One Face Of OCD

Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale-Cegelski.

Whether or not you know someone who has a mental illness, there is one thing to realize about these individuals. They live their lives through the symptoms of their illness, often with the help of medications. Frequently, when you meet them, you would never know that they have a mental illness, because there is no physical sign. Yet, some individuals with mental illness live distinguished lives, somehow rising above their challenges.

One such individual is Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale-Cegelski. Ph.D., LMSW. She has been spotlighted in the 2014 June newsletter, Peace Of Mind Quarterly, an online publication of the PEACE OF MIND FOUNDATION.



At age thirteen, Elizabeth was first diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). At the time, her intrusive thoughts and rituals were so intense that her physicians thought she was untreatable. But her parents were persistent and didn't settle for this prognosis. They took her to the MENNINGER PSYCHIATRIC CLINIC, which was located in Topeka, Kansas back then.

She was admitted to the inpatient unit and that's where she learned techniques to help reduce her OCD symptoms. The program utilized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), along with exposure and response prevention (ERP), and those were the techniques that helped Elizabeth control her OCD symptoms. These techniques have allowed her to live her life to the fullest.

Then Elizabeth began sharing her story with others who had OCD and other types of mental illnesses. Because of her experiences, she founded the Peace of Mind Foundation, which provides education and awareness of OCD, along with support and treatment resources for those affected by OCD. She believes that everyone should have access to research-backed and effective treatments.

In her role as a professional and leader at the foundation, she worked with experts and established the OCD Challenge, a free self-help program for those who have and live with OCD. Since its start, the program has helped more than 1000 individuals.

The OCD Challenge, which helps so many through self-help.

All of this doesn't mean that Elizabeth is symptom-free. The techniques that she has learned help her to reduce the symptoms. That means an ability to live her life. At one time, treatment experts didn't think she could complete high school, but she went far beyond that, earning her Ph.D. in social work. She even got married in 2013. She's truly an example that there is hope, that even though she has OCD symptoms, she can live an outstanding life. She may have to take the time to utilize techniques to reduce her symptoms, but that doesn't get in her way. She truly lives her life fully and believes, " "that no one should have to suffer in silence, there is help; there is hope."

The OCD Challenge information table, spreading the word.

Thanks for information from this newsletter on Peace Of Mind Foundation blog: http://www.peaceofmind.com/summer-2014-peace-of-mind-quarterly/; and the above links.

Click here to view more details

Click here: WEBSA.LEAH.CAKE.BOSS MEMBERSHIP

Two Award Winning Financial Advisers At Glass Jacobson

Glass Jacobson's logo.

One of the smaller financial companies in the Baltimore area is GLASS JACOBSON FINANCIAL GROUP. Among its services, the company provides accounting and consulting to other businesses, along with offering investment advising services.

A mark of how good this company's services really are is that not just one, but two of its employees were named FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD winners. Now, it's not easy to win this award, either, nor can a candidate for this award be self-nominated. There are, in fact, ten eligibility criteria, on which nominees are evaluated - 1. Credentialing as registered investment adviser or registered investment adviser representative; 2. Active while a credentialed professional in the financial services sector for five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review; 4. Fulfilled their company's review based on internal standards; 5. Is accepting new clients; 6. Has a one-year client retention rate; 7. Also has a five-year client retention rate; 8. Administered non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets; 9. Number of households served; and 10. Educational and professional designations.



One of the recognized Glass Jacobson professionals is Jon Dinkins. He stated, upon this prestigious recognition, "I care about people, and I care about their dreams. I've seen a lot of people abused by bad advice and bad advisors. When I got into the industry, commission brokers and commission insurance agents were holding themselves out as investment professionals and were just selling products for the sake of commission. It was detrimental to the clients and, at times, very costly; it wasn't a level playing field. Often times, I do things for clients that could be considered detrimental to my own practice, but it's more important for me that they are taken care of - that's my fiduciary responsibility."

Marina Sidelnikova has also received the same recognition. Marina discussed her company's background in the financial sector, "Glass Jacobson Financial Group was founded in 1962 and is a full-service CPA and wealth management firm headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland, The firm specializes in working with business owners of companies operating in technology, construction, real estate, and medical and dental services. Glass Jacobson employs more than 70 people between its Owings Mills and Rockville offices and serves both national and international clients through its affiliation with Integra International, an association of independent accounting, tax, audit and consulting firms throughout the United States and the world."

Glass Jacobson and Adelburg, Rudow, Dorf, & Hendler executives at CEO luncheon both companies sponsored.

