Get to Know @abigail-dantes

in #psychology6 years ago

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Three weeks ago I was nominated by @saunter to take part in an interesting challenge created by @anomadsoul. The challenge requires the nominated bloggers to look back at their own work here on the platform, select and compile 10 posts which they were proud of. The idea behind it is for current readers get to know the author a little better through their Steemit work.

I love this idea first, because it gives us writers the chance to revisit our previous writings. It is a great opportunity to evaluate our progress as well as to analyze what still needs to be improved. Secondly, because it gives another opportunity to bring those articles to light which, due to how Steemit is formatted, mostly get left behind after 7 days. Finally, as for me, it is a fun way to break the Psychology Addict routine 😊

Having said that, I trust that most of you know that my blog is dedicated to evidence based articles about psychology. What some of you might not be aware of is that I also, whenever inspired, like to write short stories.

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SHORT STORIES

I remember creating and bringing Mr. Bales to life. It took me a week, on and off, to develop him. Whenever I write a short piece of fiction I know how it’s going to end. So, my work mainly lies in finding my way there. This was the first short story I wrote in first person. It was really enjoyable. In case you are interested in knowing ‘my encounter’ with Mr. Bales, it won’t take you more than 10 minutes to read it through.
Another Day with Mr. Bales

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The same is true for Christophe the Cricket. The only ever piece of writing I did for children. This tale, although meant to be for the little ones, touches on the social topic of diversity. Something that had been playing on my mind after I witnessed an unpleasant situation. The beautiful and inspirational illustration by @agneslaczo gave me the opportunity to discuss it in a light-hearted way. So, please meet: Christophe the Cricket & Paco the pony. *Please make sure you visit Agnes' beautiful colourful blog!


The last short-story I wrote here on the platform was nearly one year ago. My husband and I had recently moved to the little village we live in now. While exploring routes for my walks I bumped into a huge abandoned house. The very one you see in the photo below. This building put a spell on me. I used to walk there and spend a long time looking at it, from the sea side, while allowing my imagination to go wild. The product of those moments is The Abandoned House.

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CHALLENGES

The first time I was challenged here on the platform was 10 months ago by my dear @karencarrens. What was I required to do? Post B&W photos of things and places that represent my day-to-day life, for seven consecutive days! That was not an easy feat as I was/am not used to posting daily. Although, nothing compares to the nightmare I had with @trumpman’s awful, awful beer challenge, which consisted of posting - for an entire week – a short review of different kinds of beer that you’d tried and would recommend to others. As a non beer drinker I found myself having to resort to ‘innovative’ ways of tasting (e.g with a teaspoon, straw) this smelly beverage.

I am proud of having completed those two challenges 😎 Also, they made it possible for me to interact with my readers in a different way. Further, I learnt that while I am willing to accept to take part in the odd Steemit challenge I understood that I am not cut out for the ‘7-day’ type.

That is why I broke all the rules when @ruth-girl nominated me for the 7 Day Way Back Music Challenge and did it all in one single post! That was a wonderful post to write. I got so carried away that I even shared one of my photos there.

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PSYCHOLOGY ADDICT

Thus far, I have written 47 articles for my Psychology Addict series. I enjoyed writing every single one. However, each of them elicits a different emotion when they are finally ready. With some I go ‘oh, no!’ 😖, while with others I go like ‘yep!’ 😊 Here, I am going to share with you some of my old posts that fit into the latter group.

Nine months ago I wrote: Depression – Where to Draw the Line?. A post which discusses the fine line that separates ordinary sadness from mild depression, it briefly touches on the topic of resilience, and attempts to explain the different levels of this condition that for some can be an occasional episode in life, but that for others becomes something they battle with day in, day out.

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One month after that, a combination of events motivated me to write the post The Architecture of Sustainable Happiness, drawing from the principles posited by positive psychology I argue how for happiness to become something achievable we need to be proactive about it. I turned to the study conducted by Lyubomirsky to support my claim, and concisely described a few other pieces of research on forgiveness and gratitude for further evidence.

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Then, after 4 weeks without writing for my Steemit blog (yeah, sometimes life gets in the way) a chat I had on SteemSTEM discord channel inspired me to write about Dementia. On that post I described the causes and symptoms of not only Alzheimer’s, but of frontotemporal and vascular dementia too. I talked about my friend’s late mum and my uncle Joseph, who due his older age is often forgetful, but doesn’t suffer from any kind of dementia.

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Due to a line I wrote on my post about dementia (Another possibility, of course, is that the naughty little boy she[my grandma] often saw running around was a real ghost) I received a few requests to write about ghosts.

