Originally posted in the Santa Monica Daily Press October 17, 2012
www.smdp.com
Dear New Shrink
I met you at the Taste of Abbot Kinney food event. As I told you, I
was there because of the food. I had no idea what the charity was about
and even though you tried to explain it to me, I am still confused about
what self-efficacy is. I really thought it was the same thing as
self-esteem and would appreciate it if you would explain it.
Thanks,
Confused
Dear Confused,
I appreciate your question because I imagine many people do not know
the difference. The event supported Inside Out Community Arts, an
organization that has won numerous awards, including national ones for
their excellent curriculum.
When I was a doctoral student I learned about the importance of the
arts to enhance learning. But I was pleasantly surprised to discover
that Dr. James Catterall, a member of my doctoral committee at UCLA, had
done research on the results of the educational programs at Inside Out.
If you look into their curriculum, you will see that they have a
number of after-school programs and a weekend program where students
camp in the Santa Monica Mountains and write a play together.
More importantly, Dr. Catterall’s results show that the students
learn how to work together, how to be team members, how to deal with
interpersonal differences, problem solving skills and how to cooperate
and make friendships. They also learn how to express feelings and use
their imagination and to develop metacognition, which basically means to
be reflective, which helps us learn, think, come up with new ideas and
think before we act.
All of these things are important and certainly lacking in many young
people today through no fault of their own. We need a lot more of this
type of help for kids and we need to have the arts put back into school
curriculums. Santa Monica is lucky to still have it and for those of us
who had it understand how lucky we were.
Don Novak, one of the owners of Hal’s restaurant who helped fund the
event, told me that as a businessman, joining Hal in the restaurant 25
years ago definitely increased his ability to deal with interpersonal
differences and increased his sense of cooperation and sensitivity.
Joining others in artistic adventures can be incredibly fruitful and
rewarding.
Now you specifically asked about self-efficacy and I deliberately left it for last.
It is not self-esteem, but it could be considered similar.
Self-esteem is the worth we place on ourselves. It is also called self-worth.
We are not born with it, we develop it after we develop our sense of
self and it is directly related to how we see, think or feel others are
seeing and reacting to us. If those around us think we are truly
special, we usually will come to believe it. Unfortunately the reverse
is also true. I have seen many people who really do not think they are
worth much because they were treated as if they weren’t.
But things can also happen along the way to change our self-esteem.
Really bad situations, like repeated sexual assaults, being bullied, or
having a parent divorce or die and then a stepparent, makes us feel bad about ourselves. The
list is endless but self-esteem is fundamentally based on deeply rooted
beliefs that we hold about ourselves. The good news is that they can be
changed with work in psychotherapy, if need be.
Self-efficacy is related, but it is not the same. Self-efficacy is
the belief in ourselves that makes us feel effective. It’s a feeling
that we can do it if we try. Some people who like themselves and have
self-worth can be greatly lacking in the feeling or belief that they can
be effective in general or at something specific.
An example might be a woman who knows she is beautiful and worth more
than she has but feels helpless to make something different for
herself. Another might be the guy who is great at sports and popular
with the girls but cannot imagine getting through college; doesn’t
believe he can do it.
So you can see that it certainly is a branch of that same tree of
self-esteem but it is really about how effective we believe we are or
can be. What are we capable of, what can we accomplish or contribute to
this world?
In this economy, many unemployed people have given up and are losing
their self-efficacy. Students without a decent education can be in the
same boat. And it is a boat called hopeless.
We all need self-efficacy to help us try and to accomplish and then, to keep or build self-esteem.
Inside Out is doing a great job at building self-efficacy and we really need more programs like it.
Hope I answered your question and I hope you have self-efficacy.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Helping kids get a complete education
Helping kids get a complete education
Author: JoAnne Barge
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press in the News section on October 12, 2012.
www.smdp.com
LINCOLN BLVD — Excited to have one of our own hosting the VIP reception at this Sunday’s Taste of Abbot Kinney culinary event and fundraiser, I was delighted to interview Adam Gertler.
Gertler is a Food Network star, hosting the primetime series “Kid in a Candy Store.” He’s a talented chef and equally gifted television personality.
His preference is barbecue and smoking meats. At his bar and restaurant on Lincoln Boulevard —TRiP — he does specialty sausages. The spot just south of Pico Boulevard also features great beers and live music.
I asked Gertler about his involvement with Taste of Abbot Kinney and he said that he is hosting it for the second year because of its support for Inside Out Community Arts. Inside Out teaches the arts to underserved youth in the Venice area and beyond, providing award-winning, high quality after-school programs that teach youth to believe in the power of their own inner voices, hopes and dreams.
Gertler used to teach acting to kids himself when he had more time and plans to return to it. He himself was acting by the fourth grade and has always been a lover of the performing arts. He holds a bachelor’s in fine arts from Syracuse University. Although he came to Los Angeles to be an actor, he found himself sidetracked with his cooking and after being discovered on the Food Network, he found the perfect way to integrate the two.
