita Shacklett, director of libraries for the Rutherford County Library System, which is located within Nashvilles metropolitan area. As a public library, we dont censor, she notes. We try to have a broad view of everything, which is so important because were serving a community that is diverse.

Librarians strive to provide not only pleasure-reading material but also textbooks, journals, historical documents, plus the Bible and the Koran.

Public libraries have a duty, literally, to offer all viewpoints, to connect to all our customers, and not just the majority, says Noel Rutherford, material services manager at the NPL. We are more educational than the public knows. You can check out anythingno one is stopping you. Its really the most democratic institution.

Nevertheless, librarians often struggle with budget cuts and understaffing, leaving little money or time to stay on top of upcoming titles and new authors. They need easy access to news about religion titles. Some of the ways librarians access this information is through reviews, galleys, or bestseller and awards lists, but preferences vary widely. Many librarians look for monthly or quarterly newsletters from publishers, while others complain about the deluge of mailings. And more and more, they rely on algorithms and other data about the most requested and most used book at each branch for stocking library shelves.

Its a mixed bag, Shacklett says. Ten years ago, [representatives from publishing houses] used to come to us and show us the newest books and whats available, but we dont have time for that anymore.

In order to gain an audience with librarians, several religion publishers use newsletters, webcasts, and galleys. Exhibiting at library conferencesPLA, ALA, and regional meetingsalso fosters a connection to the library market.

Whether our team is able to attend PLA or not, says Jenaye White, senior publicist at B&H, we work with Baker & Taylor to ensure B&H has a presence there and is doing everything we can to serve librarians in attendance.

Additionally, B&H uses NetGalley, which reaches over 18,000 librarians, as well as media outlets that circulate to librarians, such as BookPage, Christian Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.

Some of HarperCollins Christian Publishings library outreach includes e-newsletters, trade shows, social media, and distributor publications. We understand that librarians, much like all readers, are paying attention to multiple channels to find content that their constituents will enjoy, says Kathleen Dietz, manager of library sales for HCCP.

Publisher engagement with public and school libraries often takes the form of author visits as well. Meet-and-greets, readings, and other events help authors connect with library staff and library patronsincluding teachers, parents, and readers of all ages.

The face-to-face meeting offers a connection and camaraderie thats not possible with any other form of communication, says a representative from Worthy Kids, an imprint of Hachette Nashville. The time authors spend actually inside the library creates stronger relationships with our library partnerswe arent just marketing to them; we are investing the time to really get to know them and work alongside them.

Book Selection

So how do librarians actually pick which books theyre going to buy? Among other factors, content directors take special consideration of local authors, demand, quality, and a books contribution to the scope of the collection.

There is a lot of nuance, says NPLs Rutherford. I get far more requests than I can afford to say yes to. Just because [a book] is well written doesnt mean theres a demand, and it may not be the best written, but there is a large demand.

Some of the most popular religious genres for Nashville area library patrons are childrens books, fiction, and self-help, according librarians in the region.

Christian romances fly off the shelves, Rutherford notes. Self-help touches on everything, from decorating to the workplace. Ive seen a pretty successful integration of a lot of different self-help topics from a faith perspective.

Library adoption has several benefits to publishers. When patrons like what they read, they often decide to buy. And while bookstores and other retailers serve customers in order to make a sale, librarians interact strictly to serve a patrons interestsa role that provides a unique perspective.

More than most gatekeepers, libraries invest in meeting, knowing, and understanding their patrons, the Worthy Kids representative says. A librarian can take the time to understand a patrons needs and to connect them with the right books and authors. As a result of that time investment and achieved knowledge, they can offer publishers invaluable insight into our customers that is difficult to find elsewhere.

Recognizing that heightened visibility in libraries has both short- and long-term benefits to their businesses, several religion houses are prioritizing the library market today. Libraries are good partners for launching new authors, supporting the backlist for existing authors, and making new ideas available to everyone in the community, says HCCPs Dietz. With a library card, readers can access a world of knowledge, adventure, and entertainment, and we want to be a big part of that experience.

