Journaling Just Might Be An Effective, Inexpensive Therapy Solution

Ready to explore how you feel about your life, experiences, hopes and dreams? Looking for a private, inexpensive form of therapy that just might improve your mental and physical health? Perhaps you want to strengthen your immune system, reduce stress, or eliminate some obsessions? Look no further than Journaling.

As a fiction writer, I find that I sometimes process the happenings of my life through the lives of my characters. Yet, I'm a big fan of keeping a private journal to record my thoughts and ideas. I wasn't surprised to learn that recent research has only proven what people have known since ancient times: regular sharing of your thoughts and experiences through writing can help in so many ways beyond simply recording the details of your life.

The Health Benefits of Journaling
By Maud Purcell, LCSW, CEAP (PsychCentral.com)

"I’ll bet you write (or word process) daily. If you are like most women, you record only what you must. In an effort to change your mind and your habits, I’ll let you in on a well-kept secret: A pen coupled with paper can serve as a powerful life tool.

Journaling (or keeping letters or diaries) is an ancient tradition, one that dates back to at least 10th century Japan. Successful people throughout history have kept journals. Presidents have maintained them for posterity; other famous figures for their own purposes. Oscar Wilde, 19th century playwright, said: “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train.”

Health Benefits
Contrary to popular belief, our forefathers (and mothers) did know a thing or two. There is increasing evidence to support the notion that journaling has a positive impact on physical well-being. University of Texas at Austin psychologist and researcher James Pennebaker contends that regular journaling strengthens immune cells, called T-lymphocytes. Other research indicates that journaling decreases the symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Pennebaker believes that writing about stressful events helps you come to terms with them, thus reducing the impact of these stressors on your physical health."
Read the entire article>>

Books that Celebrate Mom and Vote for Your Favorite Children's Book

It's that time of the year again when we as a nation celebrate the wonderful stories we share with the children in our lives. Children's Book Week is next week (May 12-18) and we're celebrating 95 years of connecting young readers to fabulous books. How will you celebrate? Find events in your area at the official website.

And it's not too late for your children to vote for their favorite books in the 7th Annual Children's & Teen Choice Book Awards! Voting ends Monday, May 12th and the winners are announced online next week.

So, in honor of Mother's Day and Children's Book Week, I've compiled a list of some of MY favorite children's books about moms. I hope you find some time next week to share one of your favorite children's books with a child in your life!

A Mother for Choco
by Keiko Kasza
Wonderful, sweet story of a little bird, Choco, searching for a mother who finally finds in Mrs. Bear a mother who does what mothers do and it doesn't matter that she doesn't look like him! Perfect for younger children (ages 3 to 6) and children who are adopted.
Find A Mother for Choco at Amazon>>

Hero Mom
by Melinda Hardin
Watercolor illustrations by Bryan Langdo
A reassuring and sweet celebration of the moms who do important work in the military and the children who are missing them. Perfect for children in grades 1 to 3 but the story can be easily understood by younger children.
Find Hero Mom at Amazon>>

Bedtime for Mommy
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Fun watercolor and ink illustrations by LeUyen Pham
Sweet, funny story about a little girl's attempts to get her mom all tucked in for the night. Perfect for younger children (ages 3 to 6).
Find Bedtime for Mommy at Amazon>>

Even Firefighters Hug Their Moms
by Christine Kole MacLean
Illustrations by Mike Reed
Sometimes when moms need a little hug, their little ones are caught up in their imaginative play. This charming and sweet story is a perfect read for children in grades K to 3 that is sure to spark their imaginations and maybe result in a few hugs for mom!
Find Even Firefighters Hug Their Moms at Amazon>>

Pirate Mom (Step into Reading)
by Deborah Underwood
Comic illustrations by Stephen Gilpin
What happens when a magician hypnotizes your mom into believing she's a pirate? Pete loves pirates but now his mom simply won't behave and he's NOT enjoying the chaos. The silly, funny story is perfect for beginning readers (grades K to 3), especially anyone who likes pirates.
Find Pirate Mom at Amazon>>

My Mom is Trying to Ruin My Life
by Kate Feiffer
Ink illustrations by Diane Goode
The tale of a preteen girl looking to assert her independence as she recounts all the ways her parents make her life so difficult and fantasizes about a parent-free life. In the end she realizes that her parents are simply showing her how much they love her. Perfect for children in grades 1 to 3 although older children and adults may relate to its heartfelt message as well.
Find My Mom is Trying to Ruin My Life at Amazon>>

Ramona and Her Mother
by Beverly Cleary
In the midst of her family's financial struggles and her parents' obvious preference for older sister Beezus, almost 8-year-old Ramona tries to find the special relationship she shares with her mother. Funny and heartwarming without glossing over the hardships of family life, this book is perfect for children in grades 3 to 6.
Find Ramona and Her Mother at Amazon>>

Let's Try to Prevent More Victims: Choose When, Where & With Whom You Drink to Excess

Let's face it:  in the positive spirit of "not blaming the victim", we may be missing the opportunity to prevent future assaults by educating people about the latest research connecting behavior and opportunity to the frequency of assaults. Much like you might decide to take a taxi rather than walk home alone after a "night out with the girls", intelligently choosing when, where and with whom you drink to excess just might keep you from being the victim of an assault.

