Rajendra Pal Gautam was, until he resigned a week or so ago, a minister in the Delhi Cabinet.He follows the Buddhist faith.

He was present at a recent oath-taking ceremony where thousands of citizens decided to enter the Buddhist religion by reciting the 22-point vow necessary for initiation into Buddhism.That vow includes renouncing the worship of the pantheon of gods held sacred by Sanatan Hindus.

Also read: Attack on AAP Leader Shows That BJP Will Embrace Dalits, but Only as a Cog in the Hindutva Wheel

The theological and social reasons as to why such an oath is taken by those wishing to enter the Buddhist faith are elaborately set out in a book by Kancha Ilaiah, titled Why I am Not a Hindu: A Sudra Critique of Hindutva Philosophy, Cultue, and Political Economy(1996).

B.R. Ambedkar, chairman of the drafting committee of the constitution, had taken the same vow when he chose to leave the Hindu fold in the last year of his life, 1956, along with some 6,00,000 fellow Indians.

But of course, we hear that a case under stern sections of the law has been registered against Gautam for dishonouring Hindu gods and hurting Hindu sentiments.

That the constitution of India guarantees the citizen the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate her religious faith is entirely lost sight of in this new assault on the covenant which Narendra Modi once called his only holy book

Brahminical Hinduism passes off the Buddha as yet another avatar of the god, Vishnu, who forms one of the three of the triumvirate Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, even as the ruling BJP has always remained very sympathetic to the Tibetans and the Dalai Lama who call themselves Buddhist.

Historically, however, Buddhists recall the atrocities committed on them by Brahmins, one reason why Buddhism born in India, had to take residence in neighbouring countries.

AAP leader Rajendra Pal Gautam at the religious conversion event by the Buddhist Society of India in Delhi on Saturday, October 8. Photo: Twitter/@AdvRajendraPal.

Such, however, is Indias current zeitgeist that not only has Gautam resigned from the cabinet as a political necessity, keeping the forthcoming assembly elections in mind, but his boss, the chief minister of the Union territory of Delhi, has felt obliged to make the loudest protestations yet of his being a devoted Hanuman bhakt indeed, a sort of avatar of Lord Krishna also to boot because he was born, he says on the auspicious day the god Krishna was born, noting that he would slay the contemporary version of the gods evil uncle, Kans, as the god had done.

This is a troubling instance of how politics in India has taken on the shape of religious crusades.

He further went on to cap his speech with full-throated invocations of the slogan Jai Shri Ram a sort of political hallmark of the Hindutva right wing.

There has been no protest yet by the AAP party in regard to the case lodged against the poor erstwhile minister for simply expressing his constitutional right.

On the very same day, another mass gathering was addressed by an MP of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Parvesh Verma.

Also read: Delhi Police Probe Alleged Hate Speeches by Hindutva Groups, Including BJP MP

In that address, he can be heard saying that the only way to fix them (euphemism for Muslims) was to boycott the community in toto not to transact business with them by buying from their shops/vendors, and to deny all avenues of labour to their members seeking work.

Such a call may remind some students of the history of how Jews were ostracised in Nazi Germany.

West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma of the BJP speaking at the meeting of Hindu groups at Delhis Dilshan Garden. Photo: Screengrab via video/Twitter/@drshamamohd.

However, for once, the government in charge of policing and prosecution in the Union territory of Delhi (namely, the Modi government) thought it fit to institute a case against the gathering for unauthorised assembly under the innocuous Section 188 of CrPC.

The honourable member of parliament who has sworn by the constitution of India never to discriminate between citizens/communities on the basis of caste, creed, religion, ethnicity, gender, language, etc., has not been arraigned under any provision of the law.

In other words, the politician who merely followed his constitutional right finds himself an accused under severe provisions of a misapplied law, and the other who incited a mass gathering to sectarian hate and bigotry finds himself a free man, at least till the time of writing.

We may recall how, in the wake of the riots in northeast Delhi, another scion of the right-wing, a minister to boot, had incited a crowd to yell shoot the traitors but remains scot-free to this day.

The instances cited in this piece are of course merely two or three among a plethora of similarly discriminatory exercises of state power, but perhaps underscore the appropriation of Indias institutional mechanisms more starkly than many.

India is now alas a Manichaean state: there are the good, and there are the evil ones; the good are those who offer allegiance to the right wing in any shape or form, as satraps of any one of the hydra-headed governmental or non-governmental organisations.The evil ones are those who hold views and beliefs different from or are critical of the right wing.

The state exists to protect and not-too-subtly patronise the first, and to hound and fix the latter.

A substantial rising middle-class opinion thinks this arrangement is most suited to the glory of the realm.What else is there to say?

Badri Rainataught at Delhi University.

Read this article:

Two Faces of the Contemporary Indian State: The Benign and the Vengeful - The Wire

In 2020, 28% of Japans population was aged over 65 years. These senior citizens, who are increasing in number in a country where the birth rate is declining year on year, were the subject illustrator Isabelle Boinot decided to focus on. In her bookOtoshiyori, trsors japonais(Otoshiyori, Japanese Treasures), she sketches the figures of these elderly people, sometimes hunched and often accompanied by a pet, as they wander through the shopping streets or sit at tables inkissaten, old fashioned cafs that are fast disappearing.

