Associative Awareness Technique™ is a treatment approach specifically designed around the neuroscience of trauma and resultant chronic conditions. AAT™ is different in that it is specifically designed to treat the cause of your chronic condition(s). AAT™ creates balance within your nervous system, which controls all aspects of your body. This process teaches your brain to be less physically reactive to stress, pain, anxiety, negative thoughts and/or memories, all of which significantly reduces or eliminates your chronic symptoms. AAT™ is a 6 step treatment process designed around the science of trauma and resultant chronic conditions. AAT™ addresses the 3 parts of your brain that are responsible for maintaining your chronic condition and will restore homeostasis to the Central Nervous System. You can learn and perform all 6 steps using our simple to follow home program or you can be treated by your AAT™ trained medical professional.
Homeopathy, or Homeopathic Medicine, is the practice of medicine that embraces a holistic, natural approach to the treatment of the sick. It was developed over 200 years ago by a German physician, Samuel Hahnemann MD. Like many physicians even today, Dr. Hahnemann anguished over the limitations and dangers of the medicine practiced in his time. He was determined to find more effective – and safer – ways to cure illness.
Dr. Hahnemann noticed that certain substances were toxic in high doses, causing discrete symptoms in healthy people. But when ill people took a very dilute form of the substance corresponding to their symptoms, they got well. This illustrates the Law of Similars, a Hippocratic principle that is also fundamental in homeopathy.
Classical homeopathy embodies a philosophy of deeply understanding people and their illnesses. This allows practitioners to perceive and address the core spiritual dynamic disturbance manifesting in the patient's mental, emotional, and physical symptom pattern. It is holistic because it addresses the person as a whole, rather than focusing on a diseased part or disease.
Homeopaths also study the particular healing qualities of their medicines ("remedies"), which come mostly from natural substances. Unlike botanical and nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies are regulated by the FDA as medicines. They are produced in homeopathic pharmacies using the U.S. FDA-recognized Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States.
People often confuse homeopathy with general alternative medicine, naturopathic medicine, botanical medicine, and even Bach flower essences. Though homeopathy does employ some plant-based medicines, and some naturopathic physicians are also excellent homeopaths, homeopathy stands on its own as a system of care.
Classical homeopaths prescribe one specially prepared ("potentized") remedy at a time, based on the patient's particular symptom pattern. Both this unique method of preparing medicines and the precise, individualized way of prescribing them are essential to classical homeopathy. The Law of Minimum Dose– using the minimum amount of medicine required to generate a healing response — is another important homeopathic principle. Used successfully by millions of people all over the world, classical homeopathy continues to evolve through research, practice and the discovery of new medicines.
Pamela A. Pappas, MD, MD(H) is an experienced classical homeopath practicing at Optimal You.
Albert Einstein is famous for the quote "we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." Consciousness Coaching (CC) expands our capacity to reframe how we relate to and interpret the world around us. It's an inside out process that transforms our habituated unconscious interpretations of reality.
CC combines three powerful practices – Mindfulness, Radical Self-Compassion and HeartMath™. Advances in neuroscience have revealed that while our brains have a natural bias for empathy and connection with others, this same bias does not apply to how we relate to ourselves. We can be caring and compassionate with others, but then turn inward and invariably run into the Inner Critic. CC seeks to re-pattern the brain's inherited and unconscious tendency towards survival and negativity – refocusing instead on emotional resiliency, true inner care and compassion.
Radical Self-Acceptance brings us into the journey of unconditional love – an experiential understanding that we are not our patterns, thoughts or behaviors. Instead of turning away from feelings of unworthiness, we turn towards the feelings, imagining that a younger part of ourselves is in need of care and love. The more that Mindfulness and Radical Self-Compassion become anchored into our experience of reality, the more our hearts expand. We are more and more willing to turn towards any emotional or mental upset, with patience, curiosity and unconditional love. We also expand and grow our mental and emotional capacity to tolerate discomfort and embrace change.
CC is a supported journey of self discovery. It offers the opportunity to experience freedom from negative thinking and feelings of unworthiness, and illuminates true sources of conflict, fear and anxiety. This coaching experience uncovers childhood trauma and wounds that are unconsciously filtering interpretations of reality and then lovingly offers best practices that lead to emotional integration and a found sense of wholeness and internal spaciousness. Most important, CC grows equanimity – a capacity to maintain peace of mind no matter what's happening in the external world. Inner peace is always an inside job.
CC is a coaching platform inspired by the wave of transformative energy accelerating through our planet. While this energy can create challenging and even chaotic upheaval, the opportunities for growth and transformation are breath taking. Every individual has the inner vision and wisdom to transform past hurts and unhealed wounds, integrate emotional discord and reconnect with heartfelt yearnings. What is the unrealized potential that is seeking to actualize itself through you?
Stacey Prillaman, MA, HMCC provides Consciousness Coaching at Optimal You.
Few body structures have more influence over your health and well-being than your central nervous system. And few body systems have more impact on your central nervous system than the craniosacral system -the soft tissues and fluid that protect your brain and spinal cord.
Unfortunately, this can compromise the function of the central nervous system and the performance of nearly every other system in your body.
Leslie Putt, MPT, CZB provides CranioSacral Therapy at Optimal You.
The Daring Way™ and Rising Strong™ processes are both highly experiential methodologies based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown. These processes are designed for work with individuals, couples, families, work teams, and organizational leaders. They can be facilitated in clinical, educational, and professional settings.
These programs are designed to provide time and space to dig deep into the things that get in the way of living the authentic lives we truly desire. Using metaphor, story-telling, experiential and creative exercises, we examine the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that are holding us back — and work to identify the new choices and practices that will move us toward more authentic and wholehearted living.
Expand awareness of what is getting in the way of living wholeheartedly, of daring greatly.
Pamela A. Pappas, MD, MD(H) is a Certified Daring Way™ and Rising Strong™ facilitator.
Flower essences are infusions of flowers in water, potentized through sunlight, and stabilized in solutions of brandy and water. Suffused with the flower's vibrational imprint, they each resonate with — and can strengthen — different universal qualities in us. Flower essences can be used to safely support healing and health.
Flower essences contain no scent (except the brandy added for stabilization), and are distinct from essential oils. They are also extremely dilute, thus differing from herbal tinctures which are created from concentrated extracts of different plant parts. A few drops at a time can be taken directly, placed in water, or even placed in a mist bottle and sprayed on the skin or around a room.
Desert Flower Essences are co-created between Cynthia Athina Kemp Scherer in Tucson, AZ and flowers growing wild in the Sonoran Desert. Ms. Scherer has researched and worked with these essences since 1983, and has also trained others (including Dr. Pappas) in their use.
Desert Flower Essence Therapy is the practice of using desert flower essences in a consistent, purposeful way to enhance emotional harmony and spiritual well-being. Through their vibrational qualities, Desert Flower Essences can help us become aware of and release deeply conditioned and limiting ways of perceiving ourselves and others; destructive behavior patterns can resolve.
Flower essences work on an energetic, rather than on a direct physical or chemical, level. There are many forms of energy that are imperceptible to our senses, but which still impact us: x-rays, UV light from the sun, and microwaves are a few examples.
Flower essences cannot substitute for mechanical and surgical procedures such as setting broken bones or repairing anatomical problems — but they can ease post-surgical healing processes on a subtle level.
Flower essences can be used with other forms of treatment, including homeopathy, to assist in opening awareness. Becoming aware of previously ignored or unknown aspects of ourselves can be uncomfortable at times, but use of Desert Flower Essences can also help if this arises.
Pamela A. Pappas, MD, MD(H) uses Desert Flower Essences in her practice at Optimal You, and has been trained by Cynthia Athina Kemp Scherer (their co-creator) to do this.
Three major theoretical frameworks—a behavioral science biosocial model of the development of chronic mental health issues, the mindfulness practice of Zen Buddhism, and the philosophy of dialectics—combine to form the basis for DBT.
The biosocial theory attempts to explain how issues related to borderline personality develop. The theory posits that some people are born with a predisposition toward emotional vulnerability. Environments that lack solid structure and stability can intensify a person's negative emotional responses and influence patterns of interaction that become destructive. These patterns can harm relationships and functioning across all settings and often result in suicidal behavior and/or a diagnosis of borderline personality.
DBT draws mindfulness techniques from Zen Buddhism in order to use here-and-now presence of mind to help people in therapy objectively and calmly assess situations. Mindfulness training allows people to take stock of their current experience, evaluate the facts, and focus on one thing at a time.
Dialectics are used to support both the therapist and person in treatment in pulling from both extremes of any issue. Therapists use dialectics to help people accept the parts of themselves they do not like and to provide motivation and encouragement to address the change of those parts. Synthesizing polar opposites can reduce tension and help keep therapy moving forward.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a therapy designed to help people change patterns of behavior that are not helpful, such as self-harm, suicidal thinking, and substance abuse.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy. Its main goal is to teach the patient skills to cope with stress, regulate emotions and improve relationships with others.
What is EFT – Tapping?
With Tapping, you can do that. You can discover the vital secret for emotional wholeness and physical relief. You can take your physical and emotional well-being into your own hands. It's simple for anyone to master, and it's free.
Tapping provides relief from chronic pain, emotional problems, disorders, addictions, phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, and physical diseases. While Tapping is newly set to revolutionize the field of health and wellness, the healing concepts that it's based upon have been in practice in Eastern medicine for over 5,000 years. Like acupuncture and acupressure, Tapping is a set of techniques which utilize the body's energy meridian points. You can stimulate these meridian points by tapping on them with your fingertips – literally tapping into your body's own energy and healing power.
Your body is more powerful than you can imagine… filled with life, energy, and a compelling ability for self-healing. With Tapping, you can take control of that power.
All negative emotions are felt through a disruption of the body's energy. And physical pain and disease are intricately connected to negative emotions. Health problems create feedback – physical symptoms cause emotional distress, and unresolved emotional problems manifest themselves through physical symptoms. So, the body's health must be approached as a whole. You cannot treat the symptoms without addressing the cause, and vice-versa.
The body, like everything in the universe, is composed of energy. Restore balance to the body's energy, and you will mend the negative emotions and physical symptoms that stem from the energy disruption. Tapping restores the body's energy balance, and negative emotions are conquered.
The basic technique requires you to focus on the negative emotion at hand: a fear or anxiety, a bad memory, an unresolved problem, or anything that's bothering you. While maintaining your mental focus on this issue, use your fingertips to tap 5-7 times each on 12 of the body's meridian points. Tapping on these meridian points – while concentrating on accepting and resolving the negative emotion – will access your body's energy, restoring it to a balanced state.
This concept comes from the doctrines of traditional Chinese medicine, which referred to the body's energy as "ch'i." In ancient times, the Chinese discovered 100 meridian points. They also discovered that by stimulating these meridian points, they could heal. Call it energy, call it the Source, call it life force, call it ch'i… Whatever you want to call it, it works.
In some ways, Tapping is similar to acupuncture. Like Tapping, acupuncture achieves healing through stimulating the body's meridians and energy flow. However, unlike Tapping, acupuncture involves needles! "No needles" is definitely one of the advantages of Tapping.
Acupuncture also takes years to master. Acupuncture practitioners must memorize hundreds of meridian points along the body; the knowledge and training take years to acquire.
Like many healing arts that draw upon ancient wisdom, Tapping has been met with a fair share of skepticism. Many doctors and psychologists have been quick to dismiss it as "woo woo", despite the heaping anecdotal evidence from practitioners and people who have used EFT on their own.
In recent years however, there's been a growing pool of undeniable research that proves what millions of people the world over have known for some time now: that EFT produces real, lasting breakthroughs and significantly improves or even eliminates conditions that hospital treatments, medication and years of psychotherapy often fail to adequately deal with.
