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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 157 to 181 of 232. Go back in thread:
Posted by Deneb on January 18, 2006, at 19:47:43
In reply to Re: Handouts for Toronto, posted by Dr. Bob on January 17, 2006, at 18:42:18
...post your thoughts, opinions and experiences here or e-mail them to Dr. Bob.
We can include them in the handout.
We are *fast* approaching the deadline for the handout submission...Feb.4th
We gotta move on this if we want a handout.
Deneb
Posted by linkadge on January 26, 2006, at 14:47:10
In reply to Re: presenting in toronto » Dr. Bob, posted by Poet on September 7, 2005, at 19:06:36
I live about an hour from Toronto. If I could get a ride, and get off work, I'd love to go to something like this.
If anyone's going to Toronto south on the 400, give me an email [xxx]
Am I too late to be interested ?
Linkadge
Posted by ClearSkies on January 29, 2006, at 0:56:30
In reply to Re: presenting in toronto, posted by linkadge on January 26, 2006, at 14:47:10
Sorry, I would have had transportation and everything, but decided I couldn't attend due to issues with anxiety. I can certainly recommend cool and inexpensive places to hang out, though. It's a great city of ALL SORTS - no money to too much money.
I'd be happy to be your offsite tourguide.
Posted by fallsfall on January 29, 2006, at 8:30:40
In reply to Re: presenting in toronto » linkadge, posted by ClearSkies on January 29, 2006, at 0:56:30
I hope that people keep in mind that there will be two separate things happening in Toronto. That weekend (May 20, 21) there will be a get together. Like we did in Chicago last year. We can decide what we want to do in this get together. In Chicago, we had dinner, went on a architectural boat ride, walked through a stained glass museum, sat and chatted, got caught in the rain at lunch, went to the top of the [something or other] building to see the whole city at night, plus other things. It was a time when we could spend time together and find out that these "Babble" people are REAL people, and that they really are just like who we think they are. We need to start brainstorming things that we would like to do in Toronto.
The second activity is presenting to the American Psychiatric Association.
People can feel free to come for the party, but not do the presenting, or do the presenting but not come to the party, or do both.
I'm just afraid that people will say "Oh, I can't talk to a bunch of strange Pdocs, so I can't go to Toronto". The idea of combining the party with the conference was to make it easier for Dr. Bob to come, and to give us a chance to educate the pdocs. But the party is an event of its own!
Posted by Dr. Bob on February 4, 2006, at 11:55:16
In reply to Re: Handouts for Toronto, posted by Dr. Bob on January 17, 2006, at 18:42:18
> we should get moving on this... I think people who are coming can always say what they want to say there, but the handout is the only way people who aren't coming will be able to be "heard". So if you're not coming, but would like to share your experiences, how about if you either post something here or email me?
Handouts are due today, so this is your last chance...
Bob
> so far for the small groups we have:
>
> AuntieMel
> Annierose
> fallsfall
> Poet maybe
> Dinah maybe
> daisym maybe
Posted by muffled on February 4, 2006, at 13:46:18
In reply to Re: Handouts for Toronto, posted by Dr. Bob on January 17, 2006, at 18:42:18
>
> Another idea was to include the Wikipedia page that was created:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho-Babble_%28virtual_community%29
>
> But it seems it may be deleted...
>
> Bob*****why was it deleted?
Posted by Dr. Bob on February 5, 2006, at 22:40:54
In reply to Re: Handouts for Toronto, posted by Dr. Bob on February 4, 2006, at 11:55:16
> Handouts are due today, so this is your last chance...
OK, I just went ahead with my introductory comments. FYI, it's (a large file) at:
http://www.dr-bob.org/download/handout.pdf
Comments are welcome. And may be incorporated into the workshop...
Bob
Posted by fallsfall on February 6, 2006, at 8:06:01
In reply to Re: Handouts for Toronto, posted by Dr. Bob on February 5, 2006, at 22:40:54
So you won't let us wear our rose colored glasses, huh?
You left A's full name in on page 7...
I find it interesting that the conflicting post that you include is from the Psych board. It might be worth talking about the different boards, and how they attract different kinds of people, and how the exerience on different boards can be very different. I guess I feel like I want to "defend" the psych board and say that we tend to be more fragile, but also more supportive of each other. Plus, I think that in this day and age the conflict might have been moved to the Admin board rather than playing out the whole thing on Psych.
This all probably says more about me than it does about Babble - but it seems like you are airing our dirty laundry, without really giving them a sense of what we look like on an average day. Maybe my sense of "average" is skewed, though, since I only venture from Psych occasionally to Social...