Free from the burden of false appearances that we impose on ourselves for almost a lifetime in order to stick to the norm of the time or to separate ourselves from it at all costs, theotoshiyoriseem to truly be themselves, similar to newborns who have nothing to hide, Isabelle Boinot explains. Over the course of my trips to the country, Ive spent an increasing amount of time observing them, identifying their habits, following them in the street, sitting near them in cafs. In this book, Ive captured these fleeting encounters and brief subjective moments in everyday life in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, she continues.

Otoshiyori, trsors japonaisis therefore reminiscent of a travel journal for a country of the elderly. The illustrator recounts her walks and encounters, paying attention to the finest details which she sketches to support her comments. The reader follows the elderly into their favourite shops, which are captured perfectly by the illustrator, from the employees to the customers via the different products on sale or the dcor. They take the underground and the train with them, scrutinising their posture, their routes and their reserved seats. Lastly, Isabelle Boinots gaze lingerson their clothing style, sketching the essentials for any self-respecting Japanese senior citizen.

The author does not ignore the difficulties that can be encountered by elderly people in Japan, however. The precarious nature of everyday life and the need to continue working beyond the age of 70 are also highlighted inOtoshiyori, trsors japonais. Manyotoshiyorihave to keep working after the age of 70 for financial reasons, and their vulnerability is all the more discreet due to the strength of the pressure not to be a burden on the rest of society, Isabelle Boinot explains.Otoshiyori, trsors japonais is therefore a real journey and not an imagined one to the world of senior citizens, who remain one of the challenges facing Japanese society.

Otoshiyori, trsors japonais (Otoshiyori, Japanese Treasures) (2022), a bookillustrated byIsabelle Boinot and published by LAssociation(not currently available in English).

Read more here:

Old Age Unveiled in the Illustrated Book 'Otoshiyori' - Pen Online

Kiwi chameleon Francesca (Fran) Fisher knew there was something special about Mexicos San Miguel de Allende recently named the best city in the world when she stumbled upon a scene straight out of a Fellini film shortly after her arrival.

Wandering up a cobblestone street lined with ochre- and rose-coloured buildings, the gossip columnist turned filmmaker rounded a corner to find herself face to face with a circus troupe complete with elephants in headdresses and performing acrobats.

It was a defining moment, Fisher, who now calls the high desert community home, said. San Miguel was exciting, unpredictable, wonderfully visual and exotic the perfect environment for a filmmaker.

I found my peeps as, at that time in the eighties, the town was full of artists, poets, writers and musicians from around the world, and I felt welcome from the day I arrived.

Have you made a new life overseas? Email travel@stuff.co.nz

READ MORE:* The truth about life for Kiwis in the 'city of millionaires' * 'Bonkers' airfares: Why you might be out of luck if you want to fly home for Christmas* 'No rush and no rush hour': Couple swaps 'unliveable' Auckland for Northern Territory 'paradise'

Fisher had been on the festival circuit in the United States for a documentary she had produced on tuna fishermen when she and a girlfriend headed south of the border for some cheap fun in the sun.

The first Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, had just come out, and cast a spell that brought the pre-Hispanic sites she visited and had studied at university vividly to life.

Supplied

Fran Fisher described living in San Miguel as a cross between a Fellini film and a Buddhist retreat.

Inspired to start writing screenplays, she rented an apartment in San Miguel after a contact suggested she visit, and soon found herself spinning yarns just a short distance from where legendary painter Frida Kahlo hosted some of her famous salons and Beats poets Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac caught up over drinks at Bar La Cucaracha.

Fisher was so captivated by the physical beauty of the town, whose Spanish-style buildings hug a pink neo-gothic cathedral that reminded her of the Disneyland castle, and the creative community there that she decided to stay longer than her planned three weeks. Thirty-eight years later, shes still there.

Lets say I met my muse here, she said.

Conde Nast Traveler named San Miguel de Allende the best city in the world in its 2022 Readers Choice Awards, praising the rich history that saw UNESCO declare it a World Heritage site in 2008.

Supplied

Fran said one of her greatest passions is working with colleagues on a social programme which mentors at-risk youths through the arts and entertainment.

A low crime rate, thriving cultural scene and endless culinary possibilities are all contributing factors, plus some fabulous places to bed down including Rosewood San Miguel de Allende and Hotel Mansion San Miguel by Concordia, the US-based publication said.

Travel + Leisure has also waxed lyrical about San Miguel, describing it as possibly the most charming small town in Mexico with a vibrant wine scene, markets and artisans galore, and one of the best food scenes in the country.

For Fisher, the near-perfect climate (the town experiences more than 320 days of sunshine a year with average highs ranging between 23 and 31 degrees), deeply layered culture, and the warmth, spontaneity and innovative nature of the people are among the things that make it an outstanding place to both live and visit.

And I always love the street life in the evenings the fragrances, music, the flavours The randomness of a Range Rover full of young uber-wealthy Mexican 30-year-olds politely giving way to a middle-aged cowboy riding into town on his horse, with mama dressed to the nines perched on the back, cradling her infant grandson.

