Returning To College
Houston Tribune March 2005
Bridgette Mongeon © 2005
When entering the movie theater these days, I receive two dollars off of my ticket. Often the attendant examines me with a little disbelief, demanding some proof of identification. Its not because I am a senior citizen, instead I show my student ID.
In the past a stereotypical image that most hold of a college student is a young person 18-20 years of age, with a non declared major, who is more excited about the social aspects of college than the educational aspects. However this image is quickly changing. Students are entering college in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, and even later in life.
Categorized as “non-traditional student,” older students face their own set of circumstances that are different from the stereotypical college student. Sure, we may have to learn how to focus and take notes, all while looking through our progressive lenses, but there are other circumstances that younger students do not have to deal with. Older students have the emotional and financial responsibility of ailing parents and they may also have their own children in college. Most have established careers and full time jobs. They have many years of experience in the field of their choice, but many are concerned about losing their jobs because of a younger, degreed person coming up in the ranks. Many people are finding that as the job market becomes more selective and age becomes a factor in the decision of placement, a degree and sometimes advanced degrees are essential.
DISTANCE DEGREES
There has been a rise in adult learners in higher educational learning of 41% since 1998 according to the National Center for Education statistics. Many nontraditional students are getting these degrees and never taking a step into a physical building. With online education and the help of a computer you can study from the comfort of your own home at your convenience.
By logging into a virtual classroom with other students, distance education makes learning convenient. For mothers with children, they can put the children down for a nap, put a load of clothes in the dryer, and log into English class.
DON’T GET SCAMMED
Many people are worried about getting duped by diploma mills, spending hours of work for a bogus degree. Mark Wilson, author of Distance Degrees, has made the college search much easier. The book is filled with 400 accredited colleges that offer distance learning for many different degree programs, and the resources are growing every year.
When searching for a college the question you want to ask is “are you regionally accredited?” The United States Department of Education has divided the country up into 6 regions. There is an accrediting agency for each area. The Secretary of Education has procedures and criteria that are followed by each of the accrediting agencies. For example The University of Houston has received its accreditation from Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Vermont College by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and Thomas Edison by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Some college diploma mills will state they are accredited, but you must find who does the accreditation. If it is not one of the 6 regions then the college may not be worth your time. If you are unsure if the college you are interested in is accredited, you can check out the department of Education Website www.ed.gov . Mark Wilson in Distance Degrees has also listed each college’s accreditation and listed a link to the associations that do the accrediting in the 6 regions as well.
CREDITS FOR EXPERIENCE
Colleges offering class for non-traditional students realize that life experience is an important element of education for older students. Many colleges offer credits for the experience that an individual has attained through their life times. This doesn’t have to be experience in things as elaborate as business or science, in fact many times homemakers can find experience that can apply to college credits. Thomas Edison State College http://www.tesc.edu/ has a resource section to help determine if your past experiences can apply as credit. Each college handles Prior Learning Assessment (P LA) differently, some accepting portfolios, others requiring essays or individual interviews. Many colleges offer up to 30 credits for PLA.
CREDITS FOR WORKSHOPS
If you have attended workshops in your field, even if it was learning that was acquired through a non-accredited institution, it may apply to credits toward your degree. You may; however, need signed documentation from the instructor. Contact the university that you are interested in to discuss the possibility of accepting these credits. And if becoming a returning student is in your near future, be sure to ask for documentation from any non- accredited workshops that you are presently taking.
CLEP (College Level Examination Program)
There is a variety of CLEP test that you can take for a nominal fee. Often one CLEP test can constitute the credits of two classes. The credits will then apply to your degree program. CLEP study books can be purchased from any bookstore. Each book is filled with sample tests and information on what to study for a CLEP. Up to thirty additional credits can be obtained through CLEP examination.
TRANSFER CREDITS
Even if you went to college 20 years ago and did not finish your degree, many colleges will accept these credits toward your degree program. You may need official transcripts sent to the college of your choice; however having unofficial transcripts on hand will help you to obtain and remember, the number of credits you have. To receive your old transcripts, contact the college that you attended. There may be a small fee involved in receiving transcripts.
ACCELERATED LEARNING
Colleges understand that non-traditional students are professional, experienced, and disciplined individuals and many offer accelerated programs offering degrees at both bachelors, masters, and some even offer PhD’s in a shorter amount of time and less “in class time.” For example, a bachelors degree may take you 4 years at a traditional college as a traditional student but can be obtained at some universities in half the a mount of time.
