Sadder But Wiser? by Sahar Dorani, Psy.D

For about 25 years, there has been much research  conducted on a phenomenon known as "Depressive Realism." Depressive realism suggests that, at times, those experiencing mild depression may be more accurate in their perceptions of the world, specifically with regards to how much time it takes to do something and how much perceived control they have over situations. Some researchers believe these findings convey that depressed individuals are “sadder but wiser” than non-depressed people (Dobson & Franche, 1989). Some research has focused on depressed individuals' ability to be more accurate with time and how long it takes to complete tasks in a timely manner. The hypothesis here being: if someone is depressed, they are likely fixated on timelines. Specifically, if time feels like it "drags on" for someone, that person is more likely to be attuned to how long it realistically takes to complete a particular task because they are overall more conscious of time. A preoccupation with one's negative mood state and concern that it may never change could lead one to be hyper-focused on the concept of time. In random studies where depressed and non-depressed participants were asked to estimate how long it would take to complete various tasks, mildly depressed individuals were more accurate in their guesstimates (University of Hertfordshire, 2013).

An equally interesting phenomenon present on the other side of this psychological coin is a concept termed "Positive Illusions." This concept suggests non-depressed individuals tend to distort reality in a positive direction. While some of us may think we would rather hold more realistic views of the world than distorted ones, many researchers argue positive illusions are essential in maintaining optimal mental health (Dobson & Franche, 1989). The idea here is that realistic perceptions of the self and of the world may be more likely to be linked with depression, low self-esteem, and other mental health issues. Learning about this research had me wondering, "Would I rather be depressed but hold more realistic views about the world, or be happy-go-lucky in a blissfully ignorant way?" Of course struggling with depression can be debilitating, but anyone who has been a victim of the beast that is depression knows it can attune you to the suffering of others in a way that fosters deep emotional connectedness and empathy. Several therapy clients have expressed to me that experiencing depression has enabled them to fully appreciate the high points in their lives since they have lived through some of the lowest. 

The concept that an optimistic person may distort reality in a positively biased manner has been discussed by academic scholars as well as by popular and mainstream sources of information. The New Yorker recently published an article about the research on depressive realism and how those with depression may tend to be more cynical than others, and how this cynicism has dire consequences for one's overall health. They discussed research that showed that optimistic outlooks on life were connected to an improved ability to deal with stressful events. Different groups of research participants were given surveys to complete that measured their level of optimism; the groups studied were pregnant women in their last trimester, college students about to begin their first semester, and men who were about to undergo coronary-artery bypass surgery. The pregnant women who scored higher on measures of optimism had lower levels of postpartum depression. Similarly, the more optimistic college students were doing better in school than their less optimistic counterparts three months after beginning college. In addition to having a psychological impact, positive thinking was also shown to have benefits on the physical body; men who were more optimistic before heart surgery were less likely to suffer a heart attack during the bypass procedure and they recovered more quickly (Konnikova, 2014). 

While it may not be a surprise that thinking positive thoughts leads to optimal mental and physical health, it is interesting to consider how depressed individuals may have more accurate perceptions of time and may be more realistic about certain situations. The research on depressive realism continues to evolve and this phenomenon proves to be intriguing, perhaps mostly to those who have suffered from depression and did not know they may have more accurate views about certain parts of life. But does being sadder really make one wiser? Is such wisdom worth psychological and physical havoc?

References

Dobson, K.S., & Franche, R.L. (1989). A conceptual and empirical review of the     
            depressive realism hypothesis. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 21(4),      
            419-433.

Konnikova, M. (2014, June 18). Don’t worry, be happy. The New Yorker. Retrieved from
          http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/dont-worry-be-happy

University of Hertfordshire. (2013, August 22). Depressed people have a more accurate 
        perception of time. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 20, 2015 from       
        www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130822090326.htm

The Science of Empathy by Sahar Dorani, M.A.

         

Who would have thought that the saying “I feel your pain” actually has scientific validation? As a mental health clinician, I was fascinated to learn that a therapist’s ability to empathize with his or her clients was backed by sound research. In the early 1990’s, an Italian neurophysiologist, Dr. Giacomo Rizzolatti, was investigating the planning of movement in the brains of mammals by studying the activities of individual nerve cells in the brain of macaque monkeys. This was done by placing electrodes on the premotor cortex of monkeys’ brains to see how activities (such as reaching for fruit or toys) were planned and initiated. Every time a monkey reached for food, the monkey’s neurons in a specific brain region would fire. Before resuming his experiment one day, one of the researchers reached for a raisin while the monkey being studied sat still. The researcher noticed that the measuring device hooked up to the monkey’s brain was firing even though the monkey was merely sitting still watching him grab the raisin. One of the premotor neurons was firing, just the way it had when the monkey itself had been reaching for food! This was the moment that marked the accidental discovery of what we now call “mirror neurons.” 

