HOW TO TAKE CARE OF A PSYCH MAJOR

Psych majors are humans, too. We need friends and lovely creatures to take good care of us (ehem, to love us! Cheret). Here are few tips on how to tame este take care psych majors:

1. Ask us if we're okay. We're struggling in acads, personal life, and work. We're juggling on how to balance all these things just like you. Just because we're studying human behavior mean we are better than anyone else. We need constant reminders on self-care and hope.

2. Act normal. Haha. We don't usually read every single thing about others. You can be yourself when you're with us! We don't bite, judge, and above all, we don't read other people's minds. It's a misconception that we read people like a book. Pfft.

3. We're not weird. When we dive into this course, we realized it's fine if we don't follow the norm. We just love to be ourselves. We're just unique in our own little ways.

4. Offer us your food. HAHAHA. Physiological needs first before anything else. Chos. Hahahaha. If you did this, then we're good. Hahaha.

5. Ask us interesting questions! We love meaningful discussions than superficial ones. We love to talk about real issues in society, people, and universe (Hahaha).

6. If you're good in math especially in statistics, then lend your hand. Hahaha. We're trapped!

7. Hugs. We need hugs especially before, during, and after exams or if there are situations that might cause us feelings of distress. Charot. Hahahaha. (It depends on the person, some people aren't comfortable with hugs).

Any thoughts?

RECHARGE

Ilang beses na rin namang pinag-isipan ang lahat. Kilala ko ang sarili ko. Hinalungkat at hinalughog ko ang mga alaala pati na ang lahat ng sacrifices ko para lang sa bagay na matagal kong hinintay...

Naniniwala ako na, may mga bagay na hinintay mo pero hindi naaayon sa'yo. Sa totoo lang, hindi naman talaga nila pinutol talaga na magturo ako doon...pinahinto lang...pero para sa akin, isang signos na iyon na wala na...kasi matagal akong naghintay na rin at iniwan ang mga bagay na gusto ko rin gawin.

Nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na malaman kong kakaiba pala ang mundong ginagalawan nila sa mga nasa isip ko at naramdaman kong hindi ako bagay roon.

Kaya sinabi ko sasarili ko:
"Ayoko. Hindi ako tutulad sa ilan sa kanila. Ayokong tumanda roon."

Bukod doon ang dami kong iniisip. Nakakapagod pala. Sobraaaa. Umaga hanggang gabi dahil sa dami ng loads at ilang bagay na pinapagawa ng wala ng walang kapalit kundi ang sarili kong kalusugan. Kung minsan nakakalimutan ko na rin ang sarili. Active man ako sa social media, sobrang dami kong ginagawa. Hindi lang halata kasi madali lang naman sa akin magconceptualize kapag free time at may mga scheduled post rin naman.

Madami akong naisip na gustong ituloy at madami akong narealized sa sarili ko. Ang laking tulong rin na magpahinga at mag-isip.

Siguro dapat na muna akong magfocus sa board exam, clinical setting at sarili kong learning. Kailangan ko munang magfocus sa improvement ko bago rin ang iba.

Nauubos na kasi ako. Sobrang nadrained lang ako sa academe. Masaya pero nakakapagod rin.

Thankful ako sa lahat ng students ko doon at sa mga nakilala ko. Sana may natutunan sila sa akin talaga. Sana maintindihan nila.

Kailangan ko ring matuto pa dahil marami pa akong hindi rin alam at may pangarap pa na gustong abutin. Sana makuha ko soon.

Kita-kits sa RGO, conferences, conventions, workshops, seminars, o kung saan man! Magkikita tayo basta sa sikolohiya!

Salamat sa lahat! Recharge muna!

BAKIT MASARAP MAGMAHAL ANG PSYCH MAJORS?

1. Risk taker iyang mga yan. Kung puting uniform nga iniingatan nila kahit umuulan pa, ikaw pa kaya? 

2. Maunawain iyan. Susubukan ka niyang unawain kahit napakahirap! DSM 5, ICD 10-CM, Theories of Personality, Psych Assessment, etc nga iniintindi ikaw pa ba? Chos.

3. Kahit nasasaktan na iyan at may mga sariling problema, handa silang tumulong para sa'yo. Ngingiti pa iyan kahit durog na.