Studies done at no less than Harvard Medical School verify these assertions. Research done at the prestigious university during the last decade found that the brain's stress and fear response – which is controlled by an almond-shaped part of your brain called the amygdala – could be lessened by stimulating the meridian points used in acupuncture, acupressure, and of course, tapping.
Although these studies focused on acupuncture and as such, used needles, follow-up double-blind research revealed that stimulating the points through pressure, as we do in tapping, gave rise to a similar response!
Another exciting set of research was undertaken by Dr. Dawson Church. His team performed a randomized controlled trial to study how an hour-long tapping session would impact the stress levels of 83 subjects. To do this, Dr. Church and his team measured their level of cortisol, a hormone secreted by the body when it undergoes stress. Their findings? The average level of cortisol reduction was 24%, with a whopping reduction of almost 50% in some subjects! In comparison, there was no significant cortisol reduction in those who underwent an hour of traditional talk therapy.
Dr. Church also created The Stress Project, which teaches tapping to war veterans suffering with PTSD. The results have been astounding: an average 63% decrease in PTSD symptoms after six rounds of tapping. It's mind-blowing and exciting research, which has converted many non-believers in the scientific community along the way. All signs indicate that this trend of revealing research and swayed skeptics will continue as millions of people around the globe continue to discover the power of tapping.
Mary Triller, MDiv, MTh, is a Certified Level II Practitioner in Emotional Freedom Techniques – Tapping and provides EFT – Tapping at Optimal You.
Emotionally Focused Therapy is a structured form of couples' therapy, built alongside the science of attachment and bonding. It helps couples increase connection, rebuild trust, feel supported, and cultivate fulfillment and intimacy in their relationships.
Research regarding the effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Therapy over the last thirty years, demonstrates that EFT is the most empirically valid form of couples' therapy currently in use by qualified therapists. Importantly, the research also shows that after completing EFT, 90 percent of couples experience improvement in their relationships, no matter how much they previously struggled. Research on the success of EFT demonstrates that couples consistently resolve conflict, recapture love, improve communication, and move from emotional distress to recovery. EFT is uniquely effective in addressing relationship injuries, including, but certainly not limited to, infidelity. Couples using EFT report feeling more intimate, understood, and valued by their partners. Other common couples therapeutic models that focus on how to communicate better or how to problem solve have been proven less effective than Emotionally Focused Therapy. With EFT, couples get to the root of the problem instead of only treating the symptoms. In session, we will work together in a nonjudgmental, safe space to uncover the vulnerable feelings that lie below the surface and address the real questions that are driving your negative patterns of interactions.
Naomi Berry MA, LPC uses EFT in working with all couples at Optimal You.
EP applications incorporate natural energetic components into the treatment process that include, but are not limited to, meridians, chakras, biofields, and bio-electrical and electromagnetic activity of the body, the nervous system and the heart.
EP practitioners often combine cognitive and physical interventions with activation of one or more of the human bio-energy systems. Some practitioners focus on the way in which thought and intention are expressed in the bioenergy system, and explore the therapeutic value of precise use of language and congruent intention. EP approaches are often exceedingly rapid, have little to no adverse effects, are usually experienced as self-empowering by clients and patients, and are easily amenable to self-help protocols.
EP models have been beneficially applied to assessment and treatment of trauma, anxiety, depression, pain, stress, psychophysiological issues, and self-sabotaging behaviors by a broad range of healthcare providers, to regulate affect and promote emotional and physical health.
Beverlee Laidlaw Chasse, MC, LPC, MA, HMI, Pamela A. Pappas, MD, MD(H) and Mary Triller, MDiv, MTh provide Energy Psychology services at Optimal You.
Gestalt therapy, developed by Fritz Perls, Laura Perls in the 1940s, is an experiential and humanistic form of therapy that was originally designed as an alternative to conventional psychoanalysis. Gestalt therapists and their clients use creative and experiential techniques to enhance awareness, freedom, and self-direction.The theory of Gestalt takes as its centerpiece two ideas: 1) hear and now awareness, and 2) we are inextricably caught in a web of relationship with all things. So it is only possible to truly know ourselves as we exist in relation to other things.
The idea is to avoid dwelling on the past or anxiously anticipating the future.
Experiences of the past may be addressed in therapy sessions, but the therapist and client will focus on exploring what factors made a particular memory come up in this moment, or how the present moment is impacted by experiences of the past.
At the core of Gestalt therapy is the holistic view that people are intricately linked to and influenced by their environments and that all people strive toward growth and balance. In the Gestalt approach emphasis is on the therapist's use of empathy, understanding, and unconditional acceptance of the client to enhance therapeutic outcomes.
Beverlee Laidlaw Chasse, MC, LPC provides Gestalt Therapy at Optimal You.
Did a death, divorce, or the end of a romantic relationship cause it? Or was it caused by any of the forty other losses that a person might experience such as moving, pet loss, or a change in finances? Regardless of the cause, you know how you feel and it probably isn't good. You might feel sad, distracted, or confused. You are not alone. The Grief Recovery Method has been helping people feel better following a loss for 40 years.
Grief is the normal and natural emotional response to loss, but most of the information we've learned about dealing with loss is intellectual. Although working through the Grief Recovery Method involves some educational elements, effective Grief Recovery must deal with your broken heart, which requires emotional support instead of intellectual explanations.
People say you have to let go and move on in your life, but they don't tell you how. The Grief Recovery Method, developed and refined over the past 30 years, teaches you how to recover from loss with supportive guidance every step of the way.
The Grief Recovery Method is for anyone who has experienced any kind of loss.
No! It is never too soon to address your grief. If you broke your leg would you wait to call the doctor? Then why wait to get help when you break your heart? You've probably heard that time heals all wounds. That piece of misinformation creates the idea that you just have to wait to feel better. We have known people who have waited ten, twenty, thirty, and forty years, and still didn't feel better. And they would tell you that not only had time not healed them, but also it compounded the pain. It's not time that heals, but what you do within time.
A Grief Recovery Method Specialist assists you to look at your old beliefs about dealing with loss, which losses have affected your life, and take actions that will lead you to complete unresolved emotions that may still be causing you pain.
Don't wait any longer. Time alone will not heal your broken heart.
Mary Triller, MDiv, MTh, and Donna Mosher, MC are Certified Grief Recovery Specialists and provide Grief Recovery at Optimal You.
The Hakomi Method of Experiential Psychotherapy is a body-centered approach developed by Ron Kurtz, which combines somatic awareness with experiential techniques to promote psychological growth and transformation.
Hakomi integrates principles of Eastern philosophy — primarily Buddhism and Taoism — emphasizing concepts such as mindfulness, loving presence, and empathy. Kurtz also incorporated additional influences, such as general systems theory and a range of body-centered therapeutic approaches such as Gestalt therapy, Psychomotor therapy, Reichian breathwork, Feldenkrais method, Focusing, Bioenergetic analysis, Structural bodywork, Neuro-linguistic programming, and Eriksonian hypnosis.
In the Hakomi Method, gestures, posture, facial expressions, and other bodily experiences provide information about a person's core material. This core material can be described as a combination of the images, memories, emotions, and beliefs — even those hidden from awareness — determining a person's individual nature and may also serve to place limits on one's individuality and goals. Individuals can eventually develop a clearer understanding of this core material and, with the assistance of compassionate, gentle assistance from professionals trained in Hakomi, can examine, challenge, and ultimately transform any self-defeating beliefs or behaviors.
Beverlee Laidlaw Chasse, MC, LPC provides Hakomi Therapy at Optimal You.
HeartMath™ is a unique system that combines rigorous research, advanced technologies, and validated techniques in training individuals to reduce stress and enhance their lives using biofeedback software. By generating an optimal physiological and psychological state called coherence, one is improving their nervous-system harmony, emotional stability, and cognitive performance.
In regards to HeartMath™ services, coherence refers to the harmony of the rhythmic activities of the body including heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. Our research indicates that when the body experiences positive emotional states, it functions in a coherent manner, providing an endless amount of physical, emotional, and mental benefits.
When we allow negative emotions like anxiety, depression, and frustration to dominate our lives, the pattern of our heart rate variability (HRV) becomes disordered, which directly effects our physical and psychological performances. When we monitor heart rhythms through our software, we can study the physiological and psychological status, as well as predicting future health risk, with the intention of reaching a coherent state. When a coherent system is learned, the heart sends more information to the brain, improving cognitive performance.
Using HRV analysis, we study the coherence through our software and determine where improvement is necessary. Coherence doesn't mean that everybody or all the parts of the body are doing the same thing all the time. Think of a jazz band, for example, where the individual players are each doing their own thing, yet keeping in tune and step with the whole band. Coherence, in this sense, maximizes local freedom and global cohesion.
Unlike relaxation, the coherence state does not necessarily involve a lowering of heart rate or a change in the amount of HRV, but rather is primarily marked by a change in the heart-rhythm pattern. Relaxation is a low-energy state in which the individual rests both the body and mind, typically disengaging from cognitive and emotional processes. In contrast, coherence generally involves the active engagement of positive emotions. Psychologically, coherence is experienced as a calm, balanced, yet energized and responsive state that is conducive to everyday functioning and interaction, including the performance of tasks requiring mental acuity, focus, problem-solving and decision-making, as well as physical activity and coordination.
When you arrive at a HeartMath™ session at Optimal You, we'll connect you with emWave and Inner Balance software and go through a series of relaxation and breathing techniques.
The HeartMath™ software clearly identifies your heart rhythm and coherence. Our goal is to help you reduce stress, improve cardiovascular health, balance different systems in your body including the immune and hormones, and increase your longevity, happiness, energy, and clear thought process.
Emotions drive our physiological and psychological states, which is why it's crucial to learn how to manage emotions in a beneficial and harmonious way. Heart Math will regulate your emotional process, monitoring your heart and coherence, then provide techniques and feedback based on the results from our innovative software to help you make positive changes in your life.
Brandon Chasse, PhD, HMI and Beverlee Laidlaw Chasse, MC, LPC provide HeartMath™ services with biofeedback monitoring at Optimal You.
Stacey Prillaman, MA, HMCC is also a HeartMath™ Certified Coach at Optimal You.
The Integrative Health Nurse (IHN), along with the holistic nursing principle supports the whole-person with whole-systems healing. An IHN recognizes that people cannot be separated from their environment, their relationships to family, and care providers. Moreover, the body's natural inclination to heal must be honored as well as the healing properties of nature to create a restorative environment. The IHN also knows that we are hard wired to interact with the natural world, such as animals, water, plants and clean air. Furthermore, when we are too separated from the natural world, we may suffer in our overall wellbeing. These findings are fundamental to the 6 principles of an IHN; People are Whole Systems, The Innate Capacity to Heal, Use Nature's Healing Properties, Relationships in Care, Evidence-based Care, Self-care.
An IHN practices these principles by embracing and teaching several modalities which 'put the patient in the best possible condition, so that nature can act and healing can occur'; to quote Florence Nightingale (Notes on Nursing). These principles are foundational to IHN consultations, programming, offerings and speaking, while informing both traditional and emerging therapeutic interventions and resources.
Debbie Harbinson MHI, RN, HNB-BC is board certified in Holistic Nursing and provides Integrative Health Programming at Optimal You.
Debbie Harbinson MHI, RN, HNB-BC is certified in Integrative Imagery and provides sessions at Optimal You.
Integrative Medicine is healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person, including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship between practitioner and patient, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapies. This model has clear applications to those with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress.
Pamela A. Pappas, MD, MD(H) is an integrative psychiatrist practicing at Optimal You.
