Look what I got onsale! (50% damn percent off! - sorry for that!) I am very excited to try this Renew-Plus body serum by Clarins. Clarins describes this product as Intensive Renewing Beauty Treatment. It combines Water Lily extract with Pre-Retinol to "eliminate dead skin cells, enhance cellular renewal and tone skin" I mean the description is sooo good, I wonder what it will deliver :-)
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What Should Be Earned?
In creating our traditional behavior management systems, we operated from the premise that earning rewards and privileges would be the principle motivator for the children in treatment to change. We expected the children to change their behaviors so that they could earn more points and go up in the levels. In order to interest them in doing this, we had to have as many aspects of daily living as possible be contingent. Because we couldn’t actually neglect or abuse the children, we were already limited in what parts of life we could make the children earn. We were not allowed to use food, for example. So, we looked through the day and considered what could be part of the level system. We asked the children. And each system ended up with lots of things that the children could not have unless they were on a certain level. These ranged from extra TV and Nintendo time, to later bedtimes, to posters on their walls, to trips and special events, to lining up first in lines, to contact and visits with their families. The theory was that the more important the privilege was to the child, the harder he or she would try to control their behaviors and earn the higher level.
However, we have now learned that this formulation ignores many aspects of what we know about trauma, how it affects people and how they heal. Points and levels approaches assume that the main problem for these children is motivation. Rewards and punishments increase motivation to do well. But these children are already motivated to do better, they just can’t. They do not have the skills. When you do not have skills, increasing rewards and punishments actually makes behavior worse, as you feel pressure and resentment at being rewarded and punished for something you cannot control. Imagine if some part of your paycheck was based on your flying from office to office. You might make a few tries, but quickly you would give up and be angry and resentful.
Another factors ignored by level systems is the role of shame. If a person has experienced significant trauma, they are often shame based, which means that they feel that they are no good, different and worse from others, and totally unlovable. Being on a low level reinforces this familiar shame, especially when the levels are posted on a public board. Since success seems so impossible, why even try.
What if we actually believe that children act better when they feel better? If children are safe, happy, enjoying life, feel cared about, and are surrounded by trustworthy relationships, they will in time be able to be kinder, calmer and more trustworthy themselves. This assumption would lead us to give the children everything we could as soon as they were admitted. We would make their rooms warm and welcoming and allow them to personalize them. We would offer them many fun activities and warm relationships. We would give them support so they can experience success. Our goal would be to make our units places where the child learns that life can be good, safe, warm, and happy.
More specifically:
Children’s contact with their families should never have to be earned. The greatest predictor of success after residential treatment is how often the child connects with his family during treatment. There are already so many barriers, both practical and psychological, between the child and his family. Our job should be to facilitate as much contact as possible. We should not have visiting hours, the families should be welcome at any time. We must try to provide whatever practical help we can in areas such as transportation and child care. And we must make sure the family feels welcomed and not shamed when they visit. If the child or family is unsafe, we can provide visits at our facilities, supervised if necessary. But contact should be a right, not an earned privilege.
Also, we must keep in mind that children need fun, leisure activities, and play for many reasons. It is through play that children learn and grow, experience success, develop friendships, and experience joy. Many activities such as music, electronic games, dance, art and crafts can also be ways to self soothe and to get through difficult periods without making things worse. How are children going to learn to use coping skills if we tell them that they can’t have coping activities until they show us through their behaviors that they have already mastered coping?
The only time it makes sense to have a privilege be earned is when a child needs skills to be able to use that privilege safely. For example, a child who is repeatedly running away should not be given the privilege of going on walks alone. More autonomy and less supervision should be a result of responsible behavior. As children achieve their treatment goals, and as they show increasing ability to let adults know when something goes wrong or is bothering them, they can be supervised at increased distances. If a program wants a formal system for this kind of earning, it is best handled through a long term phase system linked to treatment goals. Advancement through the phases should be a team and child decision reached after discussion, and not based on point totals. Children should not go down in these phases.
It is certainly a good idea to suspend a given activity in response to a child’s behavior. For example, a child just hit a staff, then wants to go to the mall. The staff should reply: “Of course we are not taking you to the mall today. I do not trust that you will be responsive and not have a meltdown like just happened. However, work on your restorative tasks, let’s figure out together what just happened, and I’m sure we will go to the mall together in the future.” How long this suspension lasts should not be based on a pre-set time period. It should be determined by the child completing his restorative tasks and his attitude.