Though sometimes relationships between publishers and libraries are fraught, the partnership between religion publishers and librarians appears to be on steady ground, with room only for growth. Rutherford Countys Shacklett recommends that publishers supply fiction and nonfiction pairings, since a novel can pique the interest of a reader who then searches for factual material on the same topic. For instance, Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan, a novel about C.S. Lewis and his wife, Joy, might lead readers to another Thomas Nelson title, Surprised by Laughter: The Comic World of C.S. Lewis by Terry Lindvall. Additionally, publishers can contact the state library association and get on listserves that reach across the region. And catalogues from publishers, though fewer and further between, are still helpful as well, Shacklett says.

For her part, Rutherford of the NPL says, Were getting everything we need from publishers.

Return to the main feature.

A version of this article appeared in the 02/10/2020 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline: Landing Religion Books in Libraries

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PLA 2020: Landing Religion Books In Libraries - Publishers Weekly

It might be impossible to think that someone who has broken your heart has helped you in your journey but in their own way, theyhave.

There is a reason some of the most beautiful songs and pieces of poetry are written in times of heartbreak, and why so many people write their most inner thoughts while dealing with the loss of a relationship. Heartbreak is life altering. Breakups open your soul, split you in two, and leave you in a state of overwhelming nothingness. Voluminous vacancy. Deafening silence.

Breakups are physically and emotionally devastating because love is all-consuming. It can't not be it's love. Breakups mark the end of an era. They signify that the life you once knew is no more. And it's agonizing. When it happens, you feel like there is nothing else to live for at least, that's how I've felt when I've had my heart broken.

Heartbreak is not just a state of mind. When coping with a breakup, people may experience physical symptoms like a change in appetite, headaches, body pains, and an overall sense of unwell, Jennifer Kelman, licensed clinical social worker, told Healthline.

So how are the physical side effects of a broken heart possible? A 2011 study conducted by neuroscientist Edward Smith (and colleagues) at Columbia University explains the heartbreak phenomenon. By using fMRI scans of participants who had ended a relationship within the last six months, results demonstrated that physical pain and the end of romantic relationships are related when it comes to how the brain perceives them. When participants were shown a picture of their former partner, scans of the brain showed activity in the same area that lights up when we are in physical pain.

Knowing this, it makes perfect sense that a broken heart can put us in defense mode. The brain is, after all, telling us that the pain we feel after a breakup is not just in our heads. It is absolutely warranted, which proves the point even more that we must be gracious and patient with ourselves when trying to cope with the end of a romantic relationship.

While in the deepest and lowest points of heartbreak, I've tried to read motivational quotes and inspirational stories about "moving on after a breakup," and I haven't been able to see the silver lining not while the wound is still fresh.

In 1850, Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote, "Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." It's a popular piece of poetry for a reason, and it raises the question among the heartbroken:Is it really better to have loved and lost than to have never loved atall?

Read the rest here:
4 questions to ask yourself after a heartbreak for self-discovery - Business Insider - Business Insider

Universal Pictures

Over the course of Rene Zellweger's decades-long film career, the 50-year-old actress has been gracing screens with quirky, flawed, and eminently relatable women. Each performance is a gift. Zellweger's characters don't tend to be picture-perfect Hollywood creations. Rather, they seem like real people, caught in oftentimes extraordinary situations, and that's what makes them so memorable. Incredibly, two of Zellweger's most iconic parts, Bridget Jones of Bridget Jones's Diary and Jerry Maguire's Dorothy Boyd, almost never happened. Dorothy was supposed to go to Winona Ryder, and Bridget was supposed to go to a Britnot a woman from Katy, Texas. Co-star Hugh Grant had to defend Zellweger amid serious casting controversy: "Shes very funny, and shes been living in England a long time now, mastering the accent. Itll be a triumph. I know it will," Grant told Entertainment Weekly in 2000. Now, it's difficult to imagine anyone else being able to capture Bridget's brand of hot mess-meets-endearing, or the strength of Dorothy's emotional vulnerability. Not to mention her role in Cold Mountain, which won her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. As Zellweger is currently a frontrunner to win the Oscar for Best Actress for her work in Judy, let's take a stroll through her career highlights with this list of Rene Zellweger's best movies.

