Current research on neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells) indicates that novelty, environmental enrichment and physical exercise can facilitate new growth in the adult human brain. How can we optimize our Ericksonian approaches to support the psychobiological growth process?
Besides the patient's past history and present intrapsychic complaints, besides his/her interpersonal relations, the patient lives in an aesthetic, spiritual, cultural, economic and environmental world of intimate things, physical places and invisible atmospheres. To focus mainly upon personal subjectivity to the neglect of the non-human factors falsifies the patient's daily actuality and endangers therapy with artificiality. Therapy must therefore bridge into the world.
Health and well-being are akin to a three-legged stool being supported by one leg of pharmaceuticals; a second leg of surgery; and a third leg of self-care. Whereas the first two legs are awesome in their efficacy, they are not effective in treating 60-90% of visits to health care professionals since these visits are related tos tress and other mind/body interactions. Dr. Benson will describe the therapeutic efficacy of the third leg - especially the usefulness of the relaxation response, belief and spirituality.
During the past several years, we have developed strategies for inducing people to persuade themselves to change dysfunctional attitudes and behavior. Compared with more traditional, direct techniques of persuasion like advertising, self-persuasion produces more powerful, more permanent effects. Specific reference will be made to our research on reducing racial prejudice in schools and risky sexual behavior in young adults.
State of the Art Address 01:
In 1978 Laura Huxley founded Children: Our Ultimate Investment, an organization for the nurturing of the possible human. Mrs. Huxley will speak about the foundation's ongoing projects and elucidate the message of the unconceived to the men and women who will be their creators.
Introduced by Bernhard Trenkle, Dipl. Psych.
State of the Art Address 02:
This address suggests that what is needed in the field of marital intervention is an empirically-based theory about the disasters and masters of marriage. The theory also is an integration of behavioral, object-relations, system and existential approaches to marriage. This theory is described and presented in this address.
State of the Art Address 03:
Belief in one's personal efficacy is the foundation of human motivation, accomplishments and emotional well-being. This address will analyze the sources of people's beliefs in their efficacy, their cognitive, motivational and emotional effects, and how to build a resilient sense of efficacy for personal and social betterment.
State of the Art Address 04:
This presentation will focus on key emotional challenges in the mouther-daughter relationship and identify the forces that block mutual empathy and connection. We will hear the complaints that adolescent girls voice against their mothers, and explore how therapists can help adult daughters transcend distance and blame.