123rf

San Miguels historic centre is a maze of cobblestone streets lined with Spanish-style buildings.

Now running a sustainable lifestyle community and wellness resort on the outskirts of town, Fisher described her quality of life as pretty damn exceptional.

I live in a gorgeous valley fed by thermal springs and surrounded by vineyards and high desert landscapes just a few minutes drive from the urban centre of San Miguel. The lifestyle community where I live has a great mix of Mexicans and foreign expats, many of whom are involved in creative fields.

She bought the 250-acre property upon which the community, known as Valle de Los Senderos, now sits from a charro (horseman) whod appeared in iconic American and Mexican westerns, bonding with him over their shared love of film.

While he was initially reluctant to sell, she said on the communitys website that hours of mutual storytelling over a few rounds of tequila helped seal the deal. Living and working in San Miguel, she wrote, is like combining a Fellini film with a Buddhist retreat.

Fisher said that while San Miguel, which has become a magnet for American expats, is expensive compared with other parts of Mexico, it is possible to live and visit there on the cheap.

Supplied

Fran Fisher lives in a sustainable lifestyle community on the outskirts on San Miguel.

There are definitely two economies, she said. You can rent a cheap apartment or house for under $300 a month and eat delicious local street food for a couple of bucks. Or you can buy a luxury three-bedroom home with gorgeous gardens, patios and a pool for under $800,000, and dine at a gourmet Michelin restaurant for around $75 per person.

While a few luxury boutique hotels charge more than $1000 a night, a three- to four-star hotel would set visitors back about $75 a night, she said.

A cultural hub, San Miguel has plenty to keep visitors entertained, including multiple museums, galleries and boutiques, and regular festivities.

I can attend world-class concerts on a regular basis, get a great massage for $60, shop at high-end boutiques, and dance the night away with friends under a balmy sky, Fisher said. Or stay at home and watch Netflix, like anyone in the world.

We have upscale shopping malls and lots of cheap street markets. My internet streams well with fibre optics, but best of all - its easy to make friends with similar interests and there are always wonderful experiences to be had, at whatever pace or frequency you want, or dont.

Supplied

Fran said it was very, very easy to get to know people and make friends in San Miguel.

Walkable as well as welcoming, Fisher said the city is well set up for singles, who typically dont bat an eyelid at rocking up to bars, restaurants, food and wine tastings, lectures, art and writing classes, and sports and other activities on their own. Another way to meet people, she said, is simply to hang out in the town square.

If youre in a relationship, youre also in luck Its one of the most romantic towns on Earth for couples.

Other upsides to living in San Miguel include the affordable high-quality healthcare, and budget-friendly domestic help, she said.

The crime rate, she noted, is relatively low, but you occasionally hear about a shooting usually between gangs in poor neighbourhoods. Its best to stick to growing your own pot if you must, and not go anywhere near drug dealers. Just sayin.

For Fisher, the toughest thing about life there is that corruption in business and politics is widely accepted as normal. Her refusal to succumb to it has, she said, occasionally held her back in business, and prevented her from giving back as freely as she would have liked.

Asked whether there is anything she thinks New Zealand could learn from San Miguel or wider Mexico, Fisher mentioned the warmth, politeness and tolerance of the people, along with their tendency to embrace lifes simple pleasures without feeling a need to keep up appearances.

Theres such genuine affection between people when they greet one another, and a degree of sensuality that I think can get smothered, or even lost, in such a regulated and slightly sanitised environment as New Zealand and other Anglo societies.

But it goes the other way too. Sometimes I miss the pristine freshness of many parts of New Zealand. The predictability of orderliness in itself can be relaxing, even if a bit boring and uninspiring.

Fisher feels so happy and fulfilled in San Miguel, she has no plans to relocate to Aotearoa, or anywhere else for that matter.

That said, I cherish my yearly visits back to New Zealand to see family and old friends, and recharge the batteries with a walk on a wild ocean beach or through a fresh forest. I can get that kind of nature hit here too, but the travel time is greater, so it takes more planning.

Excerpt from:

'Like combining a Fellini film and Buddhist retreat': The truth about life in the 'best city in the world' - Stuff

Tim Bruns,provided by

Oct. 18, 2022

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Nearly half of American LGBT adults are religioushere's how this breaks down demographically

While faith and religion play a vital role in the lives of many Americans, the number of religious adherents is declining. An estimated 7 out of 10 Americans identify as religious, according to a 2020 Pew Research study. This includes 64% of the U.S. population identifying as Christian, a drop from the 90% reported in the early 1970s. Another 6% are members of other faiths, such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. The remaining three-tenths of the country comprises those who are religiously unaffiliated, a demographic that only made up 5% of the population a half-century ago.

While the numbers may be declining, most Americans still identify as religious. That said, data indicates that one demographic is significantly less religious than the general population: the LGBTQ+ community. Less than half of all LGBT adults consider themselves at least somewhat religious, according to the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, an academic research center focused on public policy pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity.

The chasm between the religiosity of the queer community and the general population may not be surprising, given the historically complicated relationship between religious communities and LGBTQ+ people. While there is no shortage of churches, synagogues, or other religious organizations that fully...