            Researchers found that the same activity was present in human brains, which means the brain activity of someone doing something was replicated in the brain of someone who was observing the action. Since this discovery, social scientists have been interested in how this finding extrapolates to a therapist’s ability to feel empathy when their clients share emotionally-charged information in session. As it turns out, when electrodes have been placed on both therapist and client, the brain activity in the client is mimicked by the therapist’s brain, illustrating that a therapist has the same neuronal activity as his/her client when empathizing in therapy sessions.

            Dr. Terry Lesh conducted one of the earliest studies on empathy between therapists and clients in 1970. Specifically, the link between Zen meditation and the development of empathy in therapists was examined. It was found that therapists who took part in Zen-Buddhist meditative practices regularly were able to develop a higher degree of empathy (illustrated by accurately detecting and describing the affective state of others) than therapists who did not meditate. This was thought to be because meditation and mindfulness facilitate empathy through reducing stress, and thus, increasing self-compassion.

            Taking this research a step further, a 2013 study at the University of Chicago found neurobiological roots of psychopathic behavior. In the field of psychology, someone with antisocial personality disorder lacks remorse and empathy and often manipulates others for personal gain. We’re talking about con artists and serial killers, and the range of sociopaths and psychopaths in between. In the aforementioned study, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity in 121 prison inmates believed to have had antisocial personality traits. These individuals were shown visual scenarios illustrating pain (e.g., a finger slammed in a door, toes caught under heavy objects, etc.) and told to imagine that the accidents happened to themselves, or somebody else. Researchers found that, when imagining they were experiencing the pain themselves, the inmates showed a typical neural response within the brain regions involved in empathy for pain. However, when participants imagined pain to others, these brain regions failed to become activated. Actually, when imagining others’ experience of pain, the participants showed increased levels of arousal in their ventral striatum, which is a brain region involved in experiencing pleasure. The results of this study convey that, not only do psychopathic individuals lack the capacity for empathy, but also some of them actually derive pleasure from watching others in pain. While this may seem obvious to some of us familiar with this clinical population, the neuroscience of a sadistic psychopath proves to be fascinating. From Zen meditation fostering empathy in counselors to discovering the neuronal basis of psychopathy, the human brain never ceases to amaze.    

References:

Decety, J., Chen, C., Harenski, C., & Kiehl, K.A. (2013). An fMRI study of affective perspective taking in individuals with psychopathy: Imagining another in pain does not evoke empathy. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 489. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00489

Lesh, T.V. (1970). Zen meditation and the development of empathy in counselors. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 10 (1), 39-74. doi: 10.1177/002216787001000105 

Staemmler, F. M. (2011). Empathy in psychotherapy: How therapists and clients understand each other. J New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.  

Underneath we are all the same, by Alyson Gould

As a Caucasian Marriage & Family Therapist in training working primarily with Latino families, there is a concern that the cultural differences between me and my client will prohibit the growth of the therapeutic relationship. I am afraid of what my clients might be thinking in the primary stages of therapy. It could be anything from, “What could she possibly know about me?” to “This white girl is going to be my therapist?” While this could be a projection of my own fears, in my experience I have found that by mentioning cultural differences my clients are able to open up and express any concerns or hesitations that they have. It is a balance between mentioning these apparent cultural differences, while creating a safe environment where the client can begin to trust me as the therapist and possibly have a corrective experience with a person from a different cultural background. I have seen a client’s resistance surface when he or she sees my light skin, light eyes, and hears my exaggerated Spanish accent. It is important to acknowledge our cultural differences in order to understand my client’s experience, and to allow for an open and honest discussion regarding any concerns about having a therapist from a different cultural background.

The counseling center works in a co-therapy team model, and as the only Caucasian Spanish-speaking trainee in my program, I have noticed that my clients feel more comfortable opening up to the co-therapist. While doing an initial assessment with a 33 year-old from El Salvador, it was clear that he felt more comfortable responding to the co-therapist in the room. When I asked this client questions related to his citizenship and family history, his initial reaction was to turn to the co-therapist to ask why we needed to know this information. Although I reiterated our ethical standards related to confidentiality, I still feared that he would not be able to open up and trust me as his therapist. Even though this particular client did not return after that first session, I had to learn not to take it personally by remembering that each client brings his or her own life experiences into the room. It is important to remind myself of this simple fact because I am able to use the client’s resistance as a way to further explore their cultural identity and past experiences with adversity. When I feel discouraged, I have to remember that regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, culture, language, or sexual orientation, my goal is to create a safe and non-threatening environment where my clients can feel heard and understood, even if their transference is triggered by the color of my skin.

