We continue talking with Dr. Eric Chamberlin about Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback and it’s usefullness in psychotherapy. What have you noticed from working with your patients? 

A suburban mom comes in distraught after not sleeping the night before.  Very anxious, she has been ruminating unproductively about not being able to get her boys to camp this summer for trivial reasons.  The therapist’s attempts to encourage her to think about the situation differently are no match for her urgency and desperation.

She begins HRV to try to get her into a more balanced state where she can process more effectively.  After 12 minutes she states “I feel better…they can go next year…it’s no big deal right?”  With her balance and problem solving capacity restored, the solution was spontaneous and straightforward.

What followed was an emotional and very productive discussion about opportunities she had missed as a child because of her family’s dysfunction.  She realized that the feeling of desperation was from her experience, and didn’t apply to her children who were very well cared for. 

Have studies been done that support your observations?

Its an exciting time to be involved with HRV because it is in a “Translational Phase” meaning the basic neurophysiology has been well established and that knowledge is now being translated into clinical use.

Recent studies by Reiner at NYU, Karavidas and Lehrer at Robert Wood Johnson, and Zucker demonstrate the efficacy of HRV in clinical anxiety, depression, and PTSD respectively. A PhD Dissertation by Chaudri pending publication shows the efficacy of HRV combined with Psychotherapy in depressed patients with coronary artery disease. Specifically this study documented gains in focus, awareness, and emotional regulation.

 What does the biofeedback technology offer that stress reduction methods such as breathing techniques, guided visualization, and meditation don’t?

HRV allows an individual to stimulate the cardiovascular system at its resonant frequency for a sustained period of time. Deep breathing, visualization, and meditation are all useful complimentary clinical tools, however they lack this critical property. Stimulation at the resonant frequency strengthens the baro-reflex, resulting in enhanced physical and psychological resilience by influencing heart rate, blood pressure, vascular resistance, pain threshold, central nervous system processing, mood, and attention.  Analogous to physical conditioning, the baro-reflex can be thought of as the “muscle” of core Mind-Body strength.

We are very interested in creating a trauma program that makes use of these techniques as well as other emerging technologies. In many cases, trauma patients struggle with substance abuse and addiction and comprehensive treatment for this would need to be available. After trying various techniques myself,  I am teaching some of my addiction patients Dr. John M. Kennedy’s B.R.E.A.T.H.E. technique which, though designed for heart-related stress, has a palpable and relaxing mind-body effect.

Have you done any specific work with HRV biofeedback and psychotherapy for addiction/addiction treatment?

Trauma and addiction are ubiquitous in clinical practice.  With trauma comes difficulty in modulating arousal effectively, and people frequently resort to substance use to obtain relief. I have found HRV to be a very helpful tool for developing the capacity for self-regulation in clients who are seriously compromised.

Where is HRV biofeedback available?

The HRV devices currently available on the consumer level are the emWave “Desktop” (PC/Mac), emWave PSR (Handheld) and StressEraser (Handheld). This can be purchased from the manufactures directly, or authorized resellers.

An independent review of the StressEraser vs. emWave(s) is available at www.MindBodyTechnology.com.

Thank you for your time, Dr. Chamberlin. We look forward to learning more about HRV Biofeedback.

Eric Chamberlin, MD of Chamberlin Applied Neuroscientist is currently authoring a book about his work with clients employing an unusual tapestry of clinical tools.  Inspired by changes catalyzed by Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback, it describes the power of self-transformation that comes with balancing the nervous system at a deep level.  He has served on the faculty of Harvard and Dartmouth Medical Schools, lectures on Mind-Body Medicine, and has a full-time clinical practice in Glastonbury, CT.

Welcome, Dr. Chamberlin. Can you tell us about the genesis of your work with Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback and psychotherapy?

I really enjoy seeing people get better, and am always looking for tools that will increase efficiency and enhance outcome.  In 2006, HRV Biofeedback devices became available on the consumer level. Having practiced Mind-Body Medicine since the early 90’s, I was intrigued by the possibility of individuals being able to fine-tune their nervous systems at a very deep level.  When the so-called “Autonomic Nervous System” was discovered it was erroneously believed to be out of the realm of voluntary control.

