http://www.santamonicawellness.com/blog/ en info@santamonicawellness.com Copyright 2009 2009-12-31T06:30:22+00:00 http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/let_food_be_thy_medicine_the_top_healing_foods_of_the_decade/ http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/let_food_be_thy_medicine_the_top_healing_foods_of_the_decade/#When:06:30:22Z Click here for the full story with slideshow. 2009-12-31T06:30:22+00:00 http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/k9_connection_at-risk_teens_and_shelter_dogs_get_a_new_leash_on_life/ http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/k9_connection_at-risk_teens_and_shelter_dogs_get_a_new_leash_on_life/#When:16:00:14Z At-risk teens. Animals abandoned at shelters. Two marginalized groups in great need of love, security, and a chance at living a good life.  With an alarmingly-high rate of teen suicide (the third leading cause of death among teens) and over three million unwanted dogs and cats euthanized each in year in shelters, it is easy to feel helpless towards these two populations who demonstrate an overwhelming need. An innovative solution: put these two groups together and unleash the healing power of the human-animal bond. That’s what Katherine Beattie and Pat Sinclair envisioned when they formed k9 connection, a non-profit organization that educates and inspires at-risk teens through bonding with and training homeless shelter dogs. k9 connection, located in Santa Monica, California, is a remarkable organization whose mission is to teach at-risk teens how to train homeless shelter dogs in basic obedience skills in order to increase their chances of adoption. Through the training they provide to the dogs, the teens benefit by learning how to be more responsible and accountable, the importance of goal setting, and how positive reinforcement offers an alternative to force and violence. At lot of the lessons the kids learn by training the dogs can be applied to the various challenges they may face in their daily lives. In turn, the shelter dogs develop skills that allow them to smoothly transition into permanent, loving homes. During the course of the training the students learn how to train the dogs, and they also spend time learning life skills within workshops facilitated by various talented volunteers. The day I visited the campus of the school where the k9 connection program was taking place was an experience I will never forget. I was observing the basic obedience training session where a professional dog trainer was helping the kids understand how to communicate with the dogs. Each teen was paired with a volunteer. At one point during the training, one of the volunteers had to leave early and I noticed a very frustrated teen trying to get his dog to sit and take treats without success. I was told that this particular teen had significant emotional challenges. I decided to fill in and try to help him out. I do have a background in basic training of shelter dogs, and I absolutely love working with kids and animals. Under the supervision of the k9 staff, I thought I’d give it a try. When I got over to the teen (I’ll call him Robbie), he sadly said to me, “I can’t do this.” Apparently Robbie was having difficulty understanding how to give the dog a treat. He was offering the dog a treat with a closed hand. The dog was gently trying to get the treat out of Robbie’s hand and was confused as to what was happening. I showed Robbie how to open his hand and offer a treat. He was afraid to do it himself. I put my hand under his and positioned his hand to offer the treat. The dog gently took the treat off of Robbie’s hand. The immediate pride and beaming face on Robbie was priceless. We did it again together a few times, and then Robbie tried it himself—successfully. With a grin from ear to ear he gave me a big hug and asked me to partner with him. I was honored. We proceeded to teach his dog a few tricks, and I witnessed Robbie’s confidence soar. In a short period of time, I witnessed a youth who was labeled emotionally disturbed and afraid of a dog open up emotionally and connect with his companion. After the outdoor obedience class, we proceeded into a room to have a workshop facilitated by a communications coach. The workshop involved goal setting and visioning. Robbie and I had a good time coming up with ideas of possibilities for his future. His main goals were to get along with his family and to help people. He wanted to be a doctor or a massage therapist so he could help people feel better. After all of the teens and volunteers were finished mapping out their goals and visions, it was time to share. Robbie asked me if I could read aloud to the group since he didn’t feel comfortable doing so. As I read to the group Robbie’s list of goals, all of which had to do with helping others, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. A few weeks later, I showed up at the graduation and saw Robbie. He successfully completed the program and taught his dog all of the obedience skills.  I went up to him after the event, not really knowing if he’d remember me. He gave me a big hug and said “Hey, where’ve you been?” He then proceeded to introduce me to his family members as the lady that helped him to not be afraid of the dog. To say that I was deeply touched is an understatement.  Robbie had graduated from the k9 connection program and had developed a special bond with the dog he had trained. I’ve long known the k9 connection was a remarkable organization. They have helped many kids and dogs for years. But there’s nothing like personal experience. I felt very blessed to have that opportunity to work with Robbie that day. I witnessed someone go from feeling emotionally closed down to connecting with a dog to opening up with possibilities for the future. At the conclusion of each training session is a graduation ceremony for the students. If you ever need a heart-opening cry for seeing what is good in the world, go to a k9 connection graduation. When you hear the speeches of the kids and how working with the dogs has affected their lives, you better have your own box of tissues—or a mop. Several students shared how they often skipped school in the past, but working with the dogs gave them a reason to come to school because they didn’t want to let the dog down. Others shared how helping the dogs increased their sense of leadership, responsibility, and patience. Many were from broken homes and the close bond they felt with their dog was very special. Some offered how they lacked confidence and self-esteem, and knowing that they helped to save a dog’s life meant the world to them. WATCH: Teens share how k9 connection has impacted their lives: So now these students have had these life-changing heart-opening experiences with their canine companions. Their canine companions are now being adopted into loving homes.  What is next? This is a crucial time for these kids to not feel abandoned and to have continuing opportunities to develop the life skills they have learned. What is also remarkable about k9 connection is that they make a long-term commitment to their participants. After the obedience training program, the graduates are supported by k9 staff and volunteers ongoing assistance in to fulfill their visions and goals. Some of the teens decide to become Peer Leaders and they help the new students entering the program. k9 connection has been able to have a profound effect on the lives of both teens and dogs.  Teens who have graduated from the program have demonstrated improvement in behavior, self-esteem, skills of goal setting and impulse control, and the sense of accountability and community.  