People worry that without many things to be earned the child will have no incentive to get through the day. Why should he finish his dinner, do his chores, go to bed if there are no points to be earned by doing so? Well, he should finish his dinner because it tastes good and he is hungry, or, it should be fine that he does not finish his dinner. He should do his chores and go to bed because he is asked to and is part of the community, because he gets help and encouragement from those around him and because he will not be able to do the next fun thing until he does so.
Look over your own system. What is currently earned? Do those things need to be earned? What do you think would happen if we gave the children every joy we possibly could for free just because they are alive?
Click comment to let me know your reactions to these thoughts.
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However, we have now learned that this formulation ignores many aspects of what we know about trauma, how it affects people and how they heal. Points and levels approaches assume that the main problem for these children is motivation. Rewards and punishments increase motivation to do well. But these children are already motivated to do better, they just can’t. They do not have the skills. When you do not have skills, increasing rewards and punishments actually makes behavior worse, as you feel pressure and resentment at being rewarded and punished for something you cannot control. Imagine if some part of your paycheck was based on your flying from office to office. You might make a few tries, but quickly you would give up and be angry and resentful.
Another factors ignored by level systems is the role of shame. If a person has experienced significant trauma, they are often shame based, which means that they feel that they are no good, different and worse from others, and totally unlovable. Being on a low level reinforces this familiar shame, especially when the levels are posted on a public board. Since success seems so impossible, why even try.
What if we actually believe that children act better when they feel better? If children are safe, happy, enjoying life, feel cared about, and are surrounded by trustworthy relationships, they will in time be able to be kinder, calmer and more trustworthy themselves. This assumption would lead us to give the children everything we could as soon as they were admitted. We would make their rooms warm and welcoming and allow them to personalize them. We would offer them many fun activities and warm relationships. We would give them support so they can experience success. Our goal would be to make our units places where the child learns that life can be good, safe, warm, and happy.
More specifically:
Children’s contact with their families should never have to be earned. The greatest predictor of success after residential treatment is how often the child connects with his family during treatment. There are already so many barriers, both practical and psychological, between the child and his family. Our job should be to facilitate as much contact as possible. We should not have visiting hours, the families should be welcome at any time. We must try to provide whatever practical help we can in areas such as transportation and child care. And we must make sure the family feels welcomed and not shamed when they visit. If the child or family is unsafe, we can provide visits at our facilities, supervised if necessary. But contact should be a right, not an earned privilege.
Also, we must keep in mind that children need fun, leisure activities, and play for many reasons. It is through play that children learn and grow, experience success, develop friendships, and experience joy. Many activities such as music, electronic games, dance, art and crafts can also be ways to self soothe and to get through difficult periods without making things worse. How are children going to learn to use coping skills if we tell them that they can’t have coping activities until they show us through their behaviors that they have already mastered coping?
The only time it makes sense to have a privilege be earned is when a child needs skills to be able to use that privilege safely. For example, a child who is repeatedly running away should not be given the privilege of going on walks alone. More autonomy and less supervision should be a result of responsible behavior. As children achieve their treatment goals, and as they show increasing ability to let adults know when something goes wrong or is bothering them, they can be supervised at increased distances. If a program wants a formal system for this kind of earning, it is best handled through a long term phase system linked to treatment goals. Advancement through the phases should be a team and child decision reached after discussion, and not based on point totals. Children should not go down in these phases.
It is certainly a good idea to suspend a given activity in response to a child’s behavior. For example, a child just hit a staff, then wants to go to the mall. The staff should reply: “Of course we are not taking you to the mall today. I do not trust that you will be responsive and not have a meltdown like just happened. However, work on your restorative tasks, let’s figure out together what just happened, and I’m sure we will go to the mall together in the future.” How long this suspension lasts should not be based on a pre-set time period. It should be determined by the child completing his restorative tasks and his attitude.
People worry that without many things to be earned the child will have no incentive to get through the day. Why should he finish his dinner, do his chores, go to bed if there are no points to be earned by doing so? Well, he should finish his dinner because it tastes good and he is hungry, or, it should be fine that he does not finish his dinner. He should do his chores and go to bed because he is asked to and is part of the community, because he gets help and encouragement from those around him and because he will not be able to do the next fun thing until he does so.
Look over your own system. What is currently earned? Do those things need to be earned? What do you think would happen if we gave the children every joy we possibly could for free just because they are alive?
Click comment to let me know your reactions to these thoughts.
Acne Therapy Solution, Acne Gone Forever
When searching for a solution, zits/acne could be tough to get rid of. You will find numerous acne therapy on the market these days that it really is hard to determine exactly which was is the ideal. You may have to try many unique ones prior to you come across the finest 1 for your skin type.Understanding the Acne Remedy, Pimples is usually HandledThe biggest hurdle in having zits is identifying
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Breaking Out!