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1 Love and a .45 (1994)

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Zellweger's Texas accent is out in full force as Starlene Cheatham, a small-town criminal whose schemes with her boyfriend, the equally well-named Watty Watts (Gil Bellows), spiral out of control. Love and a .45 is a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde story, marrying illegal activity with romance.

2 Jerry Maguire (1996)

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First, show me the moneythen show me how many times you've rewatched Jerry Maguire. Today, Tom Cruise and Rene Zellweger are instantly iconic as the sleek sports agent and the single mom who becomes his sole employee (and the love of his life). To think: The parts were originally written for Tom Hanks and Winona Ryder! Zellweger's character, Dorothy Boyd, says one of the most romantic movie lines: "You had me at hello."

3 The Whole Wide World (1996)

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After watching Zellweger fall in love in Jerry Maguire, watch her fall in love again in this bewitching period piece based on a true story. Zellweger plays Novalyne Price Ellis, a schoolteacher in 1930s Texas who meets pulp fiction writer (and creator of Conan the Barbarian) Robert E. Howard (Vincent D'Onofrio) when he moves to town. Sparks fly.

4 Nurse Betty (2000)

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Betty (Rene Zellweger) is on the run from the men who killed her husband. But she's chasing her delusions all the way to California, where her favorite soap actor (Greg Kinnear) lives. Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock round out the cast of this acclaimed dark comedy. You may recall, when Zellweger won the Golden Globe for Best Actress, she was in the bathroom.

5 Me, Myself, and Irene (2000)

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It takes a strong actress to not be overshadowed by Jim Carrey's larger-than-life comedic style, but Zellweger pulls it off. Irene Waters (Zellweger) is trapped on a long road trip with Charlie Baileygates (Jim Carrey), a state trooper whose recent psychotic break led to the creation of a newand erraticpersonality.

6 Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

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Why didn't Rene Zellweger win an Academy Award for Bridget Jones's Diary? It's a question we'll be asking forever. Bridget (Zellweger) is irresistibly charming in this comedy. And she's endearing enough to think that you, too, might also find yourself caught between Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and Darcy (Colin Firth).

7 White Oleander (2002)

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Following her streak of comedies, Zellweger had a supporting role in the drama White Oleander, a movie about a troubled woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) who murders her boyfriend, leaving her daughter (Alison Lohman) adrift in the foster system. Zellweger plays one of the teenager's foster mothers.

8 Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)

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Bridget Jones strikes back in the sequel to Bridge Jones' Diary. Bridget and Darcy (Colin Firth) are happily coupled up. Now, the challenge is staying that way. Like the first movie, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason is an essential installment of the golden age of rom-coms.

9 Cold Mountain (2003)

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Jude Law and Nicole Kidman have so much chemistry in this Civil War-era epic that they could light a match. It's up to Zellweger's character, Ruby, to keep Ada Monroe (Kidman) surviving until she can reunite with Inman (Law). Ruby also provides a welcome burst of energy in the movie. She won the best support actress Oscar for her performance.

10 Down With Love (2003)

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It's the ultimate oddball literary rom-com. In 1962, Barbara Novak (Zellweger) writes an incendiary new self-help book: Down With Love, Not With Sex. Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor) is determined to prove her wrong by seducing her, and exposing the flaw in her plan.

11 Chicago (2003)

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Chicago is a movie-musical that needs no introduction. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, Chicago showcases Zellweger and Catherine Zeta Jones as locked-up women who manipulate public interest to get free.

