THE MIND - MyHope

Achieving Excellence

Paul Buyer was extremely frustrated. A music professor and Director of Percussion at South Carolina’s Clemson University, Dr. Buyer felt rehearsals weren’t going well. Students were arriving late and they weren’t practicing. Then, after an especially less-than-stellar concert, a student commented to him, “I never want to feel that way again.” So Buyer started thinking […]

Manage Bipolar Disorder Through Mindfulness

Dramatic shifts in mood and energy can create havoc in the lives of those with bipolar disorder. It can be tough to hold down a job, manage everyday responsibilities, manage symptoms and maintain relationships, even if you’re taking medications or involved in therapy. That’s what prompted William Marchand, MD, to explore the value of mindfulness […]

Trying Not to Try: The Art and Science of Spontaneity

In a famous story from ancient Chinese philosophy, Butcher Ding has been called upon to play his part in a traditional religious ceremony. The ritual, to consecrate a newly cast bronze bell, requires the butcher to sacrifice an ox in a public space, with the ruler and a large crowd looking on. It is a […]

Autism: Risk Factors & Diagnosis

Who Is At Risk? Studies measuring autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence—the number of children affected by ASD over a given time period—have reported varying results, depending on when and where the studies were conducted and how the studies defined ASD. A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of health and school records of […]

Mindfulness and Six Key Elements of Psychological Well-being

What does it mean to be a psychologically healthy person? Many people assume that good mental health means feeling happy most of the time. Indeed, studies show that positive emotions have many benefits. They increase resilience to stress and encourage us to learn, grow, and bond with others. However, there’s much more to good mental […]

Being True to Yourself – In This Moment

Ask yourself how often you experience life, rather than going through the motions, pretending to feel differently than you do, engaging in distractions, chasing altered states, trying to cooperate with someone else’s agenda, or wanting everyone to understand you and your problems. Imagine releasing yourself from that facade and opting instead for an encounter with […]

Steps for Overcoming Low Self-Esteem

Today I went to the nearby grocery store and passed by the section where they have day old bread and dented and damaged goods. It brought to mind how many individuals view themselves as damaged goods. The price mark-down shelves were an additional example of how we can make ourselves feel of lesser value than […]

Temperament in Children with Developmental Disabilities

Temperament refers to a child’s behavioral style, or tendency to act in a certain way in a specific situation. Researchers define dimensions of temperament in many different ways, but most writers discuss emotionality (i.e., how intense is the child’s emotional reaction), adaptability (i.e., how well does the child adjust his/her behavior to changes in the […]

Autism Spectrum Disorders – Lecture for Physician Assistants

Autism Spectrum Disorders A Lecture for Physician Assistants (August 2013)Presented by: Susan Hepburn, Ph.D., Assoc. Professor, Depts. Of Psychiatry & Pediatrics/JFK PartnersUniversity of Colorado School of Medicine. e-mail: Susan.hepburn@ucdenver.edu Objectives: To provide future health care professionals with a succinct overview of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), including signs & symptoms at different ages and basic facts […]

Family Resources and Further Reading

How To Share Information about Disability with Families: Practical Guidance for Practitioners Shea, V. (1984). Explaining mental retardation and autism to parents. In E. Schopler & G.B. Mesibov (Eds.), The effects of autism on the family (pp. 265-288). New York: Plenum Press. Shea, V. (1993). Interpreting results to parents of preschool children. In Schopler, M. […]

Supporting Persistence in Children with Developmental Disabilities

“Persistence,” “mastery motivation,” “goal-directedness,” “causality,” “agency” are all terms that can be applied to understanding how an individual perceives his or her competence in impacting the environment or responding to task demands. Although the terminology differs depending upon one’s theoretical orientation, there is consensus across conceptual fields on the following concepts: (1) The processes of […]

Helping Less Verbal Youth with ASD Manage Strong Emotions

Learning Objectives: Participants will recognize how the biological features of ASD make coping (or self-regulation) very challenging, especially when a person doesn’t have easy access to language. Participants will increase awareness of the behavioral signs of escalating anxiety in youth with ASD. Participants will learn about a variety of strategies and resources that can be […]