I'm not saying you shouldn't include this example. I guess I'm hoping that your talk will let them see that it isn't all conflict. And, selfishly, I don't want to spend the whole small group session talking about blocks. I want to talk about how much we help each other and care about each other - because that is what Babble is for me.
Posted by muffled on February 6, 2006, at 11:22:22
In reply to Re: Handouts for Toronto » Dr. Bob, posted by fallsfall on February 6, 2006, at 8:06:01
It might be worth talking about the different boards, and how they attract different kinds of people, and how the exerience on different boards can be very different. I guess I feel like I want to "defend" the psych board and say that we tend to be more fragile, but also more supportive of each other. Plus, I think that in this day and age the conflict might have been moved to the Admin board rather than playing out the whole thing on Psych.
- but it seems like you are airing our dirty laundry, without really giving them a sense of what we look like on an average day. Maybe my sense of "average" is skewed, though, since I only venture from Psych occasionally to Social...
I want to talk about how much we help each other and care about each other - because that is what Babble is for me.
***Bob, I think Falls has a point. I read it too, but I'm not so good at figgering what it was that bothered me about it so didn't post. I think it just sort of seemed like a sensationalistic example of what goes on here is all.
Theres a lot of little stuff that goes on, and sometimes there are the most beautiful posts imaginable....
I'm not a good writer and I'm a little scrambled, I wish I had more time to pick out some of those special posts.
Anyhow, thats what I think too.
Muffled
Posted by daisym on February 6, 2006, at 14:43:53
In reply to Re: Handouts for Toronto, posted by muffled on February 6, 2006, at 11:22:22
I think the posts you picked will spark discussion, which is what you want. But I agree that it is a limited representation of what goes on.
I would think of great interest to this audience might be the discussions of whether sites like Babble are a hinderence or help to a person's therapy. There was a recent thread on this as well as several occasions to write about the benefits of Babble over the past few years. I wrote a long post about why Babble is important that might be helpful. (Not to toot my own horn.) And I think there have been discussions about using email in therapy and phone calls to clients and gift giving and termination that all call out the view from the client side.
The other big thing that seems to have been overlooked are the guest experts who have joined us here. I think it adds interest and an element of credibility to Babble.
Mostly I think to limited handouts to that one thread gives the impression that we use this site in a superficial way, that it is about cliche client behavior or pathological dependency. You don't get a sense of the deep thought, pain or support shared here. Or the fun. The vacation club, camp comfort and a few other things leap to mind.
I know you don't have unlimited space. One of many frustrations...I so want to go.
Posted by Dr. Bob on February 6, 2006, at 16:49:11
In reply to Re: Handouts for Toronto » Dr. Bob, posted by fallsfall on February 6, 2006, at 8:06:01
> So you won't let us wear our rose colored glasses, huh?
:-)
> You left A's full name in on page 7...
Thanks, but in which post? I'm not seeing it...
> I find it interesting that the conflicting post that you include is from the Psych board.
I didn't mean to "pick on" Psychology, but that archive was high up in Google, and that thread was high up in that archive. And I'm supposed to talk about how I moderate, and when things are going well, I just sit around.
Plus I do think it's an interesting example because (1) the topic isn't discussed much, (2) it involved someone in the mental health field, and (3) I had to intervene twice.
But there's definitely more to the experience here than just that. That's why posters will have more time than I will. And why they'll be empowered to talk about what *they* think is important. :-)
Bob
Posted by thuso on February 6, 2006, at 18:25:06
In reply to Re: the post that you include, posted by Dr. Bob on February 6, 2006, at 16:49:11
> > You left A's full name in on page 7...
>
> Thanks, but in which post? I'm not seeing it...
>It is on page 7, last screen shot, 3rd to last line of the screen shot. The paragraph starts out as "P.S. I have actually read...."
Posted by Dr. Bob on February 6, 2006, at 18:28:44
In reply to Re: the post that you include » Dr. Bob, posted by thuso on February 6, 2006, at 18:25:06
> It is on page 7, last screen shot, 3rd to last line of the screen shot. The paragraph starts out as "P.S. I have actually read...."
Ah, found it, thanks! And I noticed some posting names on the Effexor XR screen shot, too...
Bob
Posted by thuso on February 6, 2006, at 18:56:39
In reply to Re: the post that you include, posted by Dr. Bob on February 6, 2006, at 18:28:44
> > It is on page 7, last screen shot, 3rd to last line of the screen shot. The paragraph starts out as "P.S. I have actually read...."
