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Divorce and your child: keep the conversation going
Chico psychotherapist about importance of open conversation, and listening to other parent in divorce.Read More
Psychotherapy and Counseling services for Children & Adults | Support for Parents
Chico therapist An Bulkens, LMFT is psychotherapist and counselor in Chico, California. An Bulkens specializes in psychotherapy and counseling for young children (toddlers, preschoolers, adolescents) and support for parents, with a special emphasis on early childhood psychotherapy, and counseling for preschoolers and Kindergarten aged child. She also offers parenting skills support. She offers psychoanalytic psychotherapy for adults. Her approach is grounded in Lacanian Psychoanalysis. She was also trained as a clinical psychologist in Europe, Belgium. Her education emphasized developmental psychology and psychoanalytic therapy.
Chico psychotherapist about importance of open conversation, and listening to other parent in divorce.Read More
I wanted to share some information about upcoming parenting workshops. I have been planning on starting a reflective parenting group but it is still in the works. I would like to share the parenting workshops that are coming up, conducted by Lynn Haskell. Lynn has been active in the community working with parents and young children for many years, and will be offering the free parenting workshops at Butte College. The workshop 'NO DRAMA DISCIPLINE' is based on the book by Daniel Siegel, MD and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD. It is an interactive workshop that includes exercises and group participation. The focus will be on parenting pre-school to school age children.
May 24 Week 1/4 Rethinking Discipline, your brain on discipline
May 31 Week 2/4 From tantrums to tranquility: Connection is the key
June 7 Week 3/4 1-2-3 Discipline: Redirecting for today, and for tomorrow
June 14 Week 4/4 Addressing Behavior: As simple as R-E-D-I-R-E-C-T
To sign up call Butte College Foster/Kinship Care Education at 530-897-6235 to sign up.
Psychologists from the University of Mary Washington looked at how the parenting style of 'helicoptering' correlates with the self-determination and well-being of college students. 297 Undergraduates students (18-23) described their mother's typical parenting behaviors, as well as their autonomy and competence, their anxiety and depression, and how satisfied they were with life in general.
The students who described their mothers as more helicoptering were found to suffer more from anxiety and depression, and felt less autonomous. They were also struggling more to get along with others.
In two different studies it was found that young adults with helicopter parents have become addicted to affirmation, that they prefer the boost of self esteem over having sex, eating sweets and drinking.
When children are praised for accomplishments, achievements they tend to read this not as the parents intend to. They think: 'You love me for what I achieve, accomplish; this means you don't love me for who I am without my accomplishments.' They feel that they can only get love by earning it.
Another problem is that this kind of parenting, where the parent is so over involved with the child, more than with the people of his own age class is detrimental for a more deeper reason. Why does the parent have to be so focused on the child? Why does the parent have to find satisfaction for her own life vicariously through the child. The French Psychoanalyst Francoise Dolto pointed this out long time ago. In the introduction to Mannoni's 'The First Encounter with the Analyst' she mentions that the one crucial component in having a healthy development of the child is that the parents find the reason and meaning of their life in their spouse, or people of their own age, and not in their children. This means that the thinking and worries about this child, that work done for this child and the love for this child never dominate the parents' emotional life.
It is indeed the very opposite of helicopter parenting. It is interesting that like Dolto would have predicted it is specifically this kind of parenting, which goes against the one fundamental environmental condition that Dolto mentions for healthy development that is found to be connected with an increase in mental health issues among young adults.
To schedule an appointment call An at (530) 321-2970
Robbie Levy, an OTRL who founded Dynamic Kids in New York, a practice that partners with NYU in graduate research came to talk in Chico. She described how the children that are brought to her are increasingly younger, and also have a shifting presentation. Where in the '90s there were more motor issue, the current presentation is dysregulation and anxiety.
There are multiple issues that contribute to this changing presentation. Children are from a younger age exposed to media. The average 3 to 5 year old child spends 5 to 7 hours per day with media. While the guideline is about 1 hour per day. And NO technology for children between 0 and 2 years old. When a 3 year old spends that many hours on technology, she does not have enough time for physical movement, outdoor time, exposure to develop other than visual and auditory senses, time with manipulatives, quite, contemplative time, or pretend play...Another issue is when the parent tends to be on the phone as well. This reduces the interaction time between the child and the parent. This interaction is important for the learning of the child, as it is during those interactions that the parent can scaffold the child's knowledge, and this interaction is most important as it helps the child to regulate. And this is were things seem to go wrong currently, as a typical general education kindergarten looks more like a special ed kindergarten looked like a generation ago. Currently between 30 and 60% of children in a regular kindergarten class qualify for OTR services.
What is needed is a real change in culture. A lot of our current practices, not just technology contribute to the dysregulation of the children, leading to the need to introduce meditation and yoga practices in school. In the following posts I will share some ideas about how to implement some ideas that can make daily life a bit easier if you are living with an easily dysregulated child.
To schedule an appointment call An at (530) 321-2970
Berry Brazelton is Clinical Professor of Pediatrics Emeritus at Harvard Medical School as well as the founder of The Brazelton Touchpoints Center at Boston Children's Hopsital. He was awarded a Citizen's Medal by President Obama. He was also named a Living Legend by The Library of Congress.
Brazelton's work emphasizes that there is no right or wrong way to parent. Every baby, every child is different. If one approach does not work, another can work. 'Learning to be your child's parent is about having an experimental, trial-and-error mindset.'
The difficulty moments for parents are when children reach certain touchpoints. According to Brazelton they are predictable developmental points, but parents typically think that there is something wrong with their child. They get anxious, it might be in those moments that abuse becomes more likely. They might think that there is something about their parenting that is not quite right. They might get upset with their child. It is here that the parents will need extra support.
According to Brazelton there are 6 touchpoints:
-Unexplained, end-of-day fussing that starts around 3 weeks. This can be very difficult for parents as it is unexplained, and very hard to sooth.
-At 4 to 5 months, the child can focus the eyes much further from the breast which might make feeding more difficult, possibly leading to conflict between parent and child.
-Between 7 and 9 months the child start to point. The parent can feel bossed around. They can put crawl and put little objects in their mouths.
-At age 9 the child start to read the parent's nonverbal cues. At this point the child start to test the limits. This can be a shock for parents.
-At age 2 there are the temper tantrums, the 'terrible twos.'
-Then there is the toilet training which does not have to be a struggle, but often is, and can end up becoming a battle of control.
-At age 3 there is the 'I want to do it myself' issue.
All these touchpoints are moments where the parent can start 'arguing' with the child, but possibly also with the other parent, which complicates the situation. However, they are moments of growth for the child, and can also be moments of growth in the relationship with the parent.
To set up an appointment you can reach An at (530) 321-2970
Did your child leave for college, and are you left with an 'empty nest?' Chances are that you do not feel 'empty' at all. Chances are that you are handling the situation pretty well. In a comprehensive study about parents' well-being when children leave home, Genevieve Bouchard concludes that the consequences of children leaving the parents is relatively positive. Other studies also indicate that 'empty nest syndrome' is largely a myth.
That being said, it is a fact that interaction and activity patterns between parents and child have to be modified for the family to persist. And that families have to adjust to the new situation. The system is being profoundly modified.
Becky Scott in 'Life in the Empty Nest' gives the following advice:
1. There is no 'right' way to cope:
Just like with pretty much everything in parenting. Although parents would like to have the one right way to approach a problem, an issue with their children, there is not one right way. Each family, each parent and child have to find a way that works for them. There is no formula, but there is room for creativity.
2. Communicate
With your child to come to an agreement about how often you will be in contact, with your spouse how you will fill your child free schedule.
3. Address and resolve conflicts immediately.
As both children and adults are adjusting into their new roles, it can be stressful for both parties. The pain and conflict that can emerge during this time is not a new conflict, but typically something old. It might be the time to take a closer look at this. I think of a mother whose very old feelings of abandonment were triggered. Although she wanted her child to become independent, she was perceiving his striving for independence as an abandonment, a rejection. The difficulty this woman was facing was how to find a balance between supporting her children and letting them learn on their own.
4. Finding balance between independence and connection
You want to support your child fostering interdependence. His or her support system should include his family of origin, but also new friends, college... It might be hard to let go of being the only one or main one protecting and supporting your child.
How do you think you might feel about your children leaving the house?
To schedule an appointment call An at (530) 321-2970
Counseling centers at universities and colleges have been overflowing with emergency call.s At one university it was stated that over the past 5 years emergency calls to the Counseling center had doubled. Students are increasingly seeking help not just regarding issues like depression and anxiety, but regarding on the surface banal problems that seem to occur in everyday life. An example was a person who felt traumatized because a roommate called her the B-word. Or a student who called the counseling center because he saw a mouse. Or even getting a B or a C can activate a student to call a therapist, as it is considered often as 'failure' are a reason to call the counseling center. This current trend seems to indicate a decline in resilience among young adults. Colleges are struggling. Traditionally their mission was to busy themselves with higher education, but the lack of resilience to address typical problems seems to demand that the university and professors also take on the role of substitute parents. They wonder how much hand holding has to be done.
Peter Gray, the author of Free to Learn connects this decline in resilience with the dramatic decline in children's opportunities to play, explore, and pursue their own interests away from adults. Among the consequences he states are well-documented increases in anxiety and depression, and decreases in the sense of control of their own lives. This generation of children has not been given the opportunity to get into trouble, make mistakes and solve them. Gray thinks that 'helicopter parenting' is at the core of the problem, but he makes clear to say that it is not the parents who are to blame. We are living in a 'helicopter society.' He states that if we want to counter these social forces, we have to give the children the freedom and practice to take responsibility for themselves. In the current society, children and parents alike are victims of the increased power of the school system and a schooling mentality that says that kids develop best when carefully guided and supervised by adults.
We could see in everyday life and my practice with children and their parents that this plays out in the attitude towards grades. Often anything under an A is considered inadequate. The focus on GPA becomes so central, as it is taken as the indication of future success or failure. What controlled research studies are currently discovering is that there is either no correlation, or even an inverse relation between GPA and Innovative orientation or creativity. A study at NYU found that there was an inverse relation between students' reported GPA and their orientation towards creative or innovative work. One of the possible explanations was that possibly students with propensities toward innovation are less concerned with grading systems that rely on memorization. Or, college going students with innovation intentions may be more likely to approach their education as a means to discover new ideas, wanting more out of the experience than a series of external valuations.
So, in today's helicopter society it is harder for students to build upon their natural curiosity and creativity. As parents, it might be our task to not fall in the helicopter trap, and leave the door open for growth towards independence, and leave room for creative exploring of interests, rather than focus too strictly on GPA.
You can contact An at (530) 321-2970/
One motivation for a parent to bring a child to talk to a counselor or therapist is when the parents are going through a separation or a divorce. Parents, aware of the conflict between them are often sensitive to the need of the child to have a neutral space to talk, to put things in perspective. It is this neutral space from which to respond to their child's implicit or explicit questions which has been lost. The parents are at odds with each other, feel angry and hurt. The child picks up on these emotions no matter how good the parents try to hide it, and parents are often at a loss of how to speak about their emotions to the child without attacking the other parent whom they feel so hurt by.
An initial step would be for the parent to be aware of this underlying emotion, and to be able to name this emotion, acknowledge it. This will allow the parent to recognize it toward the child in a more neutral tone, without the underlying, for the child confusing affect. The child picks up on the underlying, diffuse anger that you are trying to hide, but if you can tell him as you are aware of your feelings you can say: 'You know, I am very angry with your dad. We have a big disagreement, we are trying to work it out. I am sorry that I have been a bit short tempered, but our dad and I are working on it.'
Parents who are caught in a heated separation also tend to forget the good aspects about the ex, and the father of the child. And they might not realize that be painting this negative picture of the child's other parent, they are at the same time painting a very negative picture of their child. Being able to acknowledge to your child your conflict, but also maintaining a space to talk about the positive aspects of the other parent will be an enormous support to the child.
Also being aware that you and the other parent share the same goal of nurturing secure children can be a common goal that allows you to connect, and transcend a space of hate and resentment.
Contact An to schedule an appointment at (530) 321-297