12 Cinderella Man (2005)

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It's an underdog story for the ages. James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe) had given up his boxing career after breaking his hand. During the Great Depression, he rejoins the ring, much to his wife, Mae's (Zellweger) chagrin. Still, if he's the champion, then she's going to be his biggest champion.

13 New in Town (2009)

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Lucy Hill (Zellweger) is transferred from Miami to Minnesota in this rom-com, which manages to be warm-and-fuzzy despite the freezing cold it depicts. Hired to oversee a local manufacturing plant, she's at first turned off by the endless snow and quirky residents. Ted Mitchell (Harry Connick Jr.) is a particular source of tension. But soon, she finds things growing on her.

14 Miss Potter (2006)

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Beatrix Potter created some of the most enduring characters in children's literature: Peter Rabbit, Miss Moppet, Benjamin Bunny. Potter. This biopic tells the story of how one woman defied societal norms to write her own storiesand make her own money. Zellweger got her sixth Golden Globe nom for playing the author.

15 Judy (2019)

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After winning a Golden Globe, Critics' Choice, and BAFTA, Zellweger is practically the queen of 2020 awards season for her work in this Judy Garland biopic. Judy focuses on the last few months of Garland's troubled life.

16 What/If (2019)

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It's clear Zellweger is having fun in her role as Anne Montgomery, an extremely manipulative CEO who gets involved in a young couple's marriage by presenting them with a terrible choice. This over-the-top, highly dramatic Netflix show will have you racing to hit "next" at the end of each episode.

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The 16 Best Rene Zellweger Movies to Watch for the Ultimate Marathon - Oprah Mag

Jordan Peterson is recovering from a severe addiction to benzodiazepine tranquilizers and was recently near death in an induced coma, his daughter Mikhaila said.

He is being treated at a clinic in Russia after being repeatedly misdiagnosed at several hospitals in North America, she said.

The University of Toronto psychologist who became an intellectual hero to a global audience by aligning self-help theory with anti-progressive politics was first prescribed the medication a few years ago to treat anxiety after what Mikhaila described as an autoimmune reaction to food. His physical dependence on it became apparent to his family last April, when his wife Tammy was diagnosed with cancer.

The last year, which saw him retreat from public life after swiftly becoming one of the most famous authors in the world, has been an absolute hell, said Mikhaila, also a well known speaker on diet, who advocates eating only beef.

In November, he went to a rehabilitation centre in New York. He has previously discussed his long history of depression.

Jordan Peterson writes a column for the National Post, most recently in November.

His conditioned worsened through the winter, Mikhaila said. He was driven to thoughts of suicide by a movement disorder called akathisia, a well known side effect of various drugs for mental illnesses. It is a sense of restlessness and an inability to sit still.

It became apparent that he was experiencing a paradoxical reaction to the medication, meaning the benzos did the opposite of what theyre supposed to do. These reactions are rare but are not unheard of, Mikhaila said in the script for a video shared with the National Post.

She said the family sought alternative treatment in Russia because they found North American hospitals had misdiagnosed him, and were prescribing more medications to cover the response he was experiencing from the benzodiazepines, Mikhaila said. He nearly died several times.

She and her husband took him to Moscow last month, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and put into an induced coma for eight days. She said his withdrawal was horrific, worse than anything she had ever heard about. She said Russian doctors are not influenced by pharmaceutical companies to treat the side-effects of one drug with more drugs, and that they have the guts to medically detox someone from benzodiazepines.

Jordan Peterson has only just come out of an intensive care unit, Mikhaila said. He has neurological damage, and a long way to go to full recovery. He is taking anti-seizure medication and cannot type or walk unaided, but is on the mend and his sense of humour has returned.

Hes smiling again for the first time in months, she said.