One of the primary reasons that I have chosen to work in the Latino Family Therapy Program is due to my admiration for the strong sense of community and pride that my clients gain from their cultural identity. I admire the collectivist family attitude and the cohesive bond that defines the family system. I am genuinely curious about working with a multicultural population and I want to further expand my knowledge about how an individual’s character is defined by their cultural roots.

The Recovering Therapist, by Sahar Dorani M.A.

There seems to often be a misconception that therapists in mental health are always composed, and impervious to psychological angst. As in many careers, for a psychologist the role of professional may be seen as trumping the therapist’s own human emotions. Yet with all of the training that a clinician receives, the emotional difficulty of certain situations will prevail and conquer the conceptual ways that we are taught to deal with such scenarios. Understandably, conflict may arise when one is having difficulty with the exact life issue that he or she is working to help others through. This can create cognitive dissonance for an individual, such as in the example of a marriage and family therapist who is going through a divorce, or a person of the clergy who preaches while challenging and second-guessing their faith. Equal is the struggle of a grief counselor who is mourning the loss of a loved one. This was my reality during my second year of graduate school while working with adults in an outpatient therapy clinic.

Giving Ourselves the Permission to be 3D, by Lia Mandelbaum, MSW

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.”

― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

Some of the questions I’ve been pushed to further explore lately revolve around what it would be like to live in a world where there is not such a tremendous amount of judgment and fear in giving ourselves the permission to have and feel our insecurities and vulnerabilities. I wonder what the world would be like if we felt safe enough to be transparent and show our vulnerabilities and insecurities to one another, and not hold them against each other and view them as a weakness and a defect in our character. It’s crazy to think about how many wars have been fought due to the insecurity and fear of being vulnerable by those who hold the most power.

Stewards of the Land and a Present Day Struggle, by Slobodan Nesovic Psy.D

It was not that long ago that American Indians lived freely on this land, breathing 
unpolluted air, eating organic food, and maintaining a balance with nature necessary for 
sustainable existence. After many years of systematic assimilation brought about by the 
American government, a majority of native people lost connection with Mother Earth and 
traditional ways of living. Most of them were literally uprooted and transported to 
unfamiliar locations, a practice that still goes on today, although in more subtle ways. 
Los Angeles County has the largest urban American Indian population in the United 
States. 140,000 Native people live throughout every corner of the county. For the past 
seven months I have been working for the United American Indian Involvement (UAII), 
which is a federally funded agency that has provided services for the American Indian 
and Native Alaskan/Hawaiian populations of LA since 1974. The amount of hardships 
and traumas that many Native people face today is enormous. 

The American Indian population has higher rates of domestic violence/intimate partner 
violence/physical assault than any other ethnic group. There are some harrowing statistics 
regarding sexual assault and rape—it is 2.5 times more likely that American Indian 
or Native Alaskan women will be raped or sexually assaulted. Many scholars say that 
violence against Native women is directly connected to historical victimization and 
internalized/normalized violence (1).

In addition to violence, American Indians have the highest rates of diabetes, alcoholism, 
and are more likely to live in poverty (more than twice as many AI/ANs live in 
poverty than the total US population) (2). They also have a lower life expectancies: life 
expectancy among AI/ANs is 6 years lower than the U.S. average; infant mortality is 
higher than that in the general US population (3).

Considering all of suffering that Native people are going through as a consequence of 
being uprooted from their soil, it is up to all of us, Native or non-Native, to step up, 
share some love and help with whatever means we can to assist those in need. Yes, 
many groups struggle with similar issues, and many Native people are infected with the 
same disease that Europeans brought with them—GREED—however, I believe that the 
American Indian community often gets overlooked and ignored, as if they are not around 
Well, let’s raise awareness that Native people are here to stay and could use some help 
from other groups. Maybe you could visit a local Pow Wow and support local Native 
community members by learning about their culture, dancing, or buying their art. If 
you are a clinician, maybe you could reach out to Native people by offering a pro bono 
clinical hour in your schedule, or maybe, you could help out with running a therapy 
group that will focus on domestic violence or addiction. 

1. www.futureswithoutviolence.org
2. US Census, USDOC. (2005) Statistical Abstracts 2004. www.census.gov/statab/www/
3. Indian Health Service, HHS. (2004) Trends in Indian Health, 2000‐2001.

Discovering Parallels Between the Human Experience and the Natural World by Lia Mandelbaum, MSW

"Look deep into nature and you will understand everything better" -Einstein

We often hear different religions, spiritual principles and philosophies, encouraging us to seek out the interconnectedness and oneness that always exists within the universe. Over the past few years, I have begun to recognize this “oneness” through the relationship between humanity and all of life within the natural world.  My imagination has helped me to discover how science, human emotions and spirituality all coincide. What is key to this process is having self-awareness, an understanding of human behavior, and being able to recognize how they are scientifically mirrored in the natural world.  