There was a prison breakout in the USA this past weekend of historic proportion. And like most escapes that require patience and tenacity, this one took 10 long months of preparation. But when the time came, the escapee acted almost without thinking, and ran with freedom in his eyes, and hope burning in his heart. No, this isn't the story of a convicted felon escaping from the County jail. Although it did have to do with a guy escaping from his incarcerated state.
This is the story of me, doing something absolutely insane this past weekend. Something that was seminal to my progress, critical to my healing process, and something I felt I just had to do. After 10 long months being "stuck" in this place, last Thursday, I made a run for it. I escaped!
On a whim, after my Ampligen infusion last Thursday I went to the airport, bought a ticket for a 4 hour non-stop flight, and flew to Denver, Colorado! By myself! I then rented a car, drove an hour North, and spent the weekend in beautiful Ft. Collins, enjoying the crisp clean air underneath the majestic Rocky mountains.Yes, this means that I had enough energy and cognitive ability to follow a map to a place I'd never been, check into a hotel, and live at mile-high altitude. Yes, this means that the Ampligen is working better than advertised, and that my health is actually being restored. But it also meant something else of equal importance. Let me explain.
To say I have felt like a horse cooped up in a corral for the past 10 months would not be an exaggeration. As you know, when I moved here to begin the twice-weekly Ampligen infusion protocol, I could barely walk. Because my wife couldn't stay with me full time in this new town, we hired a cook and a maid to help me. That I needed this level of assistance when I started was not over-kill; I literally could not stand long enough to fry myself an egg ten months ago. Apart from going to the clinic every Monday and Thursday to get pricked by Gwen, for the first six months I was pretty much a one-trick pony. Week after week I would live on the couch, leaving my "pen" only to go to the clinic, and occasionally to church on Sunday. Having the helpers was awesome, but I still felt like I was in a modern prison.
As I've written about previously, after 6 months, something changed. The side effects started to abate. Energy slowly returned. I initiated a very slow program of exercise, walking and going to the gym near my apartment. I stopped the services of my cook, and began shopping and cooking for myself (bachelor-style). I let my maid go, and have lived without help for over 6 weeks now. In short, I started to experience a taste of "normal" life - a free life - for the first time in a very long time! But that small taste of freedom presented me with a problem.
You see, although I was actually starting to take baby steps toward living a healed life, as clearly evidenced in my actions and in my body, my mind was still 'stuck' in protective mode; "sick" mode. Call it habit or fear or both, even though I could see myself making lots of progress, I was still scared.
- Scared that the healing would be short-lived;
- Scared that if I did just one more thing, I would crash;
- Scared that after all this time, I wouldn't remember how to live!
That fear and self-protection habit was like a chain around my heart. If faith is the evidence of things not yet seen, then fear is the doubt of things already known. And I clearly was still acting like a sick person, imprisoned by my limitations. Even though the evidence said otherwise.
It came to a head last week when a social activity was presented to me and I turned it down immediately...out of habit! Despite all my test scores and charts* showing amazing progress, despite 6 full weeks of living independently and going to the gym everyday with energy, despite aching for friends and social interaction, when they asked if I could go, I said as I had so many times in the past, "no, I better not."
Ten seconds later it hit me. "What was I thinking????" I had gotten so good at living "within" my limitations, I couldn't break out of my limitations. I was an expert at living like a sick person! And it infuriated me.
Here I was at Week 40 on the Ampligen protocol, with 20 years of published research telling me that people were healed on Ampligen by Week 40, yet I still was on guard. Here I was with six full weeks of independent living, yet I was still playing it "safe." Like the men released from prison who still sleep on the floor after being released from incarceration, even though they now have a bed, I was trapped by the habits learned over years of sickness. Those habits protected me at the time, clearly. They probably kept me alive. But now, they were like quicksand, keeping me "stuck" in a place I should no longer be.
Years ago, long before I got sick, I was trapped in quicksand once. Well, more accurately, my horse Gypsy was trapped in quicksand, with me on her back. Both the horse and I knew the serious trouble we were in, as we sank immediately up to the top of my boots, and then kept sinking about an inch per second. Gypsy thrashed at first, but that only made things worse. Thankfully, I was with an experienced equestrian, my best friend Ed, who as a cowboy in Arizona knew exactly what to do.
