PSYCHE

PsΨche Dyslexia

2015-2016

What is dyslexia and why does it happen?

Pet Therapy A look into the world of therapy animals and their handlers.

Consumed Depression in modern teens is increasing rapidly. What is the cause of this?

The purpose of psychology is to give us a completely different idea of the things we know best.

- Paul Valery

Contents Psyche | Fall 2015

Influence of Rules

Consumed

10

16

An in-depth look into rules and how they affect society.

By: Seth Ellington

Public Speaking

22

Consumed, a story on depression and how it can consume a person.

By: Anna De La Fuente

Letter from the Editor

6

4 Psyche | Fall | 2015

A story on how public speaking anxiety affecst us and how to deal with it.

By: Sergio Flores

About the Authors

8

Dyslexia

Pet Therapy

28

34

A feature on understanding dyslexia and its effects on education.

By: Alicia Ramos

The effects of pet therapy, and how therapy dogs are trained.

By: Elyshia Danaher

Five Ways to Reduce Stress

10 Important Figures in Psychology

Graphology: The Study of Handwriting

14

32

38

Easy ways to reduce stress.

People who impacted psycology in a great way.

What your handwriting says about you.

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Letter From The Editor

Hello!

I am the Editor in Chief of this magazine, Seth Ellington, and I’d like to say a few words about its production, and the work we put into it. Thank you so much for deciding to look into our work. I hope you enjoy.

There’s something very magical about coming together with a group of strangers to create. Based on only one common interest, (psychology) we were pulled together, unaware of much of anything about each other. And we were told to create a whole magazine. We were told we had a semester with these five strangers to generate a full, professional magazine.

The task seemed impossible. But we made it through this challenging ordeal. Through all those sighs and laughs and frustrations and interviews that were infinitely postponed, we finally made the magazine.

6 Psyche| Fall|2015

This is a magazine about psychology. But psychology isn’t just a study of behaviour. It’s a study of ourselves. Of the way social systems work. Of how we, as a society and as individuals, function. That is what we have studied, and questioned, and written about. And now we are preparing to spread this information to all of you readers. So please, enjoy these stories and facts and playful images about how the minds of the world work and what influences these minds. Thank you for reading.

A Lovely Image Of Yours Truly

7 Psyche| Fall|2015

Contributors’ Page Psychology, the science of the human mind and its functions, relates to everyone in some way. Yet, it’s always fascinated me, how the brain works sort of like a labyrinth with never-ending twists and turns that wreak havoc in daily life. My choice to write about dyslexia came from a fascination that I’ve always had with researching topics I know nothing about, from scratch, and just, learning from it. My other hobbies include sketch work, and I hope to go into neurobiology as my major.

The study of the human mind is something that has intrigued humanity for thousands of years, evoking questions and curiosity about who we are and how we work. As a freshman at LASA, I myself am ever-curious,and wanted to answer some of these questions myself. My article on depression stemmed from a fascination with mental chemistry and imbalances, and how an ever-changing environment can affect them. In my free time, I like to write, travel,and study languages.

Psychology is something that is very interesting to me, I want to understand how the human brain works. I enjoy watching shows that have any sort of psychological part. The reason I wrote my article on pet therapy was because I love animals. I have four pets and I thought it would be interesting to show how animals are not just companions, but friends who can help you mentally.

The human mind is a very riveting thing. Knowing how another human thinks and operates has always been something I find intriguing simply for itself. I wrote my article on rules because it’s not something we typically think about: it is a part of our lives we simply gloss over and never question, and as a freshman in a new school I have to learn a new set of rules, something I hadn’t realized until I arrived here at LASA. My hobbies include piano, guitar, running, eating food, appreciating llamas, but appreciating alpacas slightly more.

Brains, consciousness, memory. All very interesting, all fall under the umbrella of psychology. Psychology is very interesting to me, thus I went ahead and wrote about public speaking. It is an aspect of psychology that everyone’s had to deal with at some point. While I’m not writing about public speaking, I enjoy playing the guitar, playing video games, and reading. As a freshman at LASA, writing about public speaking has really opened my eyes to the world of psychology.

8 Psyche|Fall|2015

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay

Influence of Rules

By Seth Ellington

W

e live by rules. Every day, we are subject to rules.

Whether you are driving, walking down a street, or simply sitting at home, there are many rules that any given member of our society is subject to. This is especially true in schools, with their many rules and regulations regarding student behaviour. Rules are always there, looming over you, whether you notice them or not. But why? Why do these rules exist? Are they effective?

“We model expectations around [these] rules,” says Paul Cruz, the

plays a huge role in creating the rules present in schools. He says he creates these rules in order to help our school function as a unit, so we can work together as a society.

“In general humans enjoy society, going towards a goal as a group,” says Melissa Rivera, LASA Wellness Counselor.

Rivera says any group of humans with a goal or set of goals is what we are defined as a society. But how does one organize this society?

“Often, the best way to make a society work is to have rules in place,”

Austin Independent School District Superintendent. “We have certain standards we want all students to meet in behaviour.”

Cruz says that rules are a way to eliminate behaviours we deem counter-productive or negative, in order to create good members of society. Rules and expectations are a concept that affects us all here in schools, says Melissa Rivera, a Liberal Arts and Science Academy Wellness Counselor in Austin. Cruz

Rivera says.

Rivera says that rules are the means of having a society effectively work together. This is the purpose of rules: to help guide us so that we can work together in a more efficient way. Rules are a means of organizing a group of people to achieve a certain goal. Rules affect almost everyone, almost everywhere, but Rivera says that rules have an especially great effect on high school students. Rivera says that rules are

“We model expectations around [these] rules,”

10 Psyche| Fall| 2016

Photo Courtesy Of Freeimages

A Visual Representation of Working Together To rules important because they Accomplish A Goal

set expectations for students to grow in a safe and accepting environment.

Rules date back since the beginning of society, says Richard H. McAdams, author of “The Origin, Development, and Regulation of Norms.” However, rules do have their drawbacks. Rivera also says that rules can create stress.

