ZZenseLinks - zZense

... from Raising Kids to Growing Old
A Technology for Human Flourishing

For a deep dive to get the details from original sources, see the links below.

Parenting Links

Classroom Activities to Build Self-Control SkillsAlmost three dozen fun games (exercises) for pre-school and young children that build Self-Control skills. Some we'e seen before, some new. Parents will appreciate learning how they build specific skills and are more than just a fun way to pass the time. Suitable for classroom, group, or family use.
How To Give Critical Feedback - KageyamaGiving critical feedback to our children is a key part of good parenting. It's not easy to do without giving them an unintended "you're a failure" message. So, some suggest simply giving praise for effort. Others suggest using "sandwich feedback" with the critical part sandwiched between praise of possibly mediocre work. Kageyama notes that praise for substandard work can backfire ("Every child gets a medal"), and he doesn't feel right about either of these approaches. Instead, he describes research showing strong results from giving feedback accompanied by a statement like “I’m giving you these comments because I have very high expectations and I know that you can reach them.” (i.e. criticism + high standards + assurance of ability). In the research study, kids with this kind of feedback were twice as likely to revise and improve their work, compared to those without that encouraging statement. This brief lay-person's article by Kageyama is well written and includes references to the original work.
Motivational Interviewing - (9 Apr 2015)Motivational Interviewing (MI) is introduced in this webinar presented by the Center for Social Innovation and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on April 9, 2015 . MI is a heartset- and mindset-based approach for having effective conversations with peers or loved ones to encourage them to decide to change some behavior. Viewing the webinar requires a modern Adobe Flash software. Slides only are available as a PDF here.
Motivational Interviewing for Parents to Influence TeensChristine Carter PhD has very helpful advice for parents who want their teen children to decide to change their behavior. Anyone, and especially teens, tend to become defensive and dig in their heels when told what they "should" or "must" do. Engaging a teen and gently guiding him to consider his behavior in such a way that the teen himself decides to change is much more effective. This approach is based on the technique called Motivational Interviewing that is widely used by therapists. One challenge for a parent, compared to a therapist, is that the approach requires a degree of detachment and empathy without confrontational emotion.
Motivational Interviewing for Parents to Influence Teens (part 2)Part 2.
Parent Leadership Articles (Stenson)A wonderful collection of credible and insightful articles about what it means to have the job title *parent*. "All children need leadership, and if both parents do not lead them to do right, then someone else may lead them to do wrong. " The author James B. Stenson speaks from decades of experience leading two secondary schools -- he got to know hundreds of families closely, and observed what worked and what didn't.
Parenting Science by Gwen Dewar PhDGwen Dewar has written a wealth of thoughtful posts about Parenting and Child Development, organized by topic. Evidence-based, rational, attachment parenting is her self-professed style. Background: a PhD from the University of Michigan where she studied and researched anthropology, behavioral ecology, primatology, evolutionary / comparative psychology, and the evolutionary origins of cognitive development (in children and primates), social learning, teaching, and Parenting.
Teens - A Little Different Than Most of Us Parents ThinkChristine Carter PhD shares "Three Surprising Truths about Teens" on her blog based on an interview with Ron Dahl. An adolescent is not a teen -- physical adolescence (the onset of puberty) occurs earlier than the teen years, while culteral adolescence may not end until after. Kids don't necessarily "want" to be happy. Puberty makes kids seek conflict and strong emotions.

