... students with academic problems ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist,psychiatrist, quezon city, manila, philippines)

sophia balod of gma tv's saksi did a segment interview on school repeaters.

i explained that school repeaters need to be throughly evaluated for the causes of their problems. they may have family problems, addictive behaviors (e.g., computer game addictions, substance use), pressure in meeting high parental standards, below average IQ, a bad ass peer group, psychiatric disorders (add, adhd, dyslexia, depression), poor study habits, etc.

   

whatever the cause is, the school repeater's parents, teachers, parents, and possibly guidance counselor need to work hand-in-hand in designing an individualized and comprehensive program to help the kid overcome his or her problems.

... anti-bullying act of 2012 ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, quezon city, manila, philippines)

joey cruz and cherry sun of gma's bawal ang pasaway! (kay mareng winnie monsod) passed by my clinic to ask about the personality profiles of bullies and their victims, and the warning signs of bullying in school children.

bullies are typically bigger and stronger than their victims.  they have strong needs for attention, popularity, and domination.  they seem to lack a conscience as they enjoy inflicting suffering on others.  they are also known to break school rules and regulations.  they are usually products of dysfunctional families wherein physical and verbal aggression is commonly used.  many bullies enjoy violent tv shows and computer games.  bullies are commonly diagnosed to have conduct disorder or adhd.

the victims of bullies are typically weaker than the bullies.  they are known to be non-aggressive children who may have no friends to protect them.  they feel embarrassed at being victims and don't tell on the bullies for fear of retaliation.  they may also hide their predicament from their parents feeling that they might not be believed.

the warning signs of bullying include the following:  poorer school performance, not wanting to go to school, complaints of body aches, physical injury, losing things and money, irritability, depression, and suicidal thoughts.  

the best thing for bullies to do is to tell adults about the bullying, be surrounded by friends, avoid bullies, learn assertiveness skills, and defuse conflict with humor.  

thank god that congress recently approved the anti-bullying bill!  it's about time!

... antisocial personality disorder ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, quezon city, manila,philippines)

karen keith of tv5's tutok tulfo frequently drops by to interview me on people with antisocial personality disorder. 

we commonly think of an antisocial person as someone aloof, introverted, socially anxious, and lacking in social skills.  


in psychiatry however, the word "antisocial" carries a totally different meaning.  a person who is antisocial is one predisposed to violating social and moral norms and breaking rules, regulations, and the law.  

dr. hannibal lecter reading your mind!

dr. hannibal lecter, feeling satisfied after hungrily munching up his security guard.

according to the DSM-IV-TR (psychiatrists' manual for diagnosis), antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a disregard for and violation of the rights of others as indicated by 3 or more of the following:


@ failure to conform to social norms ... repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest;


@ deception, as indicated by repeated lying, ... and conning others for personal profit or pleasure;


@ impulsive behavior; failure to plan ahead;


@ aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults;


@ reckless disregard for the safety of self or others;


@ consistent irresponsibility in school or at work; failure to honor financial obligations;


@ lack of remorse in hurting, mistreating, or stealing from another;

people with antisocial personality disorder use their charm and streetsmarts to deceive people.  women fall for these "bad boys" because they carry a masculine appeal.  at their worst, people with antisocial personality disorder are criminally-minded.  popular characters who personify antisocial personality disorder include the joker, dr. hannibal lecter, and even loki.  

antisocial personality disorder is genetically-based and very difficult to treat and manage.  the best way to help them is for them to undergo a rehabilitation program which espouses a therapeutic community (TC) approach.

here are celebrities who have auditioned for the role of the joker.

whoa, even cats these days can be mercilessly, horrifyingly evil! 

... art therapy workshop for non-artists in the philippines ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, quezon city, manila, philippines)

the national commission for culture and the arts (ncca), foundation for adolescent development (fad), and the life change recovery center (lcrc) joined hands in offering an art therapy workshop for non-artists, entitled "the art of healing." 

there were over 20 participants of various age groups- teens, adults, and midlifers, and of various backgrounds- street educators, guidance counselors, nurses, religious leaders, and advocacy group representatives.  organized by multi-awarded actress ma. isabel lopez, the workshop was an opportunity for participants to silence and dismiss their "inner adult critic" and coax the "inner child" to surface and be playful once again.

art therapy is not about producing obra maestras.  art therapy is an inward journey to the core of oneself.  the finished art work is not as important as the process of creating it and the insights one gets about one's self.  

here are what some participants had to say about the workshop:

“The art therapy brought out the youth and fun in us. It reminded us that despite life’s uncertainties, you have to enjoy life and learn to smile.”

“I discovered that I should not be afraid of trying and striving hard for me to be able to overcome and be good at something which I am not practicing.”

“It became clearer to me that I don’t have to be afraid of doing something that I am not comfortable with.”

“Self awareness.”

“I think art is a fantastic way to express hidden desires and emotions. This can be a great avenue for people to find out more about themselves and can be a way for them to heal also.”

“I was able to get in touch  with my inner self, identify my inner monster, realized how to face them for me to become more effective counselor.”

“Through art, we can release part of ourselves  that in every piece of art, we can have  an impact to others.”

“I will always be a kid and will always want to have that innocent blissful feeling of childhood.”

“The art of healing healed me through this activity, refreshed my creativity, expressed my emotion, mind and body through art.”

... gestalt therapy growth group: nagpapahinga sa lilim ng puno ... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, quezon city, manila, philippines)

today, we had a theme from the group activity that everyone could relate to:  

many times, we need to be strong on the outside

  even if we feel weak and vulnerable deep within.   

thanks karel cabauatan, marjorie aggabao, 

jaymaica dacquil, ma'am olicia becker, 

john michael sedano for the life lesson!

(st. paul university, tuguegarao)

... gestalt therapy growth group: ni-rape ng tatlong mama sa cabin ng ocean liner... (life coach, counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, quezon city, manila, philippines)

insights from today's group activity:  

nino - "i may not always heed the advice of my parents, but nevertheless, i appreciate their sincere concern for me."  


gio - "sometimes, i get too impulsive with my decisions and fail to see the consequences of my actions."


jp - "regret is always at the end."


april - "sometimes, i get too protective of people and offend them in the process."


 lovelyn- "i want good things to happen but i am sometimes helpless in bringing them about."


karina - " i need to be strong in doing what's right."  

karina antonio, april orpiana, gio patal,

lovelyn buenaseda, jp aranton, nino aguilar- 

nice people from san beda