- Created on 03 April 2013
Healing of the Heart Ministries Offers Dialogue on Sexual Trauma
In recognition of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, Healing of the Heart Ministries will host a conference offering discussion and dialogue for survivors and family members seeking help to handle sexual abuse crisis and conflicts stemming from homosexuality in the family.
Themed "Beyond Pain to Wholeness: Overcoming the Stigma," the conference takes place Saturday, April 6 at the Georgia International Convention Center from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The event organizers hope the conference will serve as training ground for mental health and counseling professionals, as well as pastors and church leaders, providing them with hands-on resources to confront and repair all areas of sexual conflict, trauma and abuse.
"When we read the stories in the media or hear admonishments from the pulpit, we can lose sight that there's a face behind every story of sexual abuse and struggle," says event organizer Dr. Betty L. Mitchell. "This conference equips those on the front lines of mental health and ministry with current techniques and methods to better help our clients and congregants."
For more than two decades, Mitchell has ministered to hundreds of men and women traumatized by the effects of sexual trauma. Mitchell holds her doctorate in Pastoral and Clinical Counseling along with a master's degree in education from Pepperdine University. She is a member of the National Christian Counselors Association and the Black Christian Council Association.
Presented in partnership with Open Word Christian Ministries and the Georgia chapter of the American Psychiatric Nurses, the daylong event includes keynote speakers, a question-and-answer discussion and testimonials from survivors of sexual trauma.
- Created on 02 April 2013
YWCA Hosts Women’s History Month Panel
The YWCA of Greater Atlanta and the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor recently hosted "A Fireside Chat" featuring a panel of executive women to mark Women's History Month.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Managing Editor Monica R. Richardson (center) moderated the event featuring Rabbi and physician Analia Bortz (from left); Nita Sardana, vice president American Cyber Systems; and Alvetta Peterman Thomas, president of Atlanta Technical College. They talked about the challenges of balancing work and family during the program at the Georgia Power Company auditorium.
- Created on 02 April 2013
Son Allegedly Walks Into Church and Kills Father During Easter Service
Witnesses say the 25-year-old man accused of walking into an Ohio church and fatally shooting his father after an Easter service Sunday was yelling about God and Allah after the killing.
Police say Reshad Riddle walked into the Hiawatha Church of God in Christ in Ashtabula
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- Created on 02 April 2013
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to Speak at Morehouse's Martin Luther King International Chapel
This week the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel will host Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the International Association for Human Values and the Art of Living Foundation.
He will speak as part of a community-wide interfaith assembly and MLK induction crown forum ceremony at the chapel, which is located at Morehouse College as part of the 28th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. College of Ministers and Laity. The college reports that theme for this year is "Love and Forgiveness in Action."
The assembly will take place twice this week, first on Wednesday, April 3 at 7 p.m. and again Thursday, April 4, at 11 a.m.
"On the eve and anniversary of the assassination of Dr. King, a 1948 graduate of Morehouse College, there is no better time to highlight the need for peace and nonviolence in the world," said a King International spokesperson.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel is located on the campus of Morehouse College at 830 Westview Drive, SW, Atlanta, GA 30314.
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of Southern India, Founder of the Art of Living Foundation and the International Association for Human Values will be awarded the Gandi, King, Ikeda Community Builders Prize for his humanitarian work in 152 countries and in recognition for being one of today's leading voices of peace and non-violence.
The Gandhi, King, Ikeda Community Builders prize symbolizes the tradition these giants of humanity share and, it is hoped, will inspire and empower every person to take responsibility for the improvement of the human condition. Prior recipients include: HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, Mr. Nelson R. Mandela, Mikhail S. Gorbachev, Michael Nobel, Betty Williams, F.W. De Klerk, Coretta Scott King (posthumously), Rabbi Michael Lerner and Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu among others.
- Created on 01 April 2013
7 Ways To Be Happy
It's not as hard as it sounds. You can make yourself a happier, healthier person. Below are seven simple steps to doing just that.
Go to sleep. We have become a nation of sleep-deprived citizens. Taking a daily nap or getting into bed at 8 p.m. one night with a good book — and turning the light out an hour later — can do more for your mood and outlook on life than any number of bubble baths or massages.
Hum along. Music soothes more than the savage beast. Studies find music activates parts of the brain that produce happiness — the same parts activated by food or sex. It's also relaxing. In one study older adults who listened to their choice of music during outpatient eye surgery had significantly lower heart rates, blood pressure, and cardiac workload (that is, their heart didn't have to work as hard) as those who had silent surgery.
Declutter. It's nearly impossible to meditate, breathe deeply, or simply relax when every surface is covered with papers and bills and magazines, your cabinets bulge, and you haven't balanced your checkbook in six months. Plus, the repetitive nature of certain cleaning tasks — such as sweeping, wiping, and scrubbing — can be meditative in and of itself if you focus on what you're doing.
Just say no. Eliminate activities that aren't necessary and that you don't enjoy. If there are enough people already to handle the church bazaar and you're feeling stressed by the thought of running the committee for yet another year, step down and let someone else handle things.
Make a list. There's nothing like writing down your tasks to help you organize your thoughts and calm your anxiety. Checking off each item provides a great sense of fulfillment.
Do one thing at a time. Edward Suarez, Ph.D., associate professor of medical psychology at Duke, found that people who multitask are more likely to have high blood pressure. Take that finding to heart. Instead of talking on the phone while you fold laundry or clean the kitchen, sit down in a comfortable chair and turn your entire attention over to the conversation. Instead of checking e-mail as you work on other projects, turn off your e-mail function until you finish the report you're writing. This is similar to the concept of mindfulness.