College Women: Stop Getting Drunk
by Emily Yoffe via Slate.com

"A 2009 study of campus sexual assault found that by the time they are seniors, almost 20 percent of college women will become victims, overwhelmingly of a fellow classmate. Very few will ever report it to authorities. The same study states that more than 80 percent of campus sexual assaults involve alcohol. Frequently both the man and the woman have been drinking. The men tend to use the drinking to justify their behavior, as this survey of research on alcohol-related campus sexual assault by Antonia Abbey, professor of psychology at Wayne State University, illustrates, while for many of the women, having been drunk becomes a source of guilt and shame. Sometimes the woman is the only one drunk and runs into a particular type of shrewd—and sober—sexual predator who lurks where women drink like a lion at a watering hole. For these kinds of men, the rise of female binge drinking has made campuses a prey-rich environment. I’ve spoken to three recent college graduates who were the victims of such assailants, and their stories are chilling.

Let’s be totally clear: Perpetrators are the ones responsible for committing their crimes, and they should be brought to justice. But we are failing to let women know that when they render themselves defenseless, terrible things can be done to them. Young women are getting a distorted message that their right to match men drink for drink is a feminist issue. The real feminist message should be that when you lose the ability to be responsible for yourself, you drastically increase the chances that you will attract the kinds of people who, shall we say, don’t have your best interest at heart. That’s not blaming the victim; that’s trying to prevent more victims."
Read the entire article here>>

Review: When Dating Becomes Dangerous

As a parent myself, I understand how difficult it can be to talk to your children about dating and sex, not to mention abuse or rape. But we must remember that we are our child’s most important advocate and these challenging conversations are vitally important to our child’s healthy sexual and emotional development.

• So, exactly how do you explain to your teen that excessive anger, coercion, violence or abuse are NOT signs of love?
• How do you model personal boundaries and healthy relationships?
• How do you explain date/acquaintance rape?
• What are the warning signs that your teen is in an abusive relationship?
• How do you communicate the warning signs to your teen BEFORE he/she begins dating?
• What do you do and say if your teen is the abuser?
• When do you take action to help your child who is in an abusive relationship?
• Why do teens stay in abusive relationships and how can you help your child break up with an abuser?
• When do you need to get outside help and where can you turn?

If you need specific information and guidance on these topics and more, look no further than the new book When Dating Becomes Dangerous: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Relationship Abuse. The authors are parents and experts in this field. Patti Occhiuzzo Giggans, MA, is the executive director of Peace Over Violence, a national organization that provides education, advocacy, and intervention on the issues of sexual and personal violence. Barrie Levy, MSW, is the author of several books on teen dating violence including In Love and in Danger: A Teen’s Guide to Breaking Free of Abusive Relationships.

When Dating Becomes Dangerous is easy to read, informative, and an excellent source of conversation starters. The many case studies, specific examples, checklists, anecdotes, and detailed responses to interviews with parents and teens provide topics for conversations and encourage you to help your teen think about her/his own experiences as well as definitions of abusive behavior and healthy relationships. The chapter on “Strengthening Your Relationship With Your Teen” can help you set your own boundaries, understand your feelings, accept your teen’s right to make choices, and, especially, learn how to listen and engage your teen effectively. The book also includes information on technology abuse, same-sex relationships, working through the break-up process, and how to use the legal system should it become necessary.

According to the authors, “What we address are the contradictions in the way men and boys have been raised and the way that women and girls have been taught to deal with relationships. We want families to have conscious conversations about what is expected in intimate relationships, rather than going by social or cultural platitudes. There is a difference in feeling angry and making somebody suffer because of it. We are teaching ways to handle frustration in productive manners instead of using violence.”

Want to know more? Listen to an interview with the authors in this podcast from February 2014 or purchase the book on Amazon

I Heart Libraries

As a writer, I appreciate everyone who reads my words. As a reader, I love the experience of being lost in the characters, the story, and the details of another's life. As a parent, I know how valuable the love of reading can be to a child as he grows. As a citizen, I am pleased that some of my tax dollars go to supporting valuable resources like our public libraries.

The popularity of libraries seems to wax and wane...and I'm sure you've heard the recent rumblings about e-books being the demise of libraries. According to The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project’s Reading Habits in Different Communities report: "City dwellers were most attached to their libraries: 71 percent say the library is important to them, and 59 percent have library cards. While slightly fewer suburbanites, 69 percent, say the library is important, slightly more have cards, at 61 percent. Some 62 percent of rural residents say the library is important and 48 percent have cards."

In honor of National Library Week this week, I want to share some of my favorite things to do at my local library.

• Catch up on current events with The Week magazine
• Find a book about local history
• Stand in the back and eavesdrop on the children enjoying storytime
• Trace my family tree
• Be inspired to try a new author or genre
• Check out a DVD on gardening
• Listen to beautiful music on a CD
• Donate my used books for the library's book sale
• Learn  a new language
• Take a class or listen to a lecture

There are simply too many wonderful things to do and learn at the library! What are some of your favorites?