Hi Fabulous Marc

From the personal stories of seven diverse men who have struggled, or continue to struggle, with eating disorders and body image issues, Do I Look Fat? uncovers reoccurring and interconnecting themes that support this “self-esteem disorder.” Themes such as childhood wounding, internalized homophobia, the effects of HIV/AIDS on the body and the prevalence of substance abuse histories are among a few that underscore the film. Perhaps most importantly, the film doesn’t shy away from asking why these common histories have, until now, been left in the proverbial closet at a community level.

This is a great resource page. And it is encouraging to see that this issue is being addressed. Go to the page and take a look at the supporting pages

Something about our society puts individuals with minority sexual orientations at high risk for victimization. This is a major public health problem that needs to be addressed.

Gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and heterosexuals who have ever had a same-gender sex partner are one and one half to two times more likely to have experienced violent events during childhood.

CONCLUSION

Implications for our practice

What can we, as helping professionals, do? To begin with, we must focus on the gay population in general. We must counter homophobia and be sensitive to the effects it has had on gay men and lesbians. For example, gays may have internalized the same homophobia, and thus, may be self-punitive because of it. Any practician with a homophobic attitude will behave in a way that is counter-productive and counter-therapeutic. These practicians will not be effective in working with their gay/lesbian clientele.

Next we should consider that the quality of care we give can be enhanced by having open communication with our lesbian or gay client. Without this, clients are naturally going to be hesitant to relate all information, perhaps hindering their access to appropriate help.

Advocacy is another service we can give to our gay/lesbian clients. An example of this would be supporting clients

I have been told recently, that there is a relation between homosexuality and pedophilia. That is true,” he told a news conference. “That is the problem.

While I am trained as a practitioner/scientist, I do not clam to have access to all academic research, but a 0.50 min. search on Google produces the following article

now you can keep your beautiful brain as happy and healthy as your beautiful body.  May you enjoy them both.

In our craze to stay physical young we often do forget our brain.

two-thirds of people who try an antidepressant won

Chickpea to Cook
~Jalaluddin Rumi
(translated by Coleman Barks)

A chickpea leaps almost over the rim of the pot
where it’s being boiled.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

The cook knocks him down with the ladle.

“Don’t you try to jump out.
You think I’m torturing you.
I’m giving you flavor,
so you can mix with spices and rice
and be the lovely vitality of a human being.

“Remember when you drank rain in the garden.
That was for this.”

Grace first. Sexual pleasure,
then a boiling new life begins,
and the Friend has something good to eat.

Eventually the chickpea
will say to the cook,
“Boil me some more.
Hit me with the skimming spoon.
I can’t do this by myself.

“I’m like an elephant that dreams of gardens
back in Hindustan and doesn’t pay attention
to his driver. You’re my cook, my driver,
my way into existence. I love your cooking.”

The cook says,
“I was once like you,
fresh from the ground. Then I boiled in time,
and boiled in the body, two fierce boilings.

“My animal soul grew powerful.
I controlled it with practices,
and boiled some more, and boiled
once beyond that,
and became your teacher.”

“Here’s Rumi on the development of both the teacher and student, from the understanding of pain and change as persecution, to learning how to align with difficult experience in one’s own, and others’, self-interest.”

Sweet Darkness

When your eyes are tired
the world is tired also.

When your vision has gone
no part of the world can find you.

Time to go into the dark
where the night has eyes
to recognize its own.

There you can be sure
you are not beyond love.

The dark will be your womb
tonight.

The night will give you a horizon
further than you can see.

You must learn one thing:
the world was made to be free in.

Give up all the other worlds
except the one to which you belong.

Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet
confinement of your aloneness
to learn

anything or anyone
that does not bring you alive

is too small for you.

~ David Whyte ~

Some thing to think about when life gets overwhelming and you need to see your self through. (Given to me by my dear friend L.T. who helps me to see my horizon)