Dismounting and coming over to me while still on dry land, he leaned carefully over, grabbed the reins from the bit, stood slightly to the right in front of Gypsy's good eye, and smiled at her. By this time the quicksand was inching close to my knees, and both the horse, and I, were getting nervous.
Then Ed said something I thought at the time was the most ridiculous thing I could have heard at that moment.
"We have to get her mind off the sinking, and on to the running." Ed said seriously. "She's a racer at heart" he continued, "so we have to get her brain out of that there quicksand, and her body will follow."
Because Ed was my only hope, I decided against vocalizing either my doubts about his idea, or asking him why he said "that there" when as a Scottsdale native his English was normally otherwise perfect. Instead I just asked "How do we do that?"
"Well, on the count of tree" Ed said smiling, clearly enjoying this cowboy twang he decided to adopt at this moment, "I'll fire off my pistola here, and you give her a good kick in the hindquarter with your spurs, and she'll think she's in a race, and just run right out!"
Ignoring the fact that I wasn't wearing spurs, and only because I had no other bright idea, I did what Ed said. Pulling my legs out of the muck slowly and positioning my boots backwards, when Ed reached the count of "tree", I gave Gypsy the hardest kick I could muster, just in time for her to hear Ed's .357 "crack" like an explosion.
Amazingly, Gypsy did exactly as Ed had predicted. In one giant thrust, she jumped or hoisted her front legs violently out of the muck up onto the dry land, leveraged her remaining 2000 pound rear out of the quicksand, got her back legs grounded, and took off running! With me grabbing her mane and holding on for dear life, we ran around that bog in a giant circle at least three times - Gypsy so thrilled with her freedom and the thought of racing that she simply carved her own curved track in the desert!
Leaving the clinic this past Thursday, the thought of facing another long weekend alone in my apartment, combined with the recollection of my stupid knee-jerk rejection of a social invitation, was enough to make me say to myself, "enough!" I had to break out of this place I was stuck in. I had to get my mind out of the muck.
I didn't have the sound of a gun going off to snap me out of it. But I did give myself a giant kick in the butt - and when I boarded that plane to Denver, I started to feel my legs find solid ground. When I got off the plane with no luggage whatsoever, and entered that gorgeous DIA terminal, you couldn't stop me. I jogged down the ramp grinning from ear to ear, passing the people mover like I was Gypsy, out of the sinkhole, racing again.
Until this past weekend, I was sort of stuck in a quicksand of my own making. And I needed something to get "my mind off the sinking, and on to the running." Because just like Gypsy, before I got sick, I too was a runner at heart.
This short spontaneous trip to Denver did it for me, and it was glorious. I had a super three day vacation, with no pain, no loss of energy, no feelings of being stuck. When you compare my life to where I was 10 months ago, it's almost miraculous! Yet of all the tests I've taken, this was the test that really confirmed for me this amazing drug Ampligen is really working!
Now for these final 3 months of treatment, I know what my job is. As long as I can keep my brain out of that there quicksand, my body will follow.
*Below is my personal comparison chart that shows my progress over the past ten months, comparing when I arrived and started Ampligen in January, and today. The clinic keeps detailed records and measures all Ampligen patient's progress through a number of empirical tests, regular blood work, EKGs, a running Karnofsky Score, and other physical exams and tests. However that information under the terms of the "trial protocol" cannot be revealed here. My guess is that the chart below would simply confirm that which the clinic has in their records about my progress.
Beauty Find: Annmarie Organic Skin Care
Recently I had a chance to learn and even test a new completely organic and 100% chemical-free skin care line from the sunny California. This line has been just recently launched in the US and is not yet available in Europe. It is named after its creator Annmarie. The idea behind Annmarie Skin Care is to offer completely natural skin care products that do not have synthetic preservatives or any
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The Characteristics of a Good Trauma Informed Residential Therapist
The most essential characteristic of a therapist that will succeed in a trauma informed congregate care treatment program is that he or she likes the children and their families. This probably cannot be taught. These children can be difficult, demanding, and try anyone’s patience. If the therapist does not find them delightful, cannot see their goodness, does not look forward to being with them, she will have nothing to help her get through the bad parts. The children generally feel hopeless. They do not see their own worth and cannot imagine a positive future for themselves. If the therapist cannot do that, who will? And at times the therapist holds the hope for the whole team. One role of the therapist is to see a picture of how this particular child would be if he were at his best, even while remaining aware of the child’s current reality. The therapist who genuinely cares about and appreciates the children and their families can do this.
