Comments for Mental Fitness http://mentalfitness.ch Helping you navigate life. Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:45:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on What if we could see everything stemming from relationship? by Brigitte Safrana http://mentalfitness.ch/what-if-we-could-see-everything-stemming-from-relationship/#comment-42 Brigitte Safrana Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:45:28 +0000 http://mentalfitness.ch/?p=606#comment-42 From the very beginning of our lives we can only exist in relation to someone. It is our reflection in mother/carer 's eyes that gives us definition and acknowledge our existence. Depending on this primary reflection we experience ourselves in negative and positive terms. It is the ratio between these two that create our experience of ourselves in the world. Humans are meant to connect, and so are most animals according to their level of consciousness. It is also the quality of our relatedness to others that will define the quality of our relatedness to God, The Source, It or whatever we want to name the the mystery of us all. This to me is evolution of consciousness and it does start with relationships, absolutely. From the very beginning of our lives we can only exist in relation to someone. It is our reflection in mother/carer ‘s eyes that gives us definition and acknowledge our existence. Depending on this primary reflection we experience ourselves in negative and positive terms. It is the ratio between these two that create our experience of ourselves in the world.
Humans are meant to connect, and so are most animals according to their level of consciousness. It is also the quality of our relatedness to others that will define the quality of our relatedness to God, The Source, It or whatever we want to name the the mystery of us all. This to me is evolution of consciousness and it does start with relationships, absolutely.

]]> Comment on Radio Frontier and Mental Fitness launch innovative partnership by Rory Butler http://mentalfitness.ch/radio-frontier-and-mental-fitness-launch-innovative-partnership/#comment-41 Rory Butler Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:07:45 +0000 http://mentalfitness.ch/?p=799#comment-41 Congratulations! I like the mantra of the station "we promise not to be boring!" ...connecting listeners with practical help, guidance and support through Mental Fitness makes great sense. All the best. Congratulations! I like the mantra of the station “we promise not to be boring!” …connecting listeners with practical help, guidance and support through Mental Fitness makes great sense. All the best.

]]> Comment on What if we could see everything stemming from relationship? by Vonnie Crosbie http://mentalfitness.ch/what-if-we-could-see-everything-stemming-from-relationship/#comment-17 Vonnie Crosbie Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:20:01 +0000 http://mentalfitness.ch/?p=606#comment-17 I actually think it's a very accurate way of thinking. Ie relationships and our experiences within those relationships can dictate how we relate to other relationships. As a therapist and having gone through therapy it took me a long time to understand why I was drawn to males that were actually quite insecure. It was a complex journey involving my understanding of my reactions to my inability to fix a very good fathers illness that resulted in his death. I wasn't the typical good dad results in good partner, my issue was based on the loss of the good father and how I recreated a less devastating loss, but a loss nevertheless due to males chosen being insecure, resulting in endings, I also think that Freud understood as do many great therapists, our attachments form our version of love, we relate to the subconscious patterns of relating to past experiences and often recreate feelings within ourselves with current relationships. It is a fascinating understanding of how the mind is powerful and relationships determine our reactions to relationships, by creating understanding, awareness of our models of love as a child we can relearn and process our reactions and focus on separating the past experiences if negative and learn to experience love in a beneficial way for ourselves and our current relationships. Interesting and thought provoking. Thank you. I actually think it’s a very accurate way of thinking. Ie relationships and our experiences within those relationships can dictate how we relate to other relationships. As a therapist and having gone through therapy it took me a long time to understand why I was drawn to males that were actually quite insecure. It was a complex journey involving my understanding of my reactions to my inability to fix a very good fathers illness that resulted in his death. I wasn’t the typical good dad results in good partner, my issue was based on the loss of the good father and how I recreated a less devastating loss, but a loss nevertheless due to males chosen being insecure, resulting in endings, I also think that Freud understood as do many great therapists, our attachments form our version of love, we relate to the subconscious patterns of relating to past experiences and often recreate feelings within ourselves with current relationships. It is a fascinating understanding of how the mind is powerful and relationships determine our reactions to relationships, by creating understanding, awareness of our models of love as a child we can relearn and process our reactions and focus on separating the past experiences if negative and learn to experience love in a beneficial way for ourselves and our current relationships. Interesting and thought provoking. Thank you.

