Green Mountain Meandering Missives

Photo: Vermont State House (taken by Morgan W. Brown). Revisiting Mental Health Treatment within Vermont The very nature of self-determination as well as independence would seem to dictate not merely having freedom of choice, but rather also include both the freedom and the right to ensure one's self-defined and self-expressed wishes, choices and decisions are not defined, limited, narrowed or controlled by outside influences, no matter how well-intended or well-meaning. Each person needs to decide as well as do what is best for themselves and, as such, they are the only one who actually knows what that is during any given moment or circumstance. When it comes to health care and, most particularly concerning mental health treatment and related matters, save (i.e., except for retaining one's own) true and actual freedom of choice regarding such decisions, this means that like most anything else in this life there are truly no absolutes, nor should there be any imposed on any pe...

Had recently considered selling the vintage two piece Italian-made black striped suit as well as vintage shoes, which I had purchased last year for the one and only marriage ceremony I had officiated in early June of 2023 when I was still a Justice of the Peace (JP), back to the Getup Vintage shop located in downtown Montpelier.  However, I have since decided to gift these items, including the black clip-on bowtie and also the Vermont lapel pin (am keeping the Italian-made straw boater hat for myself however), to someone who has been doing and continues to do advocacy work as well as public speaking and testifying on behalf of those most in need much along the lines of what I had previously done (prior to retiring), but at a higher and more effective level than myself over the years.  What they as well as others are doing along these lines is critically important work and, in my opinion (although they always are well dressed when doing it), they deserve to look like a million...

Thoughts on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy and Visually Oriented Traumatic Memory Treatment Concepts : This morning, while experiencing some traumatic visual memory recall from way back during my youth (both via images and, for the lack of a better term, short video snippets: the latter are along the lines of brief YouTube videos, experienced by myself long before either the Internet or YouTube ever existed), some thoughts about EMDR therapy concepts and related therapy treatment models concerning this came to mind. However, it should be understood that this is not intended as criticism of either EMDR therapy or of the therapist who had previously provided it to me. In fact, I found the EMDR counseling sessions to be quite beneficial as well as rather helpful. Photos (first and second ones posted; circa: January 1958): Old family photos of myself during more pleasant times. What came to mind this morning is about how since these type of rather traumatic ...