A therapist in a congregate care setting must be flexible. The day never turns out as one expects. Things rarely go as planned. It is time for an important family meeting and the child is at the park. An individual session is scheduled but another child is threatening suicide. The therapist is going to do her paperwork and the licensing inspector drops in for an unscheduled visit. Roles shift between people. The child needs to talk with her now. A person who needs a predictable day would not be happy in this setting.
Working with a therapeutic team is a particular experience. For some, it feels wonderful to have so much help and support. For others, it is difficult to have to share everything, discuss everything and make decisions within a group. The therapist who enjoys teamwork will be the most successful in congregate care. Often the teamwork is frustrating. There are factions, problems, disagreements. The therapist tells twenty six people about something and the twenty seventh complains that she wasn’t told. Decisions are made and then not carried out. Interpersonal issues between team members can be intense. Yet the treatment team can be the most powerful intervention possible in helping a child to change. And as the therapist struggles with the pain and difficulty with the work, it can be sustaining to have a team to share with. The team can laugh together, cry together and care together about the clients. The therapist that flourishes working in this complex environment will have the ability to form relationships with other staff, will assume good intensions in fellow workers, will give and accept feedback, will handle disputes openly, and will notice and praise the positive efforts of others.
At this level of care, a therapist must be able to tolerate chaos and intensity. The symptoms that the children display are frightening and are often life-threatening. There is usually more than one child in crisis at once. The families too can be angry, demanding, sad and scary. The systems around the child are often inadequate and frustrating. The therapist must know how to stay calm herself in the face of the agitation of others. She must prioritize and respond to the problems step by step. She must also be able to tolerate strong emotions in the clients, and stay with the client as they experience their pain, longing, anger and sadness.
In order to do this the therapist must have or develop good self care skills. All therapists will experience vicarious traumatization. The therapist must use their team to help them through difficult times. Outside of work the therapist needs strong supports and connections in order to maintain a work/ life balance.
A sense of humor is crucial for surviving and thriving in these jobs. Self awareness is also essential. The therapist needs to notice her responses to individual children and families, and use these responses to deepen her work. She should accept seek out and accept help in this area from her supervisor and her team. She should monitor her vicarious traumatization and know when she needs a break.
There are many skills and much knowledge that a therapist should have, but these can be taught in supervision or through workshops and training. If the therapist is eager to learn and grow, the agency must only provide the opportunity. In addition, the therapist must know or learn writing skills and have the ability to document and do treatment planning. Of course, the therapist must be responsible, come in on time, and be self motivated in completing her job requirements. Often, some on call duties will be part of the job.
It would be wonderful if agencies had the ability to pay this paragon what she is worth!
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A therapist in a congregate care setting must be flexible. The day never turns out as one expects. Things rarely go as planned. It is time for an important family meeting and the child is at the park. An individual session is scheduled but another child is threatening suicide. The therapist is going to do her paperwork and the licensing inspector drops in for an unscheduled visit. Roles shift between people. The child needs to talk with her now. A person who needs a predictable day would not be happy in this setting.
Working with a therapeutic team is a particular experience. For some, it feels wonderful to have so much help and support. For others, it is difficult to have to share everything, discuss everything and make decisions within a group. The therapist who enjoys teamwork will be the most successful in congregate care. Often the teamwork is frustrating. There are factions, problems, disagreements. The therapist tells twenty six people about something and the twenty seventh complains that she wasn’t told. Decisions are made and then not carried out. Interpersonal issues between team members can be intense. Yet the treatment team can be the most powerful intervention possible in helping a child to change. And as the therapist struggles with the pain and difficulty with the work, it can be sustaining to have a team to share with. The team can laugh together, cry together and care together about the clients. The therapist that flourishes working in this complex environment will have the ability to form relationships with other staff, will assume good intensions in fellow workers, will give and accept feedback, will handle disputes openly, and will notice and praise the positive efforts of others.
At this level of care, a therapist must be able to tolerate chaos and intensity. The symptoms that the children display are frightening and are often life-threatening. There is usually more than one child in crisis at once. The families too can be angry, demanding, sad and scary. The systems around the child are often inadequate and frustrating. The therapist must know how to stay calm herself in the face of the agitation of others. She must prioritize and respond to the problems step by step. She must also be able to tolerate strong emotions in the clients, and stay with the client as they experience their pain, longing, anger and sadness.
In order to do this the therapist must have or develop good self care skills. All therapists will experience vicarious traumatization. The therapist must use their team to help them through difficult times. Outside of work the therapist needs strong supports and connections in order to maintain a work/ life balance.
