Author: Kathy McGuire

This author has written 189 articles

Positive Psychology: Raising Happy, Kind Children Evolutionarily Adaptive

In contrast to "every man for himself" interpretations of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, Dacher Keltner, a UC Berkeley psychologist and author of "Born to be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life," and his fellow social scientists are building the case that humans are successful as a species precisely because of our nurturing, altruistic and compassionate traits. Christine Carter writes "Raising Happiness" (Yasmin Anwar, AlterNet, March 4, 2010)

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HARD-WIRED FOR COLLABORATION: PHYSICAL TOUCH INCREASES PERFORMANCE

Physical touch stengthens creative problem solving and performance. In Born To Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life (Norton, 2009), Dacher Keltner cites research indicating that simply giving a reassuring physical touch (a high-five, a chest bump, a shoulder pat) can increase performance on the basketball court, in intimate relationship, in the classroom, everywhere! Humans are wired to seek collaborative effort to "share the load" of problem solving.

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Focusing and Architecture: Designing From The Inside Out

Architecture is revisioned through Susanka's Not So Big concept, design which starts with the wants and needs of owners. "Masculine" vs. "Feminine" struggle archetypically with house design. Gendlin's Focusing, and Active Listening look for compromise in designing from the inside (unique wants/needs/functions) out as well as the outside (site, location, artistic vision) in.

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MICHAEL JACKSON: CREATIVITY AND BIPOLAR DISORDER

Kay Redfield Jamison studied the relationship between creativity and madness. She terms manic-depressive, or bipolar, disorder "a terminal illness," e.g., if not treated with appropriate medication and/or psychotherapy, ending in death. Did Michael Jackson and other extremely creative people who died prematurely from addiction, suicide, and reckless living suffer from manic-depressive disorder? Is there a way to treat the "super-human" energy of creativity without dimming its spark?

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ADHD OR HANDS-ON LEARNING? “FOCUSED” TODDLER” BECOMES “ATTENTION-DEFICIT” STUDENT?

Active,hands-on learners are intensely interested in learning skills as toddlers. They will pay attention to the mechanics of any task, and practice, practice, practice until they can master it. How is it that this focused learner becomes labelled as ADHD, "attention-deficit," upon reaching fourth grade? Do we really offer "equal opportunity" for education if we do not provide equal access to these "non-academic," non-reading and -writing-oriented learners?

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FOCUSING AND CHILDREN: PRESERVING AND RECLAIMING TRANSPARENCY

Toddler's feelings are transparent. As we age and learn to symbolize through language, we can also "lose touch" with ourselves and become unable to express ourselves. Intuitive Focusing and Active, Empathic Listening can help children "stay in touch" and express themselves as they grow. Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening can also help adults to "refind" and express themselves authentically.

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TRANSITION TOWNS: LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY FOR GLOBAL CHANGE

The Transition Town movement is an example of bottom-up empowerment, local community organization for global climate change. Political action and emotional growth and support are combined with conflict resolution skill training, so that Head, Heart, and Hands are all enlisted in common cause. Listening/Focusing Communities are one model of peer support that could be incorporated into Transition Towns.

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GRASSROOTS GREENING: PLANTING GROWS COMMUNITY

"The One Small Thing" method for Creative Edge Organization involves finding "one small thing" that people find easy to do as a first step in generating the involvement and empowerment that builds community in nieghborhoods and creativity in organizations. A "traffic calming" initiative in San Francisco leads to a green, walkable neighborhood, and, suddenly, there is a community where neighbors, schools, merchants all come together.

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