Then, Marina added, "I would like to sincerely thank my clients for the opportunity to serve them and for allowing me to build invaluable professional and personal relationships over all these years. It is a recognition that made me feel proud of the quality of work I do for Glass Jacobson clients."

Another employee, Tammy Schneider, is recognized as Woman To Watch (Experienced Leader).

Thanks for information from this article on Glass Jacobson: http://www.glassjacobson.com/news-posts/jon-dinkins-of-glass-jacobson-financial-group-wins-2016-five-star-wealth-manager-award/; this article on the same site: http://www.glassjacobson.com/news-posts/quisque-eu-ipsum-in-justo/; and the above links.

Click here to visit Hedge Fund Job List.

Click here: AMAZON WORDPRESS PLUGIN - WP BOUNCE

Sharing Nature's Bounty With Less Fortunate Neighbors

Planted gardens lead to harvested crops.

Sometimes looks can be deceiving. To look at the BERKSHIRES area of Massachusetts, you would believe the area is populated by the more affluent. It's an area where tourists come to soak in the views and atmosphere. There are the arts, music, and recreation, readily available to both locals and tourists. The towns are small, the families are close-knit; it's a small slice of Americana, complete with majestic views.

But behind the scenes, out of view of the tourists and wealthier residents, are people who are barely making it. Botanist Daniel Lewis took note of his neighbors in need. Because the area is rural, resources can be gotten at a distance. The nearest grocer is seven miles away. If a resident couldn't afford a car, that could limit choices to the small, more expensive local general stores.



Daniel stated, "My wife and I were shocked to find so many people living life on the edge of bankruptcy in such an affluent area as the Berkshires of Massachusetts. This fact, coupled with the distance to a supermarket and the propensity of those on a fixed income not to have a vehicle, inspired us to action."

His idea sparked the start of the WEST STOCKBRIDGE COMMUNITY GARDEN & FOOD BANK. The idea was to combine the yield from the community garden with produce donated by farmers' markets, to supply the dinner tables of residents in need. This project is also entirely run by volunteers. Part of the project trains these volunteers in basic and more advanced gardening techniques. Whatever is grown and harvested in the volunteer-planted gardens becomes available to lower-income residents, who lack the transportation to get to the supermarket. Mr. Lewis figures that this planted area can furnish produce for around forty residents. Residents who don't have enough space to maintain their own gardens can plant a space at the community gardens.

Mr. Lewis discussed the details, "Not only will we enrich the land we farm by using organic practices, we will educate the volunteers and the recipients in growing their own food and building a stronger community. Our project directly promotes social justice by connecting the so-called 'haves and have nots' in our special community."

The sign leads to fresh produce and help for those who are food-challenged.

Consider this: Mr. Lewis' community garden project was in the planning stages through most of 2014. The following year, the group was able to have several harvests and distributions of the produce grown. From thought to reality, that's how it rolls!

Clearing the land the traditional way, no pollution.

Thanks for information from this article by Pollination Project: http://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/daniel-lewis-west-stockbridge-community-garden-and-produce-bank/; and the above links.

Click here to view more details

Click here: BITBACK - FILE RECOVERY TOOL

One To One, Eye To Eye

Shane Grimes making lemonade with students from Lafayette Junior High School.

It's not easy when you find out that your child has a learning disability. It's not easy when you're the one that has the learning disability. You have probably struggled through a school system that didn't understand the challenges, although there are more public schools now that get it.

There's an organization out there, EYE TO EYE, that pairs an older student, knowledgeable about the struggles, with a younger person still making his/her way through school. There are chapters everywhere in the US, and more being established. If you are the parent of a young student with a learning disability, your child can receive support from someone who has been there.

Purdue University, in its DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER, has a branch of Eye To Eye's mentoring program. It's a program that helps mentors strengthen their self-awareness, self esteem, and self-determination.



Shane Grimes is a Purdue University student who has been there. He didn't learn to read until he was in the fourth grade, and he couldn't pass a standardized test until he was a junior in high school. Yet, fresh from having completed his bachelor's degree at Purdue's College of Agriculture, he shares his story with students in middle school and high school.

According to Mr. Grimes, "There was a time when I was unsure whether I'd graduate from high school, let alone go to college. Fortunately, I've learned not to dwell on my weaknesses. The main thing is to figure out how to highlight your strengths."

The mentors in Purdue's Eye To Eye program utilize an arts-based curriculum to help mentees understand their own way of thinking, by developing better self esteem and by becoming their own advocates. This program at Purdue has worked with West Lafayette School Corporation for the past four years. College students with learning disabilities are paired with younger students. They meet together for an hour each week, working on art projects to explore their own future aspirations.