HRV represents an exciting leap forward by helping people learn to balance the two branches of the ANS—the Sympathetic “Fight or Flight” and Parasympathetic “Rest and Digest” systems.  And with balance of the ANS comes greater balance in life.

Psychotherapy can be extremely powerful, however the progress is often uneven.  A common factor is clients not being in the “right mood” or “frame of mind” to be able to engage and benefit from treatment.  For example, a person may be so anxious and preoccupied that she can’t focus effectively.  Or, in talking about emotionally charged issues she may become overwhelmed, frozen and shut down. My hope was that by using HRV to balance the nervous system that it would be possible “to keep the train on the tracks,” moving toward resolution of the problems that brought them to treatment.  It works.

Meditative techniques, breath-work and medication can all be used to address this, however, there are drawbacks/limitations to each of those methods. HRV Biofeedback doesn’t appear to have the same kinds of limitations. Can you describe the HRV technology and how you employ it?

HRV devices all work by measuring the pulse from a fingertip or earlobe. The heart rate is calculated and the data undergoes processing which is used to provide visual and auditory feedback. The client uses breathing (to control her heart rhythm), and then uses the feedback to enter a balanced state.

Clients use HRV before sessions; in the waiting room, car, etc., to balance and optimize readiness to engage in the challenging work to follow. If needed, clients will use HRV for 5 to 10 minutes to “get back on track” during a session.  (It’s disturbing to realize how much time was wasted in the past when clients “derailed,” and the rest of the session was spent just trying to get them back on track.)

In the hours and days after a session, clients use HRV to help “digest” the experience and make change.  It is a very effective “force multiplier.”

Thanks, Dr. Chamberlin. We are looking to hearing more about HRV Biofeedback in Part Two.

Eric Chamberlin, MD is currently authoring a book about his work with clients employing an unusual tapestry of clinical tools.  Inspired by changes catalyzed by Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback, it describes the power of self-transformation that comes with balancing the nervous system at a deep level.  He has served on the faculty of Harvard and Dartmouth Medical Schools, lectures on Mind-Body Medicine, and has a full-time clinical practice in Glastonbury, CT. His website is Chamberlin Applied Neuroscience.

Welcome, Julie. We think most Americans are familiar only with a stereotype of Mormons and Mormonism. It’s possible that many of us are rather limited only because we don’t know any Mormons.  We may be slightly familiar with figures like the Osmonds and Mitt Romney on the one hand and sensational reports of some extremists, on the other.

We’re the first to say our own view may be somewhat limited due to lack of exposure and we don’t want to fall guilty of stereotyping, so can you reflect a bit on Mormon culture in general?  

Unfortunately, much of the media coverage on “Mormon” extremists, like Warren Jeffs for example, aren’t actually even Mormon and in no way represent Mormon culture or lifestyle.

Most practicing Mormon’s are fiercely dedicated to taking care of their families. They also generously donate time and resources, are conscientious community members, and genuinely trying to make the world better.

What does being a Mormon bring to your practice as a psychotherapist?

Being Mormon helps me to understand how a client’s spiritual beliefs and their emotional health are intertwined. I understand the importance for many clients of going to a therapist who will respect their religious beliefs and practices and not undermine them during the psychotherapeutic process.

Because of my spiritual beliefs I have a frame around the therapeutic relationship that allows me to view every person I work with as a valuable child of God, and as my spiritual brother or sister. It adds to the sacredness of the therapeutic relationship and the honor of helping my clients to navigate the deepest parts of their soul.

Where did you study? Were there any conflicts between your curriculum and your religion?

I received my MSW at the University of Utah. Yes, there were definitely things that were taught that I personally didn’t agree with. It was ironic that in my program the values of tolerance and acceptance of all faiths, cultures, and lifestyles were professed and yet there was some bashing of the religious majority. I found that odd.

Actually, we have heard instances of intolerance. And, we’re sorry to say, have even heard, from students, about the “bashing” you mention. Apparently this does occur in some academic programs, which when you think about it is rather shocking. In our opinion, an absolute prerequisite of being in the field is having a healthy respect for people’s sincere spiritual and religious beliefs.