See the original post here:
Jordan Peterson's year of 'absolute hell': Professor forced to retreat from public life because of addiction - National Post

I sit down with Michele Sanger, owner of Living Earth Herbs, as we sip cups of perfectly-steeped Cinnamon Rooibos Chai. The conversation and the warming spices of the tea make me forget the cold winds and rains just outside the door. Taking a tea break can be an intentional way of integrating self-care and nourishment into your day, especially during the winter season.

Living Earth Herbs crafts teas for both health and pleasure. We focus on medicinal formulations, Sanger tells me, which is something unique to our shop.

These medicinal benefits range from improved digestion, a stronger immune system, relaxation, and stress relief. She recommends a variety of herbs that offer support during the winter, including echinacea, elderberry, cinnamon, ginger, and eleuthero.

Eleuthero, also known as Siberian ginseng, is an adaptogenic herb (an herb that helps support the bodys response to stress) that strengthens ones resistance to disease. Another adaptogen is tulsi, or holy basil. Tulsi tastes good and is well tolerated by people young and old, Sanger says. Tulsi is a single herb that Ill recommend to people who want to boost the immune system of their whole household; kids like it, too!

Sanger also makes custom tea blends for people who just walk in off the street and want help with a particular ailment. Often we have just the thing, she says. We have a Lung Tone tea thats really popular, an Ease the Blues tea, and a Dreamweaver tea, but well often change a blend up for an individual.

Sanger draws on her lifetimes worth of herbal knowledge to prepare local and wild-crafted tea blends that infuse dreary days with moments of connection, calm, and self-reflection. Sometimes people will feel an internal draw or craving to drink a certain tea, she says. People could crave a minty tea if their digestion is off, or a spicy tea if they want to warm up. Theres often an internal knowing.

That internal knowing brought me to the perfect brew for an afternoon in mid-January: warm, slightly spicy, and earthy. Each sip embodied Sangers philosophy: Every time we make a cup of tea, its an opportunity to build our health and still have something thats tasty at the same time.

11th Hour Tea and Coffee Bar is owned and operated by Bridget Gallagher. Every time her team lovingly prepares a cup of tea, the sipper reaps the benefits of the herbs that are infused in the variety of tea lattes, tea, elixirs, and superfood lattes (as well as all espresso drinks) that the bar serves. Merrideth McDowell, 11th Hours social media manager, says that teas like chamomile can help limit anxiety and depression. Teas like matcha offer a high amount of nutrients and antioxidants because its the whole plant rather than just loose leaf tea.

The practice of simply drinking tea can be a balm for an especially gray day. McDowell describes tea as a traditional process that can involve meditation, mindfulness, and practice, which a handful of our customers come to experience in our space.

11th Hour serves more than 40 different teas, including black, green, white, herbal, rooibos, puerh, and more. They blend their own teas as well, and are known for their Immune Cacao concoction (currently in Merrideths cup), which features raw cacao, reishi, chaga, and lions mane mushrooms, coconut milk powder, vanilla bean, and pink Himalayan sea salt. Its a grounding drink that supports immune health and is a delicious way to incorporate adaptogens into ones diet.

On any given morning at 11th Hour, even when the rain is pouring down and the clouds havent parted within recent memory, people cup their hands around steaming mugs of delicious elixirs and share laughter, conversation, and the uplifting power of teas like Mystic Mint, which contains tulsi, or Evening in Missoula, which conjures Big Sky Country with a blend of rosehips, wintergreen, lavender, and more.

Tea is so much more than a drink. Its a ritual, a means of connection with self and others, and a chance to understand more about what our bodies need and enjoy. As the quieter days of winter invite into a place of more internal awareness, it can be a natural time to develop your own tea routine. Whether its at Living Earth Herbs, 11th Hour Tea and Coffee Bar, or the comfort of your own homeget to steeping!

See the article here:
Infusions of Self-Care: The Best Tea in Bellingham - whatcomtalk.com

Submitted Photo Basics of Oil Painting is one of the most popular courses offered by the Silver Creek Central School Districts Community Education program. Chalk Couture is a new creative class open to the public, and it kicks off Feb. 25.