Students barely making it through high school are now succeeding in college. And every shelter dog in the program has been saved from euthanization and placed into a loving home. To find out more information about k9 connection, to donate, or to volunteer, visit their website: k9connection.org You can follow k9 connection on Twitter: www.twitter.com/k9connect 2009-12-17T16:00:14+00:00 http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/a_psychiatrist_business_coach_and_fbi_hostage_negotiation_trainer_provides_/ http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/a_psychiatrist_business_coach_and_fbi_hostage_negotiation_trainer_provides_/#When:06:31:51Z Have you noticed that the pace of our society seems to get faster all the time? People report having less in-depth, meaningful conversations, yet have more breadth of connection—more “contacts” in their online Rolodex. Twitter, Facebook and other new media tools have given us the ability to connect at an unprecedented level in terms of quantity of connections. More books on how to use these tools for networking are flooding the marketplace to join the already countless books on how to increase your bottom line with more goals, techniques, and action-oriented steps. Could these new media tools and productivity philosophies be compromising our ability to be present with people? We may have thousands of Twitter “followers”, a few hundred Facebook “friends”, an ever-growing to-do list that we keep up with, and our goals categorized by long-term, short-term, and immediate. These accomplishments can give us a somewhat distorted sense of success. Certainly these tools can be an aid to business and personal connection, but where can we find help to balance these action-oriented suggestions? We don’t want to fall into the trap of being too busy “doing” and forget the other part of communication: being present, listening, caring. Dr. Mark Goulston’s Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone is the perfect book to bring back balance when focusing on productivity and efficiency has compromised the quality of your business or personal relationships. Dr. Goulston brings a unique blend of expertise to this subject. He has been a UCLA professor of psychiatry for more than 25 years, an executive coach, and has trained FBI and police hostage negotiators. Seems like the perfect qualifications to show us how to get through to absolutely anyone. As a non-fiction junkie, I’ve read countless books on health, biographies, self-help, spirituality, personal growth—you know, the kinds of subjects you often find here at HuffPost Living.  Truth be told, a lot of books coming down the pike are basic concepts repackaged, and at this point I find myself just skimming through some books looking to see if there is a pearl or two from which I can glean some wisdom. When Just Listen came to my office, I was intrigued. I skimmed though it one day as I was eating breakfast, although this was a different type of skimming. I skimmed though it because I was fascinated with the material and couldn’t slow down to read every word. So after my initial skimming, I read the entire book…three times. It was that kind of book so rich in wisdom that every time I read it, I felt like it was the first. What was different? Unlike a lot of professional and personal books that have goal setting, efficiency, and more action-oriented tasks as the focus, Just Listen is the refreshing opposite. Dr. Goulston shares with readers how a more receptive approach is necessary. Instead of trying to force the close of the deal, the job promotion, or a resolution to a family challenge, he provides guidelines and practical suggestions on how to allow these developments to take place more naturally and authentically. The book offers down-to-earth and doable advice on how to communicate with just about anyone. Drawing upon his clinical experience, coaching expertise, and his own personal challenges as a husband and father, he gives us a lively read with Just Listen‘s conversational tone. Dr. Goulston provides a guide to evaluate how well we are actually communicating. “Listening between the words,” providing an “empathy jolt,” and how to effectively and peacefully get through to angry, resistant, and narcissist people are a few of the many jewels presented. I asked Dr. Goulston to share his inspiration for Just Listen: As a psychiatrist for 25 years, I have observed that people just weren’t listening. I have noticed that people have a deep need to be listened to and cared for, but often don’t want to develop the ability to listen and care for others. I’ve seen people negotiating more than relating. Relating requires pausing and listening to what someone else is saying without any other agenda other than understanding exactly what they meant to say. The listening you do validates that what they meant to say is worthy of being listened to. Being actually listened to instead of just heard is very healing to the human spirit. Continuing to listen deeply is the only thing that keeps aloneness and loneliness away. As soon as you stop listening and stop caring, aloneness and loneliness come back, and alienation is right behind it.   WATCH: Dr. Goulston shares one of many experiences where “listening between the words” dramatically decreased resistance in a high-powered CEO:   If your pursuit of quantity (more, bigger, better) has compromised the quality of your life Just Listen can help you get it back.  If you’ve gotten out of the habit of truly listening, being empathetic, and having a deeper connection on a personal or professional level, there are practical techniques to help one develop those qualities that may have gotten lost in pursuit of productivity—or may have never been there to begin with. An incentive to read this book might be to close more deals, increase sales, or improve business and personal relationships. Following Dr. Goulston’s pearls of wisdom will most likely result in achieving these reasonable goals. I also predict that the surprise side effect of employing his strategies for more mindful communication will result in more happiness, peace of mind, and a richer quality of life. Have you found yourself caught in the busyness of life, compromising your ability to be truly present?  I’d love to hear your story, and any tips you might have for our readers. For more pearls of wisdom from Dr. Goulston, visit http://justlistenthebook.com. His book is available on Amazon and you can follow him on Facebook.                 2009-09-10T06:31:51+00:00 http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/7_healthy_ways_to_enjoy_chocolate--without_the_guilt/ http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/7_healthy_ways_to_enjoy_chocolate--without_the_guilt/#When:05:26:54Z It might not be much of a surprise when we read about how eating broccoli can lower the risk of certain cancers, or how loaded with antioxidants fruits and vegetables are. It seems that virtually every day we see a report of a newly-discovered health benefit of a fruit or vegetable. We can almost expect foods we know we “should be eating” to eventually produce some research that will show remarkable properties. What a pleasant surprise that we can add the often-forbidden-yet-highly-desired chocolate to that list of healthy plant-based foods. Now there is a way to enjoy chocolate without guilt—and know that it can have a favorable effect on your health! I’ve long enjoyed dark chocolate as a treat; now it’s an extra bonus to eat a piece and know of its fascinating health-promoting properties. I especially enjoy helping to reduce the guilt-ridden looks on my patients’ faces when they confess giving into their chocolate cravings.  I try to absolve them of their guilt by citing the latest research and sharing with them how chocolate can be part of a healthy eating plan. Most of you probably don’t need an excuse to enjoy fine chocolate, but just in case you do, here are some healthy reasons to indulge yourself a little: 1. High in antioxidants: Chocolate is high in flavonoids, an antioxidant in the polyphenol category. Antioxidants can help to prevent cell damage and have been linked to prevention of cancer and other degenerative diseases. 2. Helps with cholesterol: Scientists at Penn State found that dark chocolate and flavonoid-rich cocoa powder reduced LDL (“bad” cholesterol) oxidation. 3. Reduces inflammation: An Italian study showed that when volunteers ingested small amounts of dark chocolate, their levels of C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker) decreased. 