4. Hindi sila malisyoso. Sawang-sawa na yan sa sex at libido (it's not what you think).

5. Alam nila kung paano ang mag-alaga ng tao kahit na minsan nga hindi na nila maalagaan ang sarili nila. Charot.

Ano masasabi mo?

Thoughts to Ponder on Psych Statistics

The sign doesn't indicate the magnitude but the direction of the correlation coefficient. -8 and +8 indicate the same magnitude but represent different direction. The point is: it's the same strength.

In life, you might be on the left side of the distribution but there will come a time you'll be on the right by transforming yourself into the best version of yourself. The harder it gets, the better. Mas worth it.😉

Nakakakilig yun ah to reach that point (dream lang). Yung tipong 2 standard deviations above the mean ang feeling. Charot. 💖

Note:

Kapag kapag down ka imagine mo na lang nasa left side ka, kung gaano yan kabigat same magnitude yan kapag nakaahon ka. Minsan triple pa! Pwede ka pang maging outlier! Charot.

Keep Losing, Keep Going

The art of losing isn't hard to master; so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster. Lose something every day. Accept the fluster of lost door keys, the hour badly spent. The art of losing isn't hard to master.

-E. Bishop

----
This is one of my favorite poems which reminds me that life is about losing and gaining. We need to accept the fact that in order for us to see and discover better things ahead of us, we have to lose others.

It's difficult to take a higher flight if you have lots of baggages with you, right?

So there. It may be painful and heart-wrenching  at first but you'll never appreciate joy, love, and fulfilling experiences without it.

In order for us to taste the sweetest victory, sometimes you need to feel pain. Let's not take it as downfalls but life lessons.

Embrace it. Keep going. 💖

Dare to Wonder

Functional autonomy is the idea that drives can become independent of the original motives for a given behavior.

Makes sense. Pwedeng ma-relate sa "Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan." Hindi siya simpleng pagtanaw ng utang na loob eh. Naisip ko lang na parang functional autonomy siya sa paraan na minsan sa buhay ng tao, nakakalimutan nila kung ano ba ang dahilan kung bakit ba sila nasa kinalalagyan nila. Nakalimutan lumingon.

Ito yung sa mga plano nila na gusto nilang gawin pero dahil nakikinabang na sila, nakaangat, at nakaramdam ng comfort. Nakakalimutan na nila yung sense of purpose kung bakit sila nandoon.

Educator ako. Madalas akong magtanong, magreflect, mag-isip, at pumuna ng mga bagay na nakikita ko. Curiosity ang primary value ko galing sa analysis ng NLP and Hypnosis. Kaya natural sa akin iyon.

May mga bagay nga lang na hindi natin aakalain na ang tanong natin ay maaaring maging daan para mabago ang buhay ng iba o kung minsan buhay mo.

Wala akong pagsisisi na nagtanong ako. Mas magsisisi ako na wala akong ginawa. Sana palagi tayong magtanong para sa ikauunlad ng iba at para sa kapakanan ng iba. Sana wag kang mapagod magtanong.

Sana wag kang mapagod na mag-isip at tumulong. Alalahanin mo kung bakit ka nandiyan. Kung bakit ka araw-araw gumigising.

Magtanong ka, walang mawawala. Magbabago ka.

REALIZATIONS FOR BLEPP2018

Waaa I just realized that I'm still far with the idea of taking the board for Psychologist hahaha. I still need to acquire various clinical experience under the supervision of competent psychologist.

Hays. Kailan kaya ako matatapos sa jlirney na 'to.

Gahum: Ang Sikolohiyang Pilipino sa Usapan at Usaping Kapangyarihan

Ang kapangyarihan ay nagiging baluktot kung sinusubukan nating kulayan ito ng dilaw o pula o anumang kulay na nais nating makita.

Mabuti na lang kahit papaano tayo ay nasa iisang payong ng dalubisipan, huwag natin kulayan ng maduming politika ang mga adhikain natin. Ituloy pa rin ang magbigay ng tulong sa kapwa kasi simple lang: Pilipino ako, Pilipino ka. Tutulungan kita. Hindi ka iba sa akin.