Now, this is a topic that has interested me for most of my life. I have always been fascinated about the supernatural connotation given to certain psychological phenomena. Hallucinations and OBEs are some examples. Because I had so many subtopics to cover I decided to write a 2-part series entitled: Making Sense of the Supernatural. In part one I shared with you the experiences my little brother had when we were small children, my own OBE, and visits from lost loved ones. I reached for the works of Dr. Oliver Sacks and W.D Rees among others, to explain these situations from a neuropsychological perspective.

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What about you my dear reader? Out of the posts I wrote that you were available to read. Which one did you like the most? Is it on this list, or is it a more recent one? 😊

To keep the ball rolling I am going to nominate for this challenge @agmoore, who I have been in love with lately ❤, @dysfunctional, the author of one of my favourite blogs here on this platform & @samminator, a kind gentleman who I have the pleasure to interact with both on Steemit and Discord 🌹 Good Luck guys! 😃

Image Source: Featured image, cricket

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Saudações, abigail

Você é brasileira??? Achei bem legal seu blog e seu interesse. Eu vi seu nome agora em uma postagem do @brazilians.

Eu também sou psicólogo . Minha linha de trabalho é a terapia cognitivo comportamental. Acompanharei seu blog aqui e começarei á ler suas próximas postagens.

Caso você não seja brasileira e tenha sido um engano, me desculpe hehehe.

Obrigado e boa noite!

Hi sweet Abi! This flash-back was really enjoyable and believe it or not, "The Abandoned House" story crossed my mind a few days ago, what a coincidence! I think it was my favorite story from you and I also loved the posts about the supernatural!

Have a great new week ahead!
Lots of love and warm hugs! 🤗💖
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Oh @smart-girl 😊🌷 what a wonderful message to read this morning. Thank you so much for it :) How interesting that you thought about the Abandoned House! The supernatural series seems to be quite popular 😅

This photo has brought me a smile that has given me new energy to start my day! Thank you 🦋❤️ I wish you a week filled with peace of mind and good health.

Much love to you from Portugal.

Hey there, Abby! What a nice surprise for this Friday post with a bit of a personal touch :)

I have read many of your previous articles but the funny thing is that I haven't read any of the feathered :) So, I have a list now.

I think that the article I remember quite vividly was the first one of yours that I read - Shaun The Sheep and Marriage :D I liked it very much (and still like it). I loved b the funny play you made with the pictures in it. It was (is) a quite personal article and this is what makes it very powerful :) Or at least, that is how I see it :D

Hope you are doing well with the busy days at work!

P.S. Can't wait for the @samminator, @dysfunctional, and @agmoore ' s posts!

See you!

Yes! I am also looking forward to what my nominees will come up with 😃 Shaun The Sheep and Marriage was a fun post to write. It helped me to reflect a lot about my (mis)behaviour!

Thank you for stopping by dear Valeria. You are a very loving person.

PS: I have seen your latest post, I will comment on it as soon as I can!

Haha, thank you for your nice words, Abby.

Don't worry about commenting my post. Isn't it Friday night -> party night :) Have a lovely evening, instead!

Lots of love!
Val

Thanks for the nomination Abbey, I'm really honoured.
I'm gonna give it a try tomorrow; you know I can't tell you no. You've been an amazing friend turned sister.

Keep being awesome Abbey. Much love.

And remember this night's hangout 😂😂

I am looking forward to seeing your compilation Sammi 😃
Ps: I will see what I can do about tonight (cannot promise anything, but I will try 😉. I might turn up a little earlier!

Oh, I thought you forgot! What an unbeliever am I! Forgive me for that :) I really need to catch-up your short stories, I somehow skipped them but they seem to be interesting, especially the last one which seems to be a product of some kind of form of Jung's active imagination technique :)

47 Psychology Addicts! Gosh, you should really open a APA facility - Anonymous Psychology Addicts :DDDDDD

Your best post? Hard to choose, they are all so professional and well written... I recently got back to meditation so why not to pick one of your best, the one about mindfulness :)

Thanks for taking part in challenge!

I would never forget a request from you @saunter 😊

APA facility - Anonymous Psychology Addicts :DDDDDD

😂 😂 😂

I'm a big fan of your psychology related articles. You do an awesome job researching interesting concepts and ideas on the subject. I always learn a lot from them. I remember that beer challenge you took part in and your disdain for it. The image of someone drinking beer with a teaspoon is pretty funny lol :)

Keep up the great articles!

Hey @leaky :D

Yours comments are among the ones I enjoy reading the most! As they invariably either bring something new to our discussions, or spark new thoughts and reflections :)

Thank you so much for your constant support & kindness.