Religiosity overall

More than 11 million people in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, according to the Williams Institute. Among those who identify with these labels, about 3.1 million consider themselves moderately religious, while another 2.2 million are highly religious. Combined, these two groups comprise about half of the LGBT population.

Those considered highly religious by the study were designated as such if religious practices, such as attending weekly religious services, played an important role in their everyday lives. Respondents were considered moderately religious if they either a) said religion was important to them, but they only attended services once per month or less frequently, or b) said religion was not important, but they attended religious services at least once per month or more frequently.

Religiosity by state

Much like the general population, the percentage of LGBT people who are religious varies by state, with the most religious populations found in the South, particularly in the Bible Belt region. The number of religious LGBT adults in the South is just shy of 2.1 million people, which eclipses the smallest share of less than 900,000 in the Northeast. Sitting in the middle, the Western U.S. has nearly 1.2 million religious LGBT adults, while the Midwest has slightly fewer than 1 million.

South Carolina has the highest share of religious LGBT people at 74%, closely followed by Mississippi, Louisiana, South Dakota, and Alabama. Meanwhile, states like Alaska and Maine are tied with the lowest percentage of LGBT people who are religious, each at 31%, while states like New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington hover just slightly above.

Religious affiliation breakdown

Most religious LGBT adults in the U.S. (over 4 million) identify with the Christian faith, whether Protestant, Catholic, or other Christian denominations. Meanwhile, more than 130,000 LGBT American adults are Jewish, over 100,000 are Muslim, and another 100,000 are Mormon. An additional 420,000 are affiliated with another unspecified non-Christian religion.

The Human Rights Campaign has a helpful resource on its website that serves as a guide for understanding the spectrum of positions on LGBTQ+ equality held by various faith traditions. The list includes an explainer on queer inclusion policies and stances among 22 different Christian denominations, four branches of Judaism, as well as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Humanism, and Unitarian Universalism. Teachings from these faiths can range from full inclusion or celebration of LGBTQ+ people and identities to outright condemnation and rejection of same-sex relationships and transgender identities. It also includes a position that lies somewhere in between, such as churches that take a "welcoming but not affirming" stance toward LGBTQ+ congregants.

Religiosity by race and ethnicity

Black LGBT Americans represent the most religious group out of all races and ethnicities in the LGBT population, with 71% considering themselves highly or moderately religious. Comparatively, only 37.6% of white LGBT Americans identify as religious, making them the least religious of all racial or ethnic groups in the queer community.

These ratios don't vary significantly from those seen in the general population. The Pew Research Center's 2014 Religious Landscape Study shows that 3 in 4 Black Americans and about 3 in 5 Latinos consider religion very important in their lives. Conversely, only about half of white Americans and 36% of Asian Americans feel the same way about the importance of religion.

Religiosity by age

The Williams Institute study indicates that the religious LGBT population tends to skew much older. Nearly 65% of LGBT adults over 65 consider themselves religious, compared to just 38.5% of those between the ages of 18 and 24. For the most part, this aligns with the general population as 65% of all Americans over 65 consider religion very important, compared to only 40% of those between the ages of 18 to 29, according to the Pew Research Center study. A study from the American Enterprise Institute suggests that younger generations are less likely to be brought up in a religious household, and evidence shows that those who were are increasingly distancing themselves from religious affiliation.

A larger portion of older LGBT adults identifying as religious may, at least partially, explain why religious LGBT adults are more likely than their nonreligious counterparts to be married, cohabitating, or in domestic partnerships. About 47% of highly religious LGBT adults have never married, compared to 62% of nonreligious LGBT adults, according to the Williams Institute.

There is a gap between nonreligious and highly religious LGBT people regarding the percentage of individuals married to a different-sex versus same-sex partner. Among nonreligious queer adults, 11% are married to a partner of the same sex, whereas 10.6% are married to a partner of a different sex. Meanwhile, about 9% of highly religious queer adults are married to a same-sex partner, and 20.5% are married to a different-sex partner.

Resources for different religions

Organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign and Strong Family Alliance have assembled affirming religious resources for LGBTQ+ people of faith. These include resources for those coming from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and other backgrounds. Stacker spoke with a few leaders from organizations that support religious LGBTQ+ people from different faith traditions.

Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA, an organization supporting LGBTQ+ Catholics, noted the gap between the religiosity of the queer community and the general population, as indicated by the Williams Institute study.

"I was really disturbed about the ways in which so many religions' condemnation or lack of welcome for queer people shows up in that gap," Duddy-Burke told Stacker. "I think that was the most important message of that study that didn't seem to get picked up in a lot of places. If I were a mainstream religious leader, the message to me would be we're really failing our community here."

DignityUSA has been around since the late 1960s and has been at odds with the Vatican for decades over the Catholic church's official position on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ inclusion. "We believe in sacramental equality," Duddy-Burke said. "Queer people are banned from marriage or being ordained as priests. In some places, the kids of queer parents won't be baptized. We say all church sacraments should be equally accessible to everyone."

According to Duddy-Burke, as an organization that has been banned from using Catholic church resources and...

Stacker looked at how religiosity breaks down among members of the LGBT community by state, age, religious affiliation, and ethnicity based on data compiled by the Williams Institute.

