The LA Times takes a look at four psychology fads: est, primal therapy, Transcendental Meditation, lucid dreaming
Now and then, a new psychology movement bursts onto the popular scene and shakes up the mental health establishment. Typically these efforts tickle the fringe of accepted science, buoyed by celebrities and alternative therapy enthusiasts — which is to say, they often settle in California. Some, like est or primal therapy, traffic in mental transformation. Others, like Transcendental Meditation, whisper of ancient wisdom. Still others, like lucid dreaming, have echoes of science fiction. While the extent of their legacies varies, these four movements have all stood the test of time. So where are they now? Curious? Continue reading
Listen to your Brain a light-hearted “rap” video was produced by NeuroFocus one of the worlds leading companies in the burgeoning field of neuro-marketing.
WHAT happens in our brains when we watch a compelling TV commercial?
For one thing, certain brain waves that correlate with heightened attention become more active, according to researchers who have used EEGs, or electroencephalographs, to study the brain’s electrical frequencies. Brain waves that signal less-focused attention, meanwhile, tend to subside.
In other words, this is your brain on ads.
Or so say neuromarketers, an emerging group of researchers who use techniques from neuroscience to analyze people’s responses to products and promotions.Marketers have long sought a quantitative means for reliably interpreting consumers instinctive response to their marketing efforts.
The tradional methods such as surveys or focus groups fail to capture Engagement and Emotion, two critical components in what drives poeple to buy things. Curious?Continue reading
Individuals who suffer from severe acne are at an increased risk of attempting suicide, according to a new study from Karolinska Institute. The study also finds that an additional risk may be present during and up to one year after treatment with isotretinoin, a commonly prescribed drug for severe acne. However, the authors stress that this additional risk is most likely due to the acne itself, rather than the drug treatment.
Acne can have severe psychological effects. Most of us, at some stage of our lives, will get the odd spot. But for others it can be more problematic. In fact, for those who suffer from acne it can mean years of feeling self-conscious or inferior. [continue reading…]
What an excellent presentation, I love this video. Take the time on this dreary Saturday, ( in Vancouver at least), to listen to this excellent talk from Dr. Brené Brown who is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She has spent the past ten years studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. Brené spent the first five years of her decade-long study focusing on shame and empathy, and is now using that work to explore a concept that she calls Wholeheartedness. She poses the questions:
How do we learn to embrace our vulnerabilities and imperfections so that we can engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness? How do we cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection that we need to recognize that we are enough – that we are worthy of love, belonging, and joy?
Brené is a nationally renown speaker and has won numerous teaching awards, including the College’s Outstanding Faculty Award. Her work has been featured on PBS, NPR, CNN, and was the topic of two 2010 TEDx talks (Houston and Kansas City).
Brené is the author of The Gifts of Imperfection: Letting Go of Who We Think We Should Be and Embracing Who We Are (Hazelden, 2010) and I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power (Penguin/Gotham, 2007). Her next book, Wholehearted: Spiritual Adventures in Falling Apart, Growing Up, and Finding Joy will be released in 2011. She is also the author of Connections, a psychoeducational shame resilience curriculum that is being facilitated across the nation by mental health and addiction professionals.