4. Lowers blood pressure: A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that dark chocolate had an effect on lowering blood pressure. 5. Helps with mood: Chocolate contains tryptophan, a precursor of serotonin, which can help with depression. Research also shows chocolate can increase dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine (PEA) known as the “love chemical.” 6. Improves blood flow: Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown that cocoa has anti-clotting, blood-thinning properties that work in a similar way as aspirin. Nobody is suggesting to replace your aspirin with chocolate, but the research is compelling. 7. It’s delicious! Research shows that enjoying food and life is beneficial for your health. So, does one enjoy the health benefits of chocolate with a steady diet of Snickers and Milky Way? Hardly. It seems that the health benefits of chocolate come in packages that don’t include nougat, caramel, or high amounts of sugar. Most studies were done using cocoa powder or dark chocolate. Experts suggest that adding small amounts (a one ounce piece a few times a week) of dark chocolate to a healthy diet that includes antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables will give you a variety of phytochemicals (beneficial elements of plants) that have proven health benefits. Thanks to all of those scientists and the volunteers who allowed themselves to be the subjects for chocolate research so we could learn to enjoy this guilty pleasure with a little less guilt. I hope you had all had fun doing it. I can’t think of a better research study to participate in! As I was preparing this blog, I stopped by one of my favorite places in Santa Monica for some homemade, raw, dark, organic chocolate: Zenbunni Chocolates and Curiosities. Within a few minutes of ingestion of this delicious treat, I felt an increased sense of mental clarity, heightened awareness, and mood elevation. One could attribute this to the caffeine and sugar, but this particular bar was low in sugar (only 4 grams) and did not result in the jitteriness that I usually feel if I have caffeine. I’m hoping that my body was enjoying the flavonoids, polyphenols, and other nutrients that nature has provided in such a tasty package. Readers: How has chocolate impacted your life and/or your health?  Any favorite brands, recipes, or tips for fellow chocolate lovers? 2009-08-13T05:26:54+00:00 http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/can_meditation_change_your_brain_and_affect_your_genes/ http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/can_meditation_change_your_brain_and_affect_your_genes/#When:05:29:09Z In last week’s blog, Susan Smalley, Ph.D., founder of the Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) at UCLA, shared with us her fascinating journey. After 25 years as a research scientist, she experienced a personal challenge that changed her life and eventually led her to founding MARC. PF: Sue, What was going through your mind as you contemplated going back to UCLA? As I was thinking about going back to UCLA, Patricia, it became kind of a mission to go back and share what I learned with others. I wanted to be able to share it with people who might not be necessarily open to these ways of looking inward.  I was interested in exploring how we open up the intuitive side of all of these scientists on campus. Of course there are plenty of brilliant scientists who are intuitive. Clearly, everybody has the capacity for both (reason and intuition), and there are varying degrees of both. At UCLA, like any business, there is a lot of emphasis on productivity and less on reflection… So I started looking at the science on mindfulness and meditation and found that there was a ton of information. It became a really interesting area of research for me. I was looking for a way to frame it and figure out how we could present it at an institution. PF: So how did you get started? SS: I found other like-minded people. Dr. Dan Siegel, Dr. Jeffrey M. Schwartz,  Dr. Lidia Zylowska, Dr. Lobsang Rapgay, some post docs and other faculty helped get things started. Dr. Peter Whybrow, the Director of the Semel Institute was very supportive of the creation of MARC as was Dr. Michael Irwin, the Director of the Norman Cousin’s Center of Psychoneuroimmunology - a center dedicated to research of the mind-body connection.  With all of the support we were able to launch the Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) in 2006. We were able to hire an extraordinary teacher, Diana Winston, a 20-year mindfulness practitioner/instructor who could teach mindfulness in a secular setting.  Diana was enthusiastic about bringing mindfulness to the Western world through classes and workshops at our Institute. We started teaching classes to the public. Eventually we remodeled a room within the Semel Institute dedicated to such programs. PF: What classes is this room used for? SS: The room, which we call the “C” space, opened in February 2008 for UCLA Faculty and Staff to use for meditation purposes or to participate in free classes in yoga, tai-chi, qi gong, and mindfulness. PF: Why do you call the room the “C” space? SS: It happens to be on the “C” floor!  When I had that experience of heightened awareness that I shared earlier, I became aware that creativity initiates a kind of an awareness of our connectedness and that leads to compassion.  So we have the three c’s :creativity, connectedness, compassion, and we threw calmness in there, too. PF: Nice. So the MARC classes take place in a meditation room called the C Space. SS: Yes, all day long the room is in use. Either a class is in session, or it’s quiet and you can go in and meditate. During the day, it’s for faculty and staff, and at night, we use the room for public classes. We put a library in it as well, with books that are not the typical medical textbooks - from William James to Thich Nhat Hahn to Alan Watts to philosophers, poets, and books of inspiration. PF: What I find particularly impressive about the space is that you have support for the often overworked, overstressed, and overlooked medical faculty and staff, as well as the general public. SS: I think that element is what sets MARC apart from most other mindfulness centers. Most are targeted out to the community. MARC is targeted to both the community at large and inward to those on campus. The medical doctors, psychologists, medical staff, the faculty and staff within UCLA who may be stressed may reap the benefits of a moment of relaxation and meditation because it’s right under their nose. PF: Is MARC being well received? SS: Very well received and interest keeps growing. We have an area on our website where people can download mindfulness meditations for free, and we get a lot of hits on it every day. In fact, the Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health has put our meditations on their internal website for their own staff and faculty. We have also taught our mindfulness classes in corporate settings, including Sony Pictures here in Culver City. PF: What are some of the goals and visions for MARC? SS: Our primary goal is education and research. Our center is committed to teach practices that are secular and have empiric scientific research backing their wellness benefits and to teach them by well qualified people. I’m sure we will add other methods that enhance mindfulness, like various other forms of meditation (in addition to mindfulness meditation) as well as some forms of yoga and even self-hypnosis.  We want to offer a host of different kinds of practices, all with scientific support, well-trained instructors, and taught in a secular fashion. PF: What are some interesting areas of research for mindfulness? Mike Irwin’s group is doing a lot of research on the neurobiology and the immune changes associated with mindfulness. They’ve written several interesting papers on the topic.  