See the original post:

Nearly half of American LGBT adults are religioushere's how this breaks down demographically - Huron Daily Tribune

Urbnsurf say he surfed in an advanced session when he knew or ought to have known this was beyond his skill and capability.

Always gonna happen, I suppose, someone hitting the concrete bottom of a tank and busting their neck.

Ive been to Urbnsurf, Australias first commercial tank, down in Melbourne four times and on two separate occasions a decent sorta surfer has bounced off the bottom, headfirst.

The first was Swellnets Stu Nettle on media day there three years ago, a gorgeous summer day where the temperature hit 110 degrees, and where the pool was loosed to the clowns for a dozen non-stop hours.

Real early in the piece, Stu was sucked up the face of a lefthand tube and into the concrete bottom when a layback went awry.

As he wrote at the time,

Before setting foot in the pool everyone signed a waiver about surfing being an inherently dangerous activity. Its a formality of course. I expected as much. But it takes on significance when you realise the danger.

Yeah, the danger.

Allow me to provide some perspective.

The first time you hit bottom is a shock. Its hard concrete and maybe thigh deep where the lip hits. Fall on take off and youre trying to find a place to hide in knee deep water as the lip of the next wave pitches and the rider and board passoverhead.

My session ended after two hours when the toe side rail caught during a layback and I went over leading with my head and shoulder, each making contact and hard. The lifeguards, whod just stitched up another punter, were quickly onto me, sitting me down and assessing damage. They decided on glue and steristrips, and an enforced end to the session. Tail between my legs, I went poolside to dry off.

On another all-dayer a pal head-butted the bottom after being sucked up the face of the righthander and ended the day in the hozzy.

But you take your lickings. You sign the waiver; you know the bottom aint sand; and if it barrels, its gotta be shallow.

Capiche?

Maybe.

Peter Nolan, a thirty-five-year-old surfer and carpenter from the beach town of Ocean Grove an hour-and-a-half out of Melbourne, has filed a writ saying he suffered fractures in his spine and at the base of his neck after being belted by the pool last December 30.

Nolan says he was picked up by a wave and thrown into the concrete surface of the pool and has been off work ever since.

Nolan claims Urbnsurf shouldve warned him about the dangers despite anyone who gets in the tank signing a waiver which details the risk of harm associated with surfing as an obvious risk.

He told the Herald-Sun, I feel incredibly lucky that Im not a paraplegic or quadriplegic after hitting the concrete so hard, especially since my surgeon told me that many people who experience something like I did end up in a wheelchairThe psychological impact has been tough, and I pretty much avoid surfing now out of fear of getting hurt.

Urbnsurf, in their defence, say Nolan surfed in an advanced session when he knew or ought to have known this was beyond his skill and capability.

Bummer for Nolan, but not sure what else Urbnsurf couldve done to yknow, make it a safe space and so on.

The case goes to court in October, 2023.

If the suit succeeds the implications could be myriad, helmets, an end to Beast sessions etc.

The rest is here:
One-time Hawaii rep and noted surfer Tulsi Gabbard leaves party after fiery screed: I can no longer remain in today's Democratic Party that is now...

ADHD coaching has been in the news this week, with the release of new guidelines for diagnosing and managing attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The evidence-based clinical guidelines recommend ADHD coaching could be considered for adolescents and adults as part of a holistic treatment and support plan.

What is ADHD coaching? Do you really need it? And how do you go about finding coaching support?

Read more: I think I have ADHD, how do I get a diagnosis? What might it mean for me?

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition. It involves difficulties focusing attention (for example, in class or at work) and/or excessive levels of activity (for example, being restless and constantly on the go) and/or impulsivity (for example, acting without thinking). These symptoms would be above and beyond what you would expect for a persons age.

It is most commonly diagnosed in childhood but is increasingly being recognised in adults. ADHD can occur in males or females and often occurs with other difficulties, such as autism and learning disorders.

Read more: How can you support kids with ADHD to learn? Parents said these 3 things help

The guidelines recommend a range of supports for people with ADHD. This includes offering medication and non-pharmacological supports. ADHD coaching is one type of non-pharmacological support.

It involves working with a person to provide education about ADHD, building on individual strengths and resources, and developing new strategies and systems in daily life to help minimise the impact of ADHD symptoms.

ADHD coaching shares common elements with a type of psychological talk therapy known as cognitive behavioural therapy, which has strong evidence to support it.

So allied health professionals, such as psychologists, already use elements of ADHD coaching.

There is also a specialised form of life coaching for people with ADHD provided by an ADHD coach. This sometimes draws on the experience of people living with ADHD to help others achieve their personal goals.

Read more: ADHD medications have doubled in the last decade but other treatments can help too

There are few high-quality research studies evaluating the effectiveness of ADHD coaching, and the advantages of using this approach is unclear.

So the guidelines recommendation that ADHD coaching could be considered as part of a treatment plan for adolescents and adults, was made after input from health professional groups, as well as from people living with ADHD.

Wed like to see more high-quality research evaluating the use of ADHD coaching.