Laughter therapy as conceived, designed and delivered by World Laughter Tour, is an enjoyable mind-body-spirit process of systematic exposure to the natural phenomenon of true mirthful laughter, playfulness, and healthy attitudes. All of this happens in an environment that supports shifts in outlook bringing positive results of health, happiness, resilience, peace, and thriving. It makes life more workable, and work more livable.
There are many paths to joining this global movement toward peace and happiness. Listed below are 3 communities available at Optimal You.
Participants experience systematic exposure to true mirthful laughter in a supportive environment.
During a Mirthful Me session, a Mirthful Action Plan (MAP) is created to promote stress resilience, joy, gratitude and attitude adjustment.
Attend a 2 Day laughter therapy workshop to become a Certified Laughter Leader and receive continuing education credit!
Promoting health as well as furthering the accomplishment of other therapeutic goals, this work has great appeal for both professional and family caregivers.
Debbie Harbinson, MHI, RN, HNB-BC is a Master Trainer on Therapeutic Laughter, a member of the Advisory Board for the World Laughter Tour, Inc and provides Laughter Therapy at Optimal You.
Research in recent years has demonstrated that the brain is always growing, learning and forming new connections. The technical term for this is neuroplasticity. We also know that the brain communicates to the body and the body sends communication to the brain. This mind-body communication makes hypnosis a wonderful tool to help improve various health conditions. Research has also shown that there is a neural basis for hypnosis. Various types of brain scans document that the brain function changes in hypnosis versus normal wakefulness or sleep.
So hypnosis is real. Hypnosis is not sleep, magic or mind control. It is a highly focused but narrow area of attention. It is a normal state. If you have ever become so involved in a movie or a game with your favorite sports team that it was like you were part of the action, you likely were in a state of trance or hypnosis. You might be aware of what is going on around you or you might not be. Most people can experience hypnosis. Notice, I did not say, "Can be hypnotized," because hypnosis is something you participate in, rather than something that is done to you. Using hypnosis you can learn to eliminate barriers and shift the way you approach life's challenges to improve your health and reach new goals.
Mary Herring, RN, MSN provides medical hypnosis at Optimal You.
Learn how to relate to eating as a natural, healthy and pleasurable activity for meeting your optimal energy and nutritional needs through mindful eating.
Many people who struggle with food discover that their relationship with food is a mindless reaction to unrecognized or unexamined thoughts and feelings, which leads them to repeat the same actions over and over. This creates feelings of powerlessness along with thoughts of an inability to change, many times spilling over into other areas of their lives. Additionally, when a medical condition is introduced into a person's life, new strategies must be exchanged for previous habits. Mindfulness increases awareness of these patterns without judgement and creates the space between triggers and actions, allowing for new behaviors.
Debbie Harbinson MHI, RN, HNB-BC is a facilitator for both the Am I Hungry? ® 8-week Mindful Eating Program and Mindful Eating for Prediabetes and Diabetes Programs and provides these programs at Optimal You.
Self-compassion can be defined as learning to treat yourself the way you would treat a good friend when they suffer, fall short or fail in some way.
Instead of just ignoring your pain with a "stiff upper lip" mentality, you stop to tell yourself "this is really difficult right now… How can I comfort and care for myself in this moment? Instead of mercilessly judging and criticizing yourself for various inadequacies or shortcomings, self-compassion means you are kind and understanding when confronted with personal failings – after all, who ever said you were supposed to be perfect? You may try to change in ways that allow you to be more healthy and happy, but this is done because you care about yourself, not because you are worthless or unacceptable as you are. Perhaps most importantly, having compassion for yourself means that you honor and accept your humanness. Things will not always go the way you want them to. You will encounter frustrations, losses will occur, you will make mistakes, bump up against your limitations, fall short of your ideals. This is the human condition, a reality shared by all of us. The more you open your heart to this reality instead of constantly fighting against it, the more you will be able to feel compassion for yourself and all your fellow humans in the experience of life.
Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), an empirically-supported training program based on the pioneering research of Kristin Neff and the clinical perspective of Christopher Germer. MSC teaches core principles and practices that enable participants to respond to difficult moments in their lives with kindness, care and understanding.
Donna Mosher, MC, provides Mindful Self-Compassion Training both individually and within group settings at Optimal You. Donna regularly holds Mindful Self-Compassion Workshops. Contact Donna for current offerings.
"Mindfulness" describes a mental state of nonjudgmental attention to and awareness of the present moment — along with calm acknowledgment of feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations as they arise. Mindfulness can also describe a type of meditation practice which cultivates this awareness, a quality all human beings possess.
What we eat has a direct impact on our physical and emotional health. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation available these days from many sources. Some of the information on the Internet is there to sell products; some is just personal advice that lacks scientific foundation.
If you have questions about your food choices and habits, and how you can feel better and be healthier, you might like to work with someone who has sound scientific training in nutrition. Our approach to nutritional guidance is not gimmicky. We do not sell nutritional products or advocate rigid diets. As a matter of fact, we don't even like the word "diet" because it conjures up a number of stereotypes that are not helpful.
We offer the latest nutritional information. Once you are armed with information, we believe you can make choices from a position of being aware and mindful, and can both enjoy food and choose foods to meet your health and personal goals.
Mary Herring, RN, MSN, Pamela A. Pappas, MD, MD(H) and Debbie Harbinson, MHI, RN, HNB – BC provide nutritional consulting at Optimal You.
Physical therapists are health care professionals who help patients/clients maintain, restore, and improve movement, activity, and functioning, thereby enabling optimal performance and enhancing health, well-being, and quality of life. Physical therapist services prevent, minimize, or eliminate impairments of body function and structure, activity limitations, and participation restrictions.
Physical therapists play a unique role in society in prevention, wellness, fitness, health promotion, and management of disease and disability by serving as a dynamic bridge between health and health services delivery for individuals and populations. This means that although physical therapists are experts in rehabilitation and habilitation, they also have the expertise and the opportunity to help individuals and populations improve overall health and prevent the need for avoidable health care services. Physical therapists' roles may include education, direct intervention, research, advocacy, and collaborative consultation. These roles are essential to the profession's vision of transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.
Physical therapist practice is based on a biopsychosocial model of health. This model reflects the dynamic interactions among health conditions, functioning, environment, and personal factors that influence an individual's health and well-being.
The biopsychosocial model states that the workings of the body can affect the mind, and the workings of the mind can affect the body.
Leslie Putt, MPT, CZB is a physical therapist who provides multiple services engaging body, mind, and spirit at Optimal You.
The Development of a negative, callous and cynical attitude toward patients and their concerns – often with sarcasm, and feeling put upon by patients.
The tendency to see one's work negatively, without value or meaningless ("what's the use?") and see one's self as incompetent.
Most physicians go into medicine to help others, and experience a feeling of purpose; it is a vocation and calling for them. Feelings of fulfillment and satisfaction accompany being fully engaged in one's career. When doctors can use their skills with excellence, relate deeply with and benefit others, AND also practice consistent self-care to replenish themselves when tired, this feeling of "engagement" is possible.
Increase rates of physician substance abuse, intent to leave practice, depression, and its worst complication: suicide.
Fortunately, doctors can be trained to learn the signs and symptoms – AND how to combat burnout when they are edging towards it. Preventive measures on individual, organizational and leadership levels are available. When physicians learn to employ their own personal anti-burnout strategies, the benefits extend beyond themselves to their patients, families, staff and wider organization, and even the payors.
Pamela A. Pappas, MD, MD(H) is a certified Physician Burnout Prevention Coach, and a member of TheHappyMD Coaching Alliance. She is also a certified Executive Coach.
Psychodynamic therapy, also known as insight-oriented therapy, focuses on unconscious processes as they show up in a person's present behavior. The goals of psychodynamic therapy are increasing self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behavior. Using a psychodynamic approach allows the patient to examine unresolved conflicts and symptoms that arise from past dysfunctional relationships, and manifest themselves in the present.
Psychodynamic therapy is the most established of psychotherapies, and it does have a scientific evidence base. Four main schools come together within it: Freudian psychology; Ego Psychology; Object Relations; and Self Psychology. Psychodynamic psychotherapy uses the principles of psychoanalysis, but it is shorter in term — and typically does not require multiple visits per week. Gaining insight to the origin and nature of long-term internal patterns, the patient can ultimately decide what s/he wants to change. Working through the insights gathered and applying these to currently arising life situations so that changes "stick" is essential for lasting results.
Pamela A. Pappas, MD, MD(H) is a psychodynamic psychotherapist practicing at Optimal You.
Sign Chi Do is an innovative technology that incorporates sign-gesture with movement, music and breath. Using awareness, it can be a simple technique for enhanced balance and health or a tool to help deepen your prayer practice. Six week sessions integrate medicine with spirituality and help people discover how to reduce stress, grow spiritually, and live happy, healthier lives. The program includes in-person classes along with book/DVD, online videos and downloadable meditations during and after the program.
Debbie Harbinson MHI, RN, HNB-BC is a facilitator for Sign Chi Do and provides ongoing sessions at Optimal You.
Solution–Focused Brief Therapy is a practical goal–driven model with emphasis on clear, precise, and realistic goal negotiations. This approach assumes that you have some knowledge of what would make your life better even though you may need some help describing the details of your better life.
The foundational belief is that people who seek help already possess the minimal skills necessary to create solutions, but just need some help setting up the small, realistic and doable steps to achieve their desired goals.
As the name suggests, SFBT is future-focused, goal-directed, and focuses on solutions, rather than on the problems that brought clients to seek therapy.
Beverlee Laidlaw Chasse, MC, LPC provides Solution-Focused Brief Therapy at Optimal You.
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is cultivating a life attuned to spiritual things. The director listens and asks questions to assist the directee in his or her process of reflection and spiritual growth. Spiritual direction advocates claim that it develops a deeper awareness with the spiritual aspect of being human, and that it is not psychotherapy, counseling, or financial planning.
Leslie Putt, MPT, CZB and Mary Triller, MDiv, MTh provide Spiritual Direction services at Optimal You.
Thought Field Therapy uses a tapping sequence in the form of a healing code that balances the body's energy system and allows you to significantly reduce or eliminate most negative emotions within minutes, while promoting the body's own healing ability. This is effective in finding immediate relief, but additional techniques are typically needed to stabilize the root issues.
Beverlee Laidlaw Chasse, MC, LPC and Pamela A. Pappas, MD, MD(H) provide Thought Field Therapy (TFT) services at Optimal You.
Zero Balancing induces a state of deep rest that allows you to feel truly relaxed, renewed and well. Regular Zero Balancing sessions may help you to feel more vital and alive.
Did you know that bones and other connective tissue actually conduct energy? Zero Balancing helps to free the flow of energy in the musculoskeletal system to help relieve stress and boost your body's natural energy.
Blocks in the body's energy often lead to imbalance, discomfort and pain. Zero Balancing helps open stuck areas in the body's natural shock absorbers: the tarsal bones in the arches of the feet, the joints where the ribs meet the spine, the neck, the hips and the sacrum. Once these areas are free, pain can release.
Zero Balancing helps to create a wonderful feeling of inner and outer balance, alignment and organization. When your body is clear and balanced and your posture is aligned, you can move with freedom.
Zero Balancing is deeply satisfying. Often during a session, you experience a sense of expansiveness, peace and contentment.
Zero Balancing works on multiple levels to release tissue-held memory and tension patterns that may be affecting your mental, emotional and physical states.
A Zero Balancing session supports positive changes in behavior or attitude by giving you the chance to state your personal goals for change – which then become the focus of the session. With the ZB practitioner's attention and touch, energy is realigned so that old patterns can drop away and resistance to change subsides.
Zero Balancing helps us to feel better equipped to handle daily pressures. Many people who receive Zero Balancing on a regular basis find themselves more joyful and satisfied in both personal and work relationships.
Leslie Putt, MPT, CZB, provides Zero Balancing services at Optimal You.