A DIFFERENT WAY TO LEARN
When you think of going back to school you may be visualizing yourself in a class with many young students, some who are one-third your age. Or if you have a sense for computers, you may be able to comprehend an online course and distance education. Some colleges such as Vermont College Union Institute offer an even better way to obtain your degree. If you are a highly motivated individual you might think about working for your degree doing what you already do and love. Instead of trying to fit student’s into developed classes and degree programs, Vermont College designs a program around what the students passion is or the direction they want to go. This enables “learners” to be able to receive their degrees without having to change their focus.
After taking several online courses myself, through Houston Community College, I am presently transferring my credits to Vermont College. Through their program, they will be able to take the articles I write for the Houston Tribune, the books that I am working on, as well as the sculpting that I am presently doing, and with the help of a mentor, develop and use my work as the main portion of my degree program. I will have to travel to Vermont twice a year for a week each semester. This type of learning has been dubbed “click and brick”. A portion of time spent at the college and the rest on the computer. I can think of worse things than traveling to Vermont during maple syrup time and again in the fall to watch the leaves change. I’ll be staying in the dorms like a traditional student would. (Which my own college student daughter says is “really weird.”) In my week visit, I’ll meet with my mentor to discuss my degree plan (work load), visit with other students, and attend workshops, all the while meeting other highly motivated individuals in an academic setting.
NEVER TOO OLD
It is normal for non-traditional students to think they are too old to go back to college. However, Hazel Thompson was Houston Community College’s oldest person, graduating at 82. Her credits were 50 years old and transferred into the program. Vermont College Union Institute tells me that the demographics of the students attending their bachelors program is 35-38 and for the masters degree programs 48-50. However they had a woman receive her bachelor’s degree at 77 and another who received her PhD at 92.
And, remember going back to college just may be good for your health and mind. Current advances in brain research by AARP states, “ Exercising your mind may forestall mental decline by strengthening connections between brain cells. Intellectual challenge seems to be crucial.”
You are never too old and it is never too late. Non-traditional students not only have much to gain from attending college and receiving their degrees, they have much to offer the institutions that teach them and the work force that utilizes their education.
Though we non-traditional students may not be having dorm parties like traditional students do, perhaps one day all of us older students can get together for a college night a the movies and use our student ID’s. For the record, if you are a senior and a student there is no additional amount taken off of your movie ticket. I have already asked!
Distance Degrees– Mark Wilson http://www.collegeathome.com/
Thomas Edison State College http://www.tesc.edu/ (888) 442-8372
Vermont College Union Institute http://www.tui.edu/VC/ 800.336.6794
Houston Community College http://www.hccs.edu distance education 713-718-5275 de.counseling@hccs.edu
Bridgette Mongeon is a writer, sculptor and soon to be student of Vermont College Union Institute.
All written work is copyrighted and cannot be used, whole or impart,
without the written consent of the author.
Newsboy- The Dip
March 1-7, 2005
Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, we learned a little about cleaning the waxes that we got from the foundry.
If you are lost and want to go back to the chronological running list of posts, follow this link.
The sculptor went through great
pains to create an entire sculpture
and it is cut into pieces for bronze casting.
Now that the waxes that we worked on have been gated up by the foundry, and degreased, they are ready for the dip. There are two slurries, a thick and a thin one. The first dip is in the thick slurry. The color of the slurry is just something that is added to help the foundry craftsmen see the drying process of each dip. Once the piece is dipped in this liquid it is then sprayed with fine sand. These first two coats of dip and sand are to hold the detail of the piece. The dip room is kept at a certain temperature. If the temperature fluctuates in the dip room it could affect the shell that is being built, and then when they try to pour metal into this shell it could crack. You can only imagine what a problem that would be, molten bronze going everywhere.
Two coats are not enough; there must be several more coats of shell. The latter coats are for strength and have stucco in them. There are a total of 5-12 coats with 1-2 dips per day. It took a week to dip our entire sculpture.
shows the pouring cup.
Each of the wax pieces
has gates that help
the gases escape and
the metal pour properly.
To the left you can see the upper torso and several pieces of the newsboy on the shelf. These photos give you a good look at the pour cups and the gating. Do you see the shoe? You can see how the bottom of the shoe has been cut as well. The photo to the left shows the upper torso. It appears they have cut off the newsboy’s head and arms as well. These photos show only the beginning of the dip. Once these dip pieces are ready. They will go to the furnace to be burned out and the metal will be poured.