A recent study by David Creswell, a research scientist who worked in Mike Irwin’s group, used a self-report questionnaire that measures how mindful you are - as a trait in the population. Then they studied brain function and its relationship to these mindfulness scores -  how do people that are very highly mindful vs. not so mindful differ in brain function? They used an fMRI scan (functional magnetic resonance imaging) during what is called an affect labeling task. So they had people do this task where they have to label someone’s emotional expression (e.g. fearful or surprised). There are certain parts of the brain that are known to be involved in doing that task, particularly the prefrontal cortex modulating the emotional center which is the amygdala. When they did this study they found that the more mindful people were, the more activity in the frontal cortex quieting down the emotional center. In other studies, mindfulness is shown to change brain activity and even structure with practice.  For example, Sara Lazar’s research found that the structure of parts of the brain differed in long-time meditators compared to non-meditators.  There are now many studies supporting brain changes with various sorts of meditation, including mindfulness meditation.  PF: Are you speaking about neuroplasticity? SS: Yes, the capacity of the brain to change as a function of experience. And as a geneticist, I’m really interested in epigenetic phenomenon, that is, the capacity of our genes to change in their expression as a function of experience.  Meditation seems to do that as well!  There is one really great study where a set of about 15 genes were shown to differ (in expression) as function of a type of meditation. Those genes are ones involved in the stress response. And I’m sure there will be more studies like that. What’s really cool about that, from my background in genetics, is that it illustrates that a mind state that we can self-induce can regulate gene expression - turn gene expression up or down.  There is a growing body of scientific evidence about mindfulness that I think is sufficient today to say: Try it, it’s likely beneficial, harmless, free, and relatively simple.  PF: Now that MARC has taken off, what is your role at the Center? SS: I continue to help the Center grow and am working to build a broader Wellness Center within the Semel Institute to be able to house programs like MARC that not only do research but carry out community outreach. We’d love to see a beautiful new space to house such a center where people can learn about the science of the brain and how it influences behavior, along with offering many tools for improving health and well-being, like mindfulness practices. I’m helping to move that project forward in any way I can as a faculty member. I’m very much focused on this educational arm. I’m passionate about translating the science of mindfulness to the public, helping people understand that self awareness and these tools of self awareness can be really beneficial to humanity and to the promotion of mental and physical health, helping us relate to one another in kinder ways. I feel like I’ve learned so much from my research and other people’s research and that I can explain it.  Right now, I’m spending a lot of time writing and speaking about the science of mindfulness. PF: Wow, your personal story and the research and application of mindfulness is beyond fascinating. Sue, I certainly hope you’re writing a book about all of this! SS: I am co-writing it with Diana Winston. It’s called Fully Present: The Science, Art and Practice of Mindfulness and it’s coming out in the Spring or Summer of 2010 (DaCapo Publishing). PF: This is very exciting and a great contribution to humankind that will help so many people.  Thanks for taking the time for this interview and we look forward to hearing the developments of MARC. Hopefully you will keep us up to date on your blogs on Huffington Post. SS: Thanks Patricia. It’s great to meet someone so enthusiastic about bridging the divide between Western Medicine and Eastern Arts as well, and helping to promote self-awareness as a key to happiness. Website links: MARC website: http://marc.ucla.edu Click here for mindfulness meditations from MARC that you can listen to or download (free) Sue’s website: www.suesmalley.com Here’s a link to an interesting study related to how yoga and meditation can change our gene expression: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113735.php       2009-07-23T05:29:09+00:00 http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/what_inspired_a_scientist_to_open_a_meditation_center_at_ucla/ http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/what_inspired_a_scientist_to_open_a_meditation_center_at_ucla/#When:05:30:49Z I recently attended a gathering of supporters of the Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) at the University of California, Los Angeles. During this event, I heard MARC founder (and Huffington Post blogger) Susan Smalley, Ph.D., speak.  Dr. Smalley, a research scientist for 25 years, shared her fascinating journey of how she was inspired to create a center for mindfulness research. Her audience was completely captivated. I was so moved by Dr. Smalley’s story, I wanted to share it with the HuffPost audience. I was fortunate enough to track her down for an interview. Before I share the interview, I’d like to clarify what mindful awareness is. According to the MARC website: Mindful Awareness - the moment-by-moment process of actively attending to, observing and drawing inferences from what one experiences.  Mindful Awareness (also known as mindfulness) is an ancient concept with over 2,500 years of history and development that has recently been brought into health settings and has shown to have a powerful role on overall health promotion and healing for a variety of physical illnesses including cancer, heart disease, arthritis, auto-immune disorders, chronic pain, depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. PF:  Sue, thanks for meeting with me to share your story. Let’s start with your background that, in a surprising way, seemed to lay the foundation for your interest in the study of mindfulness. How did you originally get involved in science, specifically in the field of genetics? SS: My Ph.D. is in Anthropology, specifically Population and Behavior Genetics. I was interested in evolution, how genes change in frequency over time. Also, how genes influence human behavior.  I did two years of post-doc work at UCLA in Medical Genetics, and am licensed as a medical geneticist. I was fascinated with the gene mapping studies. I thought that if you found all the genes that influence human behavior, you could solve the world’s problems. I thought that once we understood the biology, we would be able to map out what are the environments that interact with those genes and we could cure everything. I thought that was the solution to end suffering. I did autism research for ten years, and ADHD research for 13 years. As I really started studying ADHD, it became clear that, like every other psychiatric and behavioral condition, there’s not a single gene involved. There are many genes that interact. It’s not something you’re going to treat by altering genes; it will require a variety of approaches. I see ADHD as a way of brain processing that impacts many dimensions, not only attention but also working memory, probably personality, and other domains. PF: So for 25 years you were immersed in fascinating research at UCLA. And now you are the founder and director of the MARC Center. Seems like a complete 360, but I’m sure there’s an interesting story behind the switch. SS: Patricia, I received a real wake up call when I was diagnosed with an early stage melanoma. It was a big shock.  