Sunday, May 30, 2010

... life coach training in the philippines ...

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the philippine society of life coaches (pslc) concludes another of its training workshops. this workshop was held at the academy of world healing foundation (awh) in tagaytay. here are just a few of the memorable moments of the graduation weekend:
.sensory awareness activities with the group
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the graduation bonfire
.the "final lecture" of the the workshop
.hilarious fun during the graduation rites
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and after all was done, the pslc board members show off
their big smiles of relief!

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Thursday, May 27, 2010

... body dysmorphic disorder in the philippines ... (life coach, counselor, psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist)

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chuchie ledesma from Zen Health Magazine visited me for an interview on body dysmorphic disorder (bdd). this is a psychiatric disorder characterized by a preoccupation on imagined bodily defects.

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because people with bdd become very distressed about their looks, it is common for them to undergo multiple unnecessary surgeries. some of these people, you’ll find on the website www.awfulplasticsurgery.com. michael jackson, suspected bdd patient due to his numerous facial surgeries, were among those frequently featured in the website. here is a pic of jocelyn wildenstein who has had her eyes and nose done, her lips plumped up, her chin fixed, and her face lifted a good number of times.

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so what causes bdd? probably a combination of genetic predisposition, peer pressure, low self-esteem, and media influence. if you want to know more about body dysmorphic disorder, you’ll need to get next month’s copy of Zen Health Mag.

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... living life well integrative medical clinic and therapy center ... (philippines, life coach, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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i just came from the blessing and grand launch of Living Life Well Integrative Medical Clinic and Therapy Center (LLW for short).
the clinic, located at the 5th level of the sm mega mall atrium, offers medically-supervised alternative healing modalities.
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i myself am in their roster of medical doctors and will be offering counseling and psychiatric services to LLW customers.
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here are some pictures from the well-attended event:.
.me with riva galvez-tan (proprietor of LLW) and cory quirino (wellness enthusiast)
.me with lucito de jesus (aikido master and jungian dream interpreter)
.me with kian kazemi (tv host, chef, and restaurant owner) and the beateous jamie.
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for holistic health and well-being, be sure to visit the LLW clinic soon and inquire about their marvelous services! http://llwmedicalspa.com
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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

... gua sha therapy ... (philippines, life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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i met up with a chinese master healer who gave me a gua sha treatment. gua sha is a type of healing technique which involves scraping the skin with a smooth-edged instrument. little did i know that the treatment would leave my back looking like this:
.gua sha, according to traditional chinese medicine, is supposed to promote normal blood circulation and remove any blood stagnation. well, at some moment during the treatment, it really did feel like i was bleeding profusely as the master was was lustily scraping the skin off my back. for the most part however, the treatment felt just like an ordinary massage. after everything was done, despite looking like a vicious wildcat had just pounced on me, the master assured me that the marks etched on my back would disappear in 2-3 days.
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you know what? surprisingly, whatever back pain i had before the treatment totally disappeared!
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Thursday, May 20, 2010

... butchery 2010 has ended! ... (philippines, life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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as expected, only a few kids- just 40 of them showed up. the surprising thing was that none of the kids i worked on bawled in pain. i attribute that to good pre-surgical psychological preparation wherein i explain to the kids what's going to transpire, reassure them that whatever pain they feel is going to be temporary, and teach them relaxation skills as the surgery is taking place. it was amusing, in fact, that many would actually watch themselves getting snipped and sutured.
.for this medical mission, nurse hannah was assigned to assist me and it was, in turn, a pleasure to teach and assist her in doing her first circumcision. thanks hannah!
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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

... why do people join reality shows? ... (philippines, life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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Why Do People Join Reality Shows?
(The Philippine Star) Updated May 14, 2010 12:00 AM

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MANILA, Philippines - There are reality shows and there are reality shows. They attract applicants the way hordes of politicians outdo each other courting the people’s votes.

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What really pushes these reality show contestants to stand in long lines for the chance to appear on TV? Sure, there’s fame and fortune at the end of the search.

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But psychologist Randy Dellosa says the reasons go much, much deeper. And they’re not something to sneer at.

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Some of them want to prove they’re good as a means of getting back at those who have belittled them,” he explains.

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It’s their way of telling the world, “My detractors are wrong, dead wrong. See, I’m on nationwide TV! ”

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Extroverts, Dellosa goes on, are chosen over introverts. Extroverts are impulsive, spontaneous. They make for interesting TV. Introverts, the psychologist observes, are serious types who get easily overshadowed by more outgoing people.

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Indeed, local TV is teeming with extroverts who bask in the limelight. They enjoy the attention and the adulation being the public eye brings.

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That’s why Dellosa looks out for extroverts whenever he screens reality show contestants. When it comes to game shows bets, the psychologist looks for gambler personalities, those willing to play for high stakes.

