[Blindtlk] 10 natural ways to relieve stress

[David Andrews]

We have a Psychologist here in Minnesota, but she mostly does 
testing, career testing etc.

Dave

At 06:40 AM 3/5/2013, you wrote:
>Peter,
>
>I had no idea that some of the rehabilitation services have 
>psychologists on staff.  Honestly I am quite shocked.  I've only 
>attended or have experience with services here in Nebraska.  There 
>is no psychologist on staff anywhere in our agency for the 
>blind.  Of course some folks utilize the services of a good 
>therapist, but there is absolutely no assumption that *all* of the 
>clients will need such services.
>
>I've been through counseling myself, when I was going through my 
>divorce.  I found it very helpful.  I'm grateful it was available to 
>me through my insurance provider. It kept me sane and out of prison. *smile*
>
>I don't think it's accurate to assume that all blind people will 
>need counseling though.  Lots of people are telling you that 
>blindness isn't a stressful or traumatic experience for them.  I'm 
>sure for some it is though.  I agree with you there, especially for 
>the people who became blind during a traumatic event.  I think also 
>that sometimes the various life issues we face become all mingled 
>together, making it difficult to know which circumstance is the 
>cause of what feelings.
>
>I'm glad you are finding yoga helpful.   What are you using to learn 
>the techniques?  or did you already know them?  I live in a really 
>small town and there is no yoga class here.  I'd be very interested 
>in audio programs you have found helpful or websites or whatever.
>
>Thanks!
>Julie
>
>
>
>
>On 3/4/2013 9:58 PM, Peter Wolfe wrote:
>>      I'm sorry the perseption isn't the reality especially in any and
>>all given circumstances. There are people who become blind who live
>>with side ailments of their blindness that you don't have to deal
>>with. For example, I have a friend who had his face blown off with a
>>shot gun who deals with no doubtt nerve damage just an example of
>>stress. I'd also say many other veterns comigng from battle fields
>>abroad undergo great deals of stress. Other blind people have other
>>disabilities that intermingle with their blindness that causes stress
>>and many of them use chemicals to attempt to balance this process but
>>cannot fully manage it either.
>>
>>
>>      I don't think its simply your attitude cause its the nature of the
>>times of being stressful cause the world is changing. This isn't
>>merely a philosophy of mine cause right now that I'm not stressed for
>>now at all. I just did a yoga practice and feel freakin wonderful just
>>that I'm receptive  towards other blind people in individual
>>counseling and all. I do believe certain things whether
>>transportation, changing economics or welfare reform would put many on
>>the streesser because of more limited options being blind. All of this
>>results from blindness that cannot be rid of. Mr Jernigan is wrong
>>like NFB is wrong with not wanting accessible tactical currency that
>>is simply ridiculous and counerproductive as Mike states. When other
>>advanced countries have it, yet the U.S the greatest nation on Earth
>>doesn't that is stressful especially in adverse situations like once I
>>had someone steal my money. So, not all of the time will techniques
>>nor adaptive technology will work especially in a pinch that is
>>extremely stressful so I disagree in trama situations. Lastly, its
>>funny seeing how you guys don't think negative stress doesn't occur
>>because all blind institutions that I've attended have psychologists
>>whether E.H Gentry Technical Facility in Talladega, Lion's World
>>Training Center or Vocational Rehabilitation as a whole can have
>>psychological aptitude tests as well.
>>
>>
>>sincerely realistic,
>>Peter
>>
>>On 3/4/13, Marion Gwizdala<blind411 at verizon.net>  wrote:
>>>      As a professional in the field of health&  wellness, I would 
>>> like to add
>>>
>>>my support to Mike's comments about blindness being a major stressor. One of
>>>
>>>my fields of expertise is in stress management, teaching seminars to
>>>employees of large corporations. The truth about stress is that it is the
>>>result of our interaction with the environment; it cannot be eliminated,
>>>only managed. Stress is fundamentally the reaction to our perception of a
>>>circumstance. It is neither positive or negative except that thinking makes
>>>
>>>it so. Two people can experience the exact same event and have very
>>>different reactions.
>>>      blindness, in and of itself, is not a distressor - the term 
>>> for negative
>>>
>>>stress. In fact, for me, it is generally a neutral stressor.There are times,
>>>
>>>though, that it is a positive stressor, motivating me to work harder to
>>>accomplish a thing just because some believe I cannot do so as a blind
>>>person. Then there are those times blindness is a distressor, such as when I
>>>
>>>feel frustrated with a website that is inaccessible.
>>>      I agree with Mike's comment about lessening the distressful
>>>circumstances in our lives by obtaining good blindness skills training and
>>>making use of effective blindness tools. The positive philosophy embodied in
>>>
>>>the NFB and so elucidated in the speech Mike mentioned is well worth the
>>>read on a regular basis. It is what I refer to as "organic" writing. The
>>>more you read it the more it grows in your consciousness!
>>>
>>>Fraternally yours,
>>>Marion Gwizdala, M.S.
>>>Kairos Health&  Wellness Center
>>>www.KairosHWC.com
>>>
>>>
