Randomised study of Group based Voice and Movement Therapy for Self-injury

This published journal article represents over two years of trying to complete four ten-week group-based studies with no funding from outside sources. I would like to thank Sophie Martin, the VMT therapist, for her fabulous therapeutic work, and the other co-authors for all their hard work keeping the whole process on track.
The therapy does seem to show promise in healing self-injury, but we still have a long way to go in further studies to prove that it may be better than existing methods.
Unfortunately, you have to get the pdf through a Uni or other library, but at least you can see what the Abstract has to say:
"Effective and proven approaches for engaging and assisting young people who self-injure are yet to be established. The current study presents findings from 4 pilot trials of voice movement therapy (VMT) in addition to “treatment as usual.” Nineteen young women (mean age 20 years 3 months, range 16-25 years) completed 10 weekly group therapy sessions and a follow-up booster session. At posttreatment, there were statistically significant improvements in emotion regulation, alexithymia, self-esteem, anxiety, somatic symptoms and social dysfunction, and a nonsignificant trend for reduced depression and self-injury. All improvements were maintained at 8 to 10 weeks of follow-up. Results suggest VMT is an acceptable and promising adjunctive therapy for young adults who self-injure."

The article is in the international journal 'Music and Medicine', published by Sage journals.
If I can, I will get a pdf to share asap.
http://mmd.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/12/21/1943862112467649.abstract

How the US could learn from the UK and Australia

The US is a massive and proud country with its own cultures, often at the forefront of World activity. But on the issue of gun control, perhaps it might swallow national pride, and take lessons from the UK and Australia


What happened after Dunblane (UK) and Port Arthur (Australia)

http://world.time.com/2012/12/17/when-massacres-force-change-lessons-from-the-u-k-and-australia/

Twelve facts about guns and mass shootings in the United States

Homicide and Suicide are very emotional issues, so it always important to have up to date facts and figures to help us make sense of the complexity. This is a great article on which to base sound judgment.

Posted by Ezra Klein on December 14, 2012 in the Washington Post Wonkblog

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/14/nine-facts-about-guns-and-mass-shootings-in-the-united-states/

Maybe President Obama can make change...

Dear Colleagues,
'These tragedies must end, and to end them we must change' (President Obama)

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/16/latest-updates-connecticut-school-shooting/

Maybe this man CAN and WILL make changes in the world.

If he does, you just watch the US suicide rate decline....

A Haiku for Christmas

One Christmas present

The only one we all need

Peace throughout the world

Showing Kindness Forwards

Surely we could 'show kindness forwards' to all the young people who would NOT get killed in the future, if we were to get rid of all the semi-automatic assault rifles from the US, and then from the world.
One of the greatest things ex PM John Howard did for Australia was to get rid of guns (especially semi-automatic weapons) after the massacre at Port Arthur in 1996. We have not had a massacre since that time, and the suicide rate has reduced - especially the suicide rate from gun use.

Raw video: President Obama's emotional remarks after the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting.

President Obama's moving address after the connecticut-shooting/

Is President Obama as strong as our Australian ex Prime Minister John Howard was in 1997?

Haiku on Good Intentions

This is not my fault

Always had good intentions

On the road to hell

A Haiku on Statistics

Statistical truth

Mean and mode are not the same

But may overlap

Spaceship Earth - Truly Awe-inspiring

This is where we breathe, live and die. This is what we leave to future generations. It is home - the only one we have. We had better begin to look after it.
http://vimeo.com/55073825