Dooley Noted: The Blogs

The Positivity Route

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Dooley Noted: 5/12/2015 My friend and colleague, Tobias Kehlenbach, did everything in his power to promote our first NeuroKinetic (NKT) seminar in Bonn, Germany.  He organized the event and drew a group of focused, brilliant movement professionals. He even took the time to translate the seminar PowerPoint into German.  He made dinner reservations and drove us around all weekend, showing the city. He even hosted we teachers at his home as we studied together. The … Read more

The Language Barrier

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Dooley Noted: 5/11/2015 Last weekend, I had the honor of teaching NeuroKinetic Therapy (NKT) in Germany.         I’ve been chosen as an international instructor, but I admit now to being nervous about Germany.  On the flight, I was plagued with thoughts like these: “What if they don’t understand me well?” “What if my humor or descriptions don’t resonate?” The host and seminar instructor, Tobias Kehlenbach, assured me that everyone could speak English.  Out of … Read more

The Look of Depression 

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Dooley Noted: 5/9/2015 Depression is stigmatized.  People don’t tend to want to be around people who are depressed.  I should know. I’ve suffered from depression.  There were moments when I opened up about the way I felt to my closest friends.  Not knowing how to help me, they chose to no longer be my friend. So, I learned to mask everything I was feeling. I knew depression had a look I wasn’t willing to show.  … Read more

The Nocebo Effect

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Dooley Noted: 5/8/2015 I had a fantastic experience with a patient that could have turned out to be tragic.  She is currently four months pregnant and is getting stronger and out of more pain every week.  She came to me after many therapists, medical doctors, and friends discouraged her from getting pregnant.  After all, she had a history of back pain.  When trying to conceive, she was inundated with discouraging statements like the following: “Your … Read more

The Nocebo Effect

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Dooley Noted: 5/8/2015 I had a fantastic experience with a patient that could have turned out to be tragic.  She is currently four months pregnant and is getting stronger and out of more pain every week.  She came to me after many therapists, medical doctors, and friends discouraged her from getting pregnant.  After all, she had a history of back pain.  When trying to conceive, she was inundated with discouraging statements like the following: “Your … Read more

V Sit-Up

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Video Dooley Noted: 5/7/2015 In this week’s video segment of Dooley Noted, I discuss an alternative to the standard crunch or sit-up.  In the V-Sit up, we use anterior abdominal muscles to create the pressure needed to rise from a supine (face-up) position.  The V-Sit minimizes neck involvement to coach full-body tension and abdominal stability. Try this if the neck attempts to dominate movement. This drill can also improve overhead position, if stability issues prevent … Read more

The Smoking Stigma

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Dooley Noted: 5/6/2015 Leaving Grenada yesterday, I stopped by the duty-free shop.  I saw copious alcohol, cigarettes and candy.  But I was surprised to only see health warnings on the cigarettes.  The pictures are seen below. They feature warnings like. “Smokers die younger,” and “Smoking kills.”       I’m not arguing with this truth.  My father smoked for 57 years, and many blame smoking for his small cell bronchogenic carcinoma.  But I’m still concerned.  I … Read more

Helping Anxiety

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Dooley Noted: 5/5/2015 At age 21, I let anxiety get the best of me. I was hospitalized with a panic attack.  I was quickly offered a copious amount of medication, mostly in the form of anxiolytics (Klonopin) and benzodiazepines (Xanax).  I’ll never forget the interaction with my doctor.  Picture me 15 years younger.  Doc: “Why don’t you take Xanax? It’s wonderful for diminishing anxiety.”  Dooley: “I’ve read that, sir. But what is creating my anxiety?” … Read more

Balance Tricks

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Dooley Noted: 5/4/2015 I’m obsessed with walking on straight lines and elevated planks, like the one you see in the picture.  I am fascinated that people will walk in a straight line on a wide surface, without much deviation.  However, the moment you narrow them in, they find it challenging to walk on that same straight line.  The perception of difficulty and safety greatly affect your system of balance. Balance needs two of the three … Read more

A Daughters Pride

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Dooley Noted: 5/3/2015 Yesterday, I called my mother.  She was proud to have attended her first CPR and first aid class at the American Red Cross, along with my big sister, Kim.  My mother had not been in a classroom in 48 years.  She started relaying what she learned, and she laughed as she noted that multiple choice questions are often challenging.  I was beaming with pride that she did something so proactive to make … Read more