“I would say the most common issues that we see in students are anxiety and depression, or dealing with stress which comes as a result of academics or transitioning to a new school,” Rivera says.

This proves the negative effects that

come with. Although Rivera says that rules are a necessary part of any society to function properly, she also says that they carry stress, anxiety, and depression with them for those who cannot cope with them.

Rivera says that students typically respond to rules in a maladaptive way.

This maladaptive way could be a wide range of unhealthy reactions.

This includes overeating, sleeping less, and simply not taking care of yourself.

Rivera says that when rules put pressure on you, you’re forced to change in order to fit that pressure before you

11 Psyche| Fall| 2016

break. Rivera says that there are many coping methods you can engage in to deal with this stress.

“There are so many strategies… from drawing and coloring to tae kwon do to playing a game to reading or crafting knitting or sewing,” Says Rivera.

Rivera says that we need to step back sometimes, and let kids be kids. Play a game, talk to a friend. Just lift our burdens for a while. But Rivera also says that indulging in this too much can be negative.

“If your coping skill is playing games but you play for three hours and avoid what you should be doing, that can cause more stress and is probably not a good coping skill.”

Rivera says.

Rivera says that while relaxing is good, avoiding your problems is not.

When you avoid problems, they just build up and make you more anxious.

But if these problems are present, and affect the students as greatly as Rivera says, do the students themselves get a say in these rules?

“We do want schools and students to be engaged in [the rulemaking] process.” Cruz says.

Cruz says that having student involvement in rules such as the dress code is important. He says It is essential for students to know what rules are in place and why they are in place.

“We do have a [democratic] process in place for campus advisor councils, to determine what type of school rules should be in place,” Cruz says Cruz says that students and schools have some degree of “autonomy,” or the right to self-government, un-

12 Psyche| Fall| 2016

der a larger, overarching body of rules. However, in regards to individuals changing the larger overarching rules, Cruz made no comment other

“I don’t think that [students] currently [have a say in school rules], but I think that they should.” than to seek out the campus principal and talk to them directly.

“I don’t think that [students] currently [have a say in school rules],” says Fritzie Schwentker, LASA Freshman as well as co-author of “A Mother And Daughter Take On The Dress Code,” an article published by the Washington Post on June 2, 2014, “but I think that they should.”

She says she has been fighting a single rule for over a year now- school dress codes. She vehemently opposes this rule, calling it oppressive and sexist.

She’s not alone in this regard to be sure; on December 1, 2014, Women’s News released an article called “Students Say Dress Codes More for Girls Than Boys,” written by Anna Halkidis, a WeNews correspondent, which says that dress code is targeting women in an unfair and shaming way.

“Approximately 100 students from Bingham High School in South Jordan, Utah, walked out of class to demonstrate against the strict dress code at their homecoming dance,” says Halkidis.

Still, Schwentker wants to be sure. If

Photo Courtesy Of Flickr

Photo Courtesy Of Wikipedia Commons

Photo Courtesy Of Wikipedia Commons

Items Banned By The Austin ISD Dress Code Rules

she could change the rulemaking policy to fit her vision of a just system, she says she would “contact the student body themselves.” She supports a fully democratic system of rules, one where students each get to speak their mind and say how it should be.

“It’s a rule that directly affects us, it’s a rule about us and how we present ourselves,” Says Schwentker.

Schwentker says that students should be able to choose how they look.

Cruz says that students should follow

guidelines in order to know the expectations of the school and of life.

There is much clash here about what should or shouldn’t be done. But Rivera says that’s what rules are. They are us, as a society, deciding how to best reach our goals, whatever those may be for each individual. Rivera says that as a society, we will work together and find which rules are beneficial and which rules aren’t. It just takes a little time.

13 Psyche| Fall| 2016

Five Ways To

By Seth Ellington

1

A positive outlook can dramatically reduce stress experienced Positivity forces you to stop focusing on the bad, and instead focus on the more relaxing possible good outcomes.

Source: http://www.heart.org

2 Eating well can reduce stress greatly The nutrients consumed in food can greatly affect mood, including stress. Foods you can eat to reduce stress include berries, citrus fruits, (especially oranges)foods with high folate concentration such as asparagus and avocado, many types of soothing teas, (such as green or chamomile) and even chocolate.

Source: http://www.prevention.com/

14 Psyche| Fall| 2015

Reduce Stress 3

Stop and assess situations

4

Take short breaks from a task periodically to avoid getting invested to the point of stress Going for short walks, breathing deeply, and counting to ten are all simple, quick and easy ways to distance yourself from something and relieve the stress associated with it.

Source: http://www.heart.org/

Identifying the source of your stress can help reduce that stress The first step of solving any problem is knowing what that problem is, and therefore reduces stress

2

1

Source: http://psychcentral.com

3

5

Staying fit can help with stress

Working out and staying fit releases endorphins, a hormone which greatly reduces stress and sadness Source: http://www.cdc.gov/

100 lbs.

100 lbs.

15 Psyche| Fall| 2015

Consumed

◆ The number of American teens suffering from depression has grown exponentially in the past decade. What’s eating away at them?

By Anna de la Fuente

J

ane Doe, whose real name has been omitted for anonymity, didn’t know what was wrong with her. She was constantly upset, always stressed, and continually on edge with her family and friends. None of the things she used to love doing seemed at all appealing to her anymore.

“I felt like I was drowning,” says Doe, “Life just seemed really bleak.”

According to Stacia Crescenzi, Liberal Arts and Science Academy principal and psychology major, depressive disorders affect a lot more than a person’s mood. Depression is a complex mental illness with symptoms such as persistent feelings of sadness, worthlessness and a lack of desire for activities that were previously found to be fun or interesting.

Doe is just one of the millions of American teens suffering from depression. According to a 2015 study done by MedicineNet, 20 percent of all Americans will report a period of depression between the ages of 10 and 21, and those numbers are predicted to keep rising in the next decade.