As their art project this year, the young charges were tasked with creating a comic book-style career booklet with potential careers they wanted to have later on in their lives.Also, this year Shane served as one of the student coordinators. He discussed his experience, "One of my students was really struggling in science and math, and he wasn't getting his homework done. When I saw in his book that he wanted to be an EMT, I started asking him why the profession appealed to him, and what he'd have to do to make it happen."

Mr. Grimes had conversations with this student in which the student came to realize how important math and science were in his career choice. He also noticed that the younger students were very much helped by seeing these older versions of themselves in college, handling the difficulties and overcoming them.

Susie Swenson is an accommodation specialist at Purdue and the official advisor for Eye To Eye. She reported, "One of the best parts about this program is being able to see the student mentors and mentees just click. In addition to developing these students' confidence and self-advocacy skills, the program lets mentees know that someone is taking time to give them attention, show that they care. and build a connection."

On the other side of the equation is Lori Eubank, a special education teacher at West Lafayette Junior High School. She reported that her students look forward to activities with Eye To Eye. She added, "One of the greatest outcomes from Eye To Eye, from my perspective, is the increased awareness of how advocating and utilizing accommodations can help. Some of the students who participate don't even know what an IEP is before attending Eye To Eye."

Mentees in the Bishop O'Dowd High School program graduate from Eye To Eye.

At the end of the semester-length program, the younger students presented their art projects in a show at West Lafayette High School, along with a ceremony marking their graduation from the program. After Shane marked his own graduation from the University, he said, "When I think about this experience, I realize that that I've learned more from these kids than they learned from me....It makes me even more grateful to be able to give back in such a meaningful way."

Mentor Gerald Porter, University of Wisconsin, and Brianna Malin, University of Illinois.

Thanks for information from this article by Andrea Thomas on Purdue University Disability Resource Center: http://www.purdue.edu/studentsuccess/specialized/drc/about/EyetoEye.html; along with the above links.

Click here to view more details

Click here: TAI CHI CHI KUNG SHORT FORM DVD

Virtual Giving Circles

One more member benefit, a free copy of this book.

By far, the majority of us aren't wealthy. That's true worldwide and throughout the US. So, when we donate money, our impact is not in the millions of dollars, but even measured as single dollars. However, we much less wealthy people are also quite generous, well beyond the generosity of the obscenely wealthy. So, it's not that surprising that we would want to make a difference with our small amount of dollars.

One way that is still on the rise is giving circles. In many cases, these giving circles vet the organizations in need to make sure that they fit the direction of members of that giving circle. Sharon Lipinski is more than familiar with the concept of giving circles. She is the founder of CHANGE GANGS: VIRTUAL GIVING CIRCLES, which operates online to connect people to a giving circle that is focuses on a specific area. Potential donors can search for one compatible with the causes a potential donor wants to support.



The advantage of this approach is that, because of the many donations of circle members, a greater impact of those dollars is noticeable and the organizations are likely to utilize the donations more efficiently. That gives you a bigger bang for each dollar donated.

Those advantages have been noted by Ms. Lipinski, who commented, "Good philanthropy isn't easy. Our donations can be wasted on inefficient charities or unethical charities...on programs that don't work or no one wants. Even worse, our donation can hurt the very people we're trying to help. Good philanthropy requires knowledge, experience, and time."

How the giving circle process works.

The website has several different giving circles, encompassing the areas of compassion for pets, busting poverty, or supporting veterans. Fully participating donors give $25 per month, but a donor can also start as low as one dollar per month and work up to the membership level. Those who donate at the $25 level get access to the circle's site and can even nominate charities to receive the donations, along with voting on nominated charities. Those at the lower contribution level don't have the latter two privileges. This is a disciplined way to make sure that you donate a portion of your earnings to charity and to see the results of those donations pooled together.

Spreading the word through television appearances.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollination Project: http://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/sharon-lipinski-change-gangs-virtual-giving-circles/; and the above link.

Click here to view more details

Click here: EVERYDAY EDUCATION - HOMESCHOOL RESOURCE

Another Way Of Empowering End Of Life Choices

At the end of life, choices can be made.

Sometimes when a big name star becomes involved with a health care organization, it is a great help to that organization fulfilling its mission. It was with that hope that NARUS HEALTH, an organization that combines managed care with palliative care, joined forces with country singer Tim McGraw. This company's founding CEO, Michael Burcham, cuts a fairly large figure himself within Nashville's health care and entrepreneurial arena. But adding Mr. McGraw to the board of directors does provide additional star clout.