A sense of humor is crucial for surviving and thriving in these jobs. Self awareness is also essential. The therapist needs to notice her responses to individual children and families, and use these responses to deepen her work. She should accept seek out and accept help in this area from her supervisor and her team. She should monitor her vicarious traumatization and know when she needs a break.
There are many skills and much knowledge that a therapist should have, but these can be taught in supervision or through workshops and training. If the therapist is eager to learn and grow, the agency must only provide the opportunity. In addition, the therapist must know or learn writing skills and have the ability to document and do treatment planning. Of course, the therapist must be responsible, come in on time, and be self motivated in completing her job requirements. Often, some on call duties will be part of the job.
It would be wonderful if agencies had the ability to pay this paragon what she is worth!
How to obtain Rid of Acne Finally For Excellent
A lot of men and women struggle with how to acquire rid of acne. It is generally a hassle and something that millions struggle with daily. How to have rid of acne breakout can be a two step method. You must lay the foundation or clear pores and skin by way of a great pores and skin care regimen and then it's important to treat already existing zits.Defining Pimples/AcneTo be able to learn how to
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My Beautiful Presents
At the beginning of this month I had a birthday! And just now I got around to bragging to you about my presents :-) Yep, among the maaaany presents I got were the following beauty related presents:Nourishing Shampoo (dry Hair)Nutrition Nourishing Conditioner (Dry Hair)Arnica Night Repair BalmArnica Hands and Nail Smoothing Fortifying CreamAll of the above is by Yves Rocher. I actually requested
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Beauty Review: Eau Fling Perfume by Harvey Prince
I had a wonderful opportunity to test one more genius creation by Harvey Prince- Eau Fling. Backed by science, this fragrance makes you irresistible, fills him with passion and makes him crazy about you :-)So what is in this magic potion? In fact Eau Fling is a sweeter and lighter version of Harvey Prince’s previous creation Eau Flirt. The same notes of pumpkin pie and lavender used in Eau Flirt
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Coping with Serious Pimples
Extreme zits could be typical for adolescence but it occurs in adults as well. Acne can make you are feeling embarrassed and you might isolate your self so that you do not should show anyone your deal with. The biggest issue with acne is that it isn't a thing you are able to manage.If you have pimples you probably have been operating with a dermatologist for a although attempting to make it go
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Recent Travels
On the first of October I presented a Keynote speech and a workshop to the Midwest Regional Conference of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. It has been interesting and rewarding to get to know these programs, which include both therapeutic residential school and Wilderness Adventure programs. They are beginning to utilize trauma informed care in their treatment approaches in unique ways.
I then travelled to Hawaii with my colleague Steve Brown to provide Risking Connection and Restorative Approach training to an agency there, Child and Family Service. It was a wonderful experience. It is certainly the only training at which I have been presented with two leis, one at the beginning and one at the end. I loved the Aloha spirit of the people in our training- they were so welcoming and helpful. The emphasis on multi cultural awareness was very moving. We can all learn from the way Hawaii incorporates all cultures into daily life. We had both agency personnel and representatives of the State Department of Mental Health in attendance. With four separate trauma related national grants, Hawaii is working hard to change their practice and offer more trauma informed services. We look forward to our ongoing work there. And of course exploring the island was wonderful- those beaches, turquoise water and waves! I snorkeled with bright colored fish and sea turtles.
This week I will be presenting two guest lectures: one at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA and one at St. Joseph’s College in West Hartford, CT. I am looking forward to the interaction with the students. It is encouraging to see information about trauma being included in college curricula.
Then I move on to upcoming trips to Chicago, Syracuse and the Yukon territory of Canada.
It’s a busy fall!
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This week I will be presenting two guest lectures: one at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA and one at St. Joseph’s College in West Hartford, CT. I am looking forward to the interaction with the students. It is encouraging to see information about trauma being included in college curricula.
Then I move on to upcoming trips to Chicago, Syracuse and the Yukon territory of Canada.
It’s a busy fall!
TGIF: Sunshine!
Rap is not really my thing but this video by Rye-Rye has a nice sunny energy :-) Enjoy and have a nice weekend!