Parallels between family healing and birds

While on a vacation to my hometown, I went to go to a very meditative and reflective space along a sea wall overlooking the Tampa Bay.  Upon arrival, I was disappointed by how it was drizzling, gloomy, and the waves were incredibly choppy from the strong winds.  Although it was not the most ideal and serene space to be in, I felt that it was still important to find connection and beauty in what I was facing.  I realized that it could be symbolic of how with life in general, it is important to be able to have the faith and recognition of the intrinsic beauty within challenging situations and relationships.

As I was standing there I began to worry about a very polarized and emotionally charged situation in my family that I had been obsessing over.  I was very angry because I felt misunderstood and not seen.  I was ultimately very saddened by the situation and wished for peace and healing, but my ego and fear held me back from facing them and making amends.  I found myself demonizing them and treating them as “the other.”

While being reflective, there were pelicans struggling to fly as they battled against the wind currents, but I noticed how they would freely soar when they would swoop down and skim the surface of the extremely choppy waters.  I later came to discover how they would freely soar due to the wind field just above the waves, created by the eddies in the lee of wave crests. I realized a great metaphor was taking place.  Often times, similar to the pelicans battling the wind, we are battling a struggle within ourselves, but when we take the chance to face the choppy waters, whether that be ourselves, challenging situations or tumultuous relationships, there is a freedom that can occur as we soar and break the shackles of belief systems based in fear, anger and mistrust.

After I finally made amends with my family members, I had been invited to go to a birthday party with them, and we all caravanned there by taking the Pacific Coast Highway.  As we were caravanning, similar to how we were finally united and trailing behind one another, I saw a flock of birds traveling and soaring parallel to our cars.  It was incredibly symbolic to me.

Finding parallels between the human struggle and the Galaxy

When I made it to the birthday party with my family, I met another guest who is an incredible man in his 90’s, and not only survived the Holocaust, but prevailed through his incredible resilience and ability to transform the darkness and despair he was forced to experience into a life filled with light, love, purpose, gratitude and service to others.  He has an incredible story, and I decided it would be wonderful to interview him for a blog.

As Bernd and I sat in his living room that day, it became clear to me why I was so drawn to his energy. He is a perfect example of transforming darkness into light.

A short time later, as I began to go over my notes from Bernd’s interview, I happened to glimpse down at the cover of a copy of Astronomy Magazine.  I was drawn to a headline on the cover titled “Turning clouds of darkness into Stars of light” by Bruce Dorminey.  I instantly thought of my friend Bernd Simon.

I learned that there are places in our Galaxy that are so dark they actually appear to be nothing at all.  When the shadowy patches of clouds in the Milky Way were first seen through a telescope, astronomer’s actually thought that they were seeing holes in the fabric of space.  These dark clouds, called Bok Globules, are the coldest objects in the natural universe.  “Despite their apparent nothingness, these molecular clouds turn out to be exceedingly important: They are the places where stars are born.”

The connection was so clear to me.  It is often in the darkest of places, that you can find the brightest of lights.

* See image of Bok Globules at top of blog

The parallels between glaciers and having an open heart and mind

About a month ago my brother and I traveled to Alaska to go on an adventure and bond with one another. While staying in Seward we went on a boat tour of the Kenai Fjords National Park.  At one point the captain stopped the boat right next to a beautiful glacier, and everyone became quiet so that we could see and hear the falling ice plummet into the water and sound like thunder. 

As we were leaving the glacier, the captain of the boat mentioned something that caught my attention.  I found out that although glaciers emanate different shades of blue, there is more to the picture that does not meet the eye.  The ice is actually made up of crystals that act like prisms, however the ice is so dense that the white light is unable to pass through it and the blue wavelength ends up absorbing all of the other colors.  The blue is brightest when it is overcast. 

Similar to how a glacier is a dynamic being made of prisms, human beings are also very dynamic and colorful, but depending on how open our minds and hearts are determines the amount of light that is able to pass through us and what colors we reflect to the world.  Similar to how the blue wavelength overpowers all of the other colors, when people get a “case of the blues,” it can be overpowering and we can get lost in that darkness. 

Glaciers are usually wedged between two mountains and are made up of different layers of ice that have been compounded over time.  Similar to glaciers, our fears and rigid beliefs can compound us and make us feel stuck and frozen when engaging with life, and limits our capacity to see the big picture.  It takes us out of the present moment and closes us off from accessing all the dynamic and colorful parts of ourselves, and hampers our ability to welcome intimacy into our lives.

Similar to the thunderous falling of ice from the glaciers, I welcome the walls that I have built around me to continue to crack and come tumbling down, so that I may let in the light and let love run through me.

Einstein sums it up…

“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

― Albert Einstein

May I continue to find mirrors and spiritual guidance through connecting with the natural world.  With open eyes I can discover how the parallels are endless.