SILVER CREEK The Community Education division of Silver Creek Central School District is offering a variety of music, arts and personal growth/self-care courses to the public for spring/winter 2020 and registration is underway. All classes take place on the SCCS campus at 1 Dickinson Street.

Rubber Stamp Card Making: Rubber stamping will be used to make handcrafted greeting cards with instructor Jody Enser. You will make two each of five different cards and each class will be different. Class meets in the high school in Room 154 on Tuesdays on Feb. 4, March 3, April 7, May 5, and June 2 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Fee for the five separate classes is $25 plus a $5 supply fee to be paid to the instructor during class time.

Writing Clearly: Inspiration, passion, an important message, and the simple transmission of facts. These are some of the reasons we write. Instructor Cathy Kaicher will help you convey your ideas and information so that the reader gets it the way you intend. We will talk about direct phrasing, unambiguous sentence structure, active voice and more. If participants wish, we can use your real-life experiences to help determine what we cover in class, which meets at the high school in Room 212 on Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. starting Feb. 6 and ending March 5. No class Feb. 20. Fee for the four classes is $20.

Basics of Oil Painting: Explore your inner creativity while learning the basics of this self-expressive craft with instructor Barney Kuzara Jr., a professional artist who strives to give individual instruction to each student and is very talented in his craft. Supply list will be discussed at the first class. Maximum enrollment 20; you must call to register. Class meets at the high school in Room 149 on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. starting Feb. 25 and ending April 21. Fee for the eight classes is $40 plus supplies.

Empowered Women/Self-care Part 1: This five-week class with instructor Betty Bates will enlighten women on becoming stronger and more confident in controlling ones life. Each week will focus on a different theme: Health, gratitude, proficiency, laughter, and joy boomerangs. Class will be held in the high school library on Mondays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. starting March 2 and ending March 30. Fee for the five classes is $25.

Chalk Couture/Chalk Full of Fun: Learn a new hobby chalking with silkscreen transfers that is taking the nation by storm. Join instructor Dawn Gard, independent designer, for a make-and-take project and materials you can customize over and over again. Chalk Couture is revolutionizing DIY and home dcor with Chalkology paste, chalk transfers, Couture Ink and boards. During each class youll complete a project to take home, along with a new two-sided board, reusable silkscreen transfer, squeegee, and three paste packets. Class meets in the high school in Room 145 on Tuesdays on Feb. 25, March 31, April 28, May 26 from 3:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. The fee for the four separate classes is $50. Check out Dawns demonstration videos at http://www.facebook.com/ChalkinwithDawn.

Voices with Glory: Do you wish to sing with happiness and beauty? Do you wish to make harmony with your friends and family? Are you a secret shower singer? Instructor Sondra Holland, a New York state-certified vocal teacher, wishes to help develop your unique voice. Lets sing the good oldies, songs of peace, love and fun. Enjoy making music together in elementary school Room 415 on Mondays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. starting March 30 and ending May 11. Fee for the six classes is $30.

Yoga meets the Arts: Learn how meditation helps you tap into your creativity. In the Orient, artists before they conceptualize their visions perform gentle yoga and meditation. Instructor Sondra Holland learned this art technique when she was a student of TANKA, or Tibetan, artistic ways. She would enjoy very much sharing this lovely expression with future artists in Silver Creek and the surrounding area in elementary school Room 415 on Mondays from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. starting March 30 and ending May 11. Fee for the six classes is $30.

How to register

Visit http://www.silvercreekschools.org to download and print a form or call (716) 951-8111 and leave a message with your name, number and the name of your course. Send in your money promptly with a registration form and the fee. Checks or money orders can be made out to Silver Creek CS Community Ed. Those 65 and older are eligible for a 15% discount.

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Learning about I-Phones: Feb. 10, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Features of Android Phones : Feb. 12 , 12:30 to 1:30 ...