I have and continue to work successfully with clients of all backgrounds and lifestyles. While I have strong religious convictions for my own life I don’t have an agenda for my clients in terms religious or spiritual participation.  Client’s self-determination is of utmost value to me and I meet each client where they are in their life.

Does talk about God tend to be frequent when you work with religious patients?

God is frequently a topic with religious clients, but only to the extent that God impacts their life, their emotional state, and their relationships.

Clients who have unresolved issue with authority figures, particularly with father figures, tend to transfer those issues onto their relationship with deity. If their father was critical and aloof they may experience God in a similar way. One of the most healing parts of therapy is when clients begin to experience God as a separate being from their flawed father figures which opens up new possibilities for spiritual connections.

That is a very valuable insight and one which we strongly agree with. Do you consider prayer an appropriate topic to explore or participate in during therapy sessions? Why or why not?

Prayer is an appropriate topic to discuss in therapy sessions if it part of a client’s practice and belief system. Often, religious clients who’ve previously connected to God through prayer stop praying as they work through shame, guilt, or worthlessness. I have suggested to religious clients that they challenge their feelings of worthlessness by continuing to talk to God even though they believe God doesn’t wants to hear from them.

I have participated in prayer during a therapy session once in 18 years of practice, at a client’s request.

Thank you sharing your insights about your faith and therapy, Julie. You really gave us food for thought. To see more entries in the God in Therapy series, click here!

Julie de Azevedo Hanks, LCSW, BCD is a psychotherapist specializing in women’s mental health, couples counseling, and is the owner and Clinical Director of Wasatch Family Therapy, LLC in Salt Lake City, UT. Utahns also know Julie as a favorite media contributor on NBC affiliate KSL TV’s morning show Studio 5, a relationship columnist for Wasatch Woman Magazine, and a former host of KJZZ TV’s Home Team. In addition to her therapy practice, Julie is an award-winning inspirational singer/songwriter recording recorded hundreds of songs and represent her process of integrating her faith into life’s challenges. Most notably, Gladys Knight recorded Julie’s song “Mercy’s Arms” on her Grammy nominated CD Many Different Roads. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Welcome back, Karol. In your opinion, what is therapy able to offer patients who believe they are truly powerless to overcome the effects of living in what seems to be an increasingly polarized country? How do you suggest they cope with their fears about the negative political and economic situation?

Therapy provides the space for patients to slow down and gain perspective.  When patients feel powerless, it is often because their fear (valid or irrational), has them stuck in particular mindset or emotional state.  They see the worst and imagine the worst.  They lose sight of their own innate abilities to take charge of the areas of their life that they truly can control. 

No matter what type the therapy is, it is my belief that a therapist provides mirroring, support, reality checking, and the place to “think and feel out loud”.  I have found that helping patients complete the “incomplete picture”, meaning where they get stuck and what keeps them from moving forward, gets them back in charge.  Completing the incomplete picture has them really imagine and talk through their worst-case scenario fears, which moves it from the unknown to the known.  Usually they come to the realization that they are much more resilient than they ever imagined.

We are in the middle of a series of posts on God in Therapy with an emphasis on Western (rather than Eastern) spirituality and so we can’t resist asking the following: How do you and your patients work together to make sense of these issues? Do you or your patients ever discuss Judeo-Christian prayer, God or religion as part of the response?

I do have patients who use prayer and talk about their relationship with God as a way to handle anxiety and depression.  They attend church and talk to God as a way to find answers.  Sometimes they question their faith and relationship God when things are emotionally rough.  I have found that when they allow themselves to “feel their feelings” they are able to hear God’s voice and support more clearly.   They find great comfort in reclaiming their connection with God once more.  

We haven’t done a survey, but it seems that we have been hearing more about big-picture issues such related to the meaning of life and God and religion far more than even a few years ago.

Karol, please tell us about your new book. I think many of our readers will be interested to hear how you came to write it.

 My new book, Worried Sick: Break Free From Chronic Worry to Achieve Mental & Physical Health (Berkley, 2010), was the result of seeing how worry and anxiety was increasing in my practice.  In addition, I had my own significant worry to deal with due to the deteriorating health of my mother. 

With a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, my bright, articulate mother began to decline in what seemed to be a short period of time.  I had to use every tool I had ever used as a therapist to keep myself stable while I cared for her.  This made me contemplate what I had used in my practice to help my patients combat and manage their worries.  I found it interesting that writing my book would be parallel to the journey I was having with my mom. 