I thought I was going to die. I really reevaluated my life. I realized that I was doing everything Western medicine said keeps you healthy (working out, diet, etc.) and yet I was not preventing myself from getting ‘sick’. The shock of the diagnosis and the fear of death really brought me to a heightened awareness. PF:  What was your life approach before this heightened awareness? SS: I didn’t think about trying to heighten my sense of consciousness in any way. I thought, yeah, learn more, read more, study more, talk to people, everything’s in books, everything’s out there in a reason-based world. Just follow it. I gave zero time to places that would increase intuition, or enhance insight, ignoring what is probably a core component of wisdom. I was just running around constantly doing, doing, doing, and trying to soak up knowledge from books and experiments and science. PF: So prior to this new level of “awareness,” did you have any hobbies, escapes? SS: Not really ... I would go on vacation with my family every year but mostly I worked. And in addition to working, I was a mom, but I was a workaholic in motherhood and a workaholic in work. I constantly would try to do more. I loved the role of being a mother. It was the one place that intuition naturally arose for me. In that sense, when I had my first child, I had more awareness. I wrote about it in my first post on Huffington Post; it’s called Mystic Mom. Motherhood was my first touch with being connected to something outside of myself. That was 24 years ago. I have three kids now, ages 18-23. Back then, I had very few friends to be honest, except my husband who has been my closest friend for 35 years.  I didn’t really open up that much to anyone outside my family. But I did go into therapy. That was a huge component to my self-discovery. PF:  You were in therapy before your “awakening”? SS: I was in therapy for stress, worry, parenting. I felt stressed, and wanted to do the best I could do with my kids. Therapy helped me open up on one level. PF: Did the cancer diagnosis and the “awakening” inspire you to make changes in your lifestyle? SS: The medical treatment for my cancer was successful; however, I felt that there was something deeper going on with my overall health. I decided to go back to an East-West doctor that my husband had recommended earlier.  I had started going to him 10 years before, but I didn’t believe in him. I just would roll my eyes. I was so skeptical. He would give me suggestions of ways to improve my well being, and I didn’t follow through. But when the melanoma was diagnosed, I thought, something’s not working. I thought I was doing everything right, but something’s off. So for the first time, I listened to what he said and started doing everything he recommended. This included massage, acupuncture, taking herbs, different forms of yoga. On my own, I decided I would explore dietary changes, too. I looked into all of the diets and I went really hardcore into macrobiotic. I did all of those things simultaneously.  And I started meditating. I had learned TM (transcendental meditation) in the 70s, and kind of made fun of it. But I did have a mantra and I knew how to do it. I took a little time off from work when I started doing all of those things, including meditating every day. I would drop the kids at school and come home. I’d spend the day doing things to improve my health:  acupuncture, yoga, massage. Hour after hour of it. This was like a mega retreat on my own. Then I’d pick my kids up from school and do the normal mom stuff. PF: So when you get into something, you really get into something. SS: Yeah, I totally got immersed in it. But it was all new because I’d never done any of it, and I didn’t believe any of it before, so I was like, be open, be open. And it really had a huge impact and I had what I now call a “mystical experience” - I had a huge shift in consciousness. And it wasn’t one that was incremental, day after day, increasing and increasing, but one of those, bam! Wow! The world, we’re all interconnected, I’m part of the oneness of the universe. I discovered this sense of deep interconnectedness of our dependent nature and posted a blog about it. It was so profound that I couldn’t harm anything, and it was like all of a sudden. It wasn’t choosing not to eat meat anymore or choosing not to harm an insect because I thought it was a nice thing to do. It was because I felt to harm another animal, insect, even plants was like hurting a part of myself, as if I was chopping off my own left arm. I saw us all as one interconnected thing. It was a really profound state, and along with this heightened state of consciousness, this incredible state of compassion, came a flood of rushing joy, bliss, calmness, happiness. I couldn’t even muster the old feelings I had that included the negative feelings of jealously, greed, anger ... all of those things I couldn’t find in myself. This state was so overwhelming that I didn’t know how to function. It was so different, this heightened state of bliss. I had no signs or symptoms of any kind of mental disorder, but I’m guessing it had qualities of what mania or hypomania might feel like in some ways. But not only was there this bliss, but creativity was just massive. So I started painting, I started creative writing, doing lots of things I hadn’t done before. PF: How long did this feeling last? SS: It was a really profound experience, then it kind of dissipated after about a month. The negative emotions didn’t come back but I started to lose that extreme feeling of everything as so connected, of that extreme sort of blissful state. Then I started reading a lot, trying to figure out what just happened to me? What was this amazing experience? Somehow I came across William James’ The Varieties of Religious Experience. Here I had been an atheist, or an agnostic, my whole life. But what happened to me was a profound shift in consciousness which led me to relate to the universe in a very different way. That experience sounded like what James described for people who had had what they called “religious experiences”  except my experience had no ‘God’ associated with it. But, when I began reading Eastern religions of Taoism and Buddhism, I saw many parallels with the profound ‘truths’ I experienced during my ‘epiphany’  in those 30 days, and writings of people from different religions, as well as philosophers, writers, poets, and others. I saw that a lot of truths that became apparent to me in meditation were commonly recognized universal truths that other people have seen and have written about throughout history. My quandary became that I didn’t know how to go back to work, as I had a totally different view of the world.  I felt that the insights I gleaned during that 30 day period were ones that we could each discover but how do you discover them if you don’t give time for yourself to try to uncover that stuff? Before I didn’t think that this was anything I should value ... to take time for myself, to reflect on things. Or to use any kind of tools that could help you to do that. I didn’t know what to do next and I didn’t know if I could ever go back to UCLA because I just thought it was so inconsistent with this way of seeing the world - an alternative way of knowing - a first-person experiential way vs. a third person scientific way. Both are valuable and I used to think only one was valuable for real truth, until I realized they both are valuable. Then I came across the Albert Einstein quote: “The Intuitive Mind is a sacred gift, the Rational Mind a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” That was really profound to me because Einstein said it. It helped that my insight was validated by someone else who I knew was really smart. Jonas Salk is another person who had a huge influence on me. I didn’t know Jonas Salk had written anything about ‘insight’ or ‘intuition’ until after my experience and then I discovered this Salk quote: “Intuition will tell the thinking mind where to look next.” This resonated a lot with me. Then I read Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason, where even he, the great proponent of reason, argues for the value of ‘intuitive’ experiences; what he described as the sort of knowledge that makes reason pale in comparison.  So there was all this from highly intelligent, reason-based thinkers that I respected.  