Nakakasuka at nakakakahiyang tingnan ang sarili sa salamin kung mismong mga Pilipino'y nagbabatuhan ng putik. Hindi ganoon ang Pilipino. May kapwa tayo. Nakikiisa tayo. May malasakit.

Ang tunay na lakas ng gahum ay nanggagaling sa kapwa.

Baby Steps to RPsy: An Update for November 2017

Theories of Personality 📌
-confident but I need to add more contemporary theories plus Sikopil
-finished the whole book of Feist and Engler, a bit of Schultz, and a bit of other resources when I needed more clear explanations (still need to go back on Feist's since it's more comprehensive)

Abnormal Psychology
-still updating but I finished the book last 2016
-still needs mastery 💔

Counseling and Psychotherapy
-Since I have background in Theories of Personality, it helped me a lot to understand its concepts. I'm using Neukrug, Corey, and Flanagan.
-I'm also browsing some important parts of Julia Segal's book about Melanie Klein
-still needs mastery

Psychological Assessment
-somehow confident on this since I have background in Psychological Stats
-I need to explore more tests utilized in various settings

Practicum
-still searching (ito rin kulang ko)

Right now: I added a new book which is Clinical Psychology for the treatment plan and other stuff not included in Psychotep, DSM 5, and AbPsych. I'm in chapter 2. 💚

Long way to go! 48 days to go before January 1 and I'm aiming to finish the books. 😥😭
#RoadtoRPsy #BabyStepstoRPsy

BLEPP2017 OATH-TAKING: WEAR WHAT YOU LOVE

While straight future RPms are excited about the forthcoming oath-taking, some members of the LGBTQ+ community are anxious on what to wear.

To my LGBTQ RPm bessies who are unsure of attending the oath-taking, please do attend this once in a lifetime event! Be who you are and wear what makes you feel comfortable!

I wore my barong and I love it! My mama and friends love it! So, wear it! Be proud! 🦄🌈😉
#NotoConditionsofWorth #YestoUnconditionalPositiveRegard #lovewins

A Note to Self

Take it slow.

Great things are molded by painstaking efforts, deliberated risks, and great deal of time. Work for it. Wait for it.

BABY STEPS TO RPsy: PUMPED UP AGAIN

I changed the color of my Twitter from blue to red.
I changed my bio and it says. "discendo discimus."
I started to write the proposed table of specifications to my new journal and wrote something on it. I wrote it to mark what I really want to happen in 2018 and I hope it will come true.

I started my countdown. I will try as hard as I can to cherish my days and to read more books. Will I pass the RPsy board? Que sera, sera. I'm a bit excited.

UNENDING WISHES

Imagine, kahit na makuha mo na yung mga bagay na gusto mo... 

aabot ka pa rin sa point na, "ano na?" o "ano ng next?"

Kung meron man na walang katapusan,

yun yung walang katapusang kahilingan.

Ngayong alam mo,

kung minsan,

ayos lang na makuntento.

#ILived in #BLEPP2017

This is the compilation of my journey as lecturer with the aspiring RPms of RGO Psychology Review Center. Meet the inang reyna and some of the amazing lecturers of this family!

I hope you enjoy! Pagbabalik-tanaw! 

To Almost RPms

credits to the original owner of the photo used

Sa almost RPms, hindi man tayo magkakilala pero para 'to sa'yo. Alam kong kailangan mo ng space at ng katahimikan pero sana, kung nasaan ka man ngayon, mabasa mo 'to.

Sa kalagitnaan ng ingay at ng saya, sana mahanap mo ang sarili mong kapanatagan. Sana malaman mong mas marami pa rin kaming taong naniniwala sa'yo kahit na sobrang nadidismaya ka sa sarili mo.

Malungkot ka, umiyak, masaktan, at madapa ngunit tandaan mong mas higit na mahalaga ang bumangon sa bawat kabiguan. It's a good fight! Mabuhay ka!

May mga oras na nagkukulang tayo para matuto, para malaman ang dapat punan, at masubukan ang mga taong dadamay sa atin sa oras ng ganitong pagkakataon.

Bes, nandito kami para sa'yo. Bibigyan ka namin ng panahon para mag-isa...pero bukas ah? O kahit sa mga susunod na araw...maghihintay kaming lahat na bumalik kang muli sa lakas mo.

