Did you ever want to learn more about parenting and what a psychologist might think about the value of laughter in your life?
People living in Williams Lake, and elsewhere for that matter, can now check on-line to find out what one of our own psychologists thinks about these matters.
Dr. Asa Brown has been writing a column about parenting for the Counseling Connect magazine since March.
The on-line magazine created by the Canadian Counseling and Psychotherapy Association is accessible by anyone. People can also enter comments and responses to the writings.
Brown was asked to write a column about parenting but says he has a lot of liberty on what he writes about.
“I am trying to address subjects that touch everyone,” Brown says.
So far he has written columns on such topics as the benefits of having children get eye examinations, the benefits of laughter, children and the classroom, parental influence on children’s self-esteem, and other more controversial topics such as bullying, verbal abuse and corporal punishment.
Brown says he doesn’t condemn spanking because many good parents do spank their children on occasion but he personally doesn’t believe it is necessary and offers parents alternatives to spanking.
“I was spanked growing up and that doesn’t make my parents bad people, because it was what they knew, but there are other ways to discipline children,” Brown says.
He has also collaborated with Dr. Eunice Johannson, a neuropsychologist from Edmonton, on his latest article The Benefits of Laughter.
“So I am trying to mix it up on what I write about,” Brown says.
Every two weeks he writes a column of about 1,000 words for the magazine.
“The response has been good,” Brown says.
He received about 100 responses to his column on corporal punishment and 51 on the column he wrote about parental influence on children’s self-esteem.
Brown’s articles can be viewed atwww.ccpa-accp.ca/blog?p=980.
“It’s a good site for parents, teachers and counsellors,” Brown says. “It’s been a great experience. I am enjoying it.”
In addition to maintaining a private counseling and advocacy practice in Williams Lake, Brown, who holds a doctorate in psychology, is also working on two books.
He has been commissioned to write a resource guide for psychologists, and is also writing a book on racism.
He says the issue of racism is really his heart and his passion.
“Growing up in the south (U.S.) I was exposed to racism. I believe it is everywhere and I am trying to show humanity that we are all one race in the global community rather than separate races. We need to start acting and treating each other as one race. I think that would solve a lot of the world’s problems.”
Brown also believes the world needs a unified financial and monetary system.
Brown also helps masters candidates at Royal Roads University in Victoria with developing their thesis.
He has also been asked to write a column for Psychiatric Times which would be for professionals working in the field.
Like many parents he is juggling career with trying to spend quality time with his own family.
Brown and his wife, Dr. Tracy Brown, a lakecity optometrist, have two young daughters, Delilah 7, and Esperanza, 6.5 months. Delilah means delicate beauty and Esperanza means hope.
“It’s busy, but its fun,” Brown says. “Its about balance.”
Tracy says her husband also received a call this past weekend from Los Angeles California with an invitation to speak on a nationally syndicated radio talk show.
“It’s an exciting time for Asa,” Tracy says. “I am really proud of him and of his successes.”
The link to the article on laughter is www.ccpa-accp.ca/blog/?author=27.