My analogy that I use all of the time to reflect the balance of these two modes of knowing (reason and intuition) is that of a coin rolling on its side, and I wrote a blog about it. One side is reason and one side is intuition. If you ever lean too far, the coin falls flats and can’t move. The only way to keep the coin rolling is to keep both sides in balance. With all of this, I contemplated whether or not to go back to UCLA…. Stay tuned for Part II (next Wednesday), where you’ll read how Dr. Smalley created a university-based center to share her insights and processes with others. Huff Post readers: Have you had an experience of heightened awareness - intuition - mindfulness - that affected you in a significant way? We’d love to hear from you. 2009-07-16T05:30:49+00:00 http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/behind_the_scenes_at_the_white_house_the_ama_weighs_in_on_healthcare_policy/ http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/behind_the_scenes_at_the_white_house_the_ama_weighs_in_on_healthcare_policy/#When:05:32:00Z No doubt health care reform is a serious and important matter. Politicians on various sides of the issue have been working day and night to hopefully find a way to solve our nation’s health care concerns. Looks like they’re finally making some headway. I was fortunate enough to be privy to some White House insider information as to what’s been happening lately: AMA Debate on Health Care Reform The American Medical Association has weighed in on the new health care plan. The Allergists voted to scratch it.  The Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves. The Gastroenterologists had sort of a gut feeling about it, but the Neurologists thought the Administration had a lot of nerve. The Obstetricians felt they were all laboring under a misconception. Ophthalmologists considered the idea shortsighted.   Pathologists yelled “Over my dead body!” while the Pediatricians said, “Oh, Grow up!”   The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while the Radiologists could see right through it. The Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing. The Internists thought it was a bitter pill to swallow, and the Plastic Surgeons said, “This puts a whole new face on the matter.” The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea. The Anesthesiologists thought the idea was a gas,  and the Cardiologists didn’t have the heart to say no. In the end, the Proctologists won out, leaving the entire decision up to the a—holes in Washington.  I can’t take credit for this, but whoever the author is, thanks for giving me a chuckle and some comic relief on this important topic, and thanks to Betty Pearlman for sending this along.   2009-06-24T05:32:00+00:00 http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/donna_karans_urban_zen_project_brings_a_new_style_to_integrative_health_car/ http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/donna_karans_urban_zen_project_brings_a_new_style_to_integrative_health_car/#When:05:33:38Z When one thinks of the medical oncology unit at a major hospital, the inhalation of uplifting aromas, a feeling of sanctuary, opportunities for centering and relaxation, and guidance through restorative yoga poses are usually not what first comes to mind. It could be a reality if you were at the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, where integrative therapists are assisting doctors and nurses in providing comfort and care to cancer patients. World-famous fashion designer Donna Karan, in conjunction with her Urban Zen Foundation, is developing this unique program which provides support to cancer patients and their families, as well as the hospital staff itself. Urban Zen trains the “integrative therapists,” who facilitate the support in the form of yoga, meditation, and aromatherapy to comfort those in the inpatient oncology unit at Beth Israel. The integrative therapists also act as patient navigators, hand holding the patients and their families throughout the often rocky and scary road from diagnosis through treatment. The program is the result of inspiration from Donna Karan, who lost her beloved husband Stephan Weiss, an artist and her business partner, to lung cancer in June 2001. Karan shares that while she is grateful for the wonderful doctors who treated her husband, something she noticed was a need to provide care and comfort for patients as well as treating the disease. This new program grew from the complementary modalities she added to Weiss’s care from her knowledge of Eastern approaches. When Donna Karan has an inspiration, watch out! After recognizing the need to help others, she sponsored a 10-day Well-Being Forum at the Urban Zen studio, discussing health care needs with doctors, nurses, and others. They pondered, “How could we best serve this community?...How do we deliver the optimum care for patients and their loved ones?” A decision was made to utilize the yoga community, a group aware of integrating the mind, body, and spirit, of looking at the whole person. Dr. Woodson Merrell, Director of Integrative Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center, shares that “the goal here is really to allow the patient modalities that will promote self-healing and promote relaxation and relief from many of the symptoms: pain, anxiety, nausea.” During an interview for NBC Nightly News, Dr. Martin Karpeh, a surgeon at Beth Israel, admitted that he was skeptical at first of the program. But when he saw how aromatherapy and acupuncture could reduce nausea after an extensive bowel surgery, for instance, Karpeh recognized that these approaches could be complementary to the hospital’s treatments. Part of creating an optimal healing environment has been creating a separate and calm “sanctuary” space, where patients, loved ones, and hospital staff can hang out. This sacred space offers a peaceful escape from the hustle, bustle, and beeps of the busy oncology unit. Urban Zen is sponsoring a clinical study at Beth Israel to document the benefits of the integrative therapy and its effectiveness in reducing symptoms of P.A.N.I.C. (panic, anxiety, nausea, insomnia, and constipation) as well as fatigue. The intention is to create a model for integrative care that could be implemented elsewhere in the health care community. An initial test in the Emergency Room “was miraculous,” says Karan. “People came in to the ER completely nervous, and just needed to be calmed.” But then the people experienced the help of the integrative therapists. Karan reports that afterwards, the people were aware of dealing with an emergency but feeling in a better place emotionally to handle it. Donna Karan, the founder of Urban Zen, shares her absolute heartfelt dedication to be of service to the most vulnerable in this inspiring video: Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy From the time the patient receives the diagnosis, the integrative therapists will be there—patient navigators, working at bedside with patients and loved ones. Right now, a hundred integrative therapists are being trained, including doctors, nurses and other health professionals. The idea is to absolutely be of service and to tap into the compassionate aspects of healing. In the program at Beth Israel Hospital, the integrative therapists assist those who have dedicated their lives to service (the medical professionals who are already there) as well as the patients who are vulnerable and their loved ones. The entire environment is positively influenced by the integrative therapists’ presence and work. Staff members report that involving themselves in yoga and meditation has helped them to be less stressed and better able to provide a healing environment. What I find particularly impressive about this project is its essence of humility. There is not an East versus West mentality nor a condemning of the medical profession. Instead, there is a respect for the doctors who dedicate their lives to helping the cancer patients and a willingness to assist. In fact, the project is the answer to the question posed by a true servant:  How can I best be of service? Shana Kuhn-Siegel, the Yoga Coordinator of the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Program at Beth Israel shares how being of service at the hospital has had a profound impact on her life:   I’ve always thought that there’s not just one way to assist in healing. Having the tools from the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy program has been most profound in helping me access the most fearful and deepest part of myself. Doing