Before I started working as a psychotherapist, I worked with preschool age children in a small nursery school program that I had created. I ran this little school l for about five years before opening my private practice. One of the important things I was able to witness during my work with young children was the importance of play, and the typical high level of creativity, and natural creative exploration in young children. You don't have to teach a young child to play. You don't have to teach them to be creative. Children are naturally, deeply creative.
In a recent post, T. Goldstein states that 'any time a child does or learns something new they have to be creative in their own, small way. They have to come up with something original, which they've never done before, and something useful, which can be used to solve the problem they may be working on. Although this type of creativity may not be what we think of as being behind the great works of Picasso or Bach, the important connection between play and the arts cannot be overstated.'
It is easy for a young child to be creative before formal schooling, but it can be hard for children to keep that same sense of creative freedom once they've entered the classroom. Especially because of the current emphasis on curriculum standards. This tends to lead to a certain rigidness of lessons and it deprives students of the best way of learning: through personal exploration and discovery.
This tendency has unfortunately entered early schooling as well. Kindergarten is especially noted for moving away from child-directed activities and, 'disturbingly, towards high pressure teacher-led pedagogy.' Goldstein mentions that 'engagement in the arts—which emphasizes personal ways of knowing, thinking about the self, and discovery—may be key to providing children with creative experiences.'
In psychological and educational research on creativity, Goldstein states one often talks about different types of "Cs": "Pro-C," "Big C," "Little-c," and "mini-c." "Pro-C" and "Big-C" are what we're usually talking about when we use the word "creativity"—advances in the arts, engineering, or sciences with innovation and usefulness at the forefront.
It is "Little-c" and "mini-c" that is critical to children's growth, knowledge, and achievement. These can be thought of as the kinds of creativity children engage in when they're discovering something new to them. The process involved in this is foundational in later achievement and abilities.
How can we foster this capacity: One way is through engagement in pretend play and the arts. As children play they are creating a protected space for themselves to make mistakes and try out different emotions and social situations. Creating knowledge on your own is the best way to learn—children and adults alike will remember more, and know more deeply, material that they have taught to themselves over material explained to them.
Sciences, math, and engineering do also require and engender creativity. But at the elementary and middle school levels, much of the coursework in these topics is based on recreating knowledge that is already well established in those fields.
The arts on the other hand demand creativity in the moment, constant trial and error, discovery, and mistakes. Goldstein mentions that 'in a detailed ethnographic analysis of high quality visual arts classes for adolescents, psychologists Lois Hetland, Ellen Winner, Kim Sheridan, and Shirley Veenema found that the key concepts being taught in arts classes—beyond learning how to hold a paintbrush or mold clay—were to stretch and explore thinking about materials and topics and to observe and reflect on how to engage in artistic work.'
It may be (and research is currently investigating this) that by learning these skills in an artistic way children will be better prepared for more traditional academic learning and creating their own knowledge.
As parents we can make sure that our children can experience these kind of creativity engendering activities outside school life, which seem to be currently not feeding this need of children.
To schedule an appointment call An at Chico Center for Psychotherapy at (530) 321-2970
As a therapist working with children, teens and their parents the issue of how to deal with a teen's privacy in this technology filled world comes up on a regular basis. I recently came across an interesting study by Cranor, et al, about parents' and teens' perspectives on privacy. It was interesting that most of the parents interviewed thought it was important for their teens to have privacy, that it was an essential element in their growth towards becoming independent adults. It was interesting to see that the researchers found that the parents in general transgressed this right when it came to monitoring their children's use of technology. They did not act in accordance with their believe in the importance of privacy at all. The reason for this was a lack of understanding by the parents on which role social media played in the role of their children's social life. The fact that popular media focus on those new technologies from a 'worst-case scenario' point of view also contributed to this effect. The reporting might give parents the impression that Snapchat is use mostly for sending sexually explicit messages, while it is only a small fraction of teens who use it that way.
The negative effect of this is that teens feel that their space is being invaded, and they feel they are not trusted by their parents. All this can lead to a negative spiral of growing misunderstanding between parents and teens.
The study finds that it is important that parents get better educated about these technologies, on the other hand, they agree that parents have an important role of guidance to play. They advocate for software that is less restrictive but tends to nudge the teens more in the right direction. The current digital monitoring software is not in tune with the goals of parents. Parents want to guide, but not necessarily block certain sites.
Digital parenting software that would be more in tune with parents' objectives would detect actions that a parent might not approve of and take the opportunity to remind the teenager of the parent's expectations and the teen's responsibilities, yet not block the action. In a field trial of privacy nudges for Facebook, Wang et al. found that visual reminders of a family member being able to view content was effective in encouraging privacy-protective behaviors The nudging approach to digital parenting software might alleviate parent-teen tensions because teens would still be free to make their own decisions, albeit with guidance and reminders.
To schedule an appointment call An at (530) 487-4245.
For the study, see: Cranor, Lorrie Faith, et al. "Parents' and Teens' Perspectives on Privacy In a Technology-Filled World." SOUPS. 2014.
Parents are often worried about their non-focused, 'daydreaming' child, who does not seem to be paying attention much to what the teacher or the parent is asking. In their book Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind, Scott Barry Kaufman and Caroly Gregoire dig into creativity in a new way. They argue that daydreaming is a crucial part of the creative process, and for children to thrive as creative beings.
According to a study by Harvard psychologists Daniel Gilbert and Matthew A. Killingsworth, we daydream forty-seven percent of our waking hours. Whenever we are the least bit bored, our minds naturally wander. In those hours of daydreaming we explore associations, we make connections, we search for possibilities.
Kaufman and Gregoire devote an entire chapter of their book to the topic of daydreaming. In fact, they present good scientific evidence that both daydreaming and using solitude for reflection are among the attributes of highly creative people.
In an excerpt from their book, Kaufman and Gregoire point out the many benefits of daydreaming:
Creative thinkers know, despite what their parents and teachers might have told them, that daydreaming is hardly a waste of time. But unfortunately, many students learn to suppress their natural instincts to dream and imagine— instead, they're taught to fit into a standardized mold and to learn by the book, in a way that may not feel natural and that very well may suppress their innate desire to create. But as two prominent psychologists recently noted, "Not all minds who wander are lost"— in fact, the mind's wandering is vital to imagination and creative thought*.
Nearly fifty years ago, psychologist Jerome L. Singer established that daydreaming is a normal and indeed widespread aspect of human experience. He found that many people are "happy daydreamers" who enjoy their inner imagery and fantasy*. According to Singer, these daydreamers "simply value and enjoy their private experiences, are willing to risk wasting a certain amount of time on them, but also can apparently use them for effective planning and for self-amusement during periods of monotonous task activity or boredom."
Singer coined the term positive-constructive daydreaming to describe this type of mind wandering, which he distinguished from poor attention and anxious, obsessive fantasies*. By making these important distinctions, Singer was able to highlight the positive, adaptive role that daydreaming can play in our daily lives, under the right circumstances*. From the beginning of his research, he found evidence that daydreaming, imagination, and fantasy are related to creativity, storytelling, and even the ability to delay gratification*.
Of course, mind wandering can be costly when it comes at the wrong time, especially in regard to things like reading comprehension, sustained attention, memory, and academic performance*. The inability to control your attention when the task at hand requires it often leads to frustration, just as the tendency to get wrapped up in distracting negative thoughts can lead to unhappiness. But when we consider the fact that most of our important lifegoals lie far into the future, it's easier to see how daydreaming might be beneficial. When our inner monologues are directed toward and measured against goals, aspirations, and dreams that are personally meaningful, the benefits of daydreaming become much more clear*.
Over the past decade, scientists have employed newer methodologies to investigate these potential benefits. In a review of the latest science of daydreaming, Scott and colleague Rebecca McMillan noted that mind wandering offers very personal rewards, including creative incubation, self-awareness, future-planning, reflection on the meaning of one's experiences, and even compassion*.
Many parents worry about children who daydream excessively. And indeed, daydreaming can cause developmental challenges. In 2002, Eli Somer introduced the term maladaptive daydreaming to describe how it can interfere with academic, physical, and interpersonal functioning. When daydreaming inhibits healthy development, affects sleep habits, or increases negative behaviors, parents should seek professional advice.
For the majority of children (and adults) daydreaming is not only a good thing, it's essential to our flourishing as human beings
Kaufman, S. B. & Gregoire, C. (2015). Wired to create: Unraveling the mysteries of the creative mind.(link is external) New York, NY: Perigee.
Killingsworth, M. A., & Gilbert, D. T. (2010). A wandering mind is an unhappy mind.(link is external)Science, 330 (6006), 932.
Somer, Eli. (2002). Maladaptive daydreaming: A qualitative inquiry.(link is external) Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy. 32:2-3, 197-212.
As a therapist working with children I often get phone calls from parents who are concerned about their child as they are moving through a divorce. For young children the experience of the parents splitting up is a radical overturn of their world. They have been born into the world, seeing those two parents as majestic pillars on which they could count. These friendly giants made them feel safe and comfortable.
As parents go through a divorce, there is so much pain and suffering involved, and each parent goes through this process in their own way. It is rare when the pain does not go along with accusations, resentment... It is especially hard for the child when he feels that the two trusted pillars of his world start attacking each other, disparaging each other. Even, when parents feel like they are not explicitly critiquing the other person, there are often implicit subtle messages that do not go unperceived by the child. These are very puzzling to the child. As he feels that an attack on the other parent, is actually an attack on the child.
These very subtle messages are often interpreted by the child as the parents telling the child: the other parents is as good as I am, you should love me more than the other parent. I think of a little boy who feels that whenever one of his family members asks about the things that happen at the other house, he feels that this person is asking the boy to say bad things about the other house (as he feels that this is how is communicated about the other house.) To satisfy the demand for bad things, he then tends to tell negative things about the other house in order to satisfy them. In a situation like this the boy cannot be free to speak what he wants, he wants to please the negative appetite of each house. Each house wants to hear: we are the best, you love us more than mom, or dad... The child becomes this way the victim of the childish rivalry between the mother and the father.
Hence, the importance of being able to differentiate between your being hurt as a partner, and recognizing the enormous importance or role that your ex has for your child. When you are putting down, resenting this other person, your child will feel it as a personal attack on him or her.
In my experience in work with children who are going through divorce it is important to also meet with the parents, so that they can feel validated in their role as parents.
To schedule an appointment call An at (530) 321-2970
Parents of young children often consult a therapist or counselor because of acting out behavior, or the throwing of tantrums. A child's tantrum, especially if it occurs on a regular basis can cause a disrupt family life, and exhaust parents, leading to less patience of parents, more irritation, and hence more tantrums.
There are two key points in addressing this kind of behavior that are often overlooked, and which are crucial in addressing your child's tantrum:
1. Stay calm:
Often when the child escalates, the parents escalates along with the child, not being able to contain the child. In those instances it is initially better to give yourself a 'time out' than immediately giving your child a time out. If you feel you are starting to escalate with your child, step to the side, take a few breaths, calm yourself down. The first important step to containing your child is to stay calm yourself.
2. Reconnect:
Once the child is calmed down, the parents are mostly relieved that the storm is over, and not much is said about the whole incident. However, as a parent you might want to reflect on the whole event. You might want to think about what triggered your child, what did he or she think, what did he or she feel. If you have some ideas about that, you can tell your child this in simple words, and you might have some ideas on how your child might be able to go about it in the future.
So, while the child is escalating, you stay calm, do not try to reason with the child. You might want to use some soothing words, empathize with his strong emotions, without becoming overwhelmed by them. You can tolerate them, you are containing them for the child, who is not able to do this.
After the child is calmed down you can use words: not preaching, not lecturing. But reflecting words about what you think was going on for the child, and how the two of you might be go about it differently the next time.
To schedule an appointment call An at (530) 321-2970
A new study, published in the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, found that typical stimulant medication like Ritalin, prescribed for children diagnosed with ADHD as a first-line of treatment, was actually most effective as a supplemental, second-line treatment for those who needed it. Often at doses that are lower than what is typically prescribed. The study showed that children who started with behavioral treatment before being prescribed medication did better.
The study was unique in the fact that it is the first study that evaluates the effects of altering the treatment in midcourse. For example, adding a drug treatment to a behavioral treatment, or the other way around. The results show that the sequence in which you give treatments makes a big difference in outcomes. It is important to note that this study tracked behavior, and not abilities like academic performance or attention.