You see, by adding Tim McGraw, Narus Health has now combined country music with health care and expanded its audience at the same time. Besides his fans, Mr. McGraw also brings in the resources from the TUG MCGRAW FOUNDATION, his personal foundation.



Tim McGraw's father is well-known baseball pitcher Tug McGraw, who died from brain cancer. So, pairing with this palliative care organization was a good fit. Tim said, "When I learned of Narus Health's patient-focused approach, helping people with serious illness live their lives, it struck a chord. I remember all the decisions my dad had to make along the way, and the support system he needed throughout his journey."

Mr. McGraw continued, "When you are facing a serious illness, you need a dedicated team to ride alongside you. People who will listen, provide support and guidance for you and your family, and give you a voice in your health care decisions. That's the kind of care everyone deserves, and it's why I'm partnering with Narus Health."

Having had the experience of a loved one who required that type of support will certainly enhance the contribution that Tim McGraw can make as a board member. Even CEO Michael Burcham has had personal experience in losing a beloved friend and family member, Tommy Cato, before he launched Narus Health last year.

In fact, Mr. McGraw and Mr. Burcham had already met through some friends and had been discussing their shared experience in supporting loved ones who were facing terminal illnesses. Both Narus and the Tug McGraw Foundation are hoping to work collaboratively in some shared initiatives within the next few months.

Mr. Burcham discussed their relationship, "When Tim and I shared our personal stories of loved ones who faced a serious illness and the incredible amount of stress it placed on our families, we quickly realized we shared a passion for making a difference. We talked about ways we could give consumers a voice in their health care choices, support their families, and provide them the guidance and resources they need to make informed decisions. We both knew at that moment: we could combine our teams and our talents to do something meaningful for families all over America."

Tug McGraw pitching for the Phillies.

Giving patients and families a voice in their care is something that nurses everywhere will recognize, since we try to do that every day in patient care. Making sure patients and families have all the information and resources that they need to make complex decisions is empowering. The end of life presents choices in how that important life passage happens. I think it is something for which we all have our wishes.

Joe Gibbs and team in front of The Brain Food Garden, funded through Tug McGraw Foundation.

Thanks for information from this article on Tug McGraw Foundation: http://www.tugmcgraw.org/tmfnews/Tim_McGraw_Joining_Forces_to_Further_Improve_Quality_of_Life_for_others; and the above links.

Click here to view more details

Good Times While Providing Secure IT Services

New conference room allows for onsite training.

It's a company that has two different offices, with headquarters in Columbia, MD, and its other location in Augusta, GA. INTELLIGENESIS (IG), which has now been in business for nine years, is a small company that is both veteran- and woman-owned. It provides IT security, AI, and other cyber-related services to National Security missions and companies.

Recently, the company has been on the lookout for various levels of software developers. Career opportunities are available in the Cloud Collaboration lab that includes high end, massive scale development. Some of the benefits include 10% matching contribution to your 401k; complete education, training and certification reimbursement; and a technology bonus. If you have the skills and experience, you might be interested in giving this company a look.



As occurs with a company that is on the move and growing, so it is with IntelliGenesis. The company's administrative offices have moved to a new suite. Headquarters is still in the same building on Columbia Gateway Drive, but is now upgraded into a larger suite that can house its growing numbers of staff. The main renovations have been completed and all that remain are a few minor touch-ups. The suite downstairs is still owned by IG, but they now share it with Traversed.

Among the nicer touches, the new suite gives the company larger offices, a bigger conference room, and a larger kitchen. The employees are happy with the bigger space. The building itself now includes the company's name on the outside.

A measure of IG's commitment to the community is its Neal Sullivan Memorial Scholarship. It is available to high school seniors and provides a $1,000 award to three graduating seniors, who are planning to major in Computer Science, or some other technological field. Applications for this year have ended as of March 31.

Work staff out in the roomy hallway.

Now here's a measure of how much IG can be a fun place to work! In March, the company invited its employees out for a Paint Night. The event was held at Pinot's Pallette in Ellicott City. Participants spent time learning how to paint their own masterpieces. Then it was off to painting their masterwork. The theme was a Maryland favorite, interpretations of blue crabs. All for Maryland's best, raise your blue crab. Good times, good fun, friendly workplace - there's nothing better.

Time to kick back and do a little painting.

Thanks for information from this set of articles on IntelliGenesis: http://www.intelligenesisllc.com/category/news/; and the above link.

Click here to view more details

Click here: INTERNET COOKBOOK COLLECTION