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Arts and self-care classes coming up in Silver Creek | News, Sports, Jobs - Evening Observer

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, between 29 and 40 percent of Americans report being extremely stressed at work. Its important to find healthy stress-management techniques that promote self-care in the workplace.

The most common sources of stress include physical discomfort, interpersonal conflict, multitasking and disorganization. Below are some strategies to reduce the negative effects of these stressors and make the workday more pleasant.

Start the day off right mornings set the tone for the day. Be mindful of how you spend your time before you get to the office. Glance at your calendar, eat a nutritious breakfast, practice positive self-talk, and roll with the punches that others might throw at you. Allowing each day to be a clean slate instead of carrying negative emotions into the day will go a long way in being proactive rather than reactive at work.

Organize your environment. Can you see your desktop? Is your work truck full of trash? Are you noticing a strange, stale odor? If so, its time to spruce up. Taking a few minutes each morning to tidy your space reduces distractions and allows your work to flow more smoothly.

Be comfortable. Think about your working environment. Do you sit in the same chair all day every day? Would investing in a lumbar support pillow help you? If youre on your feet all day, do you make time to take breaks and sit down? What is the level of noise in your workspace? Can you play light music in the background or use a white noise machine to tune out a loud office? Consider your comfort and take small steps to honor what makes you feel good in your space.

Honor your lunch break. Too many of us bring our lunch to our desks or skip lunch entirely. Its important to take the breaks that you have. For many, the lunch break is the only option that allows some amount of movement. Make it a goal to take a walk each day and think about things that are not related to work. Alternatively, if your job requires you to be on your feet all day, turn lunch into a restful time by bringing a book, journaling your thoughts, or calling a friend or loved one.

Listen to music on your way home. Listening to music is a great way to let go of the days stressors. Its important to leave work at work and give yourself time to be with your own thoughts. Listening to music can help jolt you into your "you space" and prepare you to engage with the world outside of work.

Leave work at work. This is difficult, especially with end-of-the-month or end-of-the-year requirements. Many people today work from home at least one day a week, and work-life balance can become unclear. Your family and even pets want your time and attention, and that pesky report is calling you as well. Dedicate a place where you can work and avoid distractions. Set goals or time frames for when you will work and when you will be with your family.

Years from now, when you look back at what you missed in life because of work requirements you will ask yourself if working instead of being with those you love was worth it. Missing your childs school play or soccer game, going to a social event with your spouse. Was it worth it? There are times when work will come first, but as a rule time missed cannot be replaced. Learn to take care of yourself because if you dont, no one else will.

Jan Makela is a certified mentor with Score Central Maryland. He is a business coach and trainer. He is a recipient of the Quilly Award Academy of Best Selling Authors and Speakers for the Amazon best-selling book "Cracking the Code to Success." He can be reached at jlmakela@gmail.com, strengthbasedleadership.net, LinkedIn: @jlmakela or Twitter: @JLMakela.

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SCORE Topics: Taking care of yourself in the workplace - Frederick News Post

Self-care was very appealing for women who were overwhelmed...women who were burning out. Which is basically most women. Photograph: Alex Tihonov/PR

Any chance that my hope the odious phrase self-care would be expelled from popular use this new decade disappeared when I saw the cover of this months Cosmopolitan (UK) magazine.

The cover star is Lena Dunham and the strapline is on sex, love and self-care. That she is talking about self-care in terms of a health problem (endometriosis) that took 13 years before it was diagnosed and left her serious health problems, a series of operations, and feeling chronically run down and low on energy is a signal that self-care is currently a better option than the care that society currently gives us.

But shouldnt we be asking for more? Shouldnt we be moving from the concept of self-care to a broader, more inclusive notion of collective care?

That was, and remains, my hope for this decade.

If a phrase summed up the complicated flawed zeitgeist of the 2010s it was self-care.

The concept that originated in black activist circles in the 1980s, was later put through the grinder of late-stage capitalism and appropriated by white, corporate feminism and the industrial wellness complex.