The study enrolled 146 children with ADHD diagnosis between the ages of 5 and 12, and assigned half of them randomly on a low dose of generic Ritalin. The other half received no medication, but their parents began attending group meetings to learn some techniques that could help them modify and respond to their children's difficult behaviors.
These techniques were based on a simple system of rewards and consequences. Parents reward positive behavior, ignore irritating but harmless behavior like doing baby talk.
If a child had not improved after 2 months, the child was randomly assigned to eiter a more intense version of the same treatment, or an added supplement, like adding meds to the behavioral treatment.
About two-thirds of the kids that started with the behavior therapy needed a 'booster.' About 45% of those who started on medication did. However, the behavior first group had on average four fewer rule violations an hour at school, than the medication first group.
According to the authors it could be that the parents of the children who started on the medication were less motivated to follow up with the behavioral classes. It was a lot of work, and the parents might have thought that it will not make that much of a difference.
In a different study it was determined that starting with the behavioral treatment before following it with medication, costs on average $700 annually lest per child than treatment as usual.
To schedule an appointment call An or Jamie at (530) 321-2970.
Parents often call me with the request to see their adolescent child who they feel is not doing well, and needs therapy. The parents often have a clear idea of what the psychotherapy needs to fix. Adolescents might have certain ideas about psychotherapy as well which might make them a bit reticent. Not in the least the fact that they might see the therapist as 'on the same side' as their parents. They might feel that the therapist is also there to 'fix' them, as if there is something wrong with them. This along with a common characteristic of many therapists that they 'want to help,' might be that the therapy with the adolescent gets off to a bad start.
As a therapist it is important to create initially a space where the adolescent can formulate his or her own demand for therapy. I typically ask adolescents to commit to six sessions so that they can explore whether they want to come in for themselves, not because the therapist or the parents think that they need it. Often parents feel uncomfortable with this, they feel that they have to make the adolescent go to therapy. However, therapy is something that cannot be forced on anyone.
In case the adolescent does not want to come in, it might still be possible to work with the parents to explore how they can help their adolescent. At times I meet regularly with the parents, and the adolescent knows that he or she is welcome to join whenever he or she is ready. Even, if they do not join, often the fact that they know their parents go and talk about them can help them.
To schedule an appointment call us at (530) 321-2970
One of the reasons I love working as a psychotherapist with young children is their unique and fascinating relation with language. Their relation to language differs very much from the one that we have as adults. We are often caught up in the meaning of language, and don't have as much of an ear for the equivocation that is inherent to every use of language. As children are entering language with 'fresh ears' they experience language more at a concrete level and might hear messages that we as adults have become 'deaf' to.
I recently had another nice example of this in my practice. A little boy who had had some difficulty entering language, was proudly writing down the alphabet. He got stuck at the M. He sang the alphabet song, to help him remind what would come after the M, and although he was singing it correctly he could not figure out that next was N. Unsure, he wrote O, deleting the N - avoiding the word NO I thought. As he was singing it, and he seemed utterly puzzled, and I repeated what he said, I started to notice what he was hearing: Men No Pee. This boy, who had been very puzzled by his mother thinking he would be born as a girl, and who had also felt there was a certain prohibition of expressing aggressive, typical boy like behaviors seemed to hear in this alphabet song, the message that he could not be a boy, that men could not do what distinguishes them from girls (boys can pee standing up, girls sitting down).
As we caught this message that he was hearing, and which expressed something about how he felt about himself, we were able to talk and laugh about it. I, as a girl, was able to deflate this message from what he heard as a prohibition of his 'boyhood.'
Sometimes it is in being attentive to these very subtle things that we can get a peek into the mind of a child, and the ability to address it.
To schedule an appointment with An call (530) 321-2970
The center of reflective parenting mentions that among the many important roles of a parent is to make sure you provide enough time in your child's life for family conversation, solitude and boredom. 'They are like nutrients for child development and for passing on your reflective capacity to your child. Unfortunately the lure of electronic devices & social media has infected family life and is eroding the confidence of many parents to play this role.'
Parents often report feeling too helpless to counteract their child's obsession with all the new technology.
To boost your confidence that you do have a good answer about what kids can do besides electronics, and you do have the power to change the situation, here is a list of the benefits you will provide your family through making the time for conversation, solitude and boredom, as mentioned by the Center for Reflective parenting.
The benefits of family conversation
The benefits of solitude and boredom
Conversation is simply that back and forth of taking turns at sharing what is on your mind and listening to and responding to what the other person has to say. . Conversations can be brief or long and can take place anywhere. The topic doesn't matter and there is no subject too trivial to have a conversation about. What matters is that family members have the time and the opportunity to talk about their idea, their feelings and their perspectives. If your family is out of practice, initially your child may resist. Don't give up. In fact you can have a conversation about why conversation matters.
Solitude and boredom involve time alone with nothing in particular to do. They require you to stop loading your child up with activities and stop feeling so responsible for entertaining them. Let them discover the joy of entertaining themselves even if they complain.
It requires you to be a good role model and mentor. Turn off your electronics more often. Step up your efforts at engaging in family conversations about anything and everything. Let your child see you engage in activities that do not require a device.
It's hard to do in this day and age but I have confidence in you!
For more information on reflective parenting you can visit the website of reflective communities.
To schedule an appointment, contact An Bulkens at (530) 321-2970
As a child therapist I often work with children who have only one parent consistently in their lives. Often when parents separate there are strong negative feelings towards the former partner. This might even be more so in cases where there was physical or verbal abuse between the parents. When the relationship was extremely traumatic for one partner, there might be the tendency afterwards to avoid bringing up the partner, the other parent of the child. It can be very hard to find the words to talk to the child about the person that has caused them so much pain and hurt. And when the other parent happens to not be in the picture anymore it can be easy to completely 'forget' about him or her.
Never talking about a child's absent biological parent however can become quite problematic for the child. Parents often don't see that. They might say: 'He never asks, so we don't say anything.' However, it could be that the child is aware that it is a very sensitive subject and that he better not brings it up. But the child knows it has another biological father/mother and will try to makes sense of this absence with whatever means he has at his disposal, according to his developmental stage.
A boy told me that he thought his biological father who he had not seen since he was 2,5 years old was dead, that he had died from a very bad disease. However, his bio dad was still alive. When I met with the child individually he said that he did not know whether his biological dad was dead or alive. He said he had never seen his biological dad at first, but then said he remembered one thing: His dad had told him to stay in his seat, but he had gotten up and he had eaten from his dad's plate. His dad got mad at him, and then left and never came back. He cried, and cried after that. We could say that although he might know at some level his dad is alive, somehow he is dead to him, as he had not become present in conversations he might have had with the other parent, who was too pained by the relationship to address her child about his father.
The child's understanding of why his dad suddenly left out of his life: 'I did something wrong, did not listen to my dad, and I took something that belonged to his dad. This made my dad so angry that he left me forever.'
The radical absence, 'dead' of the father from his life is also illustrated by the fact that he does not realize that his last name came from his father. He thought that both his first and last name were chosen by his mother because she liked them. The idea that both his mother and father could have chosen his first name, but that his father had given him his the last name, that he himself had received from his father before was completely new to him.
The parent might be relieved to be free from the abusing spouse and might be happy to forget about that part of her life, but the young child is at a different stage. It will be important to become to be able to talk to the child about this other parent, the absent one. This will help the child to open himself up to new perspectives that might help him eventually move away from the interpretation he had of the father's disappearance at a very young age.
In my work with parents I often think together with them about how to talk about very difficult past experiences that have touched the parent's life and the child's life. The process of creating a narratives that is in line with their the 'truth' but also allow for the child to have a positive sense of themselves as the child of both their father and their mother, can be a very rewarding experience.
To schedule an appointment call An at (530) 321-2970
When parents consult a therapist for their child, they might at times have an idea of what 'caused' the problem: a divorce, sexual abuse. In our culture these seem to be 'legitimate' reasons to reach out to a therapist when there are issues with a child. The problem seems to be able to be related to an understandable 'trauma' for the child.
However, when there is no clear 'traumatic' cause, and the child is having problems it might sometimes be harder for the parent to bring in especially a young child. The parent might feel that the suffering of the child must be somehow related to him or her not doing something 'right.' The parents are often saddened that they are not able to help the child. In a couple recent posts I have been trying to open this notion of 'trauma.'
Trauma is not accidental, it is structural. There are different components to this: The young child in his very first weeks, months, years is bombarded with experiences that affect him or her. The child has limited tools to make sense of these experiences. But he will make sense of it with whatever tools at its disposal. A very sensitive child can have a harder time and might need extra support. As mentioned before a child will try to master these experiences by entering into language, trying to make sense of it. His 'interpretations' can be in the eyes of the adult utterly illogical, irrational. But it is a sign of the child's intelligence that it is trying to put a world together that 'makes sense' with whatever elements are at its disposal.
So, entering language is a way for the child to make sense of 'traumatic experiences,' but language in itself can is traumatic as also addressed in an earlier post. In this context I want to refer to a vignette H. Deltombe.
A little boy of 4, Dylan, does not talk. In school he is isolated and sad. He does not sleep or eat well. At the first encounter with the therapist, however he seems eager to engage but does not have the means. He does not play, does not draw... However, at one point he started tapping the table in a certain rhythm. The therapist responds. He is delighted with the effect he has on her. A game starts where the rhythms are differentiated, modified.
As the treatment progresses he engages in a game of peek-a-boo. A game that would be typically liked by younger children, but in which he delights. Each child asks himself the question: 'Can I be missed, can they do without me?' When the therapist goes looking for him she indicates that she wants to find him. This game develops over a long time. Although he is still not speaking, there is communication using rhythms, and sounds. Eventually he starts making animal sounds from his hiding place. The therapist guesses the different animals. Sometimes he tries to make her afraid, and she guesses: a lion, a tigre. Then, at one point she hears a small sound, that she is not able to name. He appears from under the table and mimicks a fish. 'It's a fish.' He looks at her pensively and quitely, nods, and continues to make the same movement with his mouth. At that moment the therapist remembers what the mother had told her during the initial interview. She had joked with the father as they were going to have a child: 'As we have already Bob, the fish, we can now have Dylan,' in honor of their favorite singer.
The therapist immediately tells him: 'You are not a fish, that is just a joke, you are a little boy and you can speak.' After what appears as a moment of shock, he suddenly seems 'at ease.' The following weeks he changes, eats, starts speaking.
This boy was petrified under a 'traumatic word.' The treatment was able to separate him from this place of the 'fish of his parents' to which he had been reduced. By himself, by his parents? It is not that simple. But through the treatment he has been able to free himself of that position of 'object.' He can now truly become a boy.
This is an example how something what is 'traumatic' can be very subtle and how it differs from the regular understanding of an 'accidental' trauma.
To schedule an appointment call An Bulkens at (530) 321-2970.
Both, the children and the adults that I work with in my practice often tend to use the expression of 'my real father,' 'my real mother.' I might have addressed this before but the implicit resonances of this phrase are often quite detrimental for the child. For example, I had a young child become very upset about the fact that his grandma told him that his father was not his 'real father.' However, this father had been there since he was born, had given him his name and was actively involved in the child's life. For the child of a certain age, there is 'real' and there is 'fake' or 'pretend.' His grandma's phrase suddenly diminished the value of his father to the realm of the fake and pretend. This is not something he will easily accept, and this had quite a detrimental effect on the relationship between the child and his grandmother. I explained to the child that each child has only one biological dad, but can have more than one dad. The dad that raises the child is as 'real' as the dad who made the child in an act of love, but is not present anymore. This explanation was quite a relief to the child, and did calm him down.
It is more precise to speak about birth mother and father, or biological father, than to use terms as 'real,' which then reduces a person that can be extremely important and 'real' in the child's life to someone who is 'fake,' not real.
To schedule an appointment with An, call (530) 321-2970