]]> Comment on BBC News – Brains may be wired for addiction by Rory Butler http://mentalfitness.ch/bbc-news-brains-may-be-wired-for-addiction/#comment-15 Rory Butler Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:08:36 +0000 http://mentalfitness.ch/?p=563#comment-15 It's an interesting article and a compelling field of research which confirms for me the belief that some of us are predisposed genetically to addictive behavior. Addictive behaviors can become self destructive leading ultimately to suicide. But there is always hope - and for the individual wrestling with addictive and self destructive behaviors this is something to hold on to when nothing else makes sense. In my work with youth I have experienced time and again how the reassurance of hope, understanding and unconditional help, guidance and support has reconnected the individual with the will to live. To stay alive. In some individuals - and more than we may realize in a world that is more ready to medicate than is healthy - the non clinical, empathic approach is surely the right way to go. Of course there are others who will need medical intervention but let's be careful. Some of us may be predisposed to addictive behaviors. Perhaps more of us than we would care to believe. What stops some of us from relenting to theseaddictive impulses is the strong support and sense of connection/ belonging that we have in our family and community networks. Without this support it becomes quite easy to engage in addictive behaviors that can become self destructive. A sense of belonging and acceptance is important to us all in the context of nurturing our identity and personhood. Life is precious and it is for living. Take care Rory Butler Founder & CEO www.yourlifecounts.org It’s an interesting article and a compelling field of research which confirms for me the belief that some of us are predisposed genetically to addictive behavior.

Addictive behaviors can become self destructive leading ultimately to suicide. But there is always hope – and for the individual wrestling with addictive and self destructive behaviors this is something to hold on to when nothing else makes sense.

In my work with youth I have experienced time and again how the reassurance of hope, understanding and unconditional help, guidance and support has reconnected the individual with the will to live. To stay alive.

In some individuals – and more than we may realize in a world that is more ready to medicate than is healthy – the non clinical, empathic approach is surely the right way to go. Of course there are others who will need medical intervention but let’s be careful.

Some of us may be predisposed to addictive behaviors. Perhaps more of us than we would care to believe. What stops some of us from relenting to theseaddictive impulses is the strong support and sense of connection/ belonging that we have in our family and community networks. Without this support it becomes quite easy to engage in addictive behaviors that can become self destructive. A sense of belonging and acceptance is important to us all in the context of nurturing our identity and personhood.

Life is precious and it is for living.

Take care

Rory Butler
Founder & CEO
http://www.yourlifecounts.org

]]> Comment on Depression Literature – A Brief Evaluation by Rory Butler http://mentalfitness.ch/depression-literature-a-brief-evaluation/#comment-11 Rory Butler Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:04:51 +0000 http://mentalfitness.ch/?p=545#comment-11 I must admit to finding the wide number of books on depression quite depressing. I guess like all things one can expect the range from the utterly vacuous to the best evidence based research available. But that's normal and that is reflective of life experience. What is encouraging though is the increasing readiness and willingness to talk about depression. As this debilitating, damaging and thoroughly unwelcome condition is pulled into the light for discussion then awareness and understanding must surely follow. The good news is that most folk respond to support and clinical treatment where really needed. I would also say that there is often a readiness to medicate as a first line of treatment whereas it has been my experience that relational, empathetic, cognitive therapy has been very effective. It's the old saying in many ways "a problem shared is a problem halved..." None of us have all the answers and we should run 100mph in the other direction if we ever meet someone who thinks he/ she has all the answers to depression etc. We must all remember that hope is always there - we must hold on to hope and never let it go because hope never lets go of us. I must admit to finding the wide number of books on depression quite depressing. I guess like all things one can expect the range from the utterly vacuous to the best evidence based research available. But that’s normal and that is reflective of life experience. What is encouraging though is the increasing readiness and willingness to talk about depression. As this debilitating, damaging and thoroughly unwelcome condition is pulled into the light for discussion then awareness and understanding must surely follow. The good news is that most folk respond to support and clinical treatment where really needed. I would also say that there is often a readiness to medicate as a first line of treatment whereas it has been my experience that relational, empathetic, cognitive therapy has been very effective. It’s the old saying in many ways “a problem shared is a problem halved…” None of us have all the answers and we should run 100mph in the other direction if we ever meet someone who thinks he/ she has all the answers to depression etc. We must all remember that hope is always there – we must hold on to hope and never let it go because hope never lets go of us.