Hi Ms. Abi.... 😘

Another interesting piece, it makes me turn back to the very first post that I read from you... To be honest I am the kind of person who doesn't love reading, that's why when I first came to steemit and you were the first person that was introduced to me by my sister, I'm kinda worried If I would be able to understand your write ups, but when I start reading your blogs, they are interesting because I am a frustrated psychologist 😊, I took up AB-Psychology on my first year on college but I shifted to Business course thinking that it would be easy to get a job hehehehehe.... But I really do love counselling especially to my friends and my sister @zephalexia (heheheh), All of your blogs are really worth the time to read... But I also have my favorites,

first... your beer challenges, though you really don't drink but you still up to the challenge and that's what I love about you...
Second... Your spooky stories on your supernatural blogs.... I love horror and thriller...
Third.... The ENVY, it makes me realized that I feel envious sometimes,
And your Letter to your reader, your one year celebration....

I hope you conti ue to inspire us, I know that I would never be even as half as good as you, but the way you present your piece inspires me....

And never ending thank you Ms. Abi, through ups and down of the platform you never give up on minnows like me, my sister and cuties..Minis...

We Love you to the moon... 😘😘😘

@avhyaceulip - - AVEGAIL... 💞💞💞

Oh! You are a fellow from the psychology field too!! How wonderful to find out that besides spicy food we also have this in common :D

Your words are very, very humbling. In response to them I have nothing more to say than thank you. Not only for your constant support, but also for always taking the time to leave beautiful, meaningful comments; which offer me new perspectives of what I like to discuss here!

Good choice! The Supernatural Series seems to be very popular!!

You take care my dear 😘

Hey, Abi! Soo glad that it's Friday!

I'm so happy that I've found your blog almost right after I joined Steemit.
For the time interacting with you, you've been a great support and often an inspiration! And I am sure not only for myself!

Thanks so much for the mention also! I really like the idea of this challenge :) Hopefully I would not fail it :D

All the best to you, as always :P

D.

😃 Excellent!!

I know my top 10 favourites from your blog! Let's see how many of them will be included in your compilation :)

Thank you for the kind words and for accepting the challenge!

You take care.
:D

I hope I included some of them :D

You did! You did :D

My dear Abigail, you do know how to lift the heart. Just having my first cup of coffee (it was a late night and a long sleep), when I realized, "It's Friday! @ abigail-dantes' blog will be up." I read through with great interest, then saw my name at the bottom. You cannot know the physical charge that gave me. I always have the sense of being invisible--and that you should recognize me--this will keep me going for a while.
Just read "Another Day with Mr. Bales". It's the kind of story I don't follow quickly by reading another. Powerful and sweet, worthy of the finest short story collection. You carry readers along gently and let us know the narrator and Mr. Bales through a few exquisitely crafted scenes. There's no overt sentimentality, and yet the sentiment evoked is so stirring. Lovely, memorable story. I will savor this one a bit longer before I read another.
Of course I'll take up your challenge, but I can't help wondering, who cares? I'll write for an audience of one, because I know you'll care. And that's enough. After all, as a writer of books that nobody reads, I mostly write for an audience of one.
Thanks you for the honor. I will read the rest of your stories and blogs as this day progresses. Will take my time, because I know they will be worth it.
Be well, Abigail. Be happy. Thanks for sharing so much of yourself. And thanks for being a friend. With great affection and appreciation, I wait for your next blog. 💙 🌼 🌻

@agmoore :)

I am glad to hear you accepted the challenge! But, I am mostly glad to see that you know that I'll care :)

It is wonderful to hear you liked Mr. Bales. I am not a very creative person, and with my short fiction pieces, I find difficult to give depth to my characters. I suppose that all I do is to just explore psychological aspects through them. I like doing that :) The books you wrote are fiction or non-fiction?

I have great ambitions to write a book one day. Except that I just don't know how to go about doing it. I actually discussed this recently with @egotheist, who told me just 'to do it' really!

You are a very, very special person my dear. I know that. Having the impression of being invisible doesn't necessarily mean we are :)

Looking forward to your post!!
Have a wonderful weekend & keep warm!
💙

Response to your blog, continued:
I just finished Cristophe the Cricket. It's 1 AM here, perfect time to read such a story. You really shouldn't bury a gem like this. Children should read it. Parents should read it to their children. Lovely. Message not overplayed, as could have been the case. Gentle, sweet, logical. And the drawing is inspiring!

Keeping a running commentary as I go through the blogs: Finished The Abandoned House. How could you not write fiction? You must have more stories you are squirreling away. Anyone with this imagination must write. This is a perfect story. We are caught in her imagination. I note you never give her a name--that would suggest an objective reality. We are trapped, convincingly, in her reality. Fantasists can decide that she is indeed in a maze, a kind of spatial/temporal loop. Realists can decide that she is mad and has imagined everything. You, the author, leave us with a puzzle--clues and a puzzle. Well done. Well done.