As a therapist who really believes in the importance of the body-mind connection, I know that addressing how worry effects us on the physical, psychological and behavioral level is a key to making changes.  I wanted to offer the techniques that I had seen reduce worry and anxiety with my patients.

Using a body, mind, spirit approach was important because in my experience they are related.  When the body is relaxed, the mind is affected and when the mind is clear, we are open to the possibilities of life, which helps our spirit.  In turn, having a spiritual life helps us feel better in our mental outlook and that in turn helps us feel less physically tense.  Everything is interrelated.  I wanted to have readers remember that when they got worried all they had to focus on what the three C’s.  Calmness, Clarity and Community.  

Calmness-Using techniques that help release physical and mental tension.

Clarity-Utilizing the logic of the mind to address irrational fears.

Community-Tapping into the people and recourses that offer ongoing support when you are worried and anxious. 

These three Cs are quite important, Karol. Upon reflection it seems that everybody finds one of these comes more naturally to them than the others but all of them must be explored and cultivated. In big cities such as NY, the third one, Community, is often a real challenge for people.

The purpose of my book was to not condemn worry because it will always be part of our lives.   Rather my goal was to offer guidance and solutions so that readers can get unstuck, find support and keep going when worrisome situations enter their lives.   

 Thank you.

About Karol Ward Karol Ward, L.C.S.W. is a licensed psychotherapist, nationally recognized speaker and the author of Worried Sick (Berkley, 2010) and Find Your Inner Voice (Career Press, 2009).  Karol combines her training as a psychotherapist with her passion for communication and has appeared as a psychological media expert on CNN, NBC, ABC, and in magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Experience Life, Black Enterprise, Readers Digest , Idea Fitness Journal and The New York Daily News.  She has also been featured on MSNBC.com, Sheknows.com, DivineCaroline.com and the Examiner.com as well as numerous radio shows.  The core of her work is the importance of the body.

Karol Ward. LCSW

Some people appear to be experiencing what can only be described as an epidemic of hopelessness in the past several months. On an anecdotal level, only, this general hopelessness seems to be manifesting in some individuals as increased anxiety and to a certain extent, depression. Rather than sharing just our own views on what appears to be a growing phenomenon Therapy Soup is speaking about the situation with Karol Ward, L.C.S.W., author of the new book, Worried Sick: Break Free From Chronic Worry to Achieve Mental & Physical Health (Berkley, 2010).

Welcome to Therapy Soup, Karol. Have you experienced any changes in the number of people contacting you regarding depression or anxiety?  

Yes, I have definitely experienced an increase in the number of people contacting me for therapy.  In general, I would say there was a 30 percent increase.

This started around the time the worsening economy began to have a real impact in people’s lives.  I practice in New York City and I think there were many people who were caught off guard when they were laid off by their companies. 

I also had an increase in my couples therapy work as the impact of the economy started to affect how couples were relating to each other.  The roles in their relationship that had been so firmly in place were now shaken up.  The couples had to adjust to new ways of coexisting together.  Sometimes on half of the couple was depressed over a job loss while the other had to find an inner strength to keep the finances going. 

Have you had any patients who have openly disclosed that they believe their depression or anxiety to be at least partially related to or compounded by world events? What world events?

Yes, there has been a correlation between, “situational anxiety and depression” from outside events. This type of mood disorder is prompted by external events that then affect the mood and perception of the patients I am working with. 

Initially it was the economy, with those patients who have also struggled with money issues being triggered even more so.   Then there were people who had been let go and found that they were struggling to look for and find work. 

There was also another group who felt anxiety because they had kept their jobs and felt upset that their colleagues had lost their positions.  This particular group had an underlying anxiety because “they could be next”.  They often feel powerless and pressured to work harder because times are tough.  Sometimes that is the message in the work place and sometimes it is an internal self-created pressure.

That is an excellent point—but having an employer who is compassionate and supportive can be a big help in helping people cope with this anxiety. Also, having an employer who openly discusses the situation with employees also helps them feel less powerless. But, I am sorry to say, I have heard instances of employers taking full advantage of the situation and actually using it to “control” their employees by creating an atmosphere of fear.  