Read more: ADHD looks different in adults. Here are 4 signs to watch for

As many allied health professionals use elements of ADHD coaching in their clinical practice, we suggest talking to your main health-care provider to discuss whether ADHD coaching may be right for you, and to discuss referral options.

When choosing the right professional help, consider whether in-person or telehealth sessions would be better, and whether input from someone who is living with ADHD is important.

If choosing an ADHD coach, rather than an allied health professional who provides health coaching as part of their practice, make sure they have received appropriate training and are a member of the International Coaching Federation.

The reality is that many people will have to go through the private system to access health care for ADHD.

This may include a Better Access plan to see a private psychologist for partially rebated sessions. So, this usually involves some out-of-pocket costs.

If you chose to see an ADHD coach (someone who is not an allied health professional like a psychologist), this is not covered by Medicare, so you will have to pay.

Coaching support may form part of a plan under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). But few people with ADHD receive NDIS funding.

Read more: Should ADHD be in the NDIS? Yes, but eligibility for disability supports should depend on the person not their diagnosis

Read the original:
What is ADHD coaching and do I really need it? - The Conversation

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) When Allyson Roberts found herself pregnant and living in her car at the age of 19, she was feeling lost, scared and alone. Once she tapped into spiritual guidance, it changed everything. She wasnt sure she would survive, or if the child growing inside of her would make it, but she knew that she had the power to turn things around if she could change her mindset.

Her book, The Spiritual Journey, details how she overcame her own personal trauma and now helps other women do the same. That includes living a positive life in a world where the news brings us minute-by-minute updates on traumatic events every day.

Today, Allyson has been recognized by Forbes affiliate, Feedspot, as one of the 100 Top Coaches in the World. From intimate one-on-one conversations to speaking at live events, Allyson uses her training to overcome trauma, childhood issues, self-worth struggles, and more. In her sessions, she utilizes her professional training, as well as her natural gifts and strategic life coaching experience to bring people from all walks of life to their unique purpose.

You can take part in one of her events later this month. Its Behind the Power October 19 -21 in Atlanta. Details at http://www.behindthepowerevent.com.

Link:
JENNIE: Allyson Roberts shares amazing journey from pregnant, homeless teenager to international speaker and author - WJBF-TV

Urbnsurf say he surfed in an advanced session when he knew or ought to have known this was beyond his skill and capability.

Always gonna happen, I suppose, someone hitting the concrete bottom of a tank and busting their neck.

Ive been to Urbnsurf, Australias first commercial tank, down in Melbourne four times and on two separate occasions a decent sorta surfer has bounced off the bottom, headfirst.

The first was Swellnets Stu Nettle on media day there three years ago, a gorgeous summer day where the temperature hit 110 degrees, and where the pool was loosed to the clowns for a dozen non-stop hours.

Real early in the piece, Stu was sucked up the face of a lefthand tube and into the concrete bottom when a layback went awry.

As he wrote at the time,

Before setting foot in the pool everyone signed a waiver about surfing being an inherently dangerous activity. Its a formality of course. I expected as much. But it takes on significance when you realise the danger.

Yeah, the danger.

Allow me to provide some perspective.

The first time you hit bottom is a shock. Its hard concrete and maybe thigh deep where the lip hits. Fall on take off and youre trying to find a place to hide in knee deep water as the lip of the next wave pitches and the rider and board passoverhead.

My session ended after two hours when the toe side rail caught during a layback and I went over leading with my head and shoulder, each making contact and hard. The lifeguards, whod just stitched up another punter, were quickly onto me, sitting me down and assessing damage. They decided on glue and steristrips, and an enforced end to the session. Tail between my legs, I went poolside to dry off.

On another all-dayer a pal head-butted the bottom after being sucked up the face of the righthander and ended the day in the hozzy.

But you take your lickings. You sign the waiver; you know the bottom aint sand; and if it barrels, its gotta be shallow.

Capiche?

Maybe.

Peter Nolan, a thirty-five-year-old surfer and carpenter from the beach town of Ocean Grove an hour-and-a-half out of Melbourne, has filed a writ saying he suffered fractures in his spine and at the base of his neck after being belted by the pool last December 30.

Nolan says he was picked up by a wave and thrown into the concrete surface of the pool and has been off work ever since.

Nolan claims Urbnsurf shouldve warned him about the dangers despite anyone who gets in the tank signing a waiver which details the risk of harm associated with surfing as an obvious risk.

He told the Herald-Sun, I feel incredibly lucky that Im not a paraplegic or quadriplegic after hitting the concrete so hard, especially since my surgeon told me that many people who experience something like I did end up in a wheelchairThe psychological impact has been tough, and I pretty much avoid surfing now out of fear of getting hurt.

Urbnsurf, in their defence, say Nolan surfed in an advanced session when he knew or ought to have known this was beyond his skill and capability.

Bummer for Nolan, but not sure what else Urbnsurf couldve done to yknow, make it a safe space and so on.

The case goes to court in October, 2023.

If the suit succeeds the implications could be myriad, helmets, an end to Beast sessions etc.

Read the rest here:
Palm Springs killjoys responsible for spiking Coral Mountain wave pool concept aim conservative moral outrage at region's other proposed tanks! -...

I don't think I would have ever left my house on the hill, but now it's gone."