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As several people have pointed out to me recently, I have neglected this little online journal of mine. Please accept this shameless cute photo of Rudybega in a field of daisies in exchange for my lack of communication.
The last few months have flown by in a blur of settling into our home, hosting one visitor after another, and taking little weekend trips together.
See below for photographic evidence:
Not pictured: Dad & Kim have visited twice, but you'll see them working hard in the upcoming posts about what we've been doing around the house. Cheryl visited as well, and I somehow managed to take NO photos. Luckily, she documented her trip here.
- Photos 1-2: a work conference in Pacific Grove gave me an excuse to pay a visit to Carmel and Point Lobos. Shame on me for only taking my iPhone to capture its magnificence!
- 3: Leslie and I took an overnight trip to Sonoma and it was exactly the girls getaway we needed! Not pictured: we found a tequila bar in Guerneville that was basically my personal version of heaven. In addition to a million different types of tequila, they serve most amazing oaxacan cheese dip EVER.
- 4: Mom spent almost a whole week staying in our little guest house, and although I felt bad I couldn't get the time off work, I think she enjoyed herself relaxing in the redwoods :)
- 5, 6, 7: Just little bits of life; a sunset view on West Cliff, running with Rudybega, and a cozy night at home
- 8, 9: Our next visitor, Brent's sister Lauren. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have Lauren as my sister now - what a great bonus to marrying Brent! We have grown incredibly close and I was so grateful to have a few days of quality time together. Seen here on National Strawberry Picking Day, at Swanton Berry Farm.
- 10 - 13: Brent and I went camping near Big Basin Redwoods State Park, and hiked 15 miles down to the ocean. That gorgeous waterfall is Berry Creek Falls, which is about the half-way point and alone makes the hike worthwhile, not to mention the widely varied forest terrains we traversed.
- 14 - 16: A few more random snapshots; the view from our front porch looking up (we have the best neighbors!), a visit to Wilder Ranch, and a Wilder kitty.