It was first used in 1988 by black lesbian feminist Audre Lorde, while fighting against cancer and the political status quo. She wrote caring for myself is not an act of self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.

But according to the New Yorker, this thought has led to the popular idea of self-care, in which there is moral and political utility in relaxing with your sheet mask.

Want a last minute holiday to Bali? Self-care. Need to hang out at home and watch Goop Lab, while wearing a botanical sheet mask? Self-care. Dont want to respond to a friends text message asking for help? Self-care.

Despite its co-opting by the market, there is a reason why the phrase self-care took off so totally in the last decade. In the #MeToo era, a whole range of ills women had put up with in a patriarchal society were re-examined.

Self-care was very appealing for women who were overwhelmed, women who were sick, women who were crushed under the weight of the emotional and physical labour of running a household and working and maintaining a family and friendship, women who were burning out. Which is basically most women.

In a world where so much is out of our control from political events to climate catastrophe what can we control? We can control the products we put on our skin and enrolling in a barre class and the food we put in our bodies.

As a result, self-care used as both an incantation and a declaration of rights, was a reclamation of sorts mostly over womens time, emotional capacity and agency. The term became elastic enough to cover the woman who was recovering from breast cancer and needed rest, to the day spa that was promoting a special on avocado body scrub.

Yet the problematic nature of the term is rooted in its very linguistic structure: self.

While looking after yourself is great, self-care is still an idea rooted in a neoliberal tradition of looking out for ourselves, rather than seeing ourselves, our health and our fates as inextricably linked to our fellow human beings.

Wouldnt it be great if this decade we took the self out of self-care and strived instead for communal care?

Self-care is saying I need to look after me, while collective self-care is saying we need to look after each other (in the words of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius: What is not good for the swarm is not good for the bee.)

Collective care exists outside the market and cant be captured by capitalism, turned into a product that we buy back and, by definition of its price, excludes many from participating in it.

The fact that its collective, means its for everyone.

Communal care can include things like being a better neighbour, making yourself available for people who may need support, communities supporting each other emotionally and practically during crises such as the bushfires, to larger, more macro reforms and structural changes in society, such as advocating for universal health care, the introduction of a four-day working week, more affordable and available childcare and a rise in Newstart.

Unless our care moves from the self to the collective (or ideally both the self and the collective) as a society, we will continue to be unwell.

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We need to move on from self-care to something that cannot be captured by capitalism - The Guardian

Medloop, which allows patients to manage healthcare needs and providers, has secured 6 million from Kamet Ventures and AXA.

The cash will be used to enhance its product offering and continue expansion across Germany and the U.K. Medloop is also developing an evidence-based medical rule engine embedded on the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) of patients.

Medloop offers patients what it calls intuitive self-service features in an app that enables them to navigate their own healthcare, including online appointment bookings, electronic medical results and prescription refills, as well as chatting in-app with healthcare providers.

Founded in 2018 by Berlin-based entrepreneur Shishir Singhee, some medical practices in Germany use the Medloop doctor system to run their entire practice, using it to give an overview of their patient population.

Singhee, said: Healthcare today has become increasingly impersonalized as ever-growing patient registers have made it challenging for doctors to treat patients in a bespoke way. Medloop strives to bridge this critical gap, by employing technology to empower patients and help doctors deliver proactive and holistic care.

Stephane Guinet, CEO of Kamet Ventures, said: It is no secret how overstretched doctors are in terms of the time and care they can offer each patient. Medloops offering is a novel solution to this challenge and we are very excited to be part of Medloops growth story given how critical its offering is to the U.K. market and beyond.

Medloop achieved compatibility with EMIS last summer, enabling its entry into the U.K. market.

In Germany, its main competitors are the incumbents that were built in the early 1990s, such as Medatix and Medistar. In the U.K. it is up against patient management tools such as QMasters.

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Medloop secures 6M from Kamet Ventures and AXA for self-service patient app - TechCrunch