One of the most helpful things a psychology professor told me (at a Christian university) was to question my clients, in a similar fashion as God did to Adam after his fall in the Garden of Eden: “Adam, where are you?”  This, as opposed to the mistake of looking at my clients and saying, “There you are!”

In other words, let my clients tell me who they are and how they have arrived at this point, rather than me making premature assumptions about them.

One of my favorite ways of asking, “Where are you,” is to inquire about my clients’ favorite books, music, movies and hobbies.  These topics give a counselor great insight into an individual’s private world.

Lately, I’ve noticed a trend…

Several of my clients have been reading books about vampires.

Especially the Twiliight Saga Series of books by Stephenie Meyer.  She has two books on Barnes and Noble’s web site, ranked #5 and #6.

Another popular series for young adults is the Vampire Kisses Series which is ranked in the low 500’s on Barnes and Noble. 

I watched Dracula when I was 10 years old.  It scare me so much that never again did I want to watch anything pertaining to vampires, so I don’t understand the fascination.

I googled the question:  “Why are vampire books so popular?”  One of the responses said, “I think vampire books are so popular because they combine a lot of elements that are really well-liked in books - an otherworldly aspect, easy to read without a huge amount of thought, eroticism, and violence.”

The other night my 17-year old son was driving home, when a “vampire” stepped out in front of his car and waved his cape around.  My son, who never gets flustered, slept with his dog that night.

Yikes!  So what’s up? Please, readers, help me to understand the current trend towards vampires.  

Close this Window Bookmark and Share This Page

Save to Browser Favorites / Bookmarks

Ask backflip blinklist BlogBookmark Bloglines BlogMarks Blogsvine BuddyMarks BUMPzee! CiteULike co.mments Connotea

del.icio.us Digg diigo DotNetKicks DropJack dzone Facebook Fark Faves Feed Me Links Friendsite folkd.com

Furl Google Hugg Jeqq Kaboodle kirtsy linkaGoGo LinksMarker Ma.gnolia Mister Wong Mixx MySpace

MyWeb Netvouz Newsvine oneview OnlyWire PlugIM Propeller Reddit Rojo Segnalo Shoutwire Simpy

Slashdot Sphere Sphinn Spurl Squidoo StumbleUpon Technorati ThisNext Webride Windows Live Yahoo!

Email This to a Friend

Copy HTML: 

 If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

More »

In an earlier post (May 21, 2008), I discussed the merits of YOGA.  I would like to update you on the research coming out of a leading trauma research center - The Trauma Center in Brookline, MA headed by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk.

The latest research found that YOGA can be enormously helpful in decreasing PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) symptoms.  The results are published in the Annals of New York Academy of Sciences.

Van der Kolk also said his center has secured the first grant ever from the National Institute of Health to study the efficacy of YOGA for treating PTSD in women with chronic PTSD who have been unresponsive to treatment.

Again, I am sensitive to the fact that YOGA and its Eastern religious roots offend many Christians.  However, I think we have much to learn from a practice that is proving to be so beneficial.  Please see my earlier post: Click Here

Close this Window Bookmark and Share This Page

Save to Browser Favorites / Bookmarks

Ask backflip blinklist BlogBookmark Bloglines BlogMarks Blogsvine BuddyMarks BUMPzee! CiteULike co.mments Connotea

del.icio.us Digg diigo DotNetKicks DropJack dzone Facebook Fark Faves Feed Me Links Friendsite folkd.com

Furl Google Hugg Jeqq Kaboodle kirtsy linkaGoGo LinksMarker Ma.gnolia Mister Wong Mixx MySpace

MyWeb Netvouz Newsvine oneview OnlyWire PlugIM Propeller Reddit Rojo Segnalo Shoutwire Simpy

Slashdot Sphere Sphinn Spurl Squidoo StumbleUpon Technorati ThisNext Webride Windows Live Yahoo!

