As the theoretical debate over evolutionary psychology continues, some researchers are developing evolution-based therapies, wrote the Los Angele Times in an article published in the Toronto Star Feb. 16. In Toronto, Leslie Greenberg, professor of psychology in York’s Faculty of Health, is testing "emotion-focused therapy," which seeks to replace unhealthy, or maladaptive, emotions with healthy ones.
In an article in the 2006 summer issue of the Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, Greenberg offers a case study of a woman suffering from major depression, anxiety disorder and interpersonal problems after having been raised by emotionally and physically abusive parents. Greenberg encouraged the woman to engage in imaginary conversations with her parents in which she expressed her feelings about their sadistic behaviour. In therapy, the anger she felt, an adaptive emotion, eventually replaced her fear and feelings of worthlessness.
Schulich student and pan performer to appear in Ajax
Local musician Joy Lapps presents “Praise on Pan” at the Ajax Public Library main branch March 4, wrote the Ajax-Pickering News Advertiser Feb. 15. The pan is perhaps better known as the steel drum. Lapps, now completing her fourth year at York’s Schulich School of Business, began playing the pan in 1997 at Malvern’s Church of the Nativity. She joined the Nativity Steel Angels and soon began a solo career. She has released two discs: Praise on Pan: How Great Thou Art and Make a Joyful Noise.
Bills can’t do much for Kyoto or natives
In rulings that he reiterated this week, Peter Milliken, a Liberal MP and speaker of the House of Commons, overturned government objections to two private member’s bills – one on the Kyoto Accord, the other on an Aboriginal development agreement known as the Kelowna Accord – arguing that there is "a distinction between a bill asking the House to approve certain objectives and a bill asking the House to approve the measures to achieve certain objectives," wrote the National Post Feb. 16.
Yet how can the two be separated? As Patrick Monahan, dean of York’s Osgoode Hall Law School, said Feb. 15: "The question is, can the bills’ objectives be achieved without spending money? If they can’t, then it’s a money bill, surely?"
On air
- Bernie Wolf, economics professor at York’s Schulich School of Business, spoke about the impact of job cuts at auto maker Daimler Chrylser, on CBC Radio’s “World Report” Feb. 15.