Experts are trying to find out what exactly is behind the disturbing numbers of depressed teens that have been climbing steadily during the past decade. Many are coming to one of two conclusions: social media or school. “[Depression] is oriented towards isolation, social isolation, and a feeling that one isn’t good enough, that there’s something wrong with someone such that other people don’t want her,” says Austin-based therapist Don Jones.

Depression stems from lack of social interactions, which both school and technology

can contribute to, adds Jones “Depression feels like a pall of self hatred and lack of motivation. Like a cloud raining more and more weight upon your shoulders,” recalls LASA junior Alex Kovacs.

Schools such as LASA, in Texas, assign up to two hours of homework per night, and also expect students to participate in extracurricular activities.

Balancing schoolwork and sports or clubs usually takes up the majority of a student’s afternoons, evenings, and weekends, leaving little time to talk with friends and be social. The average high school student nowadays is under more pressure than a mental asylum patient in the 1950s, according to a 2008 study done by Psychology Today.

“The workload, at least in freshman year, is massive, and way more than most middle schoolers are used to, which causes mass amounts of stress,” says Kovacs.

When a student’s entire world becomes oriented around school and school work, they miss out on opportunities to exercise social skills that will become useful as adults, and even with other people their own age.

“You’re not playing the social game,” says Jones, “You’re not developing your skills, and in adults who were depressed in kids, there are these whole years of social learning that they didn’t get.”

That’s where social media comes in.

“Kids who might be might be more 17 Psyche | Fall | 2015

isolated without [social media] have a chance to interact with each other through social media,” says Jones.

Social media and technology give busy students a quick and efficient way to interact with each other and stay connected in the brief pockets of spare time that they have. Teenagers can talk to each other from across the country, and it only takes a few seconds to type out a quick message to a friend they would have lost touch with otherwise. When used in moderation, social media can be a tool to build and maintain relationships.

Still, some argue that social media does more harm than help when it comes to depression in teenagers. “...we have to keep in mind, one of the greatest sources of pressure, or difficulties that people have is how many decisions they have to make, and social media exponentially increases the number of decisions we have to make,” says Jones.

“Twenty years ago, you didn’t have to make a decision about whether you were going to facebook your friend or respond to your friend’s facebook comment, or instant message, or chat, or whatever you happen to be doing, you didn’t have to make that choice,” Jones adds.

18 Psyche | Fall | 2015

“Depression feels like a pall of self hatred and lack of motivation.

Like a cloud raining More and more weight upon your shoulers.”

Social media greatly increases the amount of social and peer pressure put on a teen, and can increase isolation. Instead of going out to be with friends face-to-face, they are more likely to stay in and text them instead. When they do happen to be together, they often spend their time texting, Snapchatting, or Facebooking rather than interacting face-to-face.

There’s also the issue of cyberbullying over social media. 13.6 percent of American adolescents in school have experienced some form of bullying over the internet, says the National Institute of Health. Bullying, over the internet or face-to-face, is one of the most widely-recognized causes of depression.

The combination of both school and social media’s pressures are absolutely crippling when it comes to stress levels contributing to depression in students. People that are stressed are far more likely to isolate themselves and push help away than people who have an easily managed workload and time to relax with their friends and family.

With all of these factors and more contributing to stress levels, it’s not a

huge surprise that the number of depressed teens is rising steadily.

According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, despite its high treatment success rate, nearly two out of three people suffering with depression do not actively seek nor receive proper treatment.

“The sad truth is that without help, these people are more than likely to commit suicide,” says Alex Kovacs.

Untreated depression is the number one risk for suicide among youth, and suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15 to 24 year olds and the fourth leading cause of death in 10 to 14 year olds, according to American Association of Suicidology.

However, thanks to more acute awareness of depression in our teens today, most schools have readily available therapists to help students proactively manage workloads and stress. It has become much easier for depressed teens to access help and get treatment.

“When I got to LASA, I met with the counselor for the first time […] Everything got better from there,” says Alex Kovacs of the counselors available at LASA. “Depression is treatable,” reminds Stacia Crescenzi, “The earlier intervention happens, the easier it is to treat. It is essential that people who have depression receive treatment as soon as possible so that they can live happier, more fulfilling lives.” ◆

If you or a loved one are suffering from depression, please call one of these help hotlines and seek help.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1 (800) 273-8255 Cyberbullying Tip Line: 800-843-5678 Depression and Bipolar support: 800-273-8255 Thursday’s Child National Youth Advocacy Hotline: 800-872-5437

19 Psyche | Fall | 2015

The Psychology

By Anna de la Fuente

Red is a color often associated with physical courage,

strength, and love. It catches attention - the eye is naturally drawn to the color red (which is why stop signs are red!) Also associated with energy, studies show that red can cause one’s heart to beat faster, and their breath to quicken. However, too much red drains energy, and can evoke feelings of defiance and aggression

Orange is an energetic color. When people think of orange, they often think about comfort, abundance, joy, and fun! Orange is often tied to new dawns and changes in emotions, and while it evokes happiness when used in moderation, too much provokes thoughts of frivolity and immaturity.

Yellow is associated with feelings of cre-

ativity, friendliness, optimism, and warmth. It can help speed up metabolism (try some yellow in your kitchen or dining room,) and even prompt creativity (legal pads are often yellow.)

Darker shades of yellow bring about thoughts of better times, but shades that are too bright can mean cowardice, irrationality, and emotional fragility.

20 Psyche | Fall | 2015

Of Color Green is the color of balance, frequently

associated with feelings of periods of growth, wealth, and peace. Darker shades are more commonly associated with masculinity and money, whereas lighter tints are often used in hospital rooms for calming effects on the mind. In addition to all of this, green can also mean envy.

Blue is a calming color. Seeing the color blue makes

your body release chemicals that soothe you - people frequently associate feelings of serenity, trust, and efficiency with blue, and having a little blue in your bedroom can also help you sleep better. It is also tied to intelligence and communication (try a touch of blue in your office!) However, too much blue can send a cold, uncaring message.