Email This to a Friend

Copy HTML: 

 If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

More »

I’m slowly branching out in this ever-changing computer world.  I’m still not savvy, but making my way.  I had heard a lot about Twitter, but I didn’t know what it was or how it could be fun.  This 2-minute video explains it well:

 Click Here

So, what the heck, I joined.  Let me know if you’re on Twitter and we’ll stay connected.

Close this Window Bookmark and Share This Page

Save to Browser Favorites / Bookmarks

Ask backflip blinklist BlogBookmark Bloglines BlogMarks Blogsvine BuddyMarks BUMPzee! CiteULike co.mments Connotea

del.icio.us Digg diigo DotNetKicks DropJack dzone Facebook Fark Faves Feed Me Links Friendsite folkd.com

Furl Google Hugg Jeqq Kaboodle kirtsy linkaGoGo LinksMarker Ma.gnolia Mister Wong Mixx MySpace

MyWeb Netvouz Newsvine oneview OnlyWire PlugIM Propeller Reddit Rojo Segnalo Shoutwire Simpy

Slashdot Sphere Sphinn Spurl Squidoo StumbleUpon Technorati ThisNext Webride Windows Live Yahoo!

Email This to a Friend

Copy HTML: 

 If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

More »

I’m reading a delightful book called, Impact by Ken McArthur.

Ken implores his reader to believe that even the smallest action can have the greatest impact.  One of the stories he shares is about a man, Juan Mann.  Here is the condensed version:

-Juan moves from London to Australia after the breakup from his fiancée, the divorce of his parents, and the illness of his grandmother.

-Juan attends a party and is overwhelmed by the way someone’s hug made him feel.

-Juan decides to offer “free hugs” to strangers in the mall.  No one stops for 15 minutes.  Finally, a little woman comes near, and Juan bends  down with a smile and hugs her.

-This small gesture frees others to join in by getting their hug.  Pretty soon many in the mall are hugging and smiling at each other.

-Juan decides to leave his job early every Thursday to give free hugs at the mall.

-One of the people Juan hugs is a band member named Shimon from the group, “Sick Puppies.”  Shimon is struggling to make ends meet while trying to make a success of his music.

- Shimon happens to be at the mall while Juan is dispensing hugs.  He gets his and asks Juan why he is doing this.  Juan says, “Because, I like to make people smile.”

- Shimon had just watched the film documentary, “Super Size Me” and decides that Juan’s hugging needs to be documented.  He borrows his father’s video camera and records Juan for over 2 months.

- City officials decide Juan needs liability insurance in order to give his hugs.  Juan can’t afford the insurance so he petitions the city and gains 10,000 signatures.

- Shimon moves to Los Angeles, CA after taking out personal loans and borrowing from his father.  He is struggling to survive.

- One Friday afternoon, Juan calls Shimon to say he is sad: His grandmother died and he is left to care for his blind grandfather.  That evening Shimon takes the film footage and records it with the band’s song, “All the Same” and loads it onto YouTube (click here to watch).  By Sunday, over a quarter of a million viewers watch the hugging clip.

- A Good Morning America producer sees the site and millions of TV viewers watch.

- Oprah Winfrey’s producer sees the video and Juan is invited to the Oprah show.

- Yu Tzu-wei sees  the video and starts a campaign to hug everyone in Taiwan.

- “Free Hugs” days are instituted in Australia, Italy, Canada, the United States, Switzerland, Belgium, England and Denmark.

- News media shows students from McKendree College giving free hugs before Game Five of the World Series.

- Police in Shanghai detain Baigu, a 24-year old man, after copying Juan’s idea without a permit.

- Entire governments are influenced.

- In order to combat discrimination against people infected with HIV and AIDS, the French government asks its citizens to embrace strangers who carry signs offering free hugs.

- In fall of 2007, my son’s high school teachers tell me Tucker was the “hit” of the all-school assembly because he was holding a cardboard sign offering free hugs (this is not in McArthur’s book).

Do you know someone who is making an impact?  Tell me!  And if you’d like to get more material from Ken McArthur who is a master at helping you make an impact, click here.  He has loads of free marketing resources.