Big Switch sound effects pack features these 3 great switch operating sounds with a large echo effect perfectly designed for your exciting projects and visuals! They resemble that distinct sound of turning on the lights or spotlights in a stadium, warehouse or similar and they are absolutely perfect for your video games, promo video, intros, openers, animations, cartoons, movies and other projects! Try these great switch sounds today and you will not be disappointed! Enjoy it!
Big Switch 1 - 0:08; Big Switch 2 - 0:06; Big Switch 3 - 0:05.


text:
June 11, 2013 By drra3909
Please take a moment to check out our June newsletter and visit us on our website, Facebook, and Twitter. We've got some very exciting things in store, so stay tuned for information about upcoming events and projects!
Women-Owned Small Business Offers Cutting Edge, "Green" Sign Language Interpreting Services
It was after watching a news story about a middle school student who is deaf that Theresa Von Loh and Linda Deichsel decided to establish their company, Virtual VRI (Video Remote Interpreting). This particular student was in a mainstream classroom envrionment for several years without access to Sign Language interpreters because none were available in her small, rural town. Teresa and Linda are both nationally certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, and all of their contractors are as well. In addition, they have many years of interpreting experience in a wide variety of settings.
Needless to say, Teresa and Linda are incredibly passionate about the Video Remote Interpreting services they provide, and they offer the most cost effective hourly rates in the VRI industry. Since VRI is offered via the internet instead of the interpreter having to drive to the location, the service is also eco-friendly.
To access Virtual VRI services, all that is needed is a web-cam equipped computer, iPad, iPhone, or Android and a high-speed internet connection to download the web conferencing system they utilize. Facetime can also be used. VRI works in a variety of settings, such as college classes, doctor or counseling appointments, meetings at Vocational Rehab or Centers for Independent Living– just about anywhere high-speed internet is available. For more information, please visit their website (virtualvri.com) and check out their newest YouTube video.
A Word on Accessibility and Apple Products, from Mike Norris
Much continues to be said about the accessibility features available on the iPhone and iPad. Indeed, there are several accessible features that prove very useful to people who are blind or visually impaired. These features include screen magnification and Voice Over, an interactive speech program. These began shipping with the iPhone 3, but they do work more efficiently on the iPhone 4. Furthermore, the local Apple Store provides training as a part of the iPhone package they sell, and you can purchase a Braille manual from the National Braille Press that addresses all of the aforementioned accessibility features. You can also contact Mike Norris at Disability Rights & Resources for additional information– (205) 251-2223 ext. 114.
The Magic City Chocolate Challenge is Upon Us!
The Disability Rights & Resources Junior Board has been very busy planning the inaugural Magic City Chocolate Challenge (you've probably seen the posters around town!), which will take place at Cantina Pepper Place from 5-9pm on Thursday, June 27. The event will feature an assortment of chocolate dishes (tasting portions) from local bakers and chefs, with happy hour drink prices all evening and an ongoing raffle! Tickets are $5 and can be purchased here. Proceeds from the event go towards Disability Rights & Resources' new facility in the Civil Rights District. Cantina is located at 2901 2nd Avenue S #110, Birmingham, AL 35233. If you have questions or would like to be a participant in the event, there's still time! Check out or website or contact the Disability Rights & Resources Junior Board at [email protected]
Happy Anniversary! Looking Back at the Last Year
On May 25, 2013, Disability Rights & Resources celebrated the one-year anniversary of moving into its new home in the Civil Rights District. The building was a dream several years in the making, serving as a model of Universal Design and equal access. Along with the building came some other big changes–a new name, a new image, expansion of services, new staff, and new neighbors. The last year has been an incredibly exciting and challenging one, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds as we continue to settle into our new home!
June 19: Montgomery Center for Independent Living "Chat and Chew" 11-1, Montgomery
June 27: Magic City Chocolate Challenge, 5-9 pm at Cantina Pepper Place
Disability Rights & Resources Technology Lab Open Mon-Fri 8:30-4:00