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Beauty Tip: Brighten Up Dull Locks
I think yellow hue or brassiness is the beauty headache of almost every dyed blonde. Recently I came across this interesting beauty tip in Marie Clare which promises to help fix this problem. It sounds a bit extreme though… Would you do the following to your hair to make it brighter blonde?? Mix 1 cup baby shampoo with 2 tablespoons of baking soda, comb through hair, cover with a shower cap,
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Helpful Residence Cures for Pimples
Zits might be embarrassing and you might want to come across some home treatments for acne which will work just too as medication you buy from the store. There are lots of choices for residence solutions for acne breakouts. When attempting a single, be certain to give it an adequate quantity of time before you give up. Some of these dwelling treatments for pimples consider time to work.Cool
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Beauty Preview: Harvey Prince – Beauty Products With a Concept
I love beauty products with a concept. I do appreciate a product with a cool idea behind it! I also love multi-tasking products. Won’t you agree with me - multi-tasking is the style of life nowadays. Today living at the speed of light, we need products that help us to achieve several goals at a time! And Harvey Prince is the company that offers both: a cool concept and multi-tasking products.
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Taking the Worry Out of Cystic Pimples
Cystic Acne breakouts may be the harshest form of acne breakout. It's so painful and extreme and there is no surprise why so several are afraid of developing it. After someone has cystic acne the process of clearing it up may be lengthy and difficult. Nonetheless, as soon as someone understands cystic acne they will probably be better ready to fight it. With knowledge the fear of cystic acne
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Interview with Dr. Lapp - A Pioneer and Patriarch
To give you an idea how long Chuck Lapp has been serving the CFS/ME community, think about this - Before Steve Jobs invented the Macintosh Computer, Dr. Charles Lapp was contacting the CDS about a mysterious new illness. Dr. Lapp has been treating and specializing in CFS patients for over 25 years. He was one of the founders of the CFIDS Association in Charlotte, and continues to be one of the leading physicians in the field, always on the cutting edge of new therapies and drug trials. In the USA today, only 2 physicians are administering the drug Ampligen, Dr. Lapp in Charlotte, and Dr. Peterson in Reno. We caught up with Chuck Lapp as he was on his way to a speaking engagement in Atlanta.
Kelvin: Dr. Lapp, you have been specializing in this disease for over two decades, and moved to Charlotte in the early 1990's to team up with Dr. Cheney to launch the first group of physicians who took this infirmity seriously. Tell us about those days.
Dr. Lapp: I saw my first patients with this disease in 1983, and began researching CFS in earnest in 1985. I made contact with Paul Cheney at that time and we started seeing patients together around 1988. Although at that time I was commuting back and forth between Raleigh and Charlotte, where I ran a large family practice. In late 1991 I moved full time to Charlotte, where the Ampligen studies had just begun, and I was placed in charge of the Ampligen patients. Dave Bell joined us for 2 years as I recall between 1989 and 1991. Dr. Myra Preston also shared office space with us. When Marc Iverson's CFS support group started growing, we used it as the base for launching what today is known as CAA or the CFIDS Association.
Kelvin: You mentioned in the past that in those early days, you and Cheney were trying everything you could think of to help CFS/ME patients. Like Edison with his light bulb, you had many things that did NOT work, and some that did. Tell us about some of those.
Dr. Lapp: I counted it up and there were over 120 "ideas" we tested or researched, based on what we read in journals, or heard at meetings with other physicians. As you know, in those days, very little was known about the disease, so we were trying everything we could just to help patients. For example some of the treatments we discovered that did help included:
- B12- helped
- Dietary changes- helped
- CoQ10 and Krebs Cycle intermediates such as malate and magnesium-helped
- Aquatherapy-usually helped a lot!
- Of course beginning with the trials in 1991, Ampligen showed great promise
Some of the things that did not work out well included:
- Oral Interferon- some patients got worse
- Ambotrose/Mannatech- no help
- Heparin for presumed excess histamine and coag problems - no help
- Ocytocin- minimal help
- Treating oxidation radicals- no help
I should tell you that there were loads of "theories" floating around as well, many of them we put to the test. For example, NONE of these theories panned out:
- "AIDS Minor" or idiopathic C4 Lymphophenia
- Sedimentation rate as a marker for CFS
- Urine pH as a marker for CFS
- Stealth (foamy) virus
Kelvin: With almost 20 years experience treating patients with Ampligen, in general what results have you seen?
Dr. Lapp: You know that FDA regulations limit what I can say publicly- during a trial period we are restricted as to what we can reveal about any drug before it receives approval, so I have to be careful here. On our site at the Hunter Hopkins Center we quote the Medical Director of Hemispherx Biopharma who said based on their research "Ampligen may be the first drug to demonstrate safety and effectiveness in the treatment of CFS." But I would tell you that our overall experience with Ampligen has been good. We have patients who have made remarkable improvements; patients who have made modest improvements, and patients who have made no improvement at all. Overall the drug has been well tolerated. I cannot recall anyone who got worse on Ampligen. It is interesting to note that with the latest news whirlwind regarding CFS and the XMRV virus, that in early September 2010 Hemispherx posted a study where test subjects receiving Ampligen who were XMRV antibody positive performed better on exercise tests than the others. We're still waiting for more data on that, but readers can see all the details on the CFIDS Association website.