He was never scholastic and tended to daydream; acting helped him to find himself so he feels strongly about helping kids who don’t have the same opportunities that he had.
As most of you know, the arts have been stripped away at many school, which makes organizations like Inside Out so important and necessary.
I couldn’t help but ask Gertler about his 20-year plus collection of comic books. He said that they “keep my imagination alive” and that for him, he got what others get from religion. He always identified with the good guys, the heroes, never the bad guys.
I plan to help Gertler in this event and the others who support Inside Out and anything that helps kids get exposure to the arts. I hope that you will too. Research has repeatedly proven that it enhances learning and helps to develop character.
So head on down to Abbot Kinney this Sunday and sample of the finest foods local restaurants have to offer, and help educate kids in the process.
For more information, visit http://www.insideoutca.org/ or http://www.tasteofabbotkinney.org.
If you go
TRiP
2101 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, Calif.
90405
(310) 396-9010
http://www.tripsantamonica.com
Author: JoAnne Barge
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press in the News section on October 12, 2012.
www.smdp.com
LINCOLN BLVD — Excited to have one of our own hosting the VIP reception at this Sunday’s Taste of Abbot Kinney culinary event and fundraiser, I was delighted to interview Adam Gertler.
Gertler is a Food Network star, hosting the primetime series “Kid in a Candy Store.” He’s a talented chef and equally gifted television personality.
His preference is barbecue and smoking meats. At his bar and restaurant on Lincoln Boulevard —TRiP — he does specialty sausages. The spot just south of Pico Boulevard also features great beers and live music.
I asked Gertler about his involvement with Taste of Abbot Kinney and he said that he is hosting it for the second year because of its support for Inside Out Community Arts. Inside Out teaches the arts to underserved youth in the Venice area and beyond, providing award-winning, high quality after-school programs that teach youth to believe in the power of their own inner voices, hopes and dreams.
Gertler used to teach acting to kids himself when he had more time and plans to return to it. He himself was acting by the fourth grade and has always been a lover of the performing arts. He holds a bachelor’s in fine arts from Syracuse University. Although he came to Los Angeles to be an actor, he found himself sidetracked with his cooking and after being discovered on the Food Network, he found the perfect way to integrate the two.
He was never scholastic and tended to daydream; acting helped him to find himself so he feels strongly about helping kids who don’t have the same opportunities that he had.
As most of you know, the arts have been stripped away at many school, which makes organizations like Inside Out so important and necessary.
I couldn’t help but ask Gertler about his 20-year plus collection of comic books. He said that they “keep my imagination alive” and that for him, he got what others get from religion. He always identified with the good guys, the heroes, never the bad guys.
I plan to help Gertler in this event and the others who support Inside Out and anything that helps kids get exposure to the arts. I hope that you will too. Research has repeatedly proven that it enhances learning and helps to develop character.
So head on down to Abbot Kinney this Sunday and sample of the finest foods local restaurants have to offer, and help educate kids in the process.
For more information, visit http://www.insideoutca.org/ or http://www.tasteofabbotkinney.org.
If you go
TRiP
2101 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, Calif.
90405
(310) 396-9010
http://www.tripsantamonica.com
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Coming Clean on HCV
Originally appeared in the Santa Monica Daily Press October 4, 2012
www.smdp.com
Dear New Shrink,
The woman I am engaged to was just told by her doctor that she has hepatitis C (HCV). We are both confused and scared. We don’t know what it means or if it is the same or similar to HIV?
Do you know anything about this? Even if you don’t know much about it, can you help us deal with what this means for our lives and how to handle our feelings and the tension we now both feel?
We started to look it up online and really got scared so we are hoping you can shed some light. We often read your column and are hoping you will pick our question.
Signed,
Very Troubled
Dear Very Troubled,
I actually do know something about this because I am certified in the treatment of substance abuse, but also licensed psychologists have to be somewhat on top of these types of things because they affect mental health.
Obviously, a diagnosis such as this can be deeply troubling and cause concern and tension in your relationship if you don’t know what it means or perhaps more importantly, how she got it.
First off, please do not go searching the Internet. While it does have good information, it is also full of misinformation and horror stories that most often are not true.
The best place to get your information is through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the National Institute of Health. But better yet, see a good physician that specializes in this.
Hepatitis C is actually affecting more people worldwide than HIV. Approximately 3.2 million people are chronically infected, according to the CDC.
HIV is the virus that can lead to AIDS. While there is still a significant problem with HIV in the age group of 18-24, and more so among minorities that are not educated on the subject, it is not as widespread as HCV that does not lead to AIDS. It is a different virus altogether, one that only affects the liver, but can be deadly.
The frightening reality is that many people have been infected with the hepatitis C virus and don’t even know it. Unless you are tested for it or get really sick, you may not know until it becomes a real problem. That is because there are no symptoms until you actually get sick from it.
However, the virus does not make everyone sick. Many never get sick, but of those that do, it is frequently a function of their own unhealthy behavior.
