Notes for 05/11/25
Mother’s Day - I have been wondering how women who are not mothers for a variety of reasons feel on this day?
We all have a mother but not always a good parent. Mothering is a biological event, parenting is a psychological and sociological role. We tend to conflate them at a superficial level, but deeper conversations usually distinguish the two aspects of the relationship.
At a broader level women and men can mother and father, that is nurture and protect younger generations, in many ways where there is no biological connection.
Many women and men channel their maternal and paternal aspirations in ways that are not based on a biological basis. I am thinking about therapists, teachers, nurses, and any number of human service workers. (David G. Markham, LCSWR post to Clinicians’ Exchange on 05/11/25)
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Good psychotherapy - The mental health field has been captured by the medical model in order to efficiently manage the costs by health insurance companies and so they specify that the psychiatric treatment must be “medically necessary.” However, people are not just biological mechanisms. They also have a psychological, social, and spiritual component which must be attended to as well if health is to be achieved and symptoms not merely minimized or possibly eliminated.Optimally, good psychotherapy is not just about symptom reduction but also about the support and expansion of strengths, talents, and abilities. (David G. Markham, LCSWR post to Clinicians’ Exchange on 05/11/25)
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New York’s congestion pricing scheme raised $169 million for public transit in the first quarter of its operation—while also clearing up traffic jams, reducing car crashes, and making Manhattan considerably quieter. (Chop Wood, Carry Water, 05/11/25)
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Digital or analog controls? - Rejoice! Carmakers are embracing physical buttons again. (Chop Wood, Carry Water, 05/11/25)
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Here is an AI generated podcast 13 minutes long from David Markham's reflections so far on Irvin Yalom's Hour Of The Heart. Obviously, I am biased but I am amazed at how good it is. It's well worth the listen. Let me know what you think. (David G. Markham 05/11/25)