Kung mayroon man na dapat matutunan ngayon sa board exam, ito ay ang saya at aral na napulot sa paglalakbay. Isang mahaba at mahirap na lakbayin para sa almost RPms...

Nakakapagod, ano? Magpapahinga pero hinding-hindi susuko!

Sa susunod muli, bes! Tandaan:
Higit ka pa rin sa mga tanong na iyon.

YOU ARE FREE

Waking up each day thinking about how many mistakes you’ll commit today
How many people you’ll disappoint
How many things you’ll fail
Waking up each day blaming yourself for not being good
For not meeting their expectations
For not being how they want you to be
For not looking how it should be in the society
Pretending each day for their sake
Faking all you could fake


In this world where pretention means perfection
Pretention means adoration
And pretention means love
This is what you should do
This is what you should wear
This is how you should look
And this is how you should act
Do this and that so you’ll succeed
Do this and that so the people will look up to you
Do this and that so the people will love you
Do this and that so the society will accept you
“Forget about what you want to be for this is what you should be”
“Forget about dreaming for it is just crappy.”


And you work so hard trying to meet how it should be
That you forget about your dream
That you forget to ask yourself, “is this really what I want to be?”
You work so hard that negativity consumed the whole you
You work so hard that you get tired


You get so tired of wearing that happy mask, that you should still smile even though you’re hurting
You get so tired of lying, that everything is okay even though your falling
You get so tired of thinking that this is right, even though you know deep in your heart that this is wrong
You get so tired of living someone else’s life


Then if you’re already tired, STOP IT.
Stop the pretentions.
Stop the self-hate.
Stop living like a bird in a cage
Stop living like the puppet of the society.
Stop holding back.


Show of who you are deep inside. All those thoughts and feelings you tried so desperately to hide.
Let yourself be consumed with positivity 
Do the things that make you happy
Be who you want to be for you are capable of so much more
Open your mind and just see how great you can be- your potential, ambitions, and dreams.


For I tell you this, you are precious and you are free.


Words:
Marian Jenn Principe

A Reminder

Hey,

You don't owe us. You don't need to please us. Don't be imprisoned by our expectations.

Just be happy. Just be who you are.

THREE YEARS AGO: YOUNG, DUMB, AND BROKE

Sabi ko nga sa title, young, dumb, and broke. Hahaha. Marami kasi akong katangahan noong fresh graduate ako at ayoko na i-elaborate lahat hahahaha. Broke kasi as in wala talaga, nganga! Saka syempre young, fresh nga e! hahaha. Iyan lang yata mapagmamalaki ko sa sarili ko yung pagiging fresh noon saka yung kasipagan sa school. Gusto ko lang i-share na nakakarelate ako sa karamihan sa inyo. Ito yung limang bagay tungkol sa akin na baka makarelate ka:

1. Naging isa ako sa tulad ninyong estudyante. Unpopular sa school. Papasok at lalabas ng school nang walang hassle hahaha! Walang ka-chitchat ng matagal. Marunong ako makisama pero hindi ako mahilig mag-share tungkol sa akin *ewan ko kung may trust issues ba ako* pero siguro naiisip ko wala naman dapat na ibahagi eh. hahaha. Hindi rin ako masipag magpupunta ng organization eh (huwag niyo kong gayahin hihi), mahilig lang akong magbasa ng books saka sa bahay at school lang talaga ako halos *konting landi rin*. Kung may oras akong maglakwatsa sobrang sa piling tao lang. Iyon ang naging priority ko. Mas nagfocus ako sa acads (nope, wala akong Latin honor).

2. Naging jobless ako rin ako nang grumaduate ako! HAHAHAHA. Iyak tawa ako nang maghanap ako ng work. Ang dami kong rejections! May mga oras na umiiyak talaga ako kasi ano bang wala sa akin na mayroon sa iba (well alam ko naman rin). HAHAHA. Bukod sa ang dami kong fats that time, nasa state U ako tapos ang dami kong doubts sa interview. HAHAHAHA ayoko na ulit balikan. Ang ginawa ko lang niyan, nagpractice lang ako ng nagpractice. Inipon ang lakas ng loob, kinapalan ang mukha, at bira nang bira basta kaya!

