Category Archive Blog Post

Today on one of my regular shows, Daily Blast Live, they were talking about Cuddle Therapy. I honestly admit that I have never heard of this phenomenon. I do however know of the impact behind hugging. Well, Cuddle Therapy takes this to a whole new level. People can hire a person (doesn’t have to be a licensed therapist) to spend time with them by either hugging them, or according to a Buzzfeed contributor, rubbing their back, hair, going on walks, or sitting in silence. It is the holding of space and physical touch that can be impactful.

     According to numerous studies, hugs raise serotonin levels (increase mood, improve heart health, and help regulate sleep cycle), releases endorphins (body’s natural pain reliever), and oxytocin (love hormone).

In the pandemic world that we live in now, I completely understand how most are yearning for that physical touch/comfort. However, it may be awkward for some to engage in this intimate act with a stranger, so how about giving yourself a hug? It is more natural than it sounds, and it is just 20 seconds for it to impact health. Ok, let’s go! 

     Fold your arms around your body in a comfortable natural position. Rest your hands on your shoulders or upper arms. Squeeze yourself with the level of pressure you are looking for within the moment. And. There you go, you gave yourself a hug. You can also do this with a pillow. So, when feeling in the need for comfort, take it into your own control.  

Within the past handful or so years there have been more of an increased discussion around fairiness and equality, within various arenas of life. DEI efforts within organizations spiked and people are trying to be more aware of their actions. As an addition to people being more self aware of their actions, implicit biases that people hold has also been examined. This is where the Harvard Project Implicit tests rose and continues to rise in popularity. It offers awareness of bias, while also remaining anonymous. It offers people the opportunity to associate pictures with groups of people with whatever automatically comes to mind. 

Great concept, but not great efforts for inclusion for all. The tests are not accessible to those with visual impairments. Despite there being approximately 12 million Americans with a visual impairment (Center for Disease Control), it remains inaccessible after almost 11 years since it’s launch in 2011.

This matter was brought to Harvard’s Project Implicit team by me in 2018, to which I was told they would work on it. Here we are 3 .5 years later and the matter is still not addressed. How can a test be promoted when in itself it is engaging in the same behavior it is supposed to be measuring? The answer I was given was due to lack of staff/support and how the team is comprised of volunteers. So, in that case, then why put out something that leaves out millions of Americans from engaging in the first place? It is my thought that this group of people, those with visual impairments, were not in the forefront of the development, and still aren’t. It is like Martin Luther King Jr said, “Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere.” Let’s stop treating those with disabilities as second class citizens. We deserve the same opportunities as everyone else. It is only fair and just.       

In my previous post, I talked about themes for the new year. I hope you found yours, as it can be helpful in having that bit of guidance to making everyday one of realization. Sometimes we tend to mull through our days without taking notice of the things we already do or need to do. The year of theme is better than a resolution because it is not rigid, but rather flexible to meet your definition of how you view that particular theme.

    Well, drum roll please… My theme this year is, the year of chance. I am going to take chances, whether it be trying a different food, taking a leap of faith towards an activity/project/venture. To me, the word chance means opportunity. So, I am going to take advantage of the opportunities thrown my way, especially the ones that challenge me in a good way. There you go, my theme for 2022. Cheers!

      It is that time of the year again, to reminisce on the past year; both the good times and hardships. I sound like a true cliche, but it is really true, the older I get, the faster time moves. Through the years, I have had many life lessons that I have carried with me; a building block to help me attain and maintain wisdom. One lesson is instead of having a new year’s resolution, I have a theme for that year. That way it is easier to maintain and I don’t feel bad about not sticking with it. 

        I don’t have a theme for 2022 yet. One thing is for sure, 2021 was a year of change for me. I quit my full time job and entered into private practice solely. I feel in order to carry out that change, I needed to get rid of my doubts and perceived mistakes from the previous year, so they won’t spill over into the new one. I view the new year as a fresh start, a new game, waiting to be played.

              If you want to think of a theme for your new year, to help you have a clearer mind to assist you in thinking of one, let’s get rid of your doubts and perceived mistakes that you have carried with you thus far. If you are physically able to, get a piece of paper and write down the hardships you have faced this year. And, hardships are not always necessarily all bad. They may have caused some doubts or have been mistakes you have made, but ultimately they served as a lesson. Anyway, if those hardships are a burden rather than a vehicle for enlightmnment, then add them to the list. When you have those hardships all on the list, read them over and them crumble up the paper. Crumble it up tight. Then, make the winning shot into your trash can. The hardships didn’t defeat you, rather you defeated them, and now they are gone. You won the game. You are still here, ready for the next game, year 2022. So, now, I ask you again, what will your theme for 2022 be?

          October 15 is nationally known as White Cane Day. It is a day to recognize the importance and contribution the white cane has made in the lives of those with visual impairments. It allows individuals to travel independently in the world. There are different sizes and kinds of white canes, some being GPS based, as the WEWALK. In 2019, my sister bought me a WeWALK cane, and it’s features are very impressive. It has a built in navigational system, where a person can have better understanding and ease of their location. It announces landmarks as they are passed. With the accompanying app, a person can put in an address and have the cane help guide them there. 

           Canes are evolving, along with technological advances, which is good. As of September 2021, there is another intriguing cane release on the horizons. This one’s aim is to help individuals navigate in buildings, which the WeWALK cannot do. This new cane was devised by the teams at National Institute of Health and National Institute of Bio Imaging and Engineering. The cane incorporates the buildings agricultural plan to do spacial mapping, with a camera. It guides a person through high and low obstacles. What also makes this cane innovative is that it can convert from this high tech cane to a traditional white cane, which the WeWALK can do as well. It is a two in one deal. To learn more about this new cane, check out https://www.gpsworld.com/robotic-white-cane-helps-visually-impaired-navigate-indoors/