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android.activities;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.app.ListActivity;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
import android.location.Location;
import android.os.AsyncTask;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.v4.content.LocalBroadcastManager;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;
import android.widget.Button;

import com.androidquery.AQuery;
import com.androidquery.callback.AjaxCallback;
import com.androidquery.callback.AjaxStatus;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.core.JsonProcessingException;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;

import org.json.JSONArray;
import org.json.JSONException;
import org.json.JSONObject;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Iterator;
import java.util.List;

import cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android.MainApplication;
import cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android.R;
import cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android.fragments.MapViewFragment;
import cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android.models.Contact;
import cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android.models.Place;
//import cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android.models.User;
import cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android.models.UserLocation;
import cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android.services.ContactService;

/**
 * An activity for performing searches and displaying their results
 */
public class SearchActivity extends ListActivity {

    // A list of search results
    ArrayList<SearchResult> resultList;
    private Context context;
    // The debug tag for this activity
    public static final String TAG = "SearchActivity";
    // The string used to fetch the search query from the launching intent
    public final static String QUERY_MESSAGE = "SEARCH_QUERY";
    // URL to public Google Maps textsearch API
    public static final String GOOGLE_MAPS_API_URL = "https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/textsearch/json?query=";
    // Radius value for the textsearch query for location search
    public static final int radius = 5000;

    //List adapter for the results list view
    private ArrayAdapter<SearchResult> adapter;

    // Icons need to be resized to fit buttons, so cache them to prevent them from hogging the UI thread
    private Drawable contactIcon = null;
    private Drawable placeIcon = null;
    private Drawable mapIcon = null;

    private ContactService contactService;

    /**
     * The different possible result types:
     * CONTACT: This result is a contact
     * PLACE: This result is a user-defined place
     * GOOGLE_LOCATION: This result is a Google maps location
     */
    public enum ResultType {CONTACT, PLACE, GOOGLE_LOCATION}

    /**
     * Helper class for storing and manipulating search results
     */
    public class SearchResult{
        //The type of the result
        public final ResultType type;
        //The string that is used to represent this result to the user
        public final String displayName;
        //Additional metadata used to show this result on the map
        public final String extraData;

        /**
         * Create a new search result
         * @param type          The ResultType of this result
         * @param displayName   The string that is used to represent this result to the user
         * @param extraData     Additional metadata used to show this result on the map
         */
        SearchResult(ResultType type, String displayName, String extraData){
            this.type = type;
            this.displayName = displayName;
            this.extraData = extraData;
        }
    }

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {

        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        Log.d(TAG, "searchActivityOnCreate");
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_search);
        context = getApplicationContext();
        contactService = new ContactService(context);
        Intent intent = getIntent();
        //Get the user's query from the intent
        String queryMessage = intent.getStringExtra(QUERY_MESSAGE);
        Log.d(TAG, "User searched for: " + queryMessage);

        resultList = new ArrayList<>();
        setHeader(queryMessage);

        setListAdapter(this);
        new PerformSearch().execute(queryMessage);
        Log.d(TAG, "end of onCreate");
    }

    //------------------Background tasks------------------

    /**
     * Helper class to perform the search in an asynchronous background task.
     * (Prevents the search from hogging the UI thread)
     */
    private class PerformSearch extends AsyncTask<String, Void, String> {
        // Store search results in a temporary array list to avoid modifying resultList from background thread.
        private ArrayList<SearchResult> tempResults;

        @Override
        protected String doInBackground(String... query) {
            if (query.length < 1){
                Log.w(TAG, "No search parameters");
                return null;
            }
            tempResults = new ArrayList<>();
            String queryMessage = query[0];
            queryMessage = queryMessage.toLowerCase();

            //Perform searches
            searchContacts(queryMessage, tempResults);
            searchPlaces(queryMessage, tempResults);

            return queryMessage;
        }

        @Override
        protected void onPostExecute(String query) {
            resultList.addAll(tempResults);
            //Show the results
            adapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
            //Start Google Maps search (separate task so that we can show local results before online search finishes)
            new AddressSearch().execute(query);
            Log.d(TAG, "end of performSearch");
        }
    }

    /**
     * Helper class for performing a Google Maps search
     */
    private class AddressSearch extends AsyncTask<String, Void, String>{
        @Override
        protected String doInBackground(String... query) {
            if (query.length < 1){
                Log.w(TAG, "No search parameters");
                return null;
            }
            String queryMessage = query[0];
            searchGoogleMaps(queryMessage);

            return queryMessage;
        }

        @Override
        protected void onPostExecute(String query) {
            Log.d(TAG, "end of addressSearch");
        }
    }

    //------------------Search Methods------------------

    /**
     * Attempts to find a match from contact names or emails.
     * @param query The string being searched
     */
    protected void searchContacts(String query, ArrayList<SearchResult> resultList)
    {
        for (Contact contact : contactService.getContactsVisibleToMe()) {
            if (contact.getEmail().toLowerCase().contains(query.toLowerCase()) || (contact.getName() != null && contact.getName().toLowerCase().contains(query.toLowerCase()))) {
                //Display either name or email depending on whether a name exists
                //Store contact data in the result's extra data for easy access
                resultList.add(new SearchResult(ResultType.CONTACT, contact.toString(), contact.getEmail()));
                setHeader(query);
            }
        }
    }

    /**
     * Attempts to find a match from place names.
     * @param query The string being searched
     */
    protected void searchPlaces(String query, ArrayList<SearchResult> resultList){
        if (MainApplication.places == null){
            //Do nothing if there are no places
            return;
        }
        // Loop through all user places
        try {
            Log.d(TAG, new ObjectMapper().writeValueAsString(MainApplication.places));
        } catch (JsonProcessingException e) {
            Log.e(TAG, "Serializing places to JSON failed");
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        for (Place place : MainApplication.places) {
            try {
                String name = place.getName();
                Log.d(TAG, "place: " + name);
                if (name.toLowerCase().contains(query)){
                    //Store place coordinates in the result's extra data for easy access
                    String coords = place.getLocation().getLat() + "," + place.getLocation().getLon();
                    resultList.add(new SearchResult(ResultType.PLACE, name, coords));
                    setHeader(query);
                }
            } catch (Exception e) {
                Log.e(TAG, "Error parsing places: " + e);
            }
        }
    }