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"These are the ones who will play till the very end,” he observes. It is they who will carry the game show from one episode to another.

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“Non-gamblers will be happy with say, P5,000,” Dellosa says. But the gamblers want more.

He also rules out people with suicidal tendencies (you don’t want a contestant slashing his wrist on TV) and those with aggressive tendencies.

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“Reality TV brings out the worst in the contestants,” Dellosa adds. His job as showbiz psychologist is to make sure even the worst side of a contestant’s personality is acceptable on TV.

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“All of them will put their best foot forward. It is the worst side of their personality that will make one contestant different from the rest.”

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Saturday, May 8, 2010

... treatment of phobia in the philippines ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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just very recently, i served as resource person on "aha!," a gma tv show hosted by drew arellano. the topic was on phobias.
.the episode aimed to expose drew arellano's fear of snakes. here's the python that was meant to scare the wits out of him:
.patani, a previous participant in the reality tv show "survivor" also guested on the show to face her fear of roller coaster rides.
.a bonus for me was meeting iya vilania, the gorgeous girlfriend of drew arellano. i just found it odd though that for such a pretty lady, her voice was unusually husky and deep.
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Friday, May 7, 2010

... bioenergetic exercises in the philippines ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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bioenergetics is a type of holistic psychotherapy which uses body movements to surface, release, and express emotions which are "trapped" in the body. over time, these trapped emotions result in muscular tension and rigidities, postural distortions, restrictions in movement, and dysfunctional breathing patterns.

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at times, as in the above photo, i teach bioenergetic exercises as ice-breakers in seminars and workshops. however, while bioenergetic exercises can be fun to do, they can also result in a powerful and profound emotional catharsis wherein deep-seated emotions from way back childhood are released. generally, bioenergetic exercises allow participants to experience deeper respiration, a sense of "grounding (i.e., feeling more connected with the earth and with one's body)," a greater sense of self-awareness and aliveness.

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Thursday, May 6, 2010

... SoulCollage in the philippines ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)


the philippine society of life coaches (pslc) recently held a SoulCollage workshop facilitated by u.s. certified life coach, lydia cabasco.
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for me, the SoulCollage process was a a creative journey of self-discovery which allowed me to deepen my understanding of myself and my life in general. here's the collage i made:
.i strongly recommend SoulCollage to anyone in pursuit of self-discovery and personal growth.
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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

... guess who crawled up my back ... (philippines, life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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hmmm... i thought i felt something crawl up my back...
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well, now lookee here... what a surprise!
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it's not a creepy crawly, it's the little miracle boy santino!

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zaijan jaramilla is sooo wickedly cute, if he were any tinier, he would make a wonderful keychain!
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Tuesday, May 4, 2010

... sports psychology in the philippines ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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as an avid tennis player since my high school days, i am very aware of how tennis is a mental game as much as it is a physical one. this has inspired me to dabble into sports psychology and become a certified sports psychology coach, certified sports hypnotist, and a certified mind-body fitness coach.
.what i do is teach recreational, amateur, and professional athletes the necessary psychological skills needed to become mentally tough in their training and in competition. i particularly enjoy being a life coach to athletes, helping them overcome their life problems so that they can focus more sharply on their sport. moreover, i've also been hired by athletes for the holistic wellness therapies which ensure their physical and psychological health.
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recently, i've been hobnobbing with fellow enthusiasts of sports psychology like hans pe and aikee enciso. hans is an elite triathlete and director of total athlete network- a christian community of sports-loving people. both hans and aikee are connected with anthony pangilinan's businessworks which also has an athlete development program.
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though sports psychology in the philippines is still in its infancy, i am glad that more and more sports persons are realizing how it can help them unleash their fullest athletic potential.
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Sunday, May 2, 2010

... ericksonian hypnotherapy in the philippines ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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the philippine society of life coaches (pslc) was honored to have as its guest ms. hannah weik, a psychologist from germany. having had her 6-month internship at the milton erickson institution of heidelberg, hannah was very enthusiastic about sharing her knowledge and experience to anyone who was willing to learn.

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in her workshop, she taught the participants how to do ericksonian hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis. participants reviewed the workshop as very informative and they were excited to practice their newly-learned hypnotherapy skills.

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her friendly demeanor was simply very hypnotic for us filipinos and now that hannah is back in germany, she is sorely missed by all of us!

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Saturday, May 1, 2010

... libre tuli: tis the season to be bloody ... (philippines, life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist)

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now that it's summer, i've been invited again to participate in those "libre tuli" medical missions.
.unlike in previous years, fewer kids showed up this time (just around 40 kids). i asked the organizers about this and i was informed that it was election time and many politicians were offering "libre tuli" as part of their campaign strategy.
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hmmm, funny (and sad) how politicians will show that they care for the poor simply to get their votes.
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