Violet has long been associated with

wealth and royalty. When people see purple, they tend to think about spiritual awareness, vision, and luxury. When used sparingly, it lends an air of elegance, respect, and mystery, but too much violet can evoke mistrustfulness and a feeling of artificiality.

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Public Speaking and You By: Sergio Flores “I was terrified, I was shaking,” says Ms. Bergeron, Liberal Arts and Science Academy counselor.

She was going through what some of us are terrified of. What some of us will avoid at all costs.

What most of us start to sweat at the thought of. You guessed it, public speaking. The feeling of standing in front of a crowd, trying to talk, but the words just won’t come out. Everyone’s felt it at some point, felt the embarrassment, the fear. All of the eyes focused on you, on what you have to say. Everyone’s uncomfortable.

Awkward silences permeate the air like the Plague.

“Oh my god, my boss is watching me,” says Bergeron, remembering her first public speaking experience. The nerves she felt at that time were multiplied by ten, knowing that she was speaking to the person that decided whether or not she got paid.

22 Psyche|Fall|2015

“[Public speaking] does tend to be one of those activities that really terrifies a large number of people,” says Ms. Aguayo-Tabor, psychology teacher at LASA. According to a 2013 study published by the National Institute of Mental Health, public speak-

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

ing is said to affect up to 74% of people. And people everywhere experience the phenomenon.

“It’s not isolated to the Western world,” says Aguayo-Tabor.

Someone in Europe or in Oceania is just as terrified as someone here in America of public speaking. It’s a worldwide fear. In fact, accord-

ing to the Chapman University’s Survey on American Fears, public speaking is one of America’s top five fears.

“I think it’s a very rare person who’s always comfortable getting up in front of people and talking,” says Bergeron.

“It is most likely ingrained as a fear,” says Aguayo-Tabor.

“Basically it’s an attention thing.

And it probably develops evolutionarily,” says Aguayo-Tabor, LASA psychology teacher. In the past, survival was accomplished by not being noticed.

In fact, not even the most success“So to have all of this attention on ful, most acclaimed people in the you can be really really nerve rackworld are safe from public speaking ing,” she says. “All that attention anxiety. For goes against example, Wineverything ston Churchill that helped was terrified of humans surpublic speakvive in the ing. So is Tiger past.”

Woods, Bruce Willis, and The speaker Julia Robmay respond erts. The list in a number of goes on and ways, if totally on. Your faenveloped by Photo courtesy of LASA website. ther’s second the fear. cousin twiceremoved “It used to be is probably just flight or scared of public speaking. And his fight, but now they’re recognizing second cousin thrice-removed. The paralysis as another response.” says point is, if you feel alone on that Aguayo-Tabor podium in front of all those people, you aren’t. In fact, you’re in the The speaker may become unnecmajority. essarily aggressive, they may leave the stage, as was shown when It may be that some people develMichael Bay broke down in front of oped the fear of public speaking a large crowd and then left, or they over time, some people may just be may just freeze on the stage. born with it.

Look at the Michael Bay example.

23 Psyche|Fall|2015

He is a film director worth almost half a billion dollars. Someone with that much money and power is still terrified of public speaking, and when confronted with a distressing situation will leave the stage in a hurry.

Even some of the most accomplished public speakers at LASA had trouble with speaking in front of a crowd at some point in their lives.

Take Isaac Cui, senior, Debate Club de-facto leader.

“I felt very nervous. I made some terrible jokes and I remember it wasn’t received very well so I was like ‘Oh no this isn’t going that well’,” says Cui. When you’re up there, and everyone is staring at you, it’s natural to want to get your audience to laugh. Laughter makes

“Someone with that much money and power is still terrified of public speaking.”

you feel good, naturally, and it may boost your presentational skills.

But when the audience doesn’t respond, the speaker has a real problem on their hands. Do they keep making jokes, in the hopes that the audience responds, or do they stop and get the presentation over with? It’s a hard decision to make. Either way, the speaker ends up feeling like they have failed to connect with the audience.

But now, after a few years, Cui has become Debate Club leader.

He leads one of the most successful Austin debate teams.

This shows that with experience

24 Psyche|Fall|2015

and practice, anyone can become a great public speaker.

Cui’s speech in seventh grade was not the best showing of public speech skills in the world, but now he can talk in front of an audience with ease.

“When you get used to that feeling of being watched and being judged, then it becomes much easier, and as well as being prepared and knowing what you’re about to say,” says Cui. He learned that after being exposed to public speaking, it became far easier. He also learned that being prepared, knowing what you’re about to say as you step up in front of a large crowd is the best thing anyone can do to deal with public speaking.

Photo courtesy of Facebook.

“That really helps as a confidence booster, really,” Cui says. “There’s a lot of apprehension before you start speaking, but kind of once the speech is already started, it gets better from there.”

Another important tip to remember when speaking publicly is to get up there and do it. As Cui says, getting started is usually the hardest part.

Once you’re up on stage and the words start flowing, you’ll usually do great if you know what you’re talking about.

come in and ask for help in general with things because I think there’s this perception that if I need help it’s a sign of weakness,” says Bergeron.

Asking for help, even for something that may seem as trivial as public speaking is totally fine. There is no shame in admitting you have to get better at something and asking someone to help you improve.

“My advice to students is to be prepared,” says Bergeron. Being prepared can help relieve stress and is the single most important thing when it comes to speaking in front of a crowd.

“Make sure you can stand in front of a mirror and say everything you have to say,” says Bergeron. While this may seem silly, practicing will also make

Bergeron also has a few tips on how to succeed in front of a crowd.

“I think there’s always this anecdote, that when you’re nervous, you get up in front of a crowd and you imagine them all in their underwear. That never worked for me,” says Bergeron.

Each strategy may or may not work, depending on who you are as a person. For example, imagining everyone in their underwear may work wonderfully for you, but for Bergeron, it just doesn’t work at all.

