DR 865 – Hurricane Katrina

Two Girls Brought Together by Katrina and Rita
This is a story from my experience in Louisiana in October 2005 about two girls I met in a shelter, and how they had a bonding experience one afternoon. 

Fishing with an Angel
A story about one afternoon in Louisiana and a chance meeting with someone who helped me regain my perspective and my hope. 

An Unquiet Time in Mexico

In the Fall of 2002, I spent four months in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico on sabbatical.  I went there to teach Abnormal Psychology to students in a Central College study abroad program, and to do research on curanderismo, a native Mexican form of healing.  While I was there, Hurricane Isodoro struck and I had the opportunity to work with La Cruz Roja, the Mexican Red Cross. 

Don Felipe
A story about an experience with a curandero who healed my shoulder pain.

La Cruz Roja
A very long day in the villages of the Yucatan, dispensing supplies to those affected by Hurricane Isodoro.

Ritual Therapy

Healing Principles:  A Model for the Use of Ritual in Psychotherapy in Counseling and Values, Vol. 47, 2003
This article presents a model, based on 5 healing principles (i.e., centering, assessment, gathering energy, directing energy, and gratitude and closure), for using ritual in psychotherapy. Application of the model is illustrated in a case study of a neopagan ritual designed to assist the client in strengthening her sense of self, differentiating from her mother, and making a career decision. The author also suggests using the Healing Principle Ritual Therapy Model with other belief systems.

This article is available online for a small fee.