Anything that is damaging to the liver, such as alcohol or drug abuse, increases the odds of getting sick from the virus if you have it. Even marijuana use, which most people think is benign, builds up fat cells in the liver, which helps carry and perpetuate the virus.
You should definitely check your health behaviors and do what is best to keep the virus from multiplying.
Also, this is not a death sentence. Even for those who are seriously ill, there are many good treatments. You don’t necessarily need treatment, but if caught early, you can rid yourself of the virus altogether.
Even better, there are newer drugs with fewer side effects coming on the market late this year or early in 2013.
So now, you are worrying about how did she get it and what does this mean for your relationship? I don’t know your age and don’t want to assume, so I will just give you the history and basics.
It was and still can be transferred through blood transfusions. However, the United States some 20 years ago started provisions to protect against this form of contagion.
You can only get HCV through blood-to-blood contact so sexual transmission is possible, but not likely. Some folks prefer safe sex to avoid the possibility. You are actually more likely to get it through a shared razor or toothbrush or from unsanitary manicure or tattoo equipment. Always use your own manicure equipment and if you want a tattoo, be very careful about the artist you choose.
Having said that, the most likely way of contacting HCV is through drug use. Shared needles or shared straws from bloody noses are a major cause of transmission.
Some people simply do not know and may never know how they got it.
You and your fiancée know if any of these apply and this can help you figure out the how of it. But going forward, be careful with the things I have mentioned above. And see a specialist as soon as possible.
Unfortunately it can be transferred to a fetus so it may compromise having children. But before you go there, see if it is early enough to eradicate with the treatments that are out there or coming soon.
I know it is not good news, but it doesn’t have to be the worst news in the world either.
www.smdp.com
Dear New Shrink,
The woman I am engaged to was just told by her doctor that she has hepatitis C (HCV). We are both confused and scared. We don’t know what it means or if it is the same or similar to HIV?
Do you know anything about this? Even if you don’t know much about it, can you help us deal with what this means for our lives and how to handle our feelings and the tension we now both feel?
We started to look it up online and really got scared so we are hoping you can shed some light. We often read your column and are hoping you will pick our question.
Signed,
Very Troubled
Dear Very Troubled,
I actually do know something about this because I am certified in the treatment of substance abuse, but also licensed psychologists have to be somewhat on top of these types of things because they affect mental health.
Obviously, a diagnosis such as this can be deeply troubling and cause concern and tension in your relationship if you don’t know what it means or perhaps more importantly, how she got it.
First off, please do not go searching the Internet. While it does have good information, it is also full of misinformation and horror stories that most often are not true.
The best place to get your information is through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the National Institute of Health. But better yet, see a good physician that specializes in this.
Hepatitis C is actually affecting more people worldwide than HIV. Approximately 3.2 million people are chronically infected, according to the CDC.
HIV is the virus that can lead to AIDS. While there is still a significant problem with HIV in the age group of 18-24, and more so among minorities that are not educated on the subject, it is not as widespread as HCV that does not lead to AIDS. It is a different virus altogether, one that only affects the liver, but can be deadly.
The frightening reality is that many people have been infected with the hepatitis C virus and don’t even know it. Unless you are tested for it or get really sick, you may not know until it becomes a real problem. That is because there are no symptoms until you actually get sick from it.
However, the virus does not make everyone sick. Many never get sick, but of those that do, it is frequently a function of their own unhealthy behavior.
Anything that is damaging to the liver, such as alcohol or drug abuse, increases the odds of getting sick from the virus if you have it. Even marijuana use, which most people think is benign, builds up fat cells in the liver, which helps carry and perpetuate the virus.
You should definitely check your health behaviors and do what is best to keep the virus from multiplying.
Also, this is not a death sentence. Even for those who are seriously ill, there are many good treatments. You don’t necessarily need treatment, but if caught early, you can rid yourself of the virus altogether.
Even better, there are newer drugs with fewer side effects coming on the market late this year or early in 2013.
So now, you are worrying about how did she get it and what does this mean for your relationship? I don’t know your age and don’t want to assume, so I will just give you the history and basics.
It was and still can be transferred through blood transfusions. However, the United States some 20 years ago started provisions to protect against this form of contagion.
You can only get HCV through blood-to-blood contact so sexual transmission is possible, but not likely. Some folks prefer safe sex to avoid the possibility. You are actually more likely to get it through a shared razor or toothbrush or from unsanitary manicure or tattoo equipment. Always use your own manicure equipment and if you want a tattoo, be very careful about the artist you choose.
Having said that, the most likely way of contacting HCV is through drug use. Shared needles or shared straws from bloody noses are a major cause of transmission.
Some people simply do not know and may never know how they got it.
You and your fiancée know if any of these apply and this can help you figure out the how of it. But going forward, be careful with the things I have mentioned above. And see a specialist as soon as possible.
Unfortunately it can be transferred to a fetus so it may compromise having children. But before you go there, see if it is early enough to eradicate with the treatments that are out there or coming soon.
I know it is not good news, but it doesn’t have to be the worst news in the world either.
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