“I think at LASA, a lot of kids don’t

Photo courtesy of LASA website.

your actual presentation significantly better.

In the end, everyone has to deal with public speaking anxiety. You’re not alone. Just think of how you’ll feel at the end of your presentation, when everyone gives you a standing ovation. Good luck!♦

25 Psyche|Fall|2015

How To Improve Your Memory By: Sergio Flores

Everyone forgets things sometimes. These five steps can improve your memory with 100% effectiveness.

1 2

26 Psyche | Fall | 2015

Sleeping is one of the best ways to improve your memory. During sleep, memories are managed and created, so sleeping is vital in improving your memory. If you aren’t getting a full night’s worth of sleep, your memory will take a hit as a result.

Exercising is also a good way to improve your memory.

Studies have found that the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory, is larger in people who exercise.

The bigger the hippocampus, the better new memories are able to be formed.

3

Eating healthy has a lot of benefits as it is, and one of them is better memory.

Some foods, such as blueberries actually help create new pathways in the brain, which helps with memory.

Using mnemonic devices is also a great way to improve your memory. Everyone knows ROY G BIV are the colors of a rainbow, and that PEMDAS tells us what steps to take when solving an equation. These easy-to-remember acronyms help when trying to recall something.

4 P

5

E M D A S

Repeating yourself, actually saying what you want to remember out loud really helps.

It actually has to be said out loud, repeating it in your head won’t work.

2 27 Psyche | Fall | 2015

Dys l ex ia

By Alicia Ramos

Understanding Dyslexia and its Effects on Education Photo courtesy of Pixabay

S

eth Musikant’s experience began in elementary school, around third or fourth grade, when he was separated from the rest of his peers and placed in a separate classroom. This classroom was filled with other students, with similar issues, whether it be spelling out words, reading them, or simply writing them.

“The biggest frustration was feeling separated from the other kids,” Musikant says.

That feeling didn’t go away until he was placed in a group of students who had similar issues to his own such as putting ‘d’s instead of ‘b’s or requiring more time to analyze a piece of text.

This is a common experience for many students around the world who have been diagnosed with mild to severe dyslexia. Accord-

28 Psyche|Fall|2015

ing to the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia is a learning disability that is neurological in origin, and typically results from a deficit in the phonological component of language.

This would mean that it deals in impairments of writing, reading, spelling, and in more extreme cases, speaking. Recently, however, the education system has taken a fair amount of steps to assist these students, to some degree, with their learning.

Linda “Bo” Shepard, Austin Independent District Section 504 dyslexia specialist, was able to explain it more in depth. Dyslexia is a deficit in the area of things such as phonological awareness, processing, and rapid naming. There is a range and according to Shonna Skarda, a licensed dyslexia specialist based in

Austin, it is based heavily on cognitive factors. Essentially, this means the student’s placement in the range depends upon which symptoms are present and which, simply, are not. For example, the student could have issues in just phonological processing which can be reiterated before it becomes an issue. While if the student were to have that, as well as another symptom, such as working memory, the student may struggle to grasp certain things.

Despite multiple past theories, it had been determined that dyslexia is a genetic disorder, meaning the child would acquire it from their parents’ genes. According to the Binda Dyslexia Center, if even one has parent has dyslexia the child has a fifty percent chance of having it themselves, while if both parents have dyslexia the child will surely have it as well. These genes may lead to students having difficulty processing sound, like mentioned above, have difficulty recalling the sound of the letter in general, to struggling while doing math equations. Every student presents the symptoms differently and no two cases seem to be alike. Which means the fact that, according to International Dyslexia Association, one in ten people and over two million students in the United States education system are dyslexic alone, is startling. With around forty percent of dyslexic individuals also having ADHD and, or, ADD. With no symptoms presenting the same, how does one begin to diagnose it, let alone assist with it?

In the past 42 years, the education system has worked strenuously to support dyslexic individuals from their current school campus to their future work location. The most prominent of these efforts began with the release of the Rehabilitation Act in 1973. Under the Rehabilitation Act, and now the Americans with Disabili-

A child reading in Brookline Booksmith Photo Courtesy of Tim Pierce

ties Act, there is a particular section that works with not only dyslexic students, but other students with disabilities that may hinder their education and their lives following it. This is known as Section 504.

According to Shepard, the goal of Section 504 is simply to remove barriers for students with disabilities.

“Essentially, what it means, is that if the disability causes a substantial limitation in one of life’s major activities, you can be covered under Section 504,” Shepard says.

This section allows many students, both dyslexic and not, to receive accommodations based on the extent of their disability.

The process of acquiring this coverage can be lengthy, however. You first need an evaluation from medical personnel, your school’s dyslexia specialist, or from the district itself. The student then undergoes a battery of tests, including phonological and phonemic components, rapid naming, the abbreviated IQ test, a language assessment, and a diagnostic reading battery, which addresses all the sub skills included in that section.

29 Psyche|Fall|2015

To request this evaluation, according to Shepard, a parent could go to one of the district specialists and request one, or a committee could come together and decide, that because the student is struggling with reading and has the characteristics of dyslexia, that they would like to refer them for an evaluation themselves.

Every three years there is a required re-evaluation, but since dyslexia is a life time condition, you will never be extracted from under Section 504. Adding another benefit, as Shepard mentioned, it follows you into college and through your career.

To briefly explain the re evaluation test it consists of a standardized test known as the “Grey Oral Reading Test” and a skim MRI Scans can be used to find evidence, as well through all of the student’s data to decide as to diagnose dyslexia.

Photo Courtesy of Liz West

specifically what accommodations they do or do not need. According to the Wrightslaw Way the Grey Oral Test consists of oral reading rate, accuracy, and comprehension. According to Shepard, this test can also be administered by a school’s dyslexia specialist so there would be no need to go anywhere else.

After all of this, dyslexic individuals can receive certain accommodations under Section 504, they may get preferential seating near the front of the room so they can hear the teacher more clearly. The teacher may also be asked to give them the syllabus ahead of time so the student will be able to read over it before hand and know what to expect. Though, the most widespread accommodation is simply giving them more time on a test, allowing them to use electronics to write notes, or having certain things read out to them when need be.