Kelvin: What makes Ampligen different than all the other treatments you've used over the years?
Dr. Lapp: It is not clear how Ampligen actually works, but the drug is known to have antiviral and immune modulating properties. Preliminary studies ahve shown activity against retroviruses (like HIV) as well. Ampligen also modulates interferon-induced RNaseL and PKR antiviral systems of the body, which have been closely associated with CFS. Most importantly, Ampligen is the only medication that has undergone rigorous study for the treatment of CFS, not just treatment of CFS symptoms.
Kelvin: You don't accept all patients who want Ampligen. What makes for a good Ampligen candidate?
Dr. Lapp: The only way to obtain Ampligen today is to enter an FDA-approved research study known as AMP-511. This is a cost recovery program, which means that researchers are required to recover the cost of treatment from the patient. Previously this program was known as "compassionate care." This type of program requires patients be very ill and have not responded to reasonable previous treatments. specific exclusionary and inclusion criteria are specified by the FDA, and can be viewed by going to www.clinicaltrials.gov and search on Trial NCT00125813.
Kelvin: Dr. Lapp, you are one of the few Doctors who has not only met Dr. Carter and the rest of the lead staff at Hemispherx Biopharma, but have had a relationship with them for almost 2 decades. What in your opinion is the future of Ampligen? Can you give us any hope that it will be approved, and finally made available to patients beyond the "cost recovery" program?
Dr. Lapp: Yes, I can. Again, I am limited by regulation as to how much I can say, but let me say this... Last December the FDA responded to Hemispherx's New Drug Application with a "Complete Response Letter." This letter provided recommendations for improving the application, which implies that the drug is ultimately approvable. The Complete Response Letter suggested that Hemispherx perform one more study and clear up some questions about drug safety - specifically effects on immune activation and carcinogenicity. Dr. Carter, Dr. strayer, and senior members in the company all indicated that Hemispherx wants to pursue approval and has the wherewithal to do that.
Kelvin: When I search "Google Scholar" I see there are a number of published, journal articles on the efficacy of Ampligen in combination with other drugs. For example, last year during the swine flu scare, Ampligen was shown to augment flu medications, and make them work faster. In the future, if Ampligen is approved, could you see patients using Ampligen in combination with other treatments?
Dr. Lapp: Oh yes, absolutely. In the early days of CFS research, all the CFS guys and all the HIV guys would meet together, because Ampligen could potentiate so many of the AIDS medications. We've known this for years. So once approved, combination therapy with Ampligen would be a natural, a given.
Kelvin: OK, Dr. Lapp, last question. You are known for your compassion for patients with CFS/ME. You often absorb your own incidental costs related to Ampligen infusions, you have been known to let out of town patients stay at your home, you have resisted raising your prices for years, and you even have made house calls. What is the root of that generosity?
Dr. Lapp: Well, you know I have great empathy for CFS sufferers. I don't know that "generosity" is the right word though. More appropriately it is a desire to find a cure for this heinous illness and to make promising therapies available and affordable. The cost of receiving Ampligen in our clinic is $2000/month and many insurers will cover a large part of that cost. All medicine is expensive these days, but when you consider that the costs for treating rheumatoid arthritis, MS, cancer and other disorders are many times more expensive, it puts it into a different perspective I guess. We do all we can here to make treatment as affordable and available to our patients as possible. We have had patients come here to Charlotte, move here in fact, from all over the world, to get Ampligen. One of the things I love telling potential patients who are considering Ampligen is how compassionate our entire staff is. As hundreds of her followers and patients know, Dr. Black, who also administrates our Facebook site has a special empathy for our patients. And all of our Ampligen patients know and love Wendy, who they see twice a week for infusions. She is literally sticking them with needles every Monday and Thursday, and yet they all smile when they see her! I think that's what sets our office here at Hunter Hopkins Center apart from others.
Kelvin: Thank you Dr. Lapp.
Blemish Proper care, Acne breakouts Treatment Offered
Whether you've got 1 pimple or a lot of in your face, you need to have blemish treatment. Acne treatment plans have hit the market like wildfire and there's a lot to choose from inside skincare isle. You may perhaps become overwhelmed when see all of the bottles with promise that it will clear your skin in a specific quantity of days. It helps to understand precisely what care pimples needs.Whom
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