that helps me to assist others going through their own fear. These tools give me richness and confidence in offering my care to patients who are suffering. As a patient there’s only so far you can go alone. That’s why I want to sit with patients and help them confront their own vulnerabilities. To just be with someone and help him/her to be with their own body and show them how to confront their fear is quite a gift. To be an empty container for family and loved ones to pour their own emotions and fear into has been very gratifying as well. And as a yoga teacher, being in the hospital allows me to see the body in a whole new way. Taking it “laying down,” literally doing yoga with those limitations, has given me a new perspective on my practice. Working with caregivers and hospital staff initially had a lot of unknowns. I didn’t speak their language and they didn’t speak mine. I was a foreigner listening to them, but by acknowledging their efforts and contributions and offering information to them about the integrative therapies, it was amazing to see them accept the therapies and me as well. Donna Karan shares elements of her inspiration for Urban Zen: “Urban Zen for me is finding the calm in the chaos… in the chaos of disease, where is the calm in it? How do we calm ourselves so we can deal with the disease?...” “I had an idea to do something about it. And to think that I had an idea, and I didn’t do everything I could have possibly done to make a difference… I couldn’t get up every morning. It’s just who I am.” Eastern influences complementing Western medicine: The Urban Zen Integrative Therapist program. Thanks, Donna! You’ve been making us look good on the outside for many years, now you are taking care of our deepest, innermost needs—to be seen, heard, felt, and cared for. Your dedication to service and inspiring others to be of service in this capacity is extraordinary. For more information, go to urbanzen.org.     2009-06-23T05:33:38+00:00 http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/greed_in_the_seed_the_inconvenient_truth_of_how_food_gets_to_your_table_rev/ http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/greed_in_the_seed_the_inconvenient_truth_of_how_food_gets_to_your_table_rev/#When:04:32:35Z The riveting documentary Food, Inc. (opening in select cities tomorrow) presents elements of the food industry that can put profit ahead of food safety, workers’ rights, animal welfare, the sustainability of the environment, and the livelihood of the family farmer. How much do we really know about the food we buy at our local supermarkets and serve to our families? In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that’s been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government’s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won’t go bad, but we also have new strains of e coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults. Featuring Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield Farm’s Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms’ Joel Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising—and often shocking truths—about what we eat, how it’s produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here.* Get a “taste” of Food Inc. here: This isn’t a film about not eating meat. It is film about looking at the systems through which our food is supplied. It looks at how animals as well as workers are treated, the nutrition of the food, and the effects of factory farming methods on the environment. Food, Inc. is a film whose time has come. With the economic meltdown and the change at the White House, people are demanding more transparency and accountability from those in charge. One thing we as a human race have in common is that we eat, and it’s time we knew what’s in our food and how it gets to our table. Food, Inc. employs the use of powerful visuals to deliver its message. It takes its audience to amazing locations to see how food makes it to the grocery shelf, and it graphically demonstrates how the people and animals involved in its production are treated. The film doesn’t shy away from revealing treatment of animals at slaughterhouses, it exposes the often-corrupt politics involved in food policy, and it reveals the poor treatment of workers at some factory farms. It takes an in depth look at the strained relationships between Monsanto and the small farmers—and issues resulting from the patenting of seeds. This film is anything but a dry exposé on the perils of food production. The use of clever animation and appealing graphics keeps you engaged throughout the entire film. Journalists are often criticized for not warning us of the economic meltdown and the lead up to the Iraq War. With the offering of Food, Inc., as well as the writings of experts such as Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food) and Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), they can’t be accused of not warning us of the importance of taking a look at how our food is prepared and its impact on our health and the environment. If you eat food, Food, Inc. can certainly give you some food for thought. The documentary uses eerie footage in to portray the dark side of food production. The story is not meant to be doom and gloom, however, but a call to action and the hope for a better future. One of the bright and hopeful scenes was a visit with Joel Salatin, owner/farmer of Polyface Farms, who is committed to sustainability, humane treatment of animals, and direct marketing of meats and vegetables to consumers. His customers travel from far and wide, claiming that they can’t find food as fresh tasting as what they get at Polyface. As much as there were surprising and shocking visuals and facts presented throughout the film, the scene that got the most response from the audience during the screening I attended was one that involved Wal-Mart. The idea that Wal-Mart might be part of the solution was surprising, to say the least. A discussion between Gary Hischberg, CEO of Stonyfield Farms (a leading yogurt producer with sustainable practices), and Wal-Mart executives demonstrated the point that larger chains will respond to the request for more organic products if consumers demand it. More Controversy The press notes that can be found on Food, Inc.‘s website state: “It is important to note that the filmmakers attempted to interview representatives from Monsanto, Tyson, Perdue and Smithfield, but they all declined.” However, Monsanto has set up a response on their website to the allegations against it in Food, Inc. and claims that they never declined to participate. In addition, SafeFoodInc.com, an alliance of associations that represent the livestock, meat, and poultry industries, is debating the ideas presented in the film. On their website, they present a section called “Myths & Facts”—their response to Food, Inc. What You Can Do Food, Inc. leaves the audience with a call to action. Ultimately, we vote with the dollars we spend on groceries, and the film encourages us to support companies that use sustainable practices. The Food, Inc. website offers ideas for 10 Simple Things You Can Do To Change Our Food System. *Synopsis from Food, Inc.‘s website   2009-06-12T04:32:35+00:00 http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/the_healing_power_of_compassion_actress_finds_remedy_for_stress_with_her_bi/ http://www.santamonicawellness.com/site/the_healing_power_of_compassion_actress_finds_remedy_for_stress_with_her_bi/#When:05:39:55Z “It is better to give than to receive” is a phrase that has become so commonplace, it’s easy to take the meaning lightly. Many of us have felt that wonderful feeling that accompanies making someone’s day a little brighter. Have we really thought about how powerful giving can be—not just to the recipients but to the giver as well? Whether it is part of a profession, volunteer work, or being a caregiver to a family member, being of service can have a significant effect on one’s emotional and spiritual health. People just seem so much happier when they are part of something greater than themselves. The healing effects of compassion and altruism have been subjects of ongoing research. Numerous studies suggest that helping others may influence a person’s physical as well as mental health. At Stanford University School of Medicine, a Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education was formed earlier this year. Part of their mission is “to undertake a rigorous scientific study of the neural, mental, and social bases of compassion and altruistic behavior” and “to explore ways in which compassion and altruism can be cultivated within an individual as well as within the society…” Allan Luks, author of The Healing Power of Doing Good, surveyed over 3,000 people involved in volunteering.  