“As a writer, when you start scratching the surface of your own mental health you are likely to find a few worrying things lurking there.” Suzan St Maur Here is a thought-provoking article in honor of Mental Health Awareness Week written by author Suzan St Maur. She added a bit about me concerning a blog I wrote recently on my mental health issues. “Kay Castaneda, author of Emmie of Indianapolis and who commented below, has written a startling and heart-breaking article about people’s ignorance of what mental health is all about. Do read it; it’s a sad reflection on the need to further raise public knowledge and acceptance of mental…

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Literature Circles “Reading brings us unknown friends” – Honoré de Balzac The traditional model of the teacher standing in front of the class leading a discussion about a work of literature has been a valid method for literary analysis in the primary grades through high school. This teacher-centered approach has in the past worked for students that already know how to read well and who thrive in such learning environments. For the student that lacks good reading ability and who is bored or antagonistic toward books, the teacher-directed style has not always been ideal to teach critical reading skills and literary comprehension. With the inclusion of special-needs students in the…

  J. C. Penney used to have a store right on the Circle in Indianapolis. The front was curve around from one corner to the next like all the buildings, a hundred windows facing the street. I counted them, but I could be wrong. Mommy wasn’t sick that day when we rode the bus downtown to the Circle. She had clothes on, clothes to go outside in, not the long gown she kept on all day. And she did not have on the old corduroy robe she wore in the kitchen. We had breakfast that day. Mommy  cooked boiled eggs and made buttermilk biscuits. The table was wiped clean that…

   Reclining Girl Reading A Book, The Sea Beyond by William Etty (1787-1849, Nottingham Castle Museum And Art Gallery (Nottingham, United Kingdom) Mental health professionals and physicians utilize books and printed material as supplementary to a psychotherapy treatment plan in addition to medication, counseling or behavior modification. Other media such as movies, plays, art or music are also employed in similar therapy. The objective of bibliotherapy is to help the patient become educated about their condition and to understand and accept their need for treatment. The examination of a character’s condition allows the patient to acknowledge and accept their therapist’s methods of treatment, thus providing hope and compliance. Disorders helped…