]]> Comment on The Impact of Suicide: Expecting the Unexpected by Rory Butler http://mentalfitness.ch/the-impact-of-suicide-expecting-the-unexpected/#comment-8 Rory Butler Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:57:28 +0000 http://mentalfitness.ch/?p=527#comment-8 Very interested to learn more of Dr Gordon's work and wish I could attend the conference at Webster. My work at Your Life Counts is all about helping youth to develop and keep a will to live. Find out more about us at www.yourlifecounts.org - clearly our bottom line mission is the prevention of suicide. Please update us further with an overview of Dr Gordon's presentation. It is great to hear that Webster are hosting this important event. Thanks for all the work you do David together with Isobel and the team at Mental Fitness. Your support and encouragement of YLC is so much appreciated. Great new look with your website! Cheers Rory - Rory Butler, Founder & CEO; Your Life Counts Very interested to learn more of Dr Gordon’s work and wish I could attend the conference at Webster.

My work at Your Life Counts is all about helping youth to develop and keep a will to live. Find out more about us at http://www.yourlifecounts.org – clearly our bottom line mission is the prevention of suicide.

Please update us further with an overview of Dr Gordon’s presentation. It is great to hear that Webster are hosting this important event.

Thanks for all the work you do David together with Isobel and the team at Mental Fitness. Your support and encouragement of YLC is so much appreciated.

Great new look with your website!

Cheers

Rory

- Rory Butler, Founder & CEO; Your Life Counts

]]> Comment on What is therapy? by Rory Butler http://mentalfitness.ch/what-is-therapy/#comment-7 Rory Butler Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:51:36 +0000 http://mentalfitness.ch/?p=516#comment-7 Bob Mullens book is a fascinating read. In brief...psychotherapy to me is helping the individual to understand that the very key he/ she seeks to unlock the padlock that restrains him/ her is in his/ her hands... and helping empower him/ her to make positive change and live the life. It's about pulling back the veil of impasse and possible confusion and letting the bright rays of insight flood in reconnecting the individual with self, perspective, hope and future. Bob Mullens book is a fascinating read.

In brief…psychotherapy to me is helping the individual to understand that the very key he/ she seeks to unlock the padlock that restrains him/ her is in his/ her hands… and helping empower him/ her to make positive change and live the life. It’s about pulling back the veil of impasse and possible confusion and letting the bright rays of insight flood in reconnecting the individual with self, perspective, hope and future.

]]> Comment on The Impact of Suicide: Expecting the Unexpected by David Lawson http://mentalfitness.ch/the-impact-of-suicide-expecting-the-unexpected/#comment-6 David Lawson Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:27:38 +0000 http://mentalfitness.ch/?p=527#comment-6 Some notes on the lecturer's biography: Dr. Gordon is a lecturer and supervisor of students pursuing Psychotherapy and Mental Health at Dublin City University, Ireland. She is actively involved in overseeing a range of research projects in suicidology, psychotherapy and mental health practice. Dr. Gordon is a Registeres Psychiatric Nurse, Registered Family Therapist and Supervisor. She has earned her MSc in Psychotherapy from University College Dublin, MSc. in Organizational Consultation and Management from Sunderland University, UK, and a PhD from Dublin City University. She has presented at national and international conferences and published in the areas of suicide and mental health practice. Prior to that she worked for many years as a psychotherapist and psychotherapy supervisor in adult and adolescent mental health and she continues to practice in the field of psychotherapy. Some notes on the lecturer’s biography:

Dr. Gordon is a lecturer and supervisor of students pursuing Psychotherapy and Mental Health at Dublin City University, Ireland. She is actively involved in overseeing a range of research projects in suicidology, psychotherapy and mental health practice.

Dr. Gordon is a Registeres Psychiatric Nurse, Registered Family Therapist and Supervisor. She has earned her MSc in Psychotherapy from University College Dublin, MSc. in Organizational Consultation and Management from Sunderland University, UK, and a PhD from Dublin City University.

She has presented at national and international conferences and published in the areas of suicide and mental health practice. Prior to that she worked for many years as a psychotherapist and psychotherapy supervisor in adult and adolescent mental health and she continues to practice in the field of psychotherapy.

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