Catherine Nelson Ph.D. – BBSH / Pathwork

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Begin Again…

Getting Back to Basic Core Values

Catherine Nelson, Ph.D.
January–February 2019 • Vol 3, No 102

Here we are at the beginning of a new year. In our culture it is customary to reflect on the past year and set some goals and priorities for the coming year. We are leaving a year that was filled with excess and inundation—political commercials spending excessive amounts of money. We are inundated with all the pressure to buy things over the holidays, with the emphasis on “things,” not relationships. We are bombarded with excessive amounts of information in the media, on our computers and cell phones. Endless kinds of entertainment are available day and night. Many of us are distracted, mesmerized, overwhelmed, even addicted, to looking at the little and big screens in our world of technology. More and more of us, adults and teenagers, look like cell-phone zombies as we walk down the street totally focused on their gadget. Some of these individuals trip and fall; some forget where they are; some get hit by cars!

It’s interesting to note that Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were both very restrictive about the use of technology for their children and teens. There are recent reports from veterinarians that our domestic animals are suffering from depression because their owners are not paying attention to them. Another factor to examine is the high rate of suicide in the US, and especially in Montana.

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2018-12-27T10:08:58-07:00Mental & Emotional Health|

Who’s our Tribe in This Day and Age?

Time for a Global Perspective

Catherine Nelson, Ph.D.
September-October 2018 • Vol 3, No 100

Somewhere deep, very deep inside us is a need for safety in our lives. Perhaps it is in our DNA from living thousands of years on planet Earth. We believe that our safety is determined by our family and our “tribe.” Our ancestors survived trusting that membership in the tribe would help to keep them safe from harm, from attack, from hunger, and so much more—and it often did.

Strangers were suspect. They might be enemies, invaders, or potential conquerors capable of causing the death and destruction of our loved ones. The strangers might have looked different. Maybe they spoke a foreign language, dressed strangely, or had different values. In essence, the thinking was: if you don’t look like me, or talk like me, or believe as I do, then you are my enemy.

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Our “Inner” and “Outer” Landscapes

The Coloring of Our Perceptions

Catherine Nelson, Ph.D.
May-June 2018 • Vol 3, No 98

Let’s look at how much our inner emotional world colors our perceptions and our relationships in the outer world. Several years ago, I attended a workshop and the instructor placed a large amethyst quartz crystal in the center of our small circle. Our task was to connect with the crystal and share a few words about what we experienced. I was surprised at the diversity of what people saw, sensed, and felt. The crystal evoked different emotions, different qualities, and different memories and images for others.

In sum, the exercise helped me to appreciate how our perceptions and our relationships to the “outer” landscape are determined by our “inner” landscape. Our inner landscape holds our emotional history, good and bad memories, our cultural and religious beliefs and so much more. Each one of us has his or her own unique inner landscape beginning at birth. Here’s another example…

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2018-04-25T10:53:01-06:00Current Events, Mental & Emotional Health|

Missing Square in the Quilt

Missing Piece of the Soul

Catherine Nelson, Ph.D.
March-April 2017 • Vol 3, No 91

Several women were part of a yoga class. They had taken lessons together for five years. Their yoga teacher, Emily, an older woman, was about to retire after twenty years. They were going to miss her. She was kind and accepting of what you could and could not do with your body. Every student felt valued, and in turn, they valued her and would miss her. Often the women would meet at the nearby coffee shop after yoga. They decided to have a party for Emily and give her a parting gift.

Mary was experienced in sewing and quilting, so she suggested making a quilt. Everyone agreed this was a great idea. Each woman was assigned a square on the quilt. Each was encouraged to choose a color, pattern, or decoration that would reflect her essence. Mary agreed to be in charge of making the quilt.

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2018-03-16T16:30:01-06:00Mental & Emotional Health|
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