“Well the biggest thing is, when you get frustrated work harder, faster, longer, with what the obstacle of the disability is. In other words, simply do not quit.” Musikant says.

30 Psyche|Fall|2015

Dyslexia can be incredibly frustrating without anyone to understand what it is and to assist you, and that’s what Section 504 and other resources intend to do. In fact, there are many therapists who specialize around dyslexia in Austin and other cities around the United States, that are there to assist students along the way. For example, Skarda, the local dyslexia therapist mentioned earlier.

She was more than willing to offer few strategies she uses under the Take Flight program, which is considered a comprehensive dyslexia intervention program. According to the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, it addresses five components of effective reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. It is also typically a one on one program or consists of a small group of no more than six students.

Skarda, as well as Section 504 use a similar strategy involving multi sensory procedures. Which means, to put it simply, they use visual, auditory, touch, and also kinesthetic. For example, with visual connection

they’ll watch another person’s lips move every now and again at the age of 30. Yet, as they sound out ‘pah’ or they’ll look at he struggled for a long time in school with cards with how the person’s lips look as needing to request extra time on tests, and they speak. Since a lot of the issue revolves being filtered in and out of various classaround hearing when they ask the student rooms. Now, school districts have begun to to speak the word out verbally the student realize that it is possible to assist students would be asked to press a hand to their without separating them or making them throat to feel the vibrations. This will show feel different from their peers, and they’re them a difference benow working to suptween ‘voiced’ and port these students ‘unvoiced’ sound and other students so they can recogwith far different disnize how voiced abilities. sounds send vibrations “Making these through their throat reasonable accomwhile unvoiced sounds modations, allows for do not, later. These equality in learning. procedures actually Which is, paramount assist the human brain to having a well roundinto lighting up regions ed and diverse future of the brain that may workforce,” Musikant not have been lit up says. otherwise. You can see According to some of this evidence Musikant, no one on human MRI scans. should be left behind

Dyslexia is what just because of a disA photograph done to help one would call, a lifeability, and with the inform on reading disabilities, time disorder, but there are accommodations we have Photo Courtesy of Janine many ways to assist a dyslexic individual begun to make, no one will be left behind. through their life, or even to the point where Besides, like Seth Musikant says, “It’d be like they don’t need it at all. In Musikant’s ex- not giving a wheelchair to a person who perience, he was able to in a way grow can’t walk. You know, they can still have out of it. “The biggest challenge was wait- forward momentum, but just because ing to grow out of it,” Musikant now says. someone can not walk does not mean you He says that he only makes a few mistakes just leave them behind.” ♦

Photo Courtesy of Pexels

31 Psyche|Fall|2015

Ten Important Figures in Psychology

During the past two centuries, there has been countless breakthroughs in the field of psychology, and many magnificent people to go along with it.

These are only ten of them, and there’s countless others yet to be discovered.

By Alicia Ramos

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Wilhelm Wundt, born in Baden, Germany, on August 16, 1832, is known as one of psychology’s founding fathers. At least, in the way we see it now, as a separate entity from philosophy and physiology, in fact he set up experiments to try to ensure psychology remained scientific. He created one of the first labs in Liepzig, Germany, where he focused primarily on researching spiritual theories, looking into abnormal behavior, and figuring out how to identify and isolate specific mental disorders.

Sources: goodtherapy.org and psychology.about.com

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Sigmund Freud, born in Freiberg, Moravia in 1856, is known for how his past theories still affect modern psychology today. Some of his more significant contributions include his study on unconscious and conscious minds, personality, psychosexual development, defense mechanisms, and dream interpretation.

Sources: goodtherapy.org and psychologistworld.com

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B.F. Skinner, born March 20th in Pennsylvania, developed many theories and investigations in his lifetime, one of these known as the Air-Crib.

Though one of his most commonly known inventions is known as the “Skinner Box”. Skinner mostly conducted research on reinforcement as a method of teaching.

Source: goodtherapy.org

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Albert Ellis, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1913 is best known for his contributions to psychology in the form of REBT, which later would lead to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, this REBT aimed to directly address problematic beliefs that lead to self-defeating/deprecating behavior.

Source: goodtherapy.org

32 Psyche|Fall|2015

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Elisabeth Kubler-Ross was born in Switzerland on July 8, 1926, and is best known for her introduction to what we refer to as the ‘5 Stages of Grief.’.

Though, what most people don’t know is her original intent was simply to offer strategies on how to cope with death. Later these studies stretched into her investigations into things such as health, freedom, marriage, or the death of a loved one.

Source: goodtherapy.org

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Florence Denmark, known to many as the founder of the psychology of women, was born on January 28, 1932. She is known as a pioneer in bringing relevance to the psychology of women, and was well known for encouraging women to continue to work to their full potential. She continues that work through work with the United Nations and other organizations.

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Source: goodtherapy.org

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Margaret Naumburg was born in New York City in the year 1890. Naumberg is widely credited for being the first psychologist to use what we refer to as art therapy. She very much believed it could be useful in diagnosing and treating mental disorders, and it remains a popular approach today.

Source: goodtherapy.org

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Carol Giller, born in New York City in the year 1936, is best known for her studies in the field of gender difference, something she was very much a pioneer of. In these studies she argued that sexes tended to think differently, particularly when faced with morally questionable things, though she has been criticized by the modern feminist movement for this comparison. She mostly worked with women’s morality, whether preconventional, post conventional, or conventional.

Source: goodtherapy.org

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Daniel Siegal, born on September 2nd, 1957, has spent most of his career looking into interpersonal neurobiology which focuses on understanding the brain, experiences, and the brain’s reaction to said experiences. He actually coined the name mind-sight as a name for the ability to understand the inner workings of the mind. Mind-sight aims to help people understand the brain’s role in regulating emotions.