>
> Ah, found it, thanks! And I noticed some posting names on the Effexor XR screen shot, too...
>
> BobI guess we can also be your QA for this. hahaha!
Posted by AuntieMel on March 21, 2006, at 9:49:22
In reply to Re: the post that you include » Dr. Bob, posted by thuso on February 6, 2006, at 18:56:39
Dr. Bob is setting up the yahoo group for participants. If you are going to Toronto, please let him know on admin.
Posted by Deneb on April 29, 2006, at 22:58:32
In reply to Re: Toronto meeting, posted by AuntieMel on March 21, 2006, at 9:49:22
I'm not anxious enough about this!
I think I should be. It's going to be very scary...lots of people, strange pdoc people walking around, asking us questions and talking to each other. Maybe reporters will be there taking notes. It's a large scary room, filled with lots of scary professional people. I'm not a professional. I'm just a lowly student, with little life experience.
People are going to see me and know I don't know what the heck I'm doing...that I'm scared and don't have experience in the professional world. No one will save me when things go wrong. I'll be standing there with possibly a small group of pdocs around me and I won't be able to speak and be sweating buckets of sweat. They'll all probably think, "Isn't this girl going to talk? Wow, this girl sure is messed up. Stop wasting our time!"
I won't be able to handle it and I'll stand there and close my eyes and pretend I wasn't there. Then everyone will think, "Wow, she's crazy." No one will save me. :-( I'll be all alone. Dr. Bob will probably think, "Wow, Deneb really ruined my presentation. How am I going to face my colleagues now?"
Yeah, Deneb, you ruined the presentation. I'll feel really bad and then I'll probably cower in a corner somewhere. Then people will stare at me and wonder why I'm there and what's the matter with me.
I really hope nothing bad happens. I hope none of what I describe is going to happen. I just don't know. It's been years since I've had to present something.
What is appropriate to talk about? What do I focus on? Am I going to sound like a freak if I say that Dr. Bob is a big part of Babble for me because I love him? Would it be a good idea to talk about how Babble has helped and at times harmed me? Would it be a good idea to then explain how Babble has reacted to my threats? Would that be focusing too much on me?
I can only talk about Babble from my unique point of view. Dr. Bob is a big part of Babble for me. My threats have been a big part of my experience with Babble too. Should I also talk about how Babble is the voice of reason for me? You guys really know how to think logically.
People are going to think I'm weird if I start talking about how I love Dr. Bob, aren't they?
Deneb*
Posted by fallsfall on April 30, 2006, at 9:10:13
In reply to Re: Anyone else scared about the APA meeting?, posted by Deneb on April 29, 2006, at 22:58:32
>I'm not anxious enough about this!
>I think I should be.
I think you should go with your gut (which is telling you that you don't need to be anxious). All the pdocs want to hear is your honest experience with Babble. As long as you tell them how you really feel about it, you will have done fine.
Deneb, you won't need to be saved.
Posted by Deneb on April 30, 2006, at 20:35:25
In reply to Re: Anyone else scared about the APA meeting?, posted by fallsfall on April 30, 2006, at 9:10:13
> I think you should go with your gut (which is telling you that you don't need to be anxious).
I'm optimistic, my social phobia has disappeared. Now I just have the problem of just not really wanting to socialize...not the fear.
> All the pdocs want to hear is your honest experience with Babble. As long as you tell them how you really feel about it, you will have done fine.
I'm a little worried I will sound not normal. This whole loving Bob thing, for example, is a *BIG* part of my experience with Babble. I'm worried they will all think I'm insane.
>
> Deneb, you won't need to be saved.
>I hope so! :-)
Deneb*
Posted by Dr. Bob on May 1, 2006, at 23:22:48
In reply to Re: We can put together a list, posted by Dr. Bob on December 29, 2005, at 1:00:31
> there could be advantages to a list of potential risks, benefits, and alternatives. Would anyone like to add anything else?
No one did, but here's what I've come up with:
Potential benefits to group members include: They may feel empowered by the opportunity to discuss their experiences with mental health professionals in person and may gain a deeper appreciation of the effects, for better or for worse, of participation in online peer support groups. The primary objective of the workshop is, however, to benefit the workshop attendees, not the group members.
Possible risks to group members include: They may find it stressful to speak in public about themselves or mental health issues. They may be treated disrespectfully by other group members, by workshop attendees (who may, for example, ask questions they regard as invasions of privacy), or by third parties (who may picket this meeting). They may be recognized by workshop attendees. Their experiences may be reported by me or by members of the press who may be in attendance.