His research included documenting the phenomenon that he called the “helper’s high,” which results from giving to others on a regular basis. A helper’s high consists of sensations of warmth, greater energy, and a euphoric feeling. It was found to have long-term effects such as increased self-worth and reduced signs of stress. In his book Aging Well, George E. Vaillant, a Harvard psychiatrist and researcher, found that behaviors focused on helping others are among the important influences on health and happiness. Behind every study are real people with real stories. I recently had the opportunity to interview Tasia Valenza, an actress who shared her story of how giving back has brought her the peace of mind that she sought for decades. Tasia Valenza had a very successful career as a television actress, earning an Emmy nomination for her role as Dottie in All My Children. Tasia transitioned into voice-overs, and she is now one of Hollywood’s top voice-over artists. Even with all of her success, Tasia says that her greatest role in life has been one of giving back. Happily married with three children of her own, Tasia felt like she needed to do something to help millions of children around the world who are orphaned. As a mother, she couldn’t bear the thought of children not having a mother and a family. After watching Oprah’s TV show “The Big Give,” Tasia was incredibly inspired to find a great children’s organization and challenge herself to doing her own “big give.” PF: Tasia, thanks for meeting with me and sharing your story. How did you go about choosing the organization for your “big give”? TV: Thanks, Patricia, for letting me share with the Huffington Post family—which is kind of a global family—my story that brought me to a greater awareness of the needs of children around the world. There are so many great organizations worldwide that help children. The organization that resonated with me the most is one called SOS Children’s Villages. PF: Can you tell me a little bit about SOS? TV: SOS was founded in 1949. Right now, they have almost 500 villages in 132 countries, including the United States.  More than 73,000 children are being raised in their villages. Through their programs of education, family strengthening, medical care and outreach programs, the lives of over 1 million people are being impacted each year. What impresses me the most about SOS is their commitment to the family structure. The orphans get a mother, and all siblings stay together. They live in an SOS village, where their medical, educational, and social needs are met. PF:  What do you mean when you say, “The orphans get a mother”? TV: An SOS mother is provided for each home. She may be without children of her own, or she may be an older woman who has already raised her family. These loving women are members of the local community, and they participate in an extensive two-year training and apprenticeship program before receiving a family of their own. I wish I had two years of training before I became a mother! PF: So how are your going about your “big give”? My husband and I started by sponsoring a few children, and a few more, and a few more. We are up to 22 and enjoy every minute of it! Our “big give” goal is to secure 100 sponsorships before the end of 2009. Through spreading the word to family and friends, a total of 88 children have been sponsored so far. With the current economic climate, you would have thought that I picked the worst time to try to find sponsors, but people are coming out of the woodwork to participate! When we get to 100, I’m hoping Oprah will give it a shout out and turn 100 sponsored orphans into 100,000. PF: What is the greatest impact that getting involved with SOS has had on your life? TV: The incredible peace of mind I feel that I hadn’t experienced for a long time. I am someone who has suffered from low-level anxiety for as long as I can remember. After I became a mother, I experienced the incredible joy that comes from that, but surprisingly my anxiety also increased. Not only did I feel responsible for my own children, but I became acutely aware of the plight of children all over the world who were living without a loving parent. My anxiety increased a hundredfold not only for my own children’s safety, health and happiness, but for the ones down the block to the ones throughout the world. By 2010 it is estimated that there will be 45 million orphans worldwide. Only 1% ever gets adopted. The awareness of children not having a parent was insufferable to me. Being involved with SOS has been the best tonic for anxiety and stress that I’ve ever found. The joy of giving is truly intoxicating! I wish I could bottle this feeling. I used to try to self-medicate my anxiety with shopping, food, and other distractions. Now as another child gets adopted, I feel more and more peace. My doctor and therapist are thrilled with my improvement. PF: How has being a sponsor of 22 children impacted your own family? TV:  I have the most incredibly supportive and loving husband. Every time I ask, “Can we sponsor a few more children?” he is up for it. He has also joined me in my mission. He is a green builder, and every time he builds a house for a family, he sponsors a child on their behalf. Our own children love writing letters and drawing pictures for the children we have sponsored. It’s been a wonderful way for them to experience empathy, compassion, and gratitude early in life. I don’t have to tell them how fortunate they are anymore. I just tell them it’s time to write a letter to Sara from Chad or Omer from Israel. PF: Has your “big give” had an impact in your local community? TV: At our children’s school, four classes of three year olds sponsored one child per class. At three years old, these kids understand in a concrete way that they can have a powerful impact on someone’s life. The children’s enthusiasm has trickled out to the entire school community. I have brought the program to two other schools, and I am producing a video in hopes of using it as model for other schools around Los Angeles and throughout the United States. PF: I can see how sponsoring these children is a healthy addiction! You’ve inspired me to sponsor two kids already. I have already received letters from their mothers, as well as pictures, drawings, and messages from the kids. Every time I open these letters, tears of joy stream down my face. It is truly an honor to be part of your “big give” and part of the SOS family. I think I’m getting a taste of that “helper’s high.” TV: Not only is giving addictive, it can be infectious! PF: Tasia, it seems like destiny for you to be a voice for SOS. You started your career with “All My Children” and your life’s mission developed into helping children all over the globe. TV: It has been a blessing to be involved with SOS as well as to offer my voice to their official video, which is a powerful testimony to the incredible impact they have had in so many lives: PF: Wow! What a powerful video (Kleenex required). Tasia, thanks for sharing your inspiring story. Best of luck with your “big give.” TV:  Thanks for spreading the word to help these deserving children! I invite the Huffington Post readers to join me in my “big give” (see official website) or to find a way to give in another way that truly inspires them. Huffington Post Readers: I’d love to hear your stories of how compassion and giving has affected your life. How were you able to draw upon your talents to help others?         2009-06-05T05:39:55+00:00