The blogs: What a collection! I only started reading your blogs a few months ago so these were all new to me. The dementia blog was the only one I couldn't finish. As with all your blogs, I started to relate the material to my own life and didn't enjoy contemplating that :). Plus, dementia is one of those things you can tell us about but you can't help us avoid :(
I found the blog on depression brilliant, but it saddened me. It reminded me of stuff I've read about epigenetics. If stress/abuse/deprivations happen early enough, and for a long period, they becomes a lifelong burden, or even a multigenerational legacy.

I loved the blog on the supernatural. You add objective science to the subject, but I agree with you: Your brother's bedroom was definitely haunted!!

The Architecture of Sustainable Happiness had me drawing contrasts with my own life--that's the most wonderful thing about your blogs: They give us tools and insight. I was having a little trouble with the set point, that we are probably born with this and keep reverting to it. My life perspective--my contentment quotient--has undergone a complete transformation from childhood. Objectively considered, my childhood was dreary, chaotic. I was very unhappy. But today I'm peaceful, content, positive. Every morning I get up eager to experience another day. I'd have to put my architecture of happiness at 90% intention and circumstance. My set point, which has been consistent through my life, has been the inclination to contemplate--to be a little more philosophical ("serious") than most people around me.


The best thing about this review of your blogs is it gave me the incentive to look back over your work. So much I have missed--the titles are teases I will revisit (probably not the beer challenge, except for a good laugh). I see now, no need to wait for Friday to read your blog. There's catching up to do!

@agmoore, you make feel very special! Thank you for taking a lot of your time to go through my work and provide me such meaningful feedback! I am overwhelmed by it ❤ I like Christophe too. He is full of prejudice, but he is not bad. He just doesn't know better. He is a being in transformation.

I was fascinated by the way you presented the two perspectives the audience can see the Abandoned Houses' protagonist from. That was something I only realized when I read some of the comments. It was an eye opener for me, as a fiction writer. It is funny, because that same outcome happens in research. Especially in qualitative research.

The observations you made about the post about depression reminded me of a study that analysed changes in dendritic spines seen in animal models, by Mitra and Sapolky (2008), who injected high doses of corticosterone in rats, for one entire day, to represent intense stress. After 12 days they saw that the rats had sprouted more dendrites in their amygdala neurons. This was sufficient to produce long-term anxiety and depressive behaviour.

I read the comment you left me last night to my husband. He was in awe of your words and the wisdom they convey. I am seriously considering to begin to draft something that will either be what I will later call my book, or something that eventually direct me to that path 😊

That makes me happy! And reading your blogs was a valuable way to spend my time:)

Writing books for me was just a reflection of passing time--and defiance. I'm not young. At some point I realized that if I wanted to do something, I'd better hurry up :) At first taking on a book may seem hard--like anything new. Then you realize a book is just a series of chapters. That's all. The idea is big, but the project is entirely manageable. Do it! You're a great writer. And you're very creative. The best writers speak truth to us. That's what you do in your blogs. That's what you do in "Another Day with Mr. Bales".

Don't let perfection be a barrier. The need to be great held me back for long time--not anymore. I can accept a modest outcome--another gift of age.

I'm saving your other pieces for the end of my day, when there are no distractions and I can enjoy them in comfort. Reading is one of the great pleasures in my life, so I treat the experience with respect.

I think a great deal matters to you-- I'm happy to be among those things. You are a gift to this platform and to those of us clever enough to follow your blog.
The best weekend to you, also. Have fun...start that book! With great affection...🎈🎈

hello miss Abi , the ones i can remember , actually all your topics are worth remembering

the one about social media and shaunthe sheep&marriage

Well i like all your write ups , and your oraganization of ideas , i may not have the chanceto know you in person right now. But getting to know you here on steemit is already a big thing for me . I am grateful to havecross paths with you here miss Abi ,you areone of my reasons why i still continue steeming. The miss Abi i k ow is so welcoming to all her followers and commenters ,a psychology addict , a listener , an adviser , and a beautiful lady from inside and out

Thanks always miss Abi ,may God bless you always more and more , hope someday me ,my minis andmy sister will have the chanceto get to know @abigail-dantes in person 😘❤️❤️❤️

Hello my dear @zephalexia 😊

It feels like we have been communicating with each other forever, doesn't it? :) I am also very grateful to have crossed paths with someone as thoughtful, kind-hearted and strong as you. You are an example for all the mums and women in general out there. Your strength and dedication are real gifts, which you should feel very special for having :)

Oh, I remember that article about social media. Can you believe that was the post that took me the longest to write? It took me about 11 hours to finalize it! So, I am glad my efforts paid off 😅

You take care my dear.
Much love to you and the minis, always and forever! :*