    /**
     * Sends a search request to Google Maps and shows the results
     * @param query The string being searched
     */
    private void searchGoogleMaps(final String query){
        final AQuery aq = new AQuery(this);
        UserLocation loc = MainApplication.user.getLocation();
        Double lon = loc.getLon();
        Double lat = loc.getLat();

        String url = GOOGLE_MAPS_API_URL + query + "&location=" + lat + "," + lon + "&radius=" + radius + "&key=" + getString(R.string.Server_API_Key);
        Log.e(TAG, "Query sent to Google Maps: " + url);

        AjaxCallback<JSONObject> cb = new AjaxCallback<JSONObject>(){
            @Override
            public void callback(String url, JSONObject json, AjaxStatus status) {
                if (status.getError() != null){
                    Log.e(TAG, "Error accessing Google Maps API: " + status.getError());
                    return;
                }
                //TODO: Move result parsing to an async task
                try {
                    //Loop through the results in the Google Maps response
                    JSONArray results = json.getJSONArray("results");
                    if (results.length() > 0)
                        for (int i = 0; i < results.length(); i++){
                            //Create a SearchResult from each result in the response
                            resultList.add(parseGoogleMapsResult(results.getJSONObject(i)));
                        }

                } catch (JSONException e){
                    Log.e(TAG, "Error parsing Google Maps JSON: " + e);
                }
                Log.d(TAG, "Geocoding result: " + json.toString());

                //Show the results
                adapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
                setHeader(query);
            }

        };
        aq.ajax(url, JSONObject.class, cb);
    }

    //------------------Private helper methods------------------

    /**
     * Converts the list of results into a list of buttons visible to the user
     * @param listActivity  The activity containing the list
     */
    private void setListAdapter(final Activity listActivity)
    {
        Log.d(TAG, "setListAdapter");
        adapter = new ArrayAdapter<SearchResult>(context,R.layout.listresult_layout, resultList){

        public View getView(int position, View unusedView, ViewGroup parent)
        {
            View convertView = getLayoutInflater().inflate(R.layout.listresult_layout, parent, false);
            AQuery aq = new AQuery(listActivity,convertView);
            final SearchResult clickedResult = resultList.get(position);
            String buttonLabel = clickedResult.displayName;

            // Configure search result button
            aq.id(R.id.list_result).text(buttonLabel).clicked(new View.OnClickListener() {
                @Override
                public void onClick(View view) {
                    Log.d(TAG, "user clicked search result");
                    switch (clickedResult.type) {
                        case CONTACT: {
                            Log.d(TAG, "result type: contact");
                            //Set app to track contact's email
                            MainApplication.emailBeingTracked = clickedResult.extraData;
                            finish();
                            break;
                        }
                        case PLACE:
                            Log.d(TAG, "result type: place");
                            //Maps locations and places have the same behavior, so fall through
                        case GOOGLE_LOCATION: {
                            //Recheck the result type in case we fell through from PLACE
                            if (clickedResult.type == ResultType.GOOGLE_LOCATION)
                                Log.d(TAG, "result type: Google Maps location");
                            //Broadcast back place coordinates
                            Intent intent = new Intent(MapViewFragment.BROADCAST_GO_TO);
                            intent.putExtra(MapViewFragment.GO_TO_COORDS, clickedResult.extraData);
                            LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(context).sendBroadcast(intent);
                            //Go back to the map
                            finish();
                            break;
                        }
                        default: {
                            Log.d(TAG, "invalid search type");
                            //Close the search
                            finish();
                        }
                    }

                }
            });
            final Button resultButton = aq.id(R.id.list_result).getButton();
            //Set button icons in a callback so that the button already exists and we can find out its size
            resultButton.addOnLayoutChangeListener(new View.OnLayoutChangeListener(){
                @Override
                public void onLayoutChange(View v, int left, int top, int right, int bottom, int oldLeft, int oldTop, int oldRight, int oldBottom){
                    setButtonIcon(resultButton, clickedResult);
                    //Only set the icon once
                    resultButton.removeOnLayoutChangeListener(this);
                }
            });

            return convertView;
        }

        };
        getListView().setAdapter(adapter);
    }

    /**
     * Set a button icon depending on the type of result
     * @param btn   The button
     * @param res   The search result associated with the button
     */
    private void setButtonIcon(Button btn, SearchResult res){
        Drawable icon;

        switch (res.type){
            case CONTACT:{
                //If the icon has already been scaled, use the cached icon
                if (contactIcon == null){
                    //If the icon hasn't been scaled, scale and cache it
                    contactIcon = scaleIconToButton(btn, R.drawable.ic_people_grey600_48dp);
                }
                icon = contactIcon;
                break;
            }
            case PLACE:{
                if (placeIcon == null){
                    placeIcon = scaleIconToButton(btn, R.drawable.ic_place_grey600_48dp);
                }
                icon = placeIcon;
                break;
            }
            case GOOGLE_LOCATION:{
                if (mapIcon == null){
                    mapIcon = scaleIconToButton(btn, R.drawable.ic_map_grey600_48dp);
                }
                icon = mapIcon;
                break;
            }
            default:{
                //Unknown result type, do nothing
                return;
            }
        }
        //Set the scaled icon
        btn.setCompoundDrawables(icon, null, null, null);
    }

    /**
     * Scales icons down to fit search result buttons
     * @param btn   The button that will contain the icon
     * @param icon  The resource ID of the icon to be shown on the button
     * @return      The icon scaled down to fit the button
     */
    private Drawable scaleIconToButton(Button btn, int icon){
        Log.d(TAG, "Setting button icon");
        Drawable drawable;
        //getResources().getDrawable is deprecated, but context.getDrawable doesn't work below API level 21
        if(android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.LOLLIPOP){
            drawable = context.getDrawable(icon);
        } else {
            drawable = getResources().getDrawable(icon);
        }
        if (drawable == null){
            Log.e(TAG, "Could not find drawable resource " + icon);
            return null;
        }
        //Scale the drawable if it's too big
        //"Too big" = forces app to resize button
        if (drawable.getIntrinsicHeight() > btn.getHeight() / 2){
            Log.d(TAG, "Intrinsic size: " + drawable.getIntrinsicWidth() + "x" + drawable.getIntrinsicHeight());
            int newHeight = btn.getHeight() / 2;
            int newWidth = (int)(drawable.getIntrinsicWidth() * ((float)newHeight / (float)drawable.getIntrinsicHeight()));

            drawable.setBounds(0, 0, newWidth, newHeight);
            Log.d(TAG, "new drawable size: " + newWidth + "x" + newHeight);
        } else {
            //Call setBounds so that setCompoundDrawables can be called safely
            drawable.setBounds(0, 0, drawable.getIntrinsicWidth(), drawable.getIntrinsicHeight());
        }
        return drawable;

    }

    /**
     * Sets the search page header depending on whether or not there are search results to display
     * @param query The string that was searched for
     */
    private void setHeader(String query){
        AQuery aq = new AQuery(this);
        String headerText = getString(R.string.search_results) + " " + query;
        if (resultList.size() < 1){
            headerText = getString(R.string.no_search_results);
        }
        aq.id(R.id.search_header).text(headerText);
    }