There are, of course, other issues that seem to be affecting people’s anxiety levels and one that I hear about frequently is the tragic oil spill and the fact that it appears to still be gushing with no end in sight. Have any of your patients spoken of the oil spill and how it has affected them personally?

There is now upset occurring with some patients now about the current oil spill and interestingly it is more about the animals being affected.  The patients I see relate to the vulnerability of the birds, mammals and fish that they perceive are innocent victims.  Feelings of depression have come up around this particular issue.  These patients connect this back to their own issues around be powerless or victimized.  No one has expressed a direct connection with the oil spill such as living in that particular area but feel a general hopeless about the state of the environment.

I think what’s uncomfortable for lots of us is that there doesn’t seem to be a future point where we can look forward and say: Okay, by such and such a date, this will all be cleaned up. Also, though the oil spill is devastating and it is important for people to be aware and share the tragedies that other Americans are going through, the constant media images and stories might not be healthy focus for some people.  

Thanks, Karol. We’ll continue next time with a discussion on how you believe therapy can help, as well as learn some more about your book! 

About Karol Ward

Karol Ward, L.C.S.W. is a licensed psychotherapist, nationally recognized speaker and the author of Worried Sick (Berkley, 2010) and Find Your Inner Voice (Career Press, 2009).  Karol combines her training as a psychotherapist with her passion for communication and has appeared as a psychological media expert on CNN, NBC, ABC, and in magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Experience Life, Black Enterprise, Readers Digest , Idea Fitness Journal and The New York Daily News.  She has also been featured on MSNBC.com, Sheknows.com, DivineCaroline.com and the Examiner.com as well as numerous radio shows.  The core of her work is the importance of the body-mind connection.

(Read the original interview here, at Therapy Soup at PsychCentral.com)

How we handle stress is due in large part to how healthy our sense of self is.  We contend that a healthy life requires the belief that life has meaning. Therapy can help uncover this meaning by allowing you to explore and discuss this in a safe environment.

Therapy means managing symptoms, finding root causes and/or addressing behavioral issues, developing insights into oneself and one’s life, and so on, but if someone truly believes life has no inherent meaning, that nothing matters, therapy will have failed. Without finding meaning in life it is difficult (though perhaps not impossible–the research simply has been done) to develop some of the key indicators of a healthy sense of self.

Someone with a healthy sense of self exhibits:

1. A balanced blend of humility and confidence
2. Respect for others as well as  self-respect
3. Awareness of one’s own strengths—and acknowledgment of one’s weaknesses
4. Resolve to accept what can’t be changed—with ourselves, others, and the world— as well as a dedication to improving oneself.

This is a tall order and no one is perfect. But it is essential that we all try to work on this balance if we are to have healthy relationships and a sense of meaning in our lives—two key factors in helping us cope with inevitable stress.

This is summed up nicely in our tradition. A wise teacher (Rabbi Bunim of Peshischa; 1765-1827) said everyone should have two pockets, each one containing a slip of paper. On the first slip should be written, “I am but dust and ashes”, and on the other, “The world was created for me.”

One of the failures of Western culture, especially some aspects of American culture, is that it encourages the belief in “the world was created for me” without also encouraging the belief that we aren’t immortal or perfect (that is, without belief in the corresponding, “I am but dust and ashes” concept).

There are a few weaknesses of the extreme adherence to what can be called the “self-esteem movement”. For example, success (of various kinds), is worshipped and failure is almost always re-labeled “success.” Also,  one is taught to love and rely on self above all others—“trust your gut instincts”, “follow your heart,” “honor your feelings,” and so on.

But what if your instincts are simply inaccurate or off-base? What if your heart leads you to indulge in unhealthy desires? What if your feelings demand that you hurt or negate others or focus on self to the exclusion of all else?

A total adherence to putting self first creates unrealistic expectations. If one’s expectations are constantly disappointed, it leads to dissonance between the self and the outside reality, or in simpler terms, between “I” and life. If I am so great, how come I…got sick? Failed to get into the college of my choice? Can’t sustain a relationship? Work hard but still can’t afford to take a vacation or buy a house?