Safeguards include: Group members will speak only to workshop attendees in small groups. They will not be obligated to respond to any questions. Admittance to the workshop will be restricted to registered meeting attendees. I will inform everyone at the beginning of the workshop that I may later write about it. Members of the press will not be allowed to tape the proceedings. Group members will be able to participate in the workshop (as they do in the group itself) under pseudonyms. Group members will have the opportunity to discuss these risks with me -- and with each other, which might in some ways actually be an improvement on the usual informed consent process. No group members will be obligated to go to Toronto; if they do go to Toronto (for the group birthday party that weekend), they will not be obligated to go to the workshop; and if they do go to the workshop, they will be able to leave at any time.
Regarding becoming registered meeting attendees, could Babblers planning to attend please email me? Thanks,
Bob
Posted by Deneb on May 2, 2006, at 0:04:11
In reply to Re: potential benefits and risks, posted by Dr. Bob on May 1, 2006, at 23:22:48
OMGosh, you scared me Dr. Bob. You make it sound so scary.
I don't know if I'll be able to handle it, but I want to see you, so I will go.
I'm going to try. Please don't be angry with me if I end up hiding in a corner.
Eeeek, I think I might face a corner and hide there. I'm not exaggerating. Dr. Bob, do you think people there will make fun of me or stare at me if I hid in a corner? Maybe I will hide until I can compose myself.
Dr. Bob, will you be listening in on the small groups? Are you going to be writing about our experiences with Babble? Will you get into specific details? Like if I talk about this whole loving you experience, will you write about it? It's okay if you do, but I would just like to prepare myself you know.
Deneb*
Posted by Poet on May 2, 2006, at 10:36:14
In reply to Re: Anyone else scared about the APA meeting?, posted by Deneb on April 29, 2006, at 22:58:32
Hi Deneb,
I am definitely scared. See my post below
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20060422/msgs/638092.html
<<Would it be a good idea to talk about how Babble has helped and at times harmed me? Would it be a good idea to then explain how Babble has reacted to my threats? Would that be focusing too much on me?
I think you've come up with some good ideas on what you might talk about.
Poet
Posted by AuntieMel on May 3, 2006, at 9:37:54
In reply to Re: Anyone else scared about the APA meeting?, posted by Deneb on April 29, 2006, at 22:58:32
I'm not worried.
Remember that these are professionals. They are at this meeting for one reason (ok, except for the parties and freebies) and that is to learn something. If they go to a presentation, it is because they think they can take something away from it. They're not just going for fun - there is something in it for them.
What will they see when they see us? They will see people, ordinary people, with problems. People wanting to get over an illness. People who *don't* expect it to all come from a magic pill. People who are willing to do anything and work hard to get there.
Remember that *we* are *not* doing a presentation, Dr. Bob is. We are there to converse, to answer questions, to tell our side. Our perspectives will be as varied as we are. There is no wrong answer, unless it isn't what you see as the truth. *Your* truth, not anyone else's.
Posted by AuntieMel on May 3, 2006, at 9:39:13
In reply to Re: potential benefits and risks » Dr. Bob, posted by Deneb on May 2, 2006, at 0:04:11
They are probably more afraid of us than we are of them.
Posted by muffled on May 3, 2006, at 14:21:52
In reply to Re: shrinks are like snakes, posted by AuntieMel on May 3, 2006, at 9:39:13
Posted by 10derHeart on May 3, 2006, at 15:28:26
In reply to Re: Anyone else scared about the APA meeting? » Deneb, posted by AuntieMel on May 3, 2006, at 9:37:54
Yup, that pretty much sums up how I feel, too. But, I do understand the anticipation (nearly *always* far worse than the actual event) could lead one to get wound up with self-doubt, worry, etc.
Why do I feel the urge to use that tired, old expression about how..."pdocs put their pants on the same way you (we) do...one leg at a time.....?" Or something like that...;-)
(Or I am just losing it and my unconscious is wanting to consider pdocs putting on their pants!!
:-0 !! Nah, don't think that's it....)Seriously though, that expression may be corny, yet it's true. We were all *just* people first, before we became Babblers, or posters, or pdocs, or patients, clients, mental health consumers - whatever. And *people* have a great deal in common with one another. I try not to lose sight of that when I find myself starting to feel intimidated by someone because of their education, profession, credentials, position of power. None of those things [should] take away someone's ability to listen, learn, relate and feel empathy for others.
I think it's going to be an excellent experience for us all.
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