    /**
     * Generates a new Google Maps SearchResult from a single result JSON object contained in a Google Maps geocoding result
     * @param locationObject    The JSON object containing a single Google Maps geocoding search result
     * @return                  A SearchResult object pointing to the location of the Google Maps result
     * @throws JSONException    If the Google Maps result is malformed
     */
    private SearchResult parseGoogleMapsResult(JSONObject locationObject) throws JSONException {
        String name = locationObject.getString("formatted_address");
        JSONObject coords = locationObject.getJSONObject("geometry").getJSONObject("location");
        String coordString = coords.getString("lat") + "," + coords.getString("lng");
        return new SearchResult(ResultType.GOOGLE_LOCATION, name, coordString);
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Agriculture plays a pivotal role in uplifting the Indian economy. The technology advancements are bringing in numerous opportunities and increasing investments in agricultural infrastructure. On the other hand, rising private participation, growing organic farming, and use of information technology are unlocking newer doors for empowering the farmers. Many existing, as well as, emerging organizations are taking deeper dives into the agricultural sector and creating products which are breaking the conventional processes.
Established in 2017, LeanAgri is a pioneer in developing data-driven solutions for decision making and action planning for farmers and enterprises working with farmers based on farm data. It is amongst the immerging start-ups in India, which is on a mission to break the traditional norms and dismantle the risks associated with poor farm yields and low farm incomes. By outshining the food security problems, it aims to create a niche in its sector and contribute in passing a healthy earth to the Gen Z.
Siddharth Dialani and Sai Gole are the Co-Founders of LeanAgri. Being fond of reading, Siddharth found out that, in India, Agriculture is a major sector which is lacking innovation. After clearing his CAT exam in 2015, during the period of applying for the Food & Agriculture Business Management course, the idea of developing tech-enabled processes for better agricultural outcomes flicked his mind. As such, Siddharth along with Sai started spending their weekends with farmers to deeply understand the loopholes in agricultural processes. With two years of on-ground experience and continuous mentorship of International Crop Research Institute of Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) scientists, they successfully formed the framework of LeanAgri.
Currently, Siddharth is heading Execution and Agronomy section and Sai is responsible for Business Development. By empowering LeanAgri with sheer determination, the core team is striving hard to solve the current problems of food security in order to improve the farmers' income.
LeanNutri – Decision-making and season-long personalized planning product are offered to the farmers for three key factors: Nutrient Management, Pest and Disease Management, and Irrigation Management. Data for soil, water and location parameters are collected on farm and farmers receive season-long farming activities based information through SMS, pre-recorded calls and mobile application.
LeanEnterprise – It is a farmer management and derived data analytics platform for enterprises connected with multiple farmers for forwarding or backward value chain.
With unified efforts and dedication, LeanAgri secured a funding of 50K Dollars. from Travis Kalanick (Founder and former CEO of Uber). In addition, the company also got the opportunity of visiting San Francisco to meet top Uber executives and other venture capitalists.
LeanAgri team bagged the Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) 2018 Award with a grant of 50,00,000 INR. The team received this funding from Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India for further Research & Development.
LeanAgri is incubated and formally associated with ICRISAT, Hyderabad. On-field research trials are conducted in collaboration with ICRISAT to validate the techniques and products developed by LeanAgri team. In addition, ICRISAT offers agronomy support such as crop growth data and nutrient analysis to the team. Other Government institutions like Directorate of Onion & Garlic Research (DOGR) and Indian Institute of Spice Research (IISR) also supports the team for validation trials.
Unlike other fields, Agri-sector is not the one which reaps out result in quick time. It takes an extra mile of patience and continuous sometimes, redundant efforts to make things validated. Acknowledging this scenario, LeanAgri advises the beginners to make sure that they are determined towards the problem they are solving for the farmer/food. The company also advised the young minds to continuously keep an eye on the technology advancements. They should focus on developing services which could prominently quench every need of the farmer.
LeanProtect – This will empower the preventive pest and disease prediction.
LeanEquip – This will exclusively deal with end-to-end supply chain management.


Charming Duh For Garden And Home #4 Like .
This post about Duh For Garden And Home was published at February 4, 2019 at 1:47 am. This blog post is uploaded under the Garden category. Duh For Garden And Home is tagged with Duh For Garden And Home, Duh, For, Garden, And, Home..
duh0 (du; often pronounced with a dentalized d),USA pronunciation interj.
Routines are performed by Duh For Garden And Home specifically for office personnel who execute work task at the office. The office chair is not equally as a way of satisfying any company must the requirements that really must be held by any company / company entity engaged in that they do. In line with the functionality or simplicity chair comes with in deciding the picture of the person in functionality and the position of every, an essential role, for example needless to say, of a seat for your director, have to be used as director to his place.
It is impossible right, seats for team / personnel receive the MASSIVE BOS. Besides a level with staff that is different later, the feeling that's negative for his control, what he said later is also given by it. A reprimand as well as dismissal might be attack by us. Why must adjusted with Duh For Garden And Home in line with functionality or the position? It is necessary in management to generate it have specialist and appear qualified.
Together with that, sometimes we are perplexed. Duh For Garden And Home that we need while at the job is important, but about the other-hand we also experience disgrace, office chairs on which we've been there it's merely the shape and color have now been faulty.
Select a seat based on the budget / needs of one's business. Adjust the color of your furniture of the couch together with your style and shade. Make sure to select a chair that's delicate whenever you sit back or an appropriate foam.
Apart from the features or desires an office seat also frequently coordinated using the coloring of workplace decorations as well as likes a shade that can be field your drive to act as well as workers. Don't ignore select an office that is comfy chairs because you can find cozy your work's results also helps ideal in his work and also workplace couch can make you your investment amount of time in the work.
In this case, there are a few considerations in selecting an office couch to your organization, you should know and contemplate. Pick a guaranteed model office seats, office chairs will often have a warranty of a couple of years, both feet of the seat, hydraulic, and the biceps of the chair through the agreed (NEW).


Central heating is pretty much the US norm for standalone family residences. There are exceptions in far southern homes or in three season cottages and cabins, where space heaters suffice. Otherwise, the presence of a space heater - I include wood and pellet stoves in this category - is often viewed as a symptom of poor construction, leaky windows, poverty, or infirmity. Yet remarkably, store shelves are full of plug-in space heaters; and wood stoves are selling at a record clip. Why? Builders commonly cut costs by installing a single thermostat, making an entire home a central heating "zone." Consequently, Americans often heat empty rooms for an average household size of three persons (2.59, per the US Census of 2000) while sharing an average of 2,330 square feet. What can the "one zoner" can do to lower the heating bill and avoid family members fighting over the thermostat settings?Expensive, high-tech solutions.
If you own a home, break it up into as many individual thermostat-controlled zones as your budget allows. If you have a separate wing or highly trafficked family room at ground level, with garage access, be sure to have that area as a separate heating zone.
Learn how to properly use multiple set-point programmable thermostats; and teach other family members why they are important. More on this below.
In winter, turn the temperature setting way down in bedroom zone: have it kick up to "room temperature" before, and while retiring, to bed and again on awakening.
If someone has a regularly-used upstairs or isolated ground floor office, this is where a single room zone makes sense - a zone within a zone, so to speak. Especially if the home worker tends to go on late into the night (like bloggers have been known to do), and assuming the office has a functioning door.
Wood burning has a tax advantage; but can mess with your zone settings.
A fireplace or wood stove or pellet stove are all forms space heater: albeit ones that require a fair amount of investment, personal involvement, and hard work. According to the Buffalo News article (link under graphic), wood and pellet stoves are selling like hotcakes these days, in part because of a substantial tax credit. Wood burning allows you to turn the central heating system thermostat way down, or even off if you are "in the right zone." If wood-burner heated air floats upstairs, it will likely shut off the thermostat for that zone, should it be at the top of the stairs. That makes for cold bed-rooms. You gotta have a plan people.
Technological underpinnings of thermostat wars.
My furnace maintenance guy tells me that he sometimes responds to customers asking him to 'reset the thermostat for winter.' Or 'for summer'. Some of us are just that technophobic, or myopic, or dumb. I see this anecdote as a metaphor for the larger issue of keeping thermostats in working order and representing a family's comfort and energy management consensus.
A complex, expensive thermostat which handles variable schedules can get really messed up if people change the settings without discussing it with other family members. It's as important to have a consensus on the settings as it is to have a simple interface for making changes on the fly. Unfortunately, the really good ones still cost a few hundred bucks. Way past the budget of most folks who would be concerned with saving ten bucks here and ten there.
If the home is two-story, keep upstairs doors closed to keep heat in the downstairs living quarters, where you paid to have it.
Small, old-fashioned thermostats with only one "on" and one "off" setting per 24 hour cycle can do fine in an office or family room where you need lots of flexibility; and they are real cheap. Anyone can adjust them quickly with out messing up a "program."
Beyond that, you can close the blower vent or turn the radiator down in un-used rooms (making sure it won't get so cold along an external wall as to freeze plumbing).
Steal your eyes back from the interior decorator and makeover crew..
This is the "drop out" part mentioned in the title. Mass produced homes, put up over the last 20 years in the USA, were commonly designed as though it was a goal to prevent effective zone heating. It's cheaper for the builder to go with with fewer doors and reduced material costs from lower interior wall surface areas. Mysteriously, consumers seem to like it like just like that, mindless of the energy use penalty. This shared builder-consumer preference of wide open spaces and high ceilings reminds me of the oft heard claim from Detroit that "we only built the cars that consumers wanted" (energy inefficient designs mostly). Mega-cars, mega-buildings - a close parallel.
This preference has bled over into existing housing stock, thanks to fashion fads touted on cable TV and in home and garden magazines. Home "make over" consultants have had a couple of decades to brainwash us into wanting large open areas: constantly calling for tearing out walls or "opening this area up" so the "colors will work with this or that" kind of happy talk.
Architects of a century ago gave us the book. TV producers teach us to chew on the covers. When will it end? Judging by the decor mavens I see on TV these days, not anytime soon.
Do You Play "Thermostat Chicken"?


text:
Q: JSON.NET custom constructor as a partial problem of this question JSON.NET CustomCreationConverter with nested objects I tried to call a custom constructor during deserialization. My simplified class hierarchy is as follows:
public abstract class BusinessObjectBase
{
    internal BusinessObjectBase(SerializationContext context)
        : base(context)
    {
    }
}

public abstract class EditableObjectBase : BusinessObjectBase
{
    protected EditableObjectBase(SerializationContext context)
        : base(context)
    {
    }
}

public class EditableObjectCollection<TObject> : BusinessObjectBase, ICollection<TObject>, IList, INotifyCollectionChanged where TObject : BusinessObjectBase
{
    protected EditableObjectCollection(SerializationContext context)
        : base(context)
    {
    }
}