Newsboy- Working the Waxes
All of these will be made into metal.
February 22-28, 2005
Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, we learned a little about pouring the wax at the foundry.
If you are lost and want to go back to the chronological running list of posts, follow this link.
The steps to the bronze process never cease to amaze me. Here are some of the many waxes that came from the molds, of the newsboy sculpture. Over the years, whenever I pour in bronze, I have always worked my waxes. Not all artists do this. Many times the foundry will do the basic work. Now I have my assistant do that part, but I always like to add my own touches to each wax. You can imagine that even though this life size newsboy is an edition of 10 and the smaller newsboy sculptures are editions of 100, each number sculpture in the edition may be a little different. Because there are many pieces to put together for each finished bronze the finished sculpture will have its own nuances to it.
My assistant, Miguel, and myself spent hours making sure that each wax seam was cleaned up and that each piece not only fit to the other wax piece, i.e., front to back but also to each other, i.e,. leg to foot. Though we do a lot of fitting in the wax, some fitting will also be done in the metal.
the studio. We need to clean up all of the waxes.
You can see by the many pieces placed upon the egg crate foam, the lower torso was cut up into several smaller pieces. This is done for several reasons. You will see later that the foundry will cut up the sculpture even more. It is important that these pieces should not be too cumbersome through the next steps of the process. Weight and ease of handling will be an issue when the pieces are being dipped or when the metal is being poured.
When I finish this part of the wax I will bring the many body parts back to the foundry for the foundry to gate up. Gating up is the process of adding wax vents and pour cups. The master foundry craftsmen want the molten metal to pour very smoothly so they add these vents to facilitate that process.
So, it is back to the foundry for gating up and making the shells.
Newsboy- Pouring The Wax In The Mold
mold and rolled around.
A thin layer of wax is
all that is needed
for the sculpture.
February 15-21, 2005
Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, we learned a little about the making of the mother mold in fiberglass.
If you are lost and want to go back to the chronological running list of posts, follow this link.
It is taking us some time to make all of the mold for the Newsboy. We took several of the mold pieces to the foundry to pour waxes. Once they are poured, we will be able to take these waxes back to the studio to work on them a bit more. Within the next few weeks the entire wax will be at the foundry, and at that point it will be ready to go into metal.
Here we are at the foundry pouring the wax into the upper torso. The wax is very hot. It is poured into the mold and carefully turned to cover the entire upper section. It must be just the right thickness. Any excess wax is poured out before it cools. Not only do we have to pour the wax upper torso, but we also have to pour the right arm, the paper that the newsboy holds in the right hand, the left arm and paper, the brim of the hat, and the papers that will sit on the ground. The lower part of the body will not be poured; instead it will be brushed on. Once the sections, front and back of the lower half, have cooled they will need to be put together.
into the mold and swirls
it around and pours it out.
They will do this several
times to get the right
thickness of the wax.
The metal will be as thick
as the wax.
Now that the waxes are poured, it is time to clean up the studio. That way we can be ready to bring the waxes back to work on them. The platform was taken off the floor this week, and it felt so good to be able to have a little more space. I danced through the area. What is left of the newsboy sculpture is lying in a heap on the floor. The original sculpture is lost in the mold making process. I’ll soon disassemble him. The clay body parts will be going into a big bin to be melted down for the next projects, a six year old ballerina a two year old little boy holding his truck or Patsy a woman sitting on a park bench. Yes it is a little strange to see a hand melting in the crock-pot, but it is always good to be able to reuse material.
With everything cleaned up in the studio we are ready for the next step, to get the waxes from the foundry so we can make them perfect.
Newsboy- Rubber and Fiberglass
fiberglass mother mold is added
to the mold. It is created in parts.
February 8-14, 2005
Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, we learned the first part of the mold making process.
If you are lost and want to go back to the chronological running list of posts, follow this link.
Making molds is grueling work. We have just finished doing the rubber. Now on to the next stage of the mother mold. The days have been long and the nights even longer. Many nights I have worked until 1:00 a.m. I am glad the difficult part of this sculpture is almost over. I am exhausted, and I am finding that I need to rest my hands every few days.
fiberglass. This is called the
mother mold.
The mold is complete now; however, there are a few things for which I am working to make it perfect. Here is a little more about how the process went.
THE PROCESS CONTINUES
To the right you can see the rubber on the front of the mold. After the rubber, the fiberglass mother mold is applied.