The wildly beautiful middle son of seventies soul-surf icon Terry Fitzgerald has described a brush with death following an explosion at his joint near Byron Bay.

Joel Fitzgerald, forty-eight, forty-nine or thereabouts, and so brutally well-constructed the only reason any of us are with our women is because Joel didnt get there first, describes the scene,

The primary fire was in the shaping bay, the cause possibly an electrical box or light that had blown by a surge in power; its unknown. In just a few minutes, the fire turned into an inferno, and then the fire started to inflame the house. My garden hose was doing its best, but little could be done until the firetrucks arrived.

I went back in to save a burning board, a photo of my son and as many things as I could grab in a final run through the burning house, but at some point, I had to walk away as the fumes and smoke engulfed my beloved home. Then, finally, the fire trucks arrived from Ballina, Lismore and Lennox, and we managed to save what was left in the destruction after only what seemed like a few minutes.

I was lucky not to be killed by the blackening of fumes, fire and exploding drums of resin acetone and surfboard material. I saved what I could in the minutes I had without getting in harms way. Kainoa was not there and is OK, as he was with his mum at the time. Its a new chapter, the end of an era, and the Phoenix will fly from the ashes.

I want to thank those who have supported Kainoa and me, and we are doing great, one day, one breath at a time.

Joel says the house held enormous sentimental value.

The home where I fathered my son Kainoa from 1 to 4, where we played football down the halls and rode bikes and scooters inside the house, the Nth Coast dream was very much real. I was grateful in so many ways to have this little blue house with beautiful doors, green walls, a shaping bay, and a shed, helping inspire me to shape and design my surfboards.

Its hard to say goodbye. The emotions and feelings it brings are a little too hard. I would say it was time to move on. Regeneration will take on, like a seed that needs the right temperature to germinate, waiting for the ground to break or fire to come. I dont think I would have ever left my house on the hill, but now its gone.

The house will be demolished soon as it is condemned. But thankfully, it is a part of the Ballina development plan for new buildings, schools, and roads and will be built into a beautiful place once again.

Joels big bro Kye has started a GoFundMe for Joel and Kainoa with a not unreasonabletarget of twenty-five gees.

So far four thou or so.

Or order one of Joels boards, theyre epic.

The rest is here:
Surf fans rub eyes in disbelief as Gisele Bndchen follows former-flame Kelly Slater's lead, leaps into arms of faith healer amidst drama with...

An Ocean City therapist who admitted to using clients credit cards to pay for psychic readings has closed her practice and moved out of state, according to her attorney.

But its unclear whether Ashley Crooks really has stopped seeing patients, despite relinquishing her license more than five months ago.

Crooks, 32, is currently in pretrial intervention after pleading to one count each of unlawful use of a credit card and theft by deception. Pretrial intervention allows first-time offenders to avoid criminal prosecution by completing a program.

The owner of Counseling by the Sea used patients credit cards to rack up about $40,000 in psychic readings within two months on the Sanctuary Ventures, the company whose mobile app offers on-demand personalized psychic readings.

Crooks was arrested in February and voluntarily surrendered her license April 29. A week earlier, she formed The Soul Coach, a limited liability company that offers life coaching.

I did demand as part of the resolution surrender of her license, Assistant Prosecutor Edward Shimm told BreakingAC. This was a breach of trust. (Giving up her license) was something that was important to myself and my office.

Invoices now label her services as coaching sessions.

But some patients say they had no idea their therapist was now serving as a life coach until BreakingAC reported about the case.

No, she did not indicate a change in her status as far as I was concerned it was business as usual, one patient wrote in an email to BreakingAC.

It had actually been about 10 months between sessions, the woman said.

When she made her Sept. 6 appointment, the patient who BreakingAC is not naming to protect her privacy said she was asked to fill out an online form but was not aware of the change from therapy to coaching session until she reviewed her invoice.

There were patients who said Crooks had them sign something, but they were not clear that she had given up her therapist license. At least one said Crooks said she gave up her license as a business move.

She didnt disclose her change in status, another patient told BreakingAC. Perhaps there was some legalese on the new patient form. But given that I was a current client, there should have been full disclosure. Either she was providing me with a service she was unlicensed to perform, or I was paying for a service that I wasnt receiving.

Others say they have since been charged for sessions in addition to the ones they attended. Some claim they still have not been reimbursed.

Some have indicated they may sign complaints with the Ocean City Police Department for still-missing money. No complaints were filed at the time of this writing.

Crooks was entered into pretrial intervention Aug. 8, the same day she showed up on the Instagram of The Impact Coach, a group run by Katie Sandler, who lists herself as a former therapist and certified coach.

The caption included a question-and-answer session with Crooks.

Crooks three words of intention for the year are listed as consistency, integrity and peace.

Sandlers site offers consultation appointments with several coaches. On Thursday, that included Ashley Crooks.

Visitors could click on a book button to scheduled a half-hour introductory consultation for $20. The blurb made no mention of Crooks ever being a therapist or acting in that capacity.

But by Friday morning, Crooks was no longer listed on the site.

Sandler told BreakingAC that after the issue with Crooks was brought to her attention, she took her down from the site and had cut ties.

