Despite Happy Lives, Americans Debilitated by Rare Negative Events

     It may come as no surprise for a nation built on capitalistic measures of success, but it seems that Americans really do seem to require bigger, more powerful experiences in order to feel better about themselves.

     According to a new study published in the October issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, positive events have a weaker effect on Americans as compared to Japanese and Koreans. Although Americans are more likely to be generally happier than their Asian counterparts, their contentment is more restrained in positive conditions and they are more distressed when negative situations arise.

     Specifically, the study found that the number of positive events required to offset one negative event for European Americans is 1.91, while Koreans were found to need 1.32 positive events, and Asian Americans 1.31, while Japanese came in at an even 1:1. The results imply that those who are generally happier have higher expectations about the regularity of that happiness. If one is always expecting positive events, their potency pales in comparison to the occasional negative event.

     Further, the research suggests that while experiencing many positive events may boost “global happiness,” an abundance of positive events also could reduce the impact of those events on “daily happiness.”

For more about this study, visit the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

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THERAPIST SPOTLIGHT: Kathleen E. Scheg, J.D., LCPC, NCC

     It’s been said that in Washington you can find just about any kind of lawyer you’d like. A psychotherapist with a J.D. is rare, however. Lawyers working with PC&CC’s lawyer-therapist Kathleen E. Scheg have found it beneficial to find a counselor with insider knowledge about their challenges and world-views.

     Scheg was a successful public interest lawyer for 25 years before finding a new call to study body-centered psychotherapy. It was after attending a Core Energetics workshop, Scheg found herself considering a career move. “I was so impressed that I said, ‘That’s how I want to help people next,’” she recalls.

     While completing the four-year Core Energetics certification program, Maryland instituted licensure opportunities for counselors. Scheg then decided to augment her study with a master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Loyola College. “Not only had I been on a spiritual journey my whole life,” she notes, “but the essence of Core Energetics is spiritually-integrated body psychotherapy. I really wanted a counseling degree that would continue to integrate spirituality and psychology.” Today she sits on the board of the U.S. Association for Body Psychotherapy and its ethics committee.

     Scheg describes Core Energetics as an approach to therapy that helps a person recognize her essential self, despite the various traumas and childhood wounds that may prevent living life fully. “I work with the typical psychological problems that other therapists work with, but also focus on who the person actually is, apart from any defenses,” she explains. “In working with the body as well as the mind, you can sometimes move things along faster or in a different way than if it was just talk therapy. I do a lot of talk therapy with my clients, but I also integrate the body work.”

     She notes that Core Energetics believes that the core of a person is the soul and that its nature is love. When painful or negative experiences happen, a person creates energy blocks to protect the integrity of the self and block the pain. The process seeks to unblock the defenses, move the stuck energy to create healthy life flow, and transform the negative thoughts and emotions back into positive, loving energy.

     In addition to body-centered psychotherapy, Scheg’s specialties include anger management, working with adults with childhood trauma, and career counseling. She notes that her own life experience is often encouraging to clients dealing with the career issues. “When people are struggling with what they want to do next in their lives, the fact that I’ve made the transition from one profession to another allows them, no matter what profession they’re in, to feel as though I understand what they’re trying to do,” she says.

Scheg works at PC&CC's Takoma Park office. She may be reached at 202-449-3789 x710.

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REFERRAL CORNER: Lethality Assessment Tools

     Police departments across the country are familiarizing themselves with a new tool to combat domestic violence. Aiming to get those at risk into counseling, they are employing so-called “lethality assessments,” which are lists of questions that help gauge the probability that a person may be killed by a loved one.

     Many in caregiving roles find themselves on the front lines of this battle, as victims of domestic abuse often contact clergy and counselors for assistance. Knowing the right questions to ask may both help the victim understand the severity of her situation and guide the counselor toward the proper resources. The National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence offers the following list of questions to help measure the lethality of a threat to someone’s safety:

1. Is the batterer violent out side the home?

2. Is the batterer violent against the children?

3. Has the batterer made threats of homicide to the victim of children?

4. Has the batter made threats of suicide?

5. Are threats and violence escalating?

6. Is the batterer using alcohol or drugs?

7. Has the batterer abused the victim while pregnant?

8. Has the victim attempted to leave or divorce the abuser?

9. Has the batterer sexually assaulted the victim?

10. Is the batterer obsessed with the victim?

11. Has the batterer seriously injured the victim?

12. Has the batterer threatened family or friends?

13. Are there deadly weapons – guns or knives in the home?

14. Does the victim fear for her life?

     The National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence notes that there is no magic formula for determining these risks, but urges caregivers to take the responses seriously and discuss a victim’s responses candidly. PC&CC therapists are available anytime for consultation on this and other therapeutic topics.

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Relationship Tip of the Month

Setting the Time and Place for Conversation

     PC&CC’s Carolyn Buresh has learned a few things during her marriage of nearly 20 years. In order to keep the peace and be productive when tackling big issues, she recommends that couples avoid bringing up loaded topics at bed time or right before rushing out to work or appointments. “You might end up arguing all night since you are tired and less able to function with that material in the way you'd like to. Or you might go off to work feeling anxious or upset. That's tough if you have to perform at a demanding job,” she says. Instead, Buresh advises that you ask for an appointment to discuss a particular issue. “Put it in your planner,” she says. This way, any potential volatility will be diffused and both parties will have time to prepare a response.

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PC&CC EVENT CALENDAR:

     PC&CC’s upcoming “Getting the Love You Want” couples workshops are slated for Nov. 17-18 in Washington, Jan. 26-27 in Washington, and March 8-9 in Kansas City, Mo.

     This workshop is for you if…

• You want to enrich a good relationship,
•  You are beginning a relationship you want to keep
•  You are struggling with the relationship you have and want to resolve painful conflicts,
•  You are near breakup and want to decide if the relationship can be saved.

Past attendees have described the experience as powerful, deeply spiritual, inspiring, and fun. The two-day course offers the equivalent of 6 months in couples counseling work. Click here for more information.