Making a fiberglass mother mold is an itchy, smelly process. Remember I have decided to create a fiberglass mother mold because it will store easier and will be lighter. I had to complete the front part of the rubber and create the mother mold section in several pieces. The photo in the upper right shows my marks on the rubber where I am going to make the fiberglass seams.
Soon that will harden and the seams will
be taken off so we can do rubber and clay on the back.
When creating the mother mold, sometimes it needs to be divided up into sections, as you can see with the front of the mold. These sections are so that the mother mold can be pulled from the rubber without hurting the wax that will be poured inside.
support out of the sculpture. Then the area will be
sculpted before the artist makes the rubber
mold with a fiberglass mother mold.
I worked on the entire front of the newsboy. Here you can see the fiberglass mother mold from the front and back before the edges are trimmed up.
Once the front of the sculpture was done, it was sturdy enough for me to lay the sculpture down. You might remember there was a pipe armature in the newsboy’s back. This was to hold up the entire sculpture while I sculpted. I could not make the mold around this pipe so we unscrewed the pipe from the base, laid him down and the unscrewed it from his back. Then I filled in the hole before we preceded with the lower half of rubber and mother mold.
Once all of the rubber was brushed on the sculpture, and then each piece of the mother mold applied over the rubber then we had to drill holes in the seams. That connected the pieces. Later nuts and bolts will hold the sculpture together. These will not only secure the sculpture, holding it together, but will assist in quick demolding. Trying to pull apart the mold for the first time, after all the rubber and fiberglass are done, is a job that requires some muscles. My fancy white suit protects me from the pieces of fiberglass.When all of the pieces are off the original sculpture, the edges are ground down to form a smooth edge and each piece is sanded. The rubber needs to be cleaned before wax can be poured into it. Everything is reassembled for our trip to the foundry and to pour the waxes. The original sculpture is lost in the demolding process.
On to the foundry and pouring the waxes.
to work in fiberglass.
Newsboy- The Mold Making Process
pieces and a mold is made.
Clay seams are put up each
side to divide the sculpture in half.
January-31-February 7, 2005
Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, we rejoiced that the sculpting is complete.
If you are lost and want to go back to the chronological running list of posts, follow this link.
Now that the sculpting is complete, let’s move onto the next portion of this process. The mold-making portion of the sculpture is underway. It is a lot of work and very physical. First, we cut off both of Dusty’s arms. This will enable us to pull the mold off of the sculpture. I also cut off the brim of his hat. I probably could have left it on, but I felt more comfortable cutting it off.
The process of making this mold is similar to the small newsboy sculpture mold. We are making a mold so that we can pour a hollow wax newsboy. To do this we sprayed the sculpture with a sealant, and then with a mold release agent. Layers of rubber are carefully painted on the sculpture. When they are dry, an outer mold called the mother mold is placed over the rubber. It is called a mother mold because it holds the rubber in place. If we just had rubber, then when we pour wax into the mold it would become distorted. The mother mold helps to keep the form.
This will make it easier for the
artist to get a good mold of his face.
The head is prepared to go
into the mold making process.
I have documented another mold making process on my web site. The Kipper Mease mold is different than this one. Kipper’s mold was done with a plaster mother mold. This newsboy mold will be done with a fiberglass mother mold. Fiberglass mother molds are difficult to make, but they are lightweight and easy to store.
Once I have the mold, I will take it to the foundry and together we will pour waxes. I still don’t like to let go of the project yet. I will take the waxes back to the studio and work on them as well. When I am sure they are ready, they will go back to the foundry, and then my workload and long days will slow down for a bit. But just a little while. I still have some commissions that I have not been able to finish in the rush of completing the newsboy, and I have two more life size pieces that need to be started in the next few weeks.
THE PROCESS
The sculpture is divided up into sections by what is called “claying up.” The the clay is carefully put on the sculpture. The front of the sculpture is what we are going to focus on first. You can see most of the seams of the lower half in the photo above. It does not; however, show the seam that will divide the torso in half.
Once the claying up process is done, I will coat this first section with coats of rubber. Each layer of rubber must cure to the correct consistency before another layer is put on. There is a total of 4-5 layers of rubber.
The rubber on the main sculpture is divided up into 4 pieces- front lower torso, front upper torso, back upper torso, and back lower torso. Each front section must be clayed up, and sprayed with mold release. Rubber must be painted on and then finally a section of mother mold applied to the top of that. Once one section is complete, then I can start on another section. It is a long process. While the rubber cures, I will work on other parts of the sculpture. The stick next to the sculpture, in the photo to the right is to help hold up the seam of clay.