subset: commoncrawl


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I came across this lovely article below on CNN talking about Ivorian women embracing their natural hair.
Ode to hair: Ivorian women champion afros - By Nosmot Gbadamosi and Earl Nurse, CNN
"Growing up with afro hair can be a harrowing experience, especially if forced to chemically straighten it. "Once you are eight, all hairdressers say, oh you have to relax your hair... we can't manage your hair, you have to relax it, it will be beautiful," says Mariam Diaby, a hairdresser and founder of Nappys de Babi, an online community focused on promoting natural hair. Read more HERE…"
What I found interesting in this article is that it took living in Paris for the subject matter an African woman from Ivory Coast to embrace her natural hair. Interesting because most African women for the longest time had been subjected to unrealistic standards of "neat hair" like having long silky straight hair for it to be considered neat and it took this black African lady living in a European capital where long silky straight hair was the norm to embrace her natural hair. In hindsight the whole long silky straight hair is a product of the 80s and 90s if you ask me because I remember looking at photos of the older women in my family and circle and they all had natural hair back in the 70s, 60s and beyond. Nine out ten photos featured women with large Afros and hair braided in beautiful patterns or threaded (African threading) and woven. The few who did not have Afros or braided hair wore wigs. It is only in photos from the 80s and 90s that the relaxer revolution was seen in full effect.


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The power in the pause
Previously when I have considered the notion of a 'pause' it's been with reference to taking a step back, putting the brakes on rushing through life or a spot of meditation… However recently I discovered there was a powerful pause each of us makes, multiple times in every minute of every day without even knowing it, and the power it holds is entirely overlooked and under utilised.
We breathe in and we breathe out, we breathe in and we breathe out… This is a continuous process that we don't even have to think about. Our bodies regulate us on autopilot. Yet consciously being aware of our breath and more importantly how we then physically engage with it takes us into a new level.
The next time you breathe out notice what happens in that split second before you breath in, that moment where time seems to stand still, we float within our bodies before refilling our lungs with air. Next time you breathe out, at the end of the breath try extending that passive pause a little and see what it feels like.
This is the power of the pause.
I often enjoy this 'floating' timeless experience during my yoga classes but I had no understanding that spending time in the pause on a regular daily basis could create such huge internal benefits for our body systems. My recent butenko breathing session with Jen Tiller showed me otherwise.
Our bodies need a very precise balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood stream at all times. That delicate balance is easily upset and over time a process called the BOHR effect changes the PH of the whole system, reducing the rate of oxygen available to the cells. Breathing more actually makes it worse. The body is conditioned to breathe too much all the time as a result of the well-known fight or flight response becoming habitual.
At the core of the Buteyko method is a series of reduced-breathing exercises that focus on nasal-breathing, breath-holding and relaxation. The 'control pause' at the end of the out breath is key to regulating our breathing and the all the potential health benefits this has been shown to be associated with.
You can find more information about Jen Tiller's butenko breathing sessions here and some more info about butenko breathing in general and the potential benefits to health and fitness here.
As ever I simply encourage you to get 'curious', for me understanding the power of my own body and various ways in which I can optimise my health is a key part of this process.
Curious to work together? Get in touch for a complimentary chat and we'll see where your are at and where you want to go!
Why not sign up for my newsletter in my sidebar where I feature roundups and special offers plus my FREE ebook. If you are new round here you might like to check out my 'About' tab up top. To buy healthy nibbles you can also find me over at my sister site Wholeplus.
Day to day you can always find me hanging out in these places:


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Jobcentre Plus in Middlesbrough
There is two Jobcentre Plus offices in Middlesbrough, one in James Cook House, Middlesbrough and the other in Beresford Buildings, Thorntree. Both offices serve a range of DWP welfare benefits and credits claimants, including claimants of Universal Credit, Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance, and Carer's Allowance.
Middlesbrough Central Jobcentre Plus
James Cook House, 79 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 2BA
Tel: 0345 604 3719 (existing appointments only)
Middlesbrough East Jobcentre Plus
Beresford Buildings, The Greenway, Thorntree, Middlesbrough, TS3 9NB
Tel: 0345 604 3719 (existing appointments only)
How to apply for benefits or contact relevant government departments
To find out more about a particular benefit visit GOV.UK's benefits section, which also allows you to apply for benefits including Jobseeker's Allowance and Universal Credit.
Employment support from Jobcentre Plus and partners
The Jobcentre Plus Back to Work Schemes Guide contains information on some of the current support available, as well as information on benefit sanctions.
Jobcentre Plus External Relations Team (DTV South)
Jobcentre Plus doesn't just consist of frontline staff working in Jobcentres, there's also a whole team of external relations and partnership advisers and managers working in local communities, community centres, libraries, schools, prisons and doctor's surgeries providing a range of employability and benefit advice.


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We were blown away when our friends at Good Days Vintage Rentals messaged us letting us know about these two amazing ladies. A whole bunch of Melbourne vendors were banding together to put on an amazing wedding, might I add, one of THE FIRST EVER SAME SEX MARRIAGE in Australia! Can I get a HELL YEAH!
We were so stoked to dress these ladies for their special day, with Teegan wearing our brand new KATE Jumpsuit, and Mahatia rockin' our Margot Dress and overskirt.
The amazing event started at 8pm (reception/party time first) on Jan 8th, and the ceremony was underway at exactly midnight on Jan 9th (the literal minute when same-sex marriage became legal.) These girls don't mess around!
Again, it was such an honor to be a part of history in this way. And a very special shoutout to all of the other vendors who donated their services in the name of L O V E
Christian Marc Photography (click here for their blog post with even more photos)
Good Days Rentals Vintage
Good Grace and Humour
Lunar Red Films
The Altar Electric
Fat and Skinny Catering
Notel Melbourne
Ferdyduke Bar
Kate Makeup Art
Love Kitty Pimms
Fidel and Sarah


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Murica Sports Park
Murcia, Spain
Murcia sports park, Murcia, spain
Developed as a feasibility project, the Murcia Sports Park was designed as a state of the art complex, to be one of the best in the world. The mix of indoor and outdoor facilities combined with an Olympic Village ethos and love of sport made the facility unique in size and scope of offer.
The centre aimed to create a sporting environment that was hospitable to all users, regardless of ability, from world class athletes to grassroots beginners. Striking this balance in clientele involved developing flexible spaces such as a 50m Olympic pool with traversable boom to facilitate smaller training pools.
The overriding design principles for the masterplan respond to the site conditions, paying particular attention to solar orientation. All pitches are orientated on a NW / SE axis (goal to goal). This avoids sport being played in the direction of the setting sun.
The Hub at Murcia Sports Park is located centrally on the site on a raised platform to provide elevated views out over all sporting facilities. The Hub is the social centre of Murcia Sports Park and includes all central facilities. The Hub turns its back on the setting sun providing optimal viewing conditions for spectators. The canopy covering the Hub has been designed and orientated to provide maximum shading to the internal sports areas. It also creates covered promenades on each side of the building which provide comfortable relaxation spaces for spectators.
Pedestrian routes are given priority throughout the sports park which is divided by a simple and legible 'cross' of pedestrian circulation forming connections between all areas of the sports park. Ribbons of water have been draped across the park with water features and fountains providing important focal points and cooling for spectators while tensile structures and strategic planting of trees provide high levels of shade to all public spaces and spectator areas. Further integrating sport into the DNA of the Sports Park, a 2.5km running and cycle circuit runs around the edge of scheme.