There are very few options left. You can make peace with the fact that you aren’t perfect  and that not everything is within your power to change or you can  blame the outside world and make yourself out to be a victim, the opposite of what the “self-esteem movement” started out to do in the first place.

In order not breed a sense of entitlement, a healthy sense of self must necessarily be balanced with three key factors some or all of which can be found in many of the world’s religious traditions:

1. Humility—the kind that combines a realistic sense of one’s own importance and a respect for others’ importance
2. Belief— in a higher power than ourselves which leads us to temper self-reliance with a balanced view of our own importance. 
3. Control—A realization that we can’t control everything that happens to us but that we can control our responses and take control of ourselves. And yes, this is easier said than done!

By achieving a realistic, healthy sense of who we are and our place in the world, by accepting that what we want isn’t always what we get, and by strengthening our relationships with others, we assist ourselves in our own recovery. Therapy can have a role to play in this. By seeking meaning and by honestly exploring what we believe, we enrich our lives.

Part One of God in Therapy: Let’s Talk inspires some intense discussions! Let’s talk more, with Wendy Young.  Wendy Young, LMSW, BCD is an award-winning child and family therapist and the founder of Kidlutions: Solutions for Kids.  Read more, here. ]]> http://www.richardzwolinski.com/zwolinskisite/2010/06/08/god-in-therapy-talking-with-wendy-young/feed/ 0 http://www.richardzwolinski.com/zwolinskisite/2010/06/03/god-in-therapy-lets-talk/ http://www.richardzwolinski.com/zwolinskisite/2010/06/03/god-in-therapy-lets-talk/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 22:48:32 +0000 richard http://www.richardzwolinski.com/zwolinskisite/?p=556 You can read this post at PsychCentral.com where it was originally posted, or continue, below. There are a couple dozen very interesting comments and a heated discussion at the Psychcentral post so check it out!

It’s the 21^st century. You can talk about—and do—it all. Infidelity, sexuality, violence. Drugs, suicide, gambling. Perjury, double-standards, politicizing. Hey, even taxes are a hot topic. However… if you want to talk about God or “do” religion, well, just about everybody’s knee jerks. Sometimes it seems that we don’t so much have a culture of freedom of religion as freedom from religion.

Therapy culture is no exception. And, with very good reason, in many cases. In therapy, the therapist must do his or her best to not (implicitly or explicitly) force his or her morality or religious viewpoint on the patient. The general rule is to avoid instigating any discussion of codes of conduct or sets of beliefs that don’t reflect the mores of a purely secular-cultural way of life. (This is nearly impossible for mere mortals to do in totality, by the way).

Still, this doesn’t mean that the therapist cannot have his or her own deeply held religious and moral beliefs and viewpoints. And it doesn’t mean that basic morality, such as preventing someone from committing a violent or self-destructive act, can’t come into play in therapy. It can and should.

But there is a blurred line—so blurred as to be a hazy, foggy mess—between a therapist not bringing his moral or religious viewpoints into therapy overtly, and not having them.  By the very nature of their being, deeply held beliefs color each and every therapeutic choice he makes.

The ability to relate to people from “where they’re at” is helpful, and is a skill that can be cultivated.  And, with practice, this strong leaning towards non-judgmentalism can be implemented much of the time. Still, we contend that our moral/religious/spiritual outlook is so much an integral part of who we are that there is truly no such thing as a “blank-slate viewpoint”—we aren’t, after all, robots or computers.

In fact, if we are honest, we’ll acknowledge that secularism, too, is a moral/religious/spiritual outlook. Non-religion, like religion, has its own system of weights and measures, its own values, its own set of deeply held beliefs. Secularism isn’t, as some believe, a plain-vanilla blank slate. Atheism is as much a part of a person’s worldview, impossible to prevent from filtering into one’s every thought, word, action, as is Christianity, Judaism, Islam or any other religion.

When comparing one’s beliefs with someone else’s, we naturally think that we are the ones who are free from bias—(that “we” includes you and me by the way)! It is very challenging to step back and see that our beliefs are utterly interwoven into the fabric of our being, especially if we are convinced by majority viewpoints or passionate minority viewpoints, that our particular way of thinking is the only one that is free from bias.