Remember, I have several pieces that I have cut off the sculpture. Each of these needs to be clayed up and then rubber painted on each side. The left arm with the newspapers is shown in the photo to the left. Knowing how to clay up a piece takes a lot of thought and practice. You must be able to think ahead to the next steps that the piece will go through— the wax, dip and casting. Now, let’s move along in our process of making this sculpture into a bronze. On to making a mother mold with fiberglass.
clay. And a mold is made of both
newspaper and arm
Newsboy-Sculpting Is Complete On The Life-Size Newsboy
newsboy sculpture. Now the sculpture
will be taken into the bronze casting.
January 22-29, 2004
Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, we learned a little about adding a hand and newspaper.
If you are lost and want to go back to the chronological running list of posts, follow this link.
Looking back over the journal of this project, it has been almost three months since the start of the life-size newsboy. I began the life-size sculpture on November 8, 2004 and it is now six months since the beginning of the project – August 2004. The weeks between August and November were spent on research, finding a pose, learning about clothing of the period, finding an original pattern and sewing outfit of the time period, finalizing photos for reference, and creating the small newsboy sculpture in bronze.
sculpture and the likeness
that will forever be in bronze.
It is wonderful to see the sculpture in such a state of completion. Although it is said, “artwork is never finished, only abandoned.”
Artistically, there are still some things I will do with the sculpture; however, I will do them in the next step, as I get the sculpture ready for the foundry, either as I prepare for the wax or in the wax. Most artists that I know send the sculpture off to the foundry at this stage; however, we will be doing the mold, and I’ll go to the foundry to do the wax so you will be able to watch that process as well. After that I’ll be sure to document the foundry process for the web site.
in his image. Bridgette Mongeon has
completed the clay sculpture for a
bronze newsboy. Now we move to the
mold making process.
DUSTY SEES HIMSELF
It was so much fun to have Dusty come in and meet the sculpture in person. When I gave Dusty a hug, I couldn’t help but pull back and feel his shoulders. For a moment there I wished he could somehow have been in the studio the past three months, holding the pose, so I could see him when I needed to.Next week we will be working on the mold and waxes. According to our schedule we have until the end of the month to get the waxes to the foundry. That will give the foundry two months for the metal work. I’m hoping to have the final product by May 1st. The unveiling is May 19th.
With those extra 19 days, it gives us time to solve any problems that may occur and also to install the sculpture on our target date.
THE LEGISLATION PROCESS
We still don’t know when the Texas legislators will discuss our newsboy. Senator Whitmire prefiled the bill in December. The Texas Press Association, my client, is staying on top of that. I’ll be sure to post as soon as I hear something.
Now, we are going to enter the foundry process. It is a huge amount of work that starts with The Mold Making Process.
Newsboy- Adding Hand And Newspaper To Life-Size Sculpture
January 18-21, 2005
Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, we learned a little about how the details on the life-size sculpture come together.
If you are lost and want to go back to the chronological running list of posts, follow this link.
This week I finished the right hand and put it on the sculpture. I was thrilled to see it come together. The left hand is another story. I can’t put that one on until I have the papers sculpted. The paper is seen both under the left arm, in the right hand, and on the ground. I need to have one good paper with headlines, and then I’ll make a mold of it and cast the others in wax. That way they will all be the same, and it will save me a tremendous amount of sculpting time.
SCULPTING THE PAPER
To sculpt the paper, I printed out the masthead of the paper and the headlines. I dipped a real paper in several coats of wax, smoothed it out and then placed these headlines on the wax paper. To transfer the letters, sometimes I cut them in or pinprick the outside edges, and then cut them out with an Exacto knife. It is very time consuming. The cuts in each letter must be done on an angle and then cleaned up with solvent and several tools. Each column of type is “greeked” in with scribbles, but even that is time consuming.
We are getting close to the finish line. Let’s see the Sculpting Complete in th next blog post.
Newsboy- It Is All In The Details.
filling in the undercuts.
January 10-17, 2005
Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, Now We Are Getting There, we saw a lot of progress.
If you are lost and want to go back to the chronological running list of posts, follow this link.
The small newsboy came together in the last post, and we also began to see the large newsboy take shape. Now, let’s get down to some details.
