http://drgrupe.com/blog/ Dr. Grupe Blog en-us Nucleus CMS v3.32 � Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://drgrupe.com/blog//nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://drgrupe.com/blog/ http://drgrupe.com/blog/index.php?itemid=16 by Robert C. Grupe, PhD February 22, 2012

Introductory note: This article may seem a little esoteric - but, I believe, as a community, we are ready to understand at a very deep level the primal damage that fear and prejudice have done to our social fabric for thousands of years. This issue is literally the "elephant" in the room facing human kind. So much potential in the LGBTQ community and in society in general is wasted because of the walls created by visceral fear and emotional prejudice.

There is a revolution percolating: An upheaval of limiting ideas and belief systems. The stratified comfort zones of the past are wearing thin. The power to love is making more sense than the need to hate. Perceptive individuals are coming to realize that many communities and groups, including religions, have formed their power in the past through the "us against them" syndrome: "You believe as we do or we will disenfranchise and diminish you." When we love, respect and accept regardless of race, belief, gender or sexual orientation, we open up potential- we tear down the walls of hate and fear. Our real potential has been hidden for generations. We begin to see our true potential in the mirror when we face the real enemy that diminishes us.....

You crucified me 2,000 years ago.
You burned me at the stake 300 years ago.
You shot me when I was your president.
You tear down those who are not in agreement with your perceptions about me.
You create enemies in each generation by building walls of perceived differences as to who I really am when none should exist.
You have banded together and created great societies in search of me.
You build great cathedrals and religions in search of me.
You have written marvelous story books offering paths to that special place where you hope to find me and hold on to me forever more.
You have created intricate doctrines describing me in greater and greater detail - all the while building narrow pathways to the road that you see leading to me.
I am always far off, around the corner, in the future, accessible only through your learned ways of reaching me which change with each millennium.
Your perception of my wishes has fueled great wars over the ages with no defining benefit other than death and destruction and massive eradication of human possibilities.
You waged war 150 years ago and spilled the blood of 700,000 of your brothers and sisters on American soil in a civil war believing that you defended me.
YOU, humanity, imprisoned by fear and prejudice, have never yet lived - you have only existed.
You have never seen your true self- you keep searching and searching.
Because you are inherently afraid of ME - I remain invisible, while I am right in front of you.

I AM THE IMAGE YOU SEE IN THE MIRROR- I AM YOUR POTENTIAL. WHEN UNCHAINED FROM FEAR AND PREJUDICE: I am the power within you to share the passion and inclusion of many, to create a more perfect world.
















September 25, 2010 was a groundbreaking day as I had the honor of providing the first NAMI Leadership Academy ever held for the LGBT community in Oklahoma City. It was offered at Expressions Community Center. The full day workshop brought a host of attendees ranging from folks in the LGBT community interested in learning how they can make a difference in speaking out against issues of stigma as well as those present representing Legal Aid, HIV/STD testing and training and Behavioral Health services. Marin Swesey, Coordinator, NAMI Multicultural Action Center at the NAMI headquarters in Arlington, VA shared the information about the upcoming workshop in a recent Conference Call Summary as the NAMI GLBT Leaders Group of which I am a member, promoted the workshop. I had an opportunity to outline what would be covered in the academy during a national Conference Call September 8, 2010.

From the evaluations of the workshop came these comments:

"To my knowledge, Robert is providing a level of LGBT advanced leadership/advocacy training that is available nowhere elese in Oklahoma. Please support him to continue developing and offering this caliber of information to more and more LGBT folks in Oklahoma. I learned more about general channels of activism than I even expected to - both inspiring and practical.
Thank you!"

"This was helpful and could benefit from broader advertisement - particularly at psych graduate programs where diversity training and social advocacy are valued. The orientation to board structures and protocol was VERY useful and I appreciated the emphasis on a strengths model."

The program was tailored to dialogue about the external social stresses placed upon the under served LGBT community and what members and supporters of that community can do to build their own self esteem and provide leadership to others. Research has shown that the presence of significant social stresses brought on by stigma can result in depression, feelings of isolation, frustration and an increased likelihood of self medication leading to addiction.

When even one member of the LGBT community is left feeling shamed and alone, marvelous human potential is left untapped. When it comes to speaking out and letting society know what the LGBT community wants. The answer is as simple as assumed heterosexual privileges. Nothing more and nothing less. BY OUR SILENCE WE LET OTHERS DEFINE US.

"As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others"
-Nelson Mandela

I am excited about offering through NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) another such Leadership Academy soon.
If you would be interested in attending or would like more information you can email me.
cre8futr@aol.com














]]> newcat1 http://drgrupe.com/blog/index.php?itemid=16 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:59:11 -0500