Source: goodtherapy.org

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Mary Whiton Calkins was born on March 30, 1863, and she devoted most of her research into the concept of ‘self’ later in her life. She introduced self psychology, in fact, as a study of the conscious organism. Calkins was also one of the many female psychologists to break down barriers for women going into the field, writing extensively on women’s inequality.

Source: goodtherapy.org

33 Psyche|Fall|2015

Pet Therapy

Girl reading to therapy dog.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia 34 Psyche| Fall| 2015

Pet Therapy

Why Pet Therapy has gained increasing popularity

By Elyshia Danaher

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“Hopefully people will start to realize that if they see a dog with a vest on and it says service dog that they should not approach the person with a service dog because it is doing a job for that person,” says Cuteri.

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lizabeth Boling is a very happy, healthy, energetic person. Bright eyed, friendly and always smiling. You never would have guessed that last year she u rt e s y of had gotten into an accident that put her life in serious danco B o ger. Last year while on an annual vacation in June, she hit her head while riding her bike, and had to be rushed to the ICU at ST. David’s hospital. Though she could not remember anything from the hospital, According to her family she was visited by therapy dogs. Her family tells her she regained memory after the dogs started visiting her, and became more engaging. Her family also tells her that she encouraged them to get into bed with her, because she didn’t want them to leave. After she “Pet therapy is somegot out of the hospital, she went to meet the therathing that gave me py dogs, Bailey and Oliver. She says that Oliver came hope, it changed my and laid his head on her shoulder while Bailey laid next to life, it continues to her. The owner knew that they remembered her, because she says that they didn’t act like that to just anyone. When she change my life not saw them, she thought she had seen them before. They also enonly for the people couraged her to get into pet therapy. that I visit, but the Boling and Marissa Rivera, a counselor at the Liberal Arts and Science other pet therapy Academy are both part of the same pet therapy organization. She is people,” says Boling. often walking down the hall with her therapy dog Bruce Wayne. Rivera first got introduced when she went to visit her father in the hospital and there were dogs helping to motivate the patients walk again. She says pet therapy is something that she really wanted to incorporate into her practice for a long time.

Marissa and Bruce have been part of Divine Canines for just over a year now. She says everyone loves him, and some come by just to spend time cuddling and petting him. Many teens deal with the various stress of Midterms, Finals, SATs, projects, homework, test, quizzes, extracurricular activities, jobs, and managing their social life.

Sometimes everything can be too overwhelming at once and pet therapy is a way to let go t r e u s o y c of and manage it. Therapy animals have to gained increasing populari- ty over the years. According to experts they provide great emotional s u p - port for people.

T h e y c a n h e l p cheer you up after a bad day, “Therapy dogs fall under help you become the umbrella of a service more confident and help you deal with animal, but they are not the stress of everyday life. quite the same thing.”

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says Rivera.

35 Psyche| Fall| 2015

Not only do they help you emotionally, but they can help you become more efficient in life. To become a therapy dog they have to go through a long amount of training and a multitude of different tests. There is a different type of training for assistant animals and therapy animals.

didn’t have pet therapy. They found children with developmental delays were more aware of their surroundings when a dog was present. They also were more playful with the dog than with a stuffed animal or ball.

Now you may be wondering what pet therapy is. Most of the time when people think of therapy animals they think of the assistant dogs that follow people around.

Austin Dog Alliance, another organization located around Austin has a program called the Bow Wow Reading program. The program helps children who are a slightly slower, dyslexic or don’t like reading in front of other classmates.

Assistant dogs help with certain tasks, like guiding a blind person or detecting low blood sugar or seizures.

While therapy animals are there for people to pet and cuddle with.

They help people emotionally, usually just by being around to pet or cuddle with.

“When they could sit down with the dog and pet the dog it calms them down, it slows them down and it helps them to build their reading skills in a more calm way than reading in a classroom with other kids,” says Michelle Cuteri a volunteer at the Austin Dog Alliance for nine years.

Student Benefits There have been several scientific studies done to see the scientific benefits of pet therapy.

“What researchers have noticed is that when people are just petting an animal or talking to one, their cortisol are lowered. Cortisone levels are the hormones that spike when you are exposed to stress or when you are under duress,” says Rivera.

The therapy dogs in the program are there to listen to the kids and are a way for them to read without being judged. It helps take away the stress of having to go in front of others and worrying about making mistakes. Love a Bull, located in Austin is another dog therapy organization has also has similar programs in school. They visit every two weeks and if the students have kept their grades up, they are allowed to visit with the dogs. According to Crystal Dunn, a trainer and volunteer at Love a Bull since 2011, she has noticed that the teachers benefit greatly as well. They often tell her that they love it when she comes and it’s so nice and relaxing for them.

“9 out of 10 students that come by my office come to hang out with Bruce Wane [deal with stress/anxiety],” says Rivera.

She said she finds having Bruce Wayne also helps students become more open when talking.

Lower blood pressure is also a common thing which also helps with stress and overall well being. The drop in cortisol levels also has led to things like study breaks at colleges which help students become more relaxed. According to numerous scientific studies, psychiatric patients became more sociable with others the course of four weeks than patients who

36 Psyche| Fall| 2015

Not only kids benefit from the program, adults do too, and it gives teachers a break. Adults, like elderly people benefit from pet therapy. All organizations visit different assisted living or nursing homes.

Elderly Benefits Cuteri notices a huge difference in people when she visits nursing homes with her dog Lexi. She says that when they walk in everybody

smiles and wants to pet Lexi. What she likes to do is go around to different rooms and try to get people to participate in the different activities.

“Sometimes you’ll get the ones who want to stay in the rooms and don’t really want to come out. I’ll use Lexi and talk to them and tell them that Lexi and I would be happy to escort them down to the activity room so they can participate,” says Cuteri.

Most of the time the people accept her offer and participate in the activities. Dunn hears many stories about their dog and how much they miss them and enjoys seeing them reminisce about someone they love.

“They’ve seen dogs help Alzheimer’s remember things; they may not remember their children, but they remember the therapy dog that comes back every week, first name and when their birthday is,” says Dunn.