If we value being bias-free (and that is a whole other topic—because that may not be the most desirable state), and we want to be really honest, we are obligated to examine our knees very carefully when they start to twitch.

Here’s one story: Author and PsychCentral blogger Therese Borchard frequently writes about her Catholic faith and how her relationship with God has profoundly helped her. Yet upon recommending her books to someone who we felt would find comfort in reading them, we were told, “Oh, you recommended her to me because she believes in God.” Actually, we recommended her for her honesty, her commitment to her family, her willingness to share her life with others, her bravery, and many other reasons. We personally hold quite different beliefs about God, and don’t agree with her on several fundamentals—but that doesn’t mean we don’t find her work valuable.

On the flip side, we haven’t yet been in the situation where we’ve recommended a book and the recipient says, “Oh, you recommended that book because the author is an atheist.”

Another thought worthy of trembling-knee examination: More than a handful of therapists openly speak about incorporating Buddhism, Taoism, Yoga* and other eastern religions and spiritual philosophies and practices into their therapy methods. Many offer up suggestions based on these religions and philosophies. Why are some sets of beliefs given a pass and allowed to be openly suggested to patients but not others? That’s an invitation for you all to share your comments, by the way!

Also, going back to an earlier question: Is a lack of bias even always desirable? If a set of beliefs is to have real meaning, does this mean we have to praise beliefs that openly contradict ours? We have invited therapists, patients, and others to discuss these topics with us in this new Therapy Soup series, “God and Therapy”. Over the next few weeks we will post interviews and discussions.

We want to open up a serious conversation where everyone can be honest, even if that means being politically incorrect. We touched on this subject in our first book, Therapy Revolution (now finally available in Kindle), and we’re also addressing this in our next book).

Let’s talk about God and Therapy–we invite your comments!

We are in the process of interviewing therapists and patients about this topic. Next: Interview with Michigan-based therapist Wendy Young, coming soon.

*Here we refer to Yoga as the general name for several physical and meditation practices that were developed as a part of Hindu worship and currently regarded in India, though not by most American proponents, as still being an integral part of that religion.

Mental Health Education & Awareness at Valley National Bank

By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC

How do we know when mental illness has truly become less stigmatized? When a bastion of corporate respectability hosts an event that encourages open discussion of mental illness and related issues!

Although we speak and do workshops for a variety of organizations, usually sponsors are either in the mental health and addiction fields or corporations looking to learn about mental and emotional well being and addiction prevention in the workplace. Last week, that all changed. In honor of the end of National Mental Health Month, 2010, Valley National Bank, the largest bank headquartered in New Jersey (with many branches in the NY metro area), broke charitable ground and hosted a community mental health awareness and education event at one of its Brooklyn branches on 13^th Avenue.

VP and assistant branch manager Anna Gelardo came up with the idea to host the free event which took place during regular banking hours. She and her team opened their doors to all who passed by, sent out dozens of news releases and personal invitations, handed out fliers, and set up a free, lavish dessert buffet. There was a table in the lobby where free educational materials were available including the Therapy Patient Bill of Rights developed with the help of PsychCentral readers on this blog. The bank also raffled off several copies of our book, Therapy Revolution: Find Help, Get Better, and Move On Without Wasting Time or Money.

Most of the bank’s customers joined us when they were done with their banking business. Also, many people stopped in just to schmooze with us about mental health issues and enter the raffle. They stayed for the warm atmosphere and the buffet—not a typical day at the bank! A large number of guests had family members with mental illness or were mentally ill themselves, but many were simply curious. The entire bank staff, including the tellers, was genuinely welcoming.

We hope to do many more stigma-busting, awareness and education events—the more that people feel that the topic of mental illness (and addiction, too), can be discussed openly and brought into the public consciousness, the less they have to struggle with the additional burdens of shame and blame.

Many thanks to Valley National Bank and their wonderful team including Reetu Chokshi; Jr. Graphic Designer; Anna Gelardo, VP and Assistant Branch Manager; Inderia Ram, District Manager; Vincent Demeo, Regional Manager; Marc Piro ,Vice President, Marketing/Public Relations;  Maureen Zegler, Senior First VP; and Gerald Lipkin, Chairman, President, and CEO. (Please accept our apologies if we overlooked anyone).