3. Naghanap rin ako ng way para makapasok sa graduate school kahit na intimidated ako sa classmates ko na magagaling saka may positions na samantalang ako kapag orientation:

"I'm (insert full name), and I'm a full-time student." *smile ng konti hahaha*
Ngingisi yung prof habang nakatingin lang sa akin.

Oh di ba, nakakahiya samantalang classmates ko aabutin ng mga 5 to 10 minutes magpakilala tapos may follow-up questions pa yung prof na interested sa kanila kasi magiging connections tapos ako ngingisi lang siya tapos minsan aasarin ka pa. Kebs lang ako niyan, focus lang ako sa positive saka focus lang ako sa gusto ko. Alam kong lahat ng bagay ay inaabot ng matagal na panahon bago mo makuha.

4. Ang dami-dami kong doubts saka ang dami kong insecurities tulad mo. Maliit rin yung tingin ko sa sarili ko noon *haha maliit rin ako in person*. Kailan lang naman ako nagkaroon ng confidence kakapraktis sa mga bagay-bagay. Hahaha. Sa ngayon, mayroon pa rin naman akong doubts especially kapag clinical practice na ang usapan. Totoo iyan kasi IO major ako. Hindi ako nahihiyang aminin, hindi ko alam lahat! *bow* Pero willing naman akong matutunan!

5. Self-review ako nang first board exam. Tulad mo, sobrang kinabog ako ng takot! Lalo na lahat kami noong 2014 first board examination nangangapa sa dilim kung ano ang lalabas na mga tanong. Talagang bulaga na lang ang lahat e! Ang baba ng mga national passing rate namin noon hahaha.

Ano ang point nito? Gusto ko lang iparating sa'yo na kung minsan, natural na wala kang makitang future mo. Naranasan ko rin ang pakiramdam na parang stucked na ako. Ito na yung ending. Wala yata akong future sa field ng psychology.

Iyon pala, minsan kailangan mo lang sumubok kahit na takot ka! Hindi mo alam kung saan ka dadalhin ng mga pagbabakasali mo...tulad ko noon. Hindi ko akalain na mayroon rin naman palang naghihintay sa akin.

Alam kong mayroon rin para sa'yo. Huwag ka lang susuko! Wala pa yung results pero gusto ko lang ipaalala sa'yo na kapiraso pa lang ito ng yugto ng kwento mo. Marami pang darating na characters sa buhay mo at mga pangyayaring dapat mong abangan! Ano man ang mangyari, kailangan mong maniwala sa kakayahan mo kahit gaano ka pa hindi ka confident. Piliin mong lumaban, bumangon, mag-improve! Kung nakikita mo na may kulang, eh di good! Alam mo na mayroon ka pang dapat na punan, di ba?

Sa una talaga ang pinakamahirap at pinaka-intense pero kapag nasimulan mo nang malampasan, kahit paano mabilis-bilis ka na rin. Basta tuloy-tuloy mo lang! Walang sukuan ah!

Fast forward natin besh, hindi pa ako mayaman hahaha. Medyo bata pa rin naman ako, hindi pinakamagaling pero natututo, at kumikita naman na ako kahit paano para sa akin at sa family ko.

Ikaw na yung susunod. Good luck!

Pin ko! Magkakaroon ka rin nito! Tiwala lang!

KEEP YOUR COMPOSURE

Defense mechanism kay Freud, safeguarding tendencies kay Adler, escape mechanisms kay Fromm, neurotic trends o kaya secondary adjustment techniques kay Horney, at security operations kay Sullivan, ano man ang tawag natin diyan...iisa lang halos ng theme yan.

Usually, we try to reduce our anxiety or distress in various ways. Please choose to confront it instead of trying to attribute those negative experiences to your external locus of control.

Sabi nga may creative power ka, use it! When you choose to deny it ( in Freudian terms) or selective inattention (in Sullivanian terms), you will only temporarily relieve the anxiety. Maintain your composure! Mamaya may mabitawan kang pagsisisihan mo rin sa huli, sige ka.

It's better to be congruent with your feelings. Be true. Be authentic. Kung nagkulang ka, nagkulang ka. Walang perfect at ayos lang naman yun. Normal naman yun.

As long as ginawa mo naman ang best mo at nating lahat para malampasan yan, yun na yun besh. Okay? Wala pang results. Keep the hope and spread love.