>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "Mike Freeman"<k7uij at panix.com>
>>>To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'"<blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>>Sent: Sunday, March 03, 2013 6:20 PM
>>>Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] 10 natural ways to relieve stress
>>>
>>>
>>>>I've been staying out of this thread, believing that it is basically
>>>>counterproductive. However, the mistake I surmise Peter is making is to
>>>>single out blindness as a particular egregious stress-provoker. It is
>>>>not.
>>>>
>>>>Of course, some folks may find it so; the point is that some of us do not
>>>>find it so, especially if we've had good blindness training and have
>>>>opportunities to put our skills and attitudes to work.
>>>>
>>>>We might all find it profitable to reread Dr. jernigan's speech:
>>>>"Blindness:
>>>>Handicap or Characteristic".
>>>>
>>>>Cheers!
>>>>
>>>>Mike Freeman
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Chris
>>>>Nusbaum
>>>>Sent: Sunday, March 03, 2013 3:04 PM
>>>>To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>>>>Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] 10 natural ways to relieve stress
>>>>
>>>>Julie,
>>>>
>>>>Very well said! Thank you for these wonderful thoughts!
>>>>
>>>>Chris
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>>From: "Julie J."<julielj at neb.rr.com
>>>>To: Blind Talk Mailing List<blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>>>Date sent: Sun, 03 Mar 2013 08:26:34 -0600
>>>>Subject: [Blindtlk] 10 natural ways to relieve stress
>>>>
>>>>Peter,
>>>>
>>>>I never said I was speaking for all blind people everywhere.  I
>>>>said
>>>>that stress, unhappiness and unemployment were not *my* current
>>>>experience.  I understand that lots of blind people don't have
>>>>jobs and
>>>>are generally unhappy with their life situation.  And I have no
>>>>problem
>>>>with the words happy or unhappy.
>>>>
>>>>I have been there too.  I had no job for a long time.  I've been
>>>>homeless, if only for a few days.  I've eaten my fair share of
>>>>Ramen
>>>>noodles.   I've wondered how I was going to scrape together
>>>>enough money
>>>>to pay the bills, month after month after month.  However I
>>>>always kept
>>>>the mindset that the situation at hand was temporary.  You can be
>>>>in an
>>>>awful situation and still have hope.  Sometimes that's all there
>>>>is.
>>>>
>>>>I'm not quite as old as you think.  I'll be 40 this year.  I
>>>>don't know
>>>>that families were all that much different when I was a kid.  I
>>>>grew up
>>>>in a mostly African American, poor area though.  BTW I am white.
>>>>I
>>>>guess maybe growing up being the different kid allowed me to get
>>>>real
>>>>comfortable with being different and being okay with that.  Who
>>>>knows?
>>>>
>>>>Now, I work with young people with their first contact with the
>>>>criminal
>>>>justice system.  I see all sorts of different family groupings.
>>>>Some of
>>>>them work and are healthy and some of them are not a good place
>>>>for
>>>>kids.  I don't see a strong correlation between a man and woman
>>>>who have
>>>>been married for a long time with only their own kids in the home
>>>>and
>>>>stability.  I have a single Dad raising five kids that I think
>>>>should
>>>>get parent of the year.  I have another youth who lives with her
>>>>Aunt
>>>>and Uncle and it is one of the most positive respectful families.
>>>>Some
>>>>of the traditional families are good too.  I'm just saying that
>>>>family
>>>>comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes and I think it always has.
>>>>
>>>>Perhaps what I am saying is that yes, bad stuff happens in the
>>>>world.
>>>>We all know that and can agree that blind people get more than
>>>>our fair
>>>>share of hardships.   I feel like I have a choice though.  I can
>>>>choose
>>>>to feel stressed and hopeless because the odds are that I won't
>>>>have a
>>>>job or I can choose to put all my effort in to finding a job or
>>>>starting
>>>>my own business.  No, it isn't easy and it won't happen
>>>>overnight, but
>>>>if I believe that it can happen for me, I have just dramatically
>>>>increased the odds that it will.  "Whether you believe you can or
>>>>you
>>>>can't, either way you're right."A quote from the founder of the
>>>>Ford
>>>>motor company.
>>>>
>>>>Blindness can be hard, very hard at times.  I choose to look at
>>>>it as an
>>>>opportunity though.  I feel like I have made many of the life
>>>>choices I
>>>>have because of my blindness, not despite it.  I have a strong
>>>>need to
>>>>challenge myself to learn new things and have new experiences.
>>>>Blindness has made that easy.
>>>>
>>>>This summer I am going survival camping.  I am going to learn
>>>>stuff like
>>>>how to make a fire with no matches, how to make rope, how to find
>>>>drinking water and  how to make a shelter in the woods.   I am so
>>>>excited for this opportunity!  It will be a challenge and I'll
>>>>have to
>>>>figure out many adaptations because of my blindness.   It's like
>>>>a
>>>>puzzle for me.  I love to figure out how I can accomplish the
>>>>task.
>>>>Occasionally I come across something that I can't do, but more
>>>>often I
>>>>surprise myself.  It also helps a lot to have wonderful email
>>>>lists and
>>>>other blind people willing to talk to me about similar things
>>>>they have
>>>>done.  I can build on what has already been discovered without
>>>>reinventing the wheel.  *smile*
>>>>
>>>>What are your goals? Your dreams?  If you knew you couldn't fail
>>>>what
>>>>would you do?  Let us help you figure out how to get there.
>>>>
>>>>Julie