(Crooks) is in full compliance with the interim consent order, defense attorney Meg Hoerner said last week, after Crooks approved a brief statement. She has closed her practice. Shes in the process of relocating.

Hoerner did not say where Crooks is moving, but confirmed that she was going through the permission process required under her PTI.

Crooks previously talked with patients about expanding to Cape Cod.

But even that may not have stopped her from keeping appointments with her former patients.

I was told she was expanding the practice,' another patient said on condition of anonymity. So, keeping her office in (Ocean City) and also establishing an office in Cape Cod.

The patient said she asked Crooks about the BreakingAC article.

She explained that she had a lawyer and could not really speak about it, the woman said. She then confirmed our appointment.

Shimm, the assistant prosecutor, said he could not give anyone legal advice, but said if its believed Crooks is illegally practicing, they can notify the Attorney Generals Office.

The pretrial intervention agreement Crooks signed postpones any court hearings for 36 months while she completes her program. That is the maximum time for PTI, Shimm explained.

Conditions include relinquishing her license, probation oversight, random drug screenings and paying restitution to Sanctuary Ventures.

She had to put down a few thousand dollars her initial restitution payment, Shimm said.

Her PTI then requires $29,749.76 in restitution paid at $100 each month. While that would take more than 25 years to repay at that rate, it appeared Crooks had plans to pay it off quicker.

Crooks crimes were discovered after the mother of a patient found two credit card charges that were not her own. She called Sanctuary Ventures, which launched its own investigation. They found about 30 different credit cards used by Crooks account, with another approximately 20 cards that were denied at the point of purchase.

Crooks was charged with one count each of unlawful use of credit cards and theft by deception. She quietly got accepted into PTI, and her patients were not notified of the case, including those who later learned their credit cards had also been used.

Because Sanctuary Ventures repaid the fraudulent charges, the company was the only victim, Shimm said in explaining why patients whose cards were used were not notified.

Heather Bailey, a patient for five years who agreed to be named in this story, didnt realize her credit card had been used until she read BreakingACs story. But when she called Crooks, she got a much different version of events.

It was a security breach, Crooks said in messages to Bailey shared with BreakingAC.

Those involved are still being investigated but there is no remaining criminal record under Ashleys name, Bailey said at the time. She notified all her clients she was giving up her license in April to switch to life coaching for business reasons.

Thats when BreakingAC shared the pending criminal complaint bearing Crooks name, and the pretrial intervention details.

Bailey then shared her story on TikTok last week with the headline, My therapist scammed me?

It had garnered more than a million views within the first couple days. It was at more than 1.6 million as of Friday. including several other patients who learned of their therapists arrest from the video.

Now it appears there are still issues with money.

Several patients shared bills with BreakingAC showing they were charged for sessions in addition to the ones they attended, most at $150 each.

She told me it was a mishap with Square, one patient said of the mobile payment app Crooks was using since the credit cards issue.

A former employee also said there were issues getting paychecks, including her bank advising her to only accept cash from Crooks.

Crooks future plans are unclear.

There seemed to be a plan to move out of state and possibly begin a new practice in Massachusetts.

A number with a 774 area code which covers southeastern Massachusetts was on an online profile for Crooks last Wednesday.

Hi, youve reached the confidential voicemail of Counseling by the Sea and The Soul Coach, it began.

But by the next day, it was no longer a working number. Counseling by the Seas website and other social media also disappeared.

That same day, Crooks allowed her attorney to give BreakingAC a brief statement insisting that she has shuttered her practice.

There are also questions about the diploma that hangs Crooks office.

The framed doctor of philosophy/psychology diploma shows Nova Southeastern University presented the degree to Dr. Ashley Palma Crooks on April 30, 2021. But the school has no record of her graduating from their doctoral program, BreakingAC has confirmed.

A June Facebook post proudly tells people, You can call me Doc, adding that earning the degree while seeing 45 clients a week and running three businesses was one of the hardest things Ive ever done.

But it doesnt seem she did it.

Crooks did get her masters there in 2015.

In 2020, she had a podcast in which she referred to herself only as Doc, even though her own timeline doesnt have her getting her doctoral degree until the following year.

She is not listed on a published list for graduates in 2021, the year her diploma states.

Last year, Crooks appeared as a panelist in a Zoom presented by the Ocean City Division of Social Services for reentry anxiety. The video was still visible with a link, but has no sound. Her screen lists her as Dr. Ashley Crooks.

Her Meet Our Panelists introduction remains on the divisions Facebook page.

One patient told BreakingAC she doesnt know how she would cope if this happened early in her therapy.

Im fortunate that I have developed a strong skill set and can deal with problems, the woman told BreakingAC. I feel terrible for her clients that havent achieved that yet. I think about how fragile and broken I was when I first started with her and if this happened to me in the midst of that time it would have devastated me.

Her victims arent just the people who she stole cards from but all her clients, she added. She stole trust from all her clients.

(NOTE: This story was updated to include confirmation that there is no record of Crooks receiving her doctorate from Nova Southeastern University.)

Ocean City therapist used patients credit cards for psychic readings

Here is the original post:
Ocean City therapist who stole clients' credit cards gave up her license but did she stop practicing? - breakingac.com