I know the object hierarchy to a certain level, but users are allowed / forced to derive their own classes. My idea was to write a custom creation converter. The problem I'm fighting with is that a property in a serialized object can be declared as BusinessObjectBase which is abstract, but the real object will be a more derived class and might be a collection or not. A CustomCreationConverter only gets this abstract type passed to the Create method and of course can't create the correct type from this information.
Inspired from this How to implement custom JsonConverter in JSON.NET to deserialize a List of base class objects I implemented a converter as follows:
internal class BusinessObjectCreationConverter : JsonConverter
{
    public override bool CanWrite
    {
        get
        {
            return false;
        }
    }

    public override bool CanConvert(Type objectType)
    {
        return typeof(BusinessObjectBase).IsAssignableFrom(objectType);
    }

    public override object ReadJson(JsonReader reader, Type objectType, object existingValue, JsonSerializer serializer)
    {
        object result = null;

        if (reader.TokenType != JsonToken.Null)
        {
            JObject jsonObject = JObject.Load(reader);
            result = this.Create(objectType, jsonObject);
            Verification.Assert<NullReferenceException>(result != null, "No Business Object created.");
            serializer.Populate(jsonObject.CreateReader(), result);
        }

        return result;
    }

    public override void WriteJson(JsonWriter writer, object value, JsonSerializer serializer)
    {
    }

    public BusinessObjectBase Create(Type objectType, JObject jsonObject)
    {
        JToken token       = jsonObject.SelectToken("$type");
        var typeString     = token.Value<string>();
        Type type          = Type.GetType(typeString);
        var businessObject = type.CreateUsingDesrializationConstructor<BusinessObjectBase>();

        businessObject.Initialize(true);
        return businessObject;
    }
}

My class to test serialization looks like this:
public class AnyPocoContainingBusinessObject
{
    public BusinessObjectBase BusinessObject { get; set; }
}

public class TestEditableObject : EditableObjectBase
{
    internal TestEditableObject(SerializationContext context)
        : base(context)
    {
    }
 }

If I initialize my class my class with an collection
var collection = new EditableObjectCollection<TestEditableObject>(null);
var poco = new AnyPocoContainingBusinessObject { BusinessObject = collection };

and configure the serializer this way:
    public NewtonsoftJsonSerializer()
        : this(new JsonSerializer
        {
            TypeNameHandling = TypeNameHandling.Auto,
            ObjectCreationHandling = ObjectCreationHandling.Replace,
            PreserveReferencesHandling = PreserveReferencesHandling.Objects,
            ConstructorHandling = ConstructorHandling.AllowNonPublicDefaultConstructor,
            DefaultValueHandling = DefaultValueHandling.Ignore,
            ContractResolver = new KsJsonContractResolver()
        })
    {
        this.serializer.Converters.Add(new ReadOnlyObjectCollectionConverter());
        this.serializer.Converters.Add(new BusinessObjectCreationConverter());
        this.serializer.TraceWriter = new ConsoleTraceWriter();
    }

I get an exception:
Cannot populate JSON object onto type 'KS.Interfaces.Core.Entities.EditableObjectCollection`1[KS.Interfaces.Core.Entities.Tests.Unit.EditableObjectCollectionTests+TestEditableObject]'. Path '$type', line 1, position 47.
in this code line of my converter:
serializer.Populate(jsonObject.CreateReader(), result);

Can any body tell me what might be the reason? I'm pretty sure that I created the correct type and with a EditableObjectBase derived object everything is fine. Only collections doesn't seem to work.
Any hints are highly appreciated, thank in advance
Carsten

A: even I haven't found a way to make my converter work there is one thing I learned during debugging the problem:
It seems that a converter should return an object that still has the same JsonToken value. In my case the JsonToken of the original object was JsonToken.Object, but for my conversion result the correct token value would be JsonToken.Array, but the reader still sees JsonToken.Object. At this point I stopped my research since I found a better way to call my custom constructor.
I wrote my own contract resolver:
   internal class BusinessBaseContractResolver : DefaultContractResolver
   {
        public BusinessBaseContractResolver()
        {
            this.DefaultMembersSearchFlags |= BindingFlags.NonPublic;
        }

        public override JsonContract ResolveContract(Type type)
        {
            JsonContract contract = base.ResolveContract(type);
            if (typeof(BusinessObjectBase).IsAssignableFrom(type))
            {
                contract.DefaultCreator = delegate
                {
                    var businessObject = type.CreateUsingDeserializationConstructor<BusinessObjectBase>();
                    businessObject.Initialize(true);

                    return businessObject;
                };
            }

            return contract;
        }
    }

I hope this helps someone.
Best regards,
Carsten

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Passion makes progress possible. Employee passion. Member passion. Volunteer passion. A leader's passion for their teams and for excellence in everything the organization does. If as leaders we understand the value of engagement what explains so many employees being disengaged from their work? A recent survey conducted by BlessingWhite has found that fewer than one in three North American workers are fully engaged. Moreover, 19% are completely disengaged, and a further 13% are disillusioned and at risk for becoming disengaged. What does this mean for your organization?
On the disengaged side of the curve it could mean significant lost revenues, dissatified members and customers, skyrocketing costs and a seriously demoralized workforce incapable or unwilling to respond to an unfolding business crisis. According to BlessingWhite, disengaged employees are the most disconnected to organizational priorities and are not getting what they need from work. If left alone, people in this group are likely to collect a paycheck and enjoy favorable job conditions but contribute minimally. Some disengaged will leave, but more likely they will just talk about leaving.
On the fully engaged side of the arc, there are a significant number of surveys suggesting higher engagement numbers mean increased profits and earnings per share for corporations. Engaged employees are contributing fully to the success of the organization, find great satisfaction in their work and bring added effort and initiative to the work at hand. Almost engaged employees are among the high performers and are reasonably satisfied with their job. These employees deserve attention from management because they they are highly employable and have the shortest distance to travel to reach full engagement.
How much does it matter? Best Buy reports that a tenth of a point gain in engagement among store employees translates to an additional $100,000 in sales for that store. Likewise a study by the Society of Human Resource Management examining engaged employees in a manufacturing environment having $63 in safety incident expenses versus an average of $392 for disengaged employees. There's value in maximizing engagement and there are excellent tools available for leaders to bring to bear on improving outcomes. Look to part two of No Passion. No Progress. for more ideas.
Say It Ain't So, Seth!
In a recent SpearTalks interview Seth Godin opined that "Trying to convince a CEO of anything is a little like trying to convince a cop not to give you a ticket. It's possible, but rarely worth the effort, given the odds." Hmmm.
What truly caught my attention was his notion that it is "rarely worth the effort". I disagree. While you may not win the day by pressing your point of view on the CEO, it is equally possible you will stir some sense of consciousness and at the very least spark some discomfort with those long held CEO notions of what works.
By the nature of my work, I engage with dozens of CEO's on a regular basis. While they are not easily persuadable, they are in my experience amenable to considering alternatives and with the leverage of solid information even likely to accept and adopt a new perspective. A recent discussion with a CEO about the potential and value of social media illustrates the point. Initially, she seemed to miss the value proposition of social media entirely. Her basic position simplified was "who needs it!" When I persisted by pointing out that the younger managers on her staff had likely been using Facebook to communicate with friends and colleagues since before their high school days, she seemed to grasp the idea. Her questions flew fast and furious. Who controls it? Who operates these sites? How much time does this require? What resources do we need to implement it? What are the risks? Is there a measurable ROI?
When I reminded her that that someone else could easily start up a company page if she didn't, the lights went on and someone was now clearly at home in her decision tree. Seth's right in saying it doesn't always work, but I'd argue given the right fight, it's worth the rare effort still.


PLYMOUTH COUNTY– All of Plymouth County remains under a drought "watch" despite the recent rainfall from the remnants of Tropical Storm Hermine, with areas of the county under the more severe "warning" category.
The U.S. Drought Monitor, produced jointly by The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's National Drought Mitigation Center, the U.S Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, states that drought conditions are getting worse.
54.7% of the state is experiencing a "severe" drought, and 22.6% of the state is in an "extreme" drought.
"Drought conditions worsened in Massachusetts and surrounding areas," officials stated, even despite recent rainfall.
State officials are continuing to urge the public to conserve water in light of the ongoing conditions.
The state is also planning to offer grants to struggling farms and is putting plans in place to provide enough water for firefighting and public safety.
Those plans include efforts to ensure mutual aid is in place to make sure there is enough water to go around should there be a major fire in one community that uses up a significant amount of water.
"Our Administration continues to support communities across the Commonwealth to work in unison as we prepare for the very serious ramifications that a prolonged drought can have on our economy and public safety," said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito in a statement.
The previous five months have been abnormally dry. While 100% of the state is under some sort of watch or warning today, about 80% of the state was not under any sort of watch or warning at the beginning of March, according to the monitor.