Positive Psychology Links

25 Positive Interventions SurveyA review of scientific literature covering 157 positive emotion interventions found strong empirical efficacy evidence for 13 of 25 intervention techniques including: for the short term, helping people focus their attention, realize good fortune, and express positive feeling states like enjoyment; and for the long term, choosing or modifying a situation while an event unfolds, and focusing attention before, during and after an event. Citation: Quoidbach, J., Mikolajczak, M., & Gross, J.J. (2015, January 26). Positive interventions: An emotion regulation perspective. Psychological Bulletin. Advance online publication.
Aging in America: Time to Thrive (2013)Will the retiring baby-boomer generation be a powerful force moving the world forward? Flourishing in the second half of life, and spreading that well-being far and wide? Or will they simply survive, biding their time? This generation has health, wealth and potential unprecedented in the history of the world. How can Positive Psychology guide us baby-boomers to make the most of this unique opportunity? That is the topic of this enjoyable and important Master of Applied Positive Psychology Capstone Project by Deborah H. Hammons.
Barry Schwartz TED TalksDr. Schwartz speaks on the need for “practical wisdom” as an antidote to a society gone mad with bureaucracy. He argues powerfully that rules often fail us and incentives often backfire. In another talk related to his popular book *The Paradox of Choice*, he describes how excesses of choice and freedom, those paramount pillars of American society, actually reduce rather than increase flourishing.
Building Your Strengths (Rashid)For each of the comprehensive 24 character skills: a definition; an indication of what it looks like to exhibit that skill too much or too little; lists of relevant movies and songs; and 10 to 20 suggested actions that may help build that skill. Prepared by the University of Toronto and Principal Investigator Tayyab Rashid of its Health & Wellness Centre.
Couple Happiness - Capitalizing on the Good StuffShelly Gable, who is an assistant professor of psychology at UCLA, works on the positive psychology of love and marriage and has a surprising twist regarding couples. Most "couples therapy" addresses "coping" with problems and damage control when responding to negative conversations or situations. Shelly talks about amplifying what goes right as a critical element to promoting a good relationship.
List of Positive Psychology ResearchersThis list of almost 200 researchers includes area of research, affiliated institution, location (country), and website link, with a number of searching and download options.
Peterson's Unfinished Masterwork Lecture (Seligman)Martin Seligman PhD spoke at the First Annual Christopher Peterson Memorial Lecture, outlining Peterson’s “Unfinished Masterwork” extending the 24 Character Strengths and Virtues into the ranges of opposite and excess to begin addressing pathology as well as normal function.
Positive Interventions IPENBuild positive emotion and the character strengths of gratitude and kindness with "What Makes You Happy Drawings/Photos", "The 3 Good Things", "Making Gratitude Cards", "Random Acts of Kindness" and "Mindful Savoring".
SharpBrainsAn educational blog and website tracking health and wellness applications of brain science. Large amount of content including a selection of brain teasers, games & illusions. Said to be one of the most popular brain blogs with 100,000+ monthly readers and 45,000+ eNewsletter subscribers.
TANG Prize for Achievements in PsychologyAn interview with Dr. Fay Tang, a psychologist and creator and benefactor of the $100,000 prize which has been first awarded to Dr. Martin Seligman and will be awarded at 3 year intervals.
VIA Institute on CharacterAn online wealth of Positive Psychology resources, founded by Neal Mayerson PhD with Martin Seligman PhD as trustee for its first 10 years, which includes the free VIA Survey of Character Strengths, and a list of the 24 strengths here, with greater details and exercises to build each strength available by clicking links you find there.
VIA Signature Strengths SurveyA free self-administered online survey that takes only a few minutes to measure our character
skills and tell us the top five strongest -- our Signature Strengths.

Health Links

Meditation, Mindfulness and RestingThis brief free book has a wealth of thinking about Resting, avoiding Perseverative Thinking (aka Cognitive Dilemmas -- Rumination, Distraction and Worry) and Affective States including 'Flow'. The author is Art Marr, who thinks about Mindfulness / Meditation and suggests that many of its benefits can be equally derived by simply practicing *resting*. Art is a few years older than I, living in New Orleans working for Benecom Technologies (as of 2017) with a BA in Psychology, MBA and career in Account Management & Sales.
Movement, Stiffness and Pain under CNS ControlTodd Hargrove, lawyer turned bodyworker, writes thoughtfully and persuasively that the central nervous system (CNS) has more control over pain, strength, flexibility, and endurance than most people would imagine.

Desk-itis Links

Dealing with Deskitis (2007)Challenges and suggestions regarding health issues associated with extensive desk work.
Unmentioned Downside to Standing DesksGwynn Guilford's extensive and well-written post highlights "cankles" (blood pooling in the lower legs) as a significant challenge after she adopted the standing desk. She combats that challenge by a homebrew sit-stand desk, incorporating movement breaks, and other ideas. In the end, she isn't going back to sitting !

Achilles Tendon Links

Runners Guide to Achilles Tendon Injuries (Davis)Well-written layman article with about 100 responses describing background of Achilles Tendinopathy, symptoms, and research-based treatment options.
Alfredson Protocol 5 Year FollowupResearch finding about 40% of subjects pain-free 5 years after a 3~6 month Alfredson protocol treatment. "A 5-year follow-up study of Alfredson's heel-drop exercise programme in chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy" by A van der Plas1, S de Jonge1,2, R J de Vos1,2, H J L van der Heide3, J A N Verhaar2, A Weir1, J L Tol1 (2011), British journal of Sports Medicine.
Achilles Tendon DisordersLine drawings showing foot bones and Achilles Tendon with midpoint tendinopathy, and general discussion of disorders, from the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS).
Achilles Tendonitis in RunnersA comprehensive overview of mid-point Achilles overuse injury, including anatomical drawings and microphotographs of normal and degenerated tendon, and description with photographs of the Alfredson Protocol for treatment.
Thickened and Degenerated Tendon Photo and ArticleExternal ankle photographs contrasting midpoint and insertional tendinopathies, and general thoughts about treatment which seem to have a different emphasis from most other sources. By the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (2010).