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Lotus of Greenwich: Advertising
Dealership Launch
Dealership Launch
Challenge Solution> Results>
Hunting Ridge Motors (HRM), an exotic car reseller learned of the return of federalized Lotus cars to the United States marketplace. Admiring the car and predicting brisk sales, they pursued a dealership license, but were told by Lotus U.S. that the dealership was already being awarded to a much larger, more well established competitor.Solution>
Challenge> Solution Results>
TDO worked closely with HRM to create an identity that married HRM, Lotus cars and racing. We wrote a positioning for the dealers unique take on selling the product. We designed building fascias, floor plans and signage for two dealer locations, advertising, clothing, premiums and a website. We applied dramatic graphics to a trailer. We communicated all of this in a highly visual business plan.Results>
Challenge> Solution> Results
HRM drove to Lotus U.S. headquarters and parked their new 24-foot trailer filled with Lotus race cars at the front door. They marched in and presented the plan. HRM was immediately awarded the dealership. With TDOs continued conventional, display, online and guerrila marketing support, they sold 200% of their vehicle allotment in year one and became the largest selling dealership in the world for four years running.


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For the GIGA Program, we have assembled a team of faculty members who are world leaders in their fields.
Faculty Database → Click Here
MURAI, Jun
Dean of the Graduate School of Media and Governance
Former Dean of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies
Professor Jun Murai's research focus is on global computer networking and communication. He is recognized as a pioneer for his contributions to the global internet and is known as the "Father of the Internet" in Japan, and as the "Internet Samurai" overseas. He developed the Japan University UNIX Network (JUNET), Japan's first inter-university computer network. He serves as the Founder of the WIDE Project, and chair of the AI3 Project and SOI Asia Project. Professor Murai has received numerous awards worldwide, and was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2013. He is an Advisory Member of the Strategic Headquarters for the Promotion of an Advanced Information and Telecommunications Network Society (IT Strategic Headquarters), chairs and serves on many other governmental committees, and is active in numerous international scientific associations. He served as Vice President of Keio University from 2005 to 2009, and as Executive Director of Keio Research Institute at SFC from 1999 to 2005. He holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Keio University.
KAWAZOE, Takeshi
Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Policy Management
Professor Takeshi Kawazoe's research topics include classical Fourier analysis and modern wavelet analysis, with a focus on harmonic analysis of Lie groups, hypergroups, and non-homogenous spaces. He is the author of many Japanese-language publications Calculus I, Calculus II, and Mathematical Science and Society. Dean Kawazoe earned a Ph.D. in Science from the University of Tokyo, and also completed all coursework toward a Ph.D. at the Graduate School of Engineering at Keio University. He also holds an M.S. from the Graduate School of Engineering at Keio University, and a B.E. from the Faculty of Engineering at Keio University. He served as the headmaster of Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior and Senior High School from 2011 to September 2013.
HAMADA, Yoko
Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies
Professor Yoko Hamada's research focus is on Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis, Infant Mental Health, and School Mental Health. She graduated from the Keio University School of Medicine in 1981, and received her Doctor of Medical Science in 1991. Previously, she was a research associate in the Department of Neuropsychiatry at Keio University, and was an assistant professor at the Seitoku University Health Center. She has published numerous works on topics such as mothers' recognition of infant's emotions and psychoanalytic psychotherapy of women.
AKIYAMA, Miki
Associate Professor
Health Communication, Community Health, Public Health
AOYAMA, Atsushi
Assistant Professor
"Neural Information Science, Brain Mapping, Sensory Integration, Bio-Signal Processing"
HAGINO, Tatsuya
Software Science (System Software, Web Technology)
HASEBE, Yoko
Associate Professor
English Teaching Materials, Teaching Methodology, Distance Learning, Inter-Linguistic and Inter-Cultural Communication
HATTORI, Takashi
Computer Science
IBA, Takashi
Associate Professor
Pattern Languages, Creativity, Complex Systems, Social Systems Theory
JIMBO, Ken
Associate Professor
International Security, Security in the Asia-Pacific, Regionalism in East Asia, Japan's Defense and Security Policy
KATO, Takaaki
Associate Professor
Ergonomics, Sport Psychology, Motor Learning and Control
KIYOKI, Yasushi
Professor, Former Dean of the Graduate School of Media and Governance
Multimedia database, Multidatabase
KOBAYASHI, Hiroto
Architecture, Urban and Rural Design
KOKURYO, Jiro
Vice President, Professor
Management Information System
KOTOSAKA, Masahiro
Associate Professor
International Business, Internationalization Strategy, International Entrepreneurship
KURABAYASHI, Shuichi
Assistant Professor
Multimedia Databases, Active Database, Web Information Systems
KURODA, Hiroki
Associate Professor
Developmental Biology
KUSUMOTO, Hiroyuki
Associate Professor
Computer Network
KUWAHARA, Takeo
Marketing, Consumer Research
MATSUKAWA, Shohei
Assistant Professor
Architectural Design, Algorithmic Design, Design Process Theory
MITSUGI, Jin
Associate Professor
Wireless Communications, Computational Engineering
NAITO, Yasuhiro
Associate Professor
Theoretical Biology
NAKAMURA, Osamu
Computer Science, Internet
NAKAMURO, Makiko
Associate Professor
Economics of Education
NAKAZAWA, Jin
Associate Professor
Distributed Systems, Middleware, Ubiquitous Computing, Computer Networks
NISHIOKA, Keiji
Professor Emeritus
Differential Algebra
O'DONNELL, David P.
Visiting Lecturer
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) / Digital Media in Language Learning
OGAWA, Katsuhiko
Communication Design, Network Sociology, Human Interface
OKI, Satoko
Associate Professor
Seismology, Disaster Information, Safety Education, Communication of Disaster Science
ONISHI, Takuya
Associate Professor
Energy Design and extreme, portable/light-weight architecture
SUGIHARA, Yumi
Associate Professor
Japanese Language Education, Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis, Intercultural Education
TAKASHIO, Kazunori
Associate Professor
Distributed Systems, Real-Time Systems, Mobile Computing, Ubiquitous Computing
TAKEDA, Keiji
Information Security (Intrusion Detection, Security Architecture, Software Security)
TAKEFUJI, Yoshiyasu
Neural Computing, Internet Gadgets, Security, Energy Harvesting
TANAKA, Hiroya
Design Tool, Design Machine, Personal Fabrication, Social Fabrication
TANAKA, Shigenori
Cognitive Linguistics, Theory of Sense-Making
THAMRIN, Achmad Husni
Project Assistant Professor
Internet Technology, Multicast Communications
THIESMEYER, Lynn
Southeast Asian Rural Development, Gender and Development, Social Theory
TOMITA, Masaru
Systems Biology, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology
UEHARA, Keisuke
Associate Professor
Computer Networks
UEYAMA, Takahiro
Science and Technology Policy
UMEGAKI, Michio
Professor Emeritus
Science and Technology Policy
VAN METER, Rodney D.
Quantum Computing, Post-Moore's Law Computer Architecture, Distributed Mass Storage Systems
WATANABE, Mitsuhiro
Health Science, Anti-Aging, Metabolic Disease, Naturopathic Medicine, Preventive Medicine
WATANABE, Yorizumi
International Political Economy, GATT/WTO Law, Trade Policy, European Integration
YAN, Wanglin
GIS, Urban and Regional Environments, Sustainability Science
In addition to the core teaching staff listed above, other members of the SFC faculty will be contributing their expertise to the GIGA Program:


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There was not an exact match for the language you toggled to. You have been redirected to the nearest matching page within this section.
Tingvatn has numerous several thousand year old stones arranged in an archaeological park. The facility has wireless electronic guide in Norwegian, German and English. The visitor centre has a café, museum shop and exhibitions of art, archeology and cultural history topics.
In the 1930's, a large sword in perfect condition was found at a farm in Snartemo in Hægebostad. Its history is mysterious and it is believed to be from before the Viking times. This was one of the most significant historical finds in the region and as a result a monument of the Snartemo Sword has been erected which can be accessed by the general public.
Tourist Information for Hægebostad is located in Tingvatn historical park and visitor center. You can find more information about the Hægebostad region on the local government website.
This is where visitors can see how the interior household looked in a residential building in the 1800s. The Hægebostad Museum trip can be combined with a tour of Tingvatn field, located just next door.
Heddan Gard is a cultural guesthouse offering accommodation in historical buildings. The rooms are a trip back in time and there is a restaurant, banquet, meeting and conference facilities.
Mydland Farm allows the visitor to help take care and feed the deer and Scottish Highland cattle and dine in a private courtyard restaurant. There is a shop selling souvenirs and sausages of meat from deer and Scottish Highland cattle.
The Eilivstad Herregård is a Norwegian-American building from the 1920s. Offering both catering, parties and seminars / conferences in idyllic surroundings. it is located next to the Lygna salmon river.
Experience history among the mysterious stones at Tingvatn Fornminnepark in Hægebostad. Hægebostad has some of the most mysterious stones in Norway.
At Tingvatn Fornminnepark (historical park and visitor center), there are four different and exciting stone areas. If you are a history buff, this is a treat. Visitors can hear about the history through wireless electronic guide in Norwegian, German and English.
The stone formations carry imaginative names like Skjelvarspranget, Victims Ring and Judge Ring.
The story tells of the doomed young girl Skjelva who might have lived if she managed to jump from rock to rock around the ring. She almost made it, but fell against the seventh stone and died. The distance between the stones have grown six feet.
Interesting are also two parallel rows of tall stones. This "street" is not known anywhere else in Norway. It is believed that those who were unlucky enough to be sentenced to death had to walk through these.
Close by is the prehistoric field of Galgebakken and Hægebostad Village Museum.
At the visitor center at Tingvatn there are concerts, courses and other events at different times of the year. There is also a Viking market and vintage huts. An exhibition telling the story of the famous Viking sword, Snartemosverdet, can also be heard.
Inside the Tingvatn building is an information desk, museum store with copies of historic shoes and a history of literature. There is a café with Viking soup and other local foods and children can shoot with old-fashioned bow and arrows.


