Understanding the Credit Crisis

Time for Cognitive Analytical Therapy?

Feeling low? Relationship difficulties? Confused about life? Don't let talking therapy be the preserve of the rich and famous. It can help you change no matter how big or small your problems are. Dr Tempest, a medical doctor, specialises in therapy for lawyers. Therapy usually lasts eight to sixteen sessions (50 minutes each). Dr Tempest is also happy to be instructed by solicitors for any medico legal case involving psychiatry or psychology. www.yourspacetotalk.com email: mail@yourspacetotalk.com tel: 07530 761373 Practice based in Harley Street and Fleet Street.

'Telling it Like it is'

Dan Hannan MEP

Drinking and Surroundings

Winkielman, Berridge and Wilbarger (2005) found that by subliminally presenting happy or angry faces, with no subjective change in affect, influenced peoples drinking behaviour. Subjects placed more value on beverages, and consumed more beverages, after subliminally being presented with happy faces. Whereas, beverage value and consumption decreased after subliminally being presented angry faces. The conclusion is that nonconscious stimuli can influnce judgment and behaviour without consciously being aware of it.

Paragraph from 'The Compassionate Mind'

"Our world is changing. Unregulated 'competitive edge', possessive and wealth-seeking psychologies have set us (and those who will follow us) really tough challenges and, quite probably, tragedies in waiting. This is no one's fault; it's what happens when we simply act out blindly the self passions of our 'old brains/minds'. However, we can no longer allow our minds to be so undisciplined. We require mature compassion-focused politics to help us build a foundation on which we can train our compassionate minds and create compassionate societies, and we need a nourishing spirituality that's science based. In our hearts, we know that most of our problems - of the environment, tribal violence and terrorism, social injustice and human exploitation - are only going to be resolved through out relationships with each other.

Evolution has designed for us a really difficult brain, one that can create heaven or hell, and it's up to each of us to choose which we opt for. opening our hearts to each other and developing self-kindness based on understanding that 'none of us chooses to be here with this strange mind' is probably not a bad first step."

The Compassionate Mind, Paul Gilbert

An Independent Letter

This letter was published in the Independent newspaper :

Hospital doctors must have a role

You report that Andrew Lansley is holding out on letting hospital doctors have a role in deciding what care the NHS provides to patients (10 May). Why? Modern medicine increasingly requires vertical integration of treatment, where specialist hospital doctors and GPs work together to provide both acute and chronic health provision. It is not only logical but vitally important that the skill of hospital doctors is not lost.

Though the argument against hospital doctors having a role in commissioning is based on a perceived conflict of interest, a recent report in the GP magazine Pulse suggested that 10 per cent of GPs in consortia have declared private healthcare business interests. "Conflict of interest" cannot be a valid argument against involving hospital doctors.

To achieve a world-beating health service, all talents need to be actively engaged in the highly complex commissioning. Actively excluding experts from this process without good reason is indefensible.

Michelle Tempest, Psychiatrist

Christoph Lees, Obstetrician

Daniel Carroll, Paediatric Surgeon, Cambridge

American Education

An Interesting Website

There is an interesting new wesbite for people with ME, CFS and fibromyalgia. It is called Secrets to Recovery. What is so good about it, is that it uses the power of the internet. It offers some videos and MP3 downloads of what they have found works for some of their clients.

Delivering Bye Election Leaflets in Diggle

With a Bye-Election this Thursday a few of us were out in Diggle delivering leaflets, a beautiful village situated on the moorlands of the Pennine hills.