I have decided to cover papers in wax to put in the newsboy’s hands. I set up a clothesline system for the papers to drip into as they cured. I still have to sculpt the headline in the papers. That will come next week. Meanwhile, I have a bundle of papers for Dusty’s left arm. I’ll clean them up later. Having them in place is important in sculpting the left arm.
With a trip to Houston Leather for brads for the shoes and another trip to The Way We Wore Vintage Clothing store, I finally have the leather suspenders that I was looking for. I have dipped them in wax and added them to the sculpture. Dipping them in wax stiffens them up for the mold.
Because I have decided to cast the sculpture with these real suspenders, I must prepare them for the mold making process. Every place where there is an undercut, a deep area like behind the suspenders or in between, it must be sealed. This is a place where rubber can get caught during the mold making process. That is our next step, and I hope to get to it in the next few days. I’m filling in the gaps very carefully. I can still show depth in between the suspenders, but it won’t go all the way through. Just a few more things to add to get this together.
We are getting there. Keep reading to see how the newspaper is sculpted and his hand is added in the next blog post Adding the Hand to the Life-Size Sculpture And Sculpting the Newspaper.
What do Pollyanna, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Bing Crosby Have in Common?
Houston Tribune
January 2005
by Bridgette Mongeon © 2005
I have recently seen the movie Pollyanna, a PBS special. Growing up I had heard of the girl Pollyanna, or the term Pollyanna, but never read the 1913 book by Elanor H. Porter.
I was intrigued by the little girl and her “glad game” that she taught to just about everyone that she came in contact with. In Pollyanna’s words: “Oh, yes; the game was to just find something about everything to be glad about-no matter what ’twas.”
Sometimes the game was not easy, like the first time she played it. She had asked for a doll from the missionary aid and instead received crutches. She decided she could be glad she didn’t need the crutches, and the game began.
More people should play this glad game. In fact, many are professionally trained in the glad game. It might be said of Pollyanna that she was practicing a form of cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy is basically the idea that feeling follows thought. If we can change our mode of thinking about a life event or about ourselves then we can change the way we feel about it. To help patients with such things as depression, anxiety problems, self-esteem, and anger management, psychologists sometimes use cognitive therapy; many books have been written on the subject, such as Feeling Good by David D. Burns M.D.
Sometimes, in our thoughts about our life or thoughts about ourselves, our thinking becomes distorted. We can ultimately change the way these things affect us by changing our thinking, which will in turn change how we feel.
A psychological concept often used with cognitive therapy is “self talk.” Self-talk is what we say to ourselves as we confront obstacles, make decisions or resolve life problems. This is a normal thinking process for individuals. When our self-talk is negative it can immobilize us and keep us from moving forward. Learning to change negative self-talk into positive self-talk can take some work, but when it is done it can make a world of difference in your personal growth.
The concept of cognitive therapy is not new to me. In fact, intuitively I have been doing it for most of my life. If a friend begins to tell me that they can’t do something I am known to break into that old song: “Just what makes that little old ant, think he can move the rubber tree plant, anyone knows an ant can’t move a rubber tree plant, but he has high hopes …”
Friends often change their own thinking about the situation just to keep from listening to my song.
My cognitive training did not come from a book on psychology or a counselor it came from Sunday school. When I felt I could not do something my Sunday school training said, ” I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” When someone comes to Sunday school and feels unloved or unlovable the Bible tells him he is loved and lovable. People who learn these principles change their thinking, and strive to better themselves. Whether it is through cognitive therapy or spiritual living.
I have often said that one of my favorite songs is from the movie White Christmas. Bing Crosby sings: “ When I get worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep, and I fall asleep counting my blessings. When my bank roll is getting small, I think of when I had none at all, and I fall asleep counting my blessings.”
And my favorite saying is by Ralph Waldo Emerson. “A man is what he thinks about all day long.”
Mr. Emerson was on the right track. If you think depressed sad and lonely thoughts, or your self-talk is negative, that is exactly what you will be.
Maybe we should take our cues from Pollyanna, Bing Crosby and Ralph Waldo Emerson. There is something to be said about it being “all in your mind.”
For those of you who are still not convinced here are a few more thoughts to ponder.
“No matter where you go or what you do, you live your entire life within the confines of your head.”
Terry Josephson
“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the
effort.” Herm Albright
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
Winston Churchill
Bridgette Mongeon is a writer and artist living in the Heights, www.creativesculpture.com
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