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VP Events will transform the overall ambiance of any venue into an atmosphere exclusively created for you and your guests. We guarantee creative solutions and striking results that fit your budget. Our professional staff will focus on every detail while infusing innovative design with the proper state-of-the-art equipment. All events are tailored to fit the specific needs and interests of each client. We will therefore create an individual package to meet your specific needs and budget.
We specialize in a wide range of special events including:
- Private (Weddings, Mitzvahs, Sweet Sixteen's, Birthdays, & Anniversary's)
- Graduation Parties
- Corporate Functions
- Networking Events
- Social Affairs
- Fundraisers & Charity Functions
- Sports & Celebrity Events
- Showcases & Trade Shows
- Fashion Shows
- Concerts
- Televised & Live Productions
- Grand Openings
- Product Launch Parties
- & More...
Our Process
Meet the client and get to know their personality, goals and overall vision.
Create a custom package for client and send them a proposal for approval. If client approves proposal, a final contract will be created for them to sign.
Meet client at venue to take measurements and see exact layout of space.
Design layout based on venue floor-plan and measurements. Sent to client for approval.
Once design is approved, production equipment will be gathered. Entertainment (if any) will be booked.
Event will be set-up and executed according to given timeline. Venue will be transformed into clients' vision.


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Making training sessions more creative and lively
I read in one of the posed questions last April 26 that a class was developed to make the training sessions more creative and lively. Would it be possible to have a copy of the presentation that was made? Attending your sessions there is not possible due to distance (I'm from the Philippines) which is why I'm requesting for a copy.
I'm currently handling all SAP training sessions for our company and making the sessions more lively is a big concern.
You can download the presentation from the ASUG site. The title is 6205 - Games and Training Activiites: Have Fun, Learn Faster, Remember More!
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The Audi A1 and A1 Sportback have been dropped from the local Audi model line-up – a check earlier with the Audi Malaysia website showed that both were no longer listed. A call to Euromobil confirmed that sales of the A1 models have indeed been discontinued, though this is only for the moment, the company said. Tip of the hat to reader Ron Nard for the steer in that particular direction.
The A1 hatch was introduced in Malaysia in June 2011, the three-door hatchback making its local debut in 1.4 TFSI form, priced at RM179,900 without insurance. The five-door version of the type, the A1 Sportback, arrived in March 2013, and was also priced at RM179,900 at point of introduction.
Both A1 models had identical powertrains, equipped with a turbocharged 1.4 TFSI engine offering 122 hp at 5,000 rpm and 200 Nm of torque from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm. In both cases, the mill was paired with a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission.
The cars could well return to the lineup soon enough in their facelifted forms – the updated A1 and A1 Sportback were unveiled in November last year, with revised front bumper, sharper-looking headlamps, new graphics for the tail lamps and a more angular front grille part of the external rework.


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Avery Elle Products: Stamp & Die Sets
Avery Elle offers the latest in fun, fresh and modern design. They tested every major manufacturer in the USA and found what they consider to be the best clear stamps in the industry. Avery Elle clear stamps stamp crisper and cleaner right out of the package. They also take the guess work out of coordinating your paper crafting supplies. All of Avery Elle's patterned paper pads, ink pads and note cards coordinate with one another.
Sorry! We couldn't find what you were looking for.


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Case Studies
Here are a few detailed examples of how we've partnered with clients to help them improve their businesses.
When Manhattan New Music Project (MNMP) approached Coa, they recognized that they were badly in need of an identity change and an image update. The organization had just gone through serious restructuring and had to adapt to their new focuses. We provided them with an adaptable, unified branding system that better displays the amazing work of the organization and the full breadth of their services.
MNMP's original brand identity spoke only to one dimension of the organization: music composition, represented by a musical staff. However, that aspect is only half of what they do. In addition to supporting independent and up-and-coming new composers, MNMP also develops performing arts and music programs for education. The challenge was to create a branding system that is flexible enough to frame both of these equal halves of the organization.
We began by interviewing the board of directors, and working with the MNMP Executive Director, to determine the priorities and the ultimate applications of the branding. We learned about the various audiences that MNMP has to have a dialogue with: donors, school administrators, musicians, and concertgoers. We also researched other cultural and arts organizations to get a context of what these audiences would be comparing to MNMP and developed several visual concept directions that would stand out in that landscape.
The clients at MNMP reacted positively to the concepts and felt that each presented the organization in a different way. This provoked questions among the organization leadership about which visual most accurately represented MNMP and what they wanted it to become. Each stakeholder had a different opinion about which concept matched their vision for the organization. Our exploratory work resulted in conversations within about the brand and the organization's direction that were thought previously to be unanimously accepted visions.
At an impasse, we proposed an alternative idea: a more open branding system that would allow for the versatility of both the education and performance content to help the organization grow into its new strategic focuses. The leadership welcomed the idea and we developed a system centered around a typeface family (Bryant Pro by Process Type), a logo lock-up that emphasizes "New Music", and a color palette. The organization of the lockup suggests the music staff of the old identity but steps away from the "MNMP" initials (unrecognizable except internally) and instead brings their unique focus on emerging music to the forefront.
The looseness of the logo allowed us to experiment with secondary design elements for the differing aspects of the organization while still looking cohesive. We developed an 'exploding palette' of colored shapes to depict the categories of the arts in education programs. The website uses separate highlight colors and graphics for content related to education versus performances. All elements are tied together with the typography and the primary palette or black and yellow.
This extended to many applications including a custom Moleskine notebook commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the organization that included an embossed cover, music staff lined pages, and custom stickers.
It is always a pleasure working with clients like Manhattan New Music Project who value design thinking and are willing to invite us to collaborate with them early in their process so that we can influence the creative direction they are heading and help them solve the challenges they are facing.


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Telehealth EHR
Telehealth EHR
Telehealth, also referred to as telemedicine or e-health, is a technique that enables healthcare providers to evaluate, diagnose, treat and monitor patients remotely through the use of telecommunications tools such as the telephone, teleconference, email or online chat. Telemedicine has experienced rapid growth in recent years because it offers the following provider and client benefits:
• Enhanced accessibility: In urban and rural areas that are experiencing a shortage in physicians and facilities, telehealth gives clients easier access to the healthcare services they need.
• Cost reduction: Telemedicine has been proven to be an effective means of reducing the cost of delivering and administering healthcare services.
• Better quality: Studies show that the quality of telemedicine is often greater than in-person treatment services in areas such as mental/behavioral health and ICU.
• Meeting demand: Many clients now demand telemedicine instead of in-person treatment because it eliminates travel and reduces the stress involved with in-person visits.
Understanding the Relationship Between Telemedicine and Electronic Health Records
These days, EHR systems play a complementary, but essential, role in the delivery of telehealth services. Telehealth EHR software is available that assists the physician and medical staff in staying organized and ensuring the security of sensitive client information. Physicians can use their computer or mobile device to log in to secure accounts and access client records to prepare for a session or make notes during or after its conclusion. Clients can also use online portals to access their treatment history, saving a trip to the practitioner's office.
Key Telemedicine EHR Software Benefits
Telemedicine medical software can provide numerous benefits for both the healthcare provider and the client. By streamlining appointment-setting and related procedures, physicians have more time to spend with clients. They can also send an electronic prescription to a pharmacy so that a client has immediate access to refills.
From a business perspective, EHR software can simplify administrative tasks such as billing and collections, which can decrease the time required to receive payment or reimbursement and eliminate inefficiencies that lead to lost revenues.
PsyTech Solutions Offers the Best Telehealth Record Software Product
Epitomax® from PsyTech Solutions can meet the telehealth EHR software needs of behavioral health organizations with 20 or more users. Our web-based, easy-to-use software can deliver essential services that benefit physicians and administrative staff, such as faster scheduling and appointment-setting, streamlining of documentation, more efficient billing and increased documentation accuracy. Clients will appreciate the user-friendly, secure online portal and e-prescribing that ensures they can avoid delays in getting their medications.
Contact Us to Schedule a Free Online Demo
The best way to find out if Epitomax® telemedicine EHR software is a good fit for your organization is by contacting us to schedule a no-obligation product demo today.