According to a 2002 Purdue psychology study, Alzheimer patients also have an increased food intake and lesser need for dietary supplements.

“They are away from their pets or their pets have passed away and they are not in a living situation where they can have a dog, but they desperately miss that companionship and the help benefits of making contact with the dog,” says Dunn.

Patience and people become less lonely with therapy animals.

Military Use Pet therapy has become popular with the military also. Therapy dogs are mainly used to help veterans who came back from war. According to Rivera, it’s been very well documented that animals are really great with people who have post traumatic stress disorder. So they can help calm them down during panic attacks and intense situations that they might have difficulty dealing with otherwise.

She has also observed while volunteering that getting to play with the dogs are great stress relievers

from the military because they are often away from their friends, family and even their own pet.

Education

They then are able to successfully find a job in that job field. The therapy dogs take part in the program by being the animal they practice on. Each child gets to have their own dog for the rest of the evening. In order to be able to work with the kids the dogs have to go through training to become therapy animals.

Training Training throughout the different programs are very similar. Every dog for any program has to go through basic obedience training, then in order to get into the therapy dog class all of them have to take the Canine Good Citizen test. According to Dunn most of the time it takes six months to a year of pre training of obedience in order to pass. The test states that they know all the basic obedience and are okay to be around others. If the Dogs get one wrong they automatically fail, they can take the test as many times as they want. Love A Bull’s program is seven weeks where they revisit basic obedience training and teach

Dunn

“Teach[ing] them how to write resumes, how to do interviews, what it’s like to have a job and then we teach them job skills in the dog field; training, cleaning, grooming, kenneling, cleaning up after grooming and kenneling and going over some of the jobs at a vet’s office or a grooming office might be” says Cuteri.

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According to Cuteri the Austin Dog Alliance has a program called the Score Program where they help educate high functioning or challenged kids.

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“We offer outreach, education outreach meaning we speak about the breed of dogs and how to responsibly raise them,” says Dunn.

the handlers how to apply it to “The feeling’s different dependtherapy dogs. Divine Canines has ing on where you’re at, my favorslightly different training.

Not all tests are just for the ani- ite thing about schools is that it is mals, according to Max Woodfin, o t o c o u rt every rewarding and that h s Executive Director of Divine P we’re giving kids a Canines they require that the break, kids who may handlers go through an interbe stressed out or view. While conducting the uncomfortable loosinterviews Woodfin first asks them to talk about their dog en up as soon as you in order to get them to relax. walk in with the dogs The main goal is to assess what the and it’s super rewarding to real motivation is for getting their know that you have been affected dog to become a therapy animal. that day,” says Dunn.

Divine Canines also requires that the dogs get recertified every year by taking a variation of the same test every year. Many people like it because it they feel it keep their dog sharp.

All programs expose the dogs the scenarios they might encounter in the therapy world. They use a lot of equipment: walkers, IV poles, tennis balls, wheel chairs, loud noises, and many people. The training is not just work, it can be fun for the volunteers also.

“One of my favorite exercises is when we have four or five kids sit on yoga balls and bounce and clap their hands and laugh. Sometimes we get siblings in there which is fun because they like to push each other off the yoga balls,” says Dunn.

Therapy animals have many benefits that help make people’s lives better. They are not just dogs, but also animals like horses, llamas, cats, pigs, etc. They leave lasting impressions on people and help them feel nostalgic. They help people gain confidence and give companionship. They take way all the anxiety and bad feelings people have. It’s not only beneficial to the patient, it’s beneficial to the handlers who get to see how they are changing and impacting people’s lives. ♦

Austin Dog Alliance 1321 W. New Hope Drive Cedar Park, TX 78613 Call: (512)-335-7100 Fax: (512)-287-4880 Website: www.austindogalliance.org Divine Canines Website: divinecanines.org Love A Bull Love-A-Bull, Inc. 2900 W. Anderson Lane, C-200 #304 Austin, TX 78757 Website: www.love-a-bull.org Email Crystal directly: crystal@leapsnhounds.com 37 Psyche| Fall| 2015

More than 5,000 personality traits can be seen in your handwriting

Graphology Source psychologytoday.com

huffingtonpost.com

businessinsider.com

small

Big

Slant Downward - pessimist or depression upward -opt imist ic, happy right - extrovert , social o, pen minded left - lone wolf and hides emot ion no slant - logical and not very open with emot ions

Rigid

Curvy 38 Psyche| Fall | 2015

Size Ve ry sma l font - introve rte d, shy, s tudious a nd meticulo us la rge font - extrove rt

I Love Bunnies I Love Bunnies

rounded letters - creative and artistic pointed/rigid letters intelligent/curious, antisocial connected letters logical and systematic non connected - impulsive and imaginative

Health Varied pressure in single letter or word could be indication of high blood pressure.

L’s with gaps or notches can indicate heart impairment, interruption in blood flow to hand.

Slant variation within same word or sentence frequently can be an indication of schizophrenia.

Irregular letters with trembles can be an indication of alzheimer's Possible sign of Parkinson’s disease very small and cramped letters

The study of Handwriting

By Elyshia Danaher

i hdlt PRESSU RE

lots of pressure, feel things intensely ; ambitious and successful, can be uptight li ghtly - easy going, shy

Handwiting can also be an overall indication of your physical and mental health.

Open circle - childlike and visionary right above - detail oriented and organized slashes - overly self critical, and don’t have a lot of patience dot to left - procrastinator high dot - ambitious and very imaginative

Loops Big loops in L’s - very optimistic loops in d’s - very self critical loops in t’s - sensitive to criticism, bigger the loop, more sensitive narrow skeptical of others wide loop, open minded not full looped y’s or g’s at the end, some level of emotional detachment

S pacing between words arge - enjoys space, and avoids crowded places narrow - enjoys crowds, hates being alone Line s pacing li ttle - poor time managment even - respectful of others 39 Psyche| Fall| 2015