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Project - Climate Risk Management in Bicol (Philippines)
Strengthening capacities for climate risk management and disaster preparedness in Bicol Region, Philippines
In view of current and future hydrometeorological hazards and climate risks that affect both the agriculture and fishery sectors of the region, the Government of the Philippines and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations embarked on a joint technical cooperation project to Enhance Capacities for Climate Risk Management and Disaster Preparedness in Agriculture.
The assistance aims to enhance the capacities within the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Philippine Atmospheric Geographical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and of local institutions to better manage climate related risks and to improve the livelihood resilience and food security of farmers and fisher folks.
Specific project objectives
Period: 9/2009 - 12/2011


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Dig out the trainers, dust off the headband and update your iPod - the Beaverbrooks Blackpool 10k Fun Run is back!
Runners of all ages and abilities are in training for the Beaverbrooks 10K in aid of Trinity Hospice which is just over two months away.
From as young as 11 to as old as 70, athletes from across the Fylde and further afield are getting ready to lace up their running shoes for annual pounding of the Golden Mile.
'Elite' athletes from local running clubs are also looking forward to the race, which will have official individual electronic chip timing for accurate results.
Linzi Young, Trinity Hospice's Head of Fundraising said: "The level of interest in the 10K has once again been excellent, and I know a lot of people are now in training for the big day.
"Having said that, the beauty of the Blackpool 10K is that fun runners will also feel perfectly at home – not everyone needs to be setting a personal best.
"No doubt there will be a few power walkers and some fancy dress costumes too.
"It is going to be a fantastic event."
She added: "The generosity of Beaverbrooks in supporting the 10K means so much to us. As a charity we rely on help from people in the local community because we must raise over £5m a year to continue to provide compassionate hospice care to children and adults from Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre."
The 10K Fun Run on May 10 is one of the area's biggest public sporting events and more than 2,000 runners are expected to take part.
Many runners are doing it to raise sponsorship for Trinity and Brian House, but other good causes are welcome too.
Linzi said: "I always find it touching to hear of people running in memory of someone who was cared for at Trinity.
"Sponsorship gives us an enormous boost, and in our 30th birthday year we are asking everyone to try and raise £30 for us."
The Hilton Hotel is race HQ for the day, but Trinity's team of volunteers will be marshalling the route.
The route – which has a reputation for being a potentially fast course if the weather is good - goes from the Hilton on North Promenade, down the Golden Mile to the Pleasure Beach and back.
Online entry is now open via the Trinity Hospice website, and Trinity also has branded running vests and drinks bottles available to buy.
Every runner will receive a race pack, registration number, trainer tag for timing and full instructions for the big day.


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7 Day Audio eCourse + BONUS Goal Setting Planner
Einstein said, "Insanity is doing the same thing but expecting different results."
Are you tired of setting New Year Resolutions that don't last?
What if I showed you why your resolutions don't work and what to do instead?
If you´re ready to jumpstart your motivation and finally follow through on those brilliant ideas of yours, this 7-Day light audio eCourse is for you.
If you are serious about designing your breakthrough, this mini-eCourse will inspire you to:
Intended Audience: Action Takers


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Cardiac and pulmonary diseases are conditions that affect the lungs and heart. Cardiac rehabilitation may benefit those who have experienced a recent heart attack or cardiac surgery, as well as other heart-related health problems. Pulmonary rehabilitation may be beneficial to individuals with asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, or other lung conditions.
Transitional Care Clinic (TCC)
The TCC serves congestive heart failure patients, and those suffering from COPD or pneumonia, who are over the age of 55, and have visited the hospital more than twice in six months, as well as patients who do not have support at home or an existing relationship with a primary care physician. At the TCC, staff can review patient history, help answer questions, steer patients to a primary care physician, order lab work and create future care plans such as a schedule for cardiac rehab visits.
LOCATION: MedStar Southern Maryland Professional Building
HOURS: Monday through Friday; 1 - 4 p.m.
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center
7503 Surratts Road
Clinton, Maryland 20735
[Get Directions]
Phone: 301-877-4367


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There is an old saying that "relationships are built on trust" and it goes without saying that trust must go both ways for a relationship to grow. Effective supervisors know that there are three primary components to building trust.
- Shared Purpose: Both parties are interested in achieving the same thing in the relationship, and believe that the other person shares that purpose. If either party thinks that the other is not interested in or actively helping with the achievement of a common purpose, then trust is diminished. For example, if the employee perceives the boss as only interested in making him/herself look good and not in helping the employee to progress, then shared purpose does not exist and trust is diminished.
- Mutual Respect: Each person shows respect to the other. Notice that we say "shows respect" not "likes" the other person. While it helps, it is not necessary to like the other person; but it is essential that you show respect for the person as a person. One of the primary ways that respect is demonstrated is by taking the time to listen to each other in an attempt to completely understand before giving advice.
- Confidence and Confidentiality: This is the willingness and ability to confide in each other and depend on the candid, truthful feedback from the other. It is also the knowledge that each person can depend on the other to do what they say they will do. Failure to maintain dependability and confidentiality are sure ways to diminish confidence and trust in a relationship.
Over the next three weeks we will examine each of these in more detail to determine how to go about executing each one.


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Students will complete their Do Now, Introduction to New Material and Guided Practice on this worksheet. This resource is part of the Coming of Age Unit collection.
This resource was reviewed using the Curriki Review rubric and received an overall Curriki Review System rating of 3, as of 2009-06-26.
This resource received a 3* rating because it is part of the larger resource, Coming of Age Unit, which received a rating of 3-Exemplary in the Curriki Review System. You can learn more about this larger resource by reading its review and comments.
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text: The 'loose-end' state of my home is driving me crazy. It seems as soon as the kitchen starts to glisten, a dirty dish gets immediately tossed back in. I can never find the better half of my collection of single socks, and just when I think the house is looking good—I find my toddler eating butter or smearing mysterious goo … Read More


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Modern Kitchen Designs for Small Space
Modern Kitchen Designs for Small Space – Cooking area is really the main and key to the house and the best kitchen areas are individuals that satisfy the particular needs of the proprietors.
Good quality, good-searching home appliances will enhance any kitchen. Many home appliances really are a statement by themselves. Chunky ovens and fridges happen to be changed by an even sleeker look. Kitchen areas could be labored to your home's existing design and style in many ways. When the interior kitchen is close to the rear exit of the house then your two could be made to flow effortlessly together. You will find many kitchen designs to select from. Kitchen areas could be classic, medieval and contemporary. Although kitchen areas are typically with large space, modern kitchen designs offer great suggestions for small kitchen areas.
Good design for small kitchen areas needs a ton of creativeness to be able to produce the preferred space for storage in a tiny kitchen space. Enhance the food and revel in cooking together with your microwave. Spice up the whole kitchen with accessories that are not only attractive but they are also great in functionality.


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Would you like to download Candy Heart Wallpaper? Just select the image you like from the list of 29 wallpapers below and download it for free and without registration. It's easy and very simple. Markinternational.info offer you a huge collection of wallpapers, which is replenished by our users every day, so we advise you to spend a bit of your time to explore new and interesting wallpapers for your desktop on our website. Create yourself a positive mood for the whole day!
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Politics & Government
9 vying for 3 seats on Malaga water board
Expanding recreation programs and community beautification are the top issues in races for three seats on the Malaga County Water District board.
Nine candidates are running for the board, which primarily oversees the community's water and sewer systems and parks and recreational programs. The board manages an annual budget of nearly $1.9 million.
The district is the mostly highly contested among the water and community service boards in Fresno County on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Six candidates are running to fill two four-year terms. They include incumbents Charles Garabedian Jr. and Irma Castaneda. The other four candidates are Johnny Hernandez, Henry Murrieta, Florence Valdez and Armando Blancas.
The three candidates seeking to fill a two-year term are incumbent Frank Cerrillo Jr. and challengers Vincent Fernandez and Becky Salmeron.
In addition to supporting more recreational programs for teens and seniors, the candidates say more attention needs to be placed in beautifying Malaga, an unincorporated community of about 1,200 residents just south of Fresno.
"It looks like nobody cares right now," Murrieta said.
Cerrillo said dry weeds and trash at the Chestnut Avenue overpass at Golden State Boulevard are an example of what needs to be cleaned up.
"It's an eyesore," he said.
Another issue is the need for speed bumps to slow traffic in neighborhoods and around Malaga Park, candidates said.
Garabedian, district board president, said he wants to see Malaga maintain its independence.
An effort to make Malaga an incorporated town in 2004 failed after supporters worked for five years and spent about $1 million. The Local Agency Formation Commission denied the incorporation request.
That in part led to the recall of Valdez and Blancas in April 2005. Recall proponents said Valdez, Blancas and another board member interfered with the community's effort to become a city.
The ousting of the three board members triggered celebratory gunfire and fireworks the night of the recall election.
Valdez and Blancas ran again for the board in November 2005, but lost.
Blancas concedes that he probably won't be elected Nov. 6, but said he is running so board members know that other people are concerned about the community.
Board members receive $143.50 per meeting. The board meets twice a month.
Each board member also receives medical health coverage or reimbursement for what the district would pay if the board member accepted the coverage, said Russ Holcomb, the district's general manager.


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In order to keep our tuition low, we reach out to the community to help us fulfill some of our needs. We and the teens would love the following items or services.
(Please call to arrange to pick up or drop off. Call us at 303-443-3343.):
Mountain Bikes and helmets 8 desktop computers or laptops
- Greenhouse for our Horticulture program (and/or volunteers to build it)
- Yurt for meetings and groups (and/or volunteers to build it)
Thank you!!!