The Power of Being Known: A Heart-Centered Journey Connecting to Self, Earth, Lineage, and Love

The heart’s technology is more advanced than a cell phone and is the first organ to be created while you’re in your mother’s womb - chosen to be first for a Divine reason.   Connecting to the heart daily is the key to gaining access to the truth, wisdom, love, and healing you are worthy of receiving.

To know yourself begins by knowing that you are one cell, one of many, and together, co-create your heart and entire Being. 

Choosing to know yourself from deep within and allowing yourself to be known opens the heart to be seen, loved, heard, felt, and supported in the present moment– which means you get to experience the richness of life wholeheartedly.

 This book shines light on what’s been hidden underneath the surface and gently leads you on an inner exploration for you to feel safe and empowered to alchemize fears, integrate a new way of Being, embody the truth and power of who you are, and love your Self (your cells) from the inside-out. 

This book can be read over and over again to support you in every phase of your heart-centered journey.

So, let’s begin!

Be still, feel, ask, listen, breathe, receive,

and know.

– Dr. Sofia Costa

The Original Idea

A young person struggles with their own mortality after the death of their father. As they ponder this question, the great question which we must all face at some time or another, and filled with anxiety, their thoughts turn to the first law of thermodynamics: ‘the total energy in a system remains constant, although it may be converted from one form to another.’ Perhaps as one being dies, another is born, and life remains but only changes form and shape. Might this experience of suffering provide the key to accepting their own finitude, and help them push through the grief of losing a loved one?

2:

After the death of a beloved parent, a young adventurer known as the Young One embarks on a mysterious journey of metaphorical encounters. Perhaps they can help him understand a dying man’s final words, and finally discover the meaning behind the Original Idea.

Staring Death in the Face

This is a real-life account of a family dealing with anorexia of one of its own. Sarah nearly died. She could have died at any time as her body had begun to shut down. The local medical services said that they had never come across anyone with such a low body mass index (weight) as hers. Sarah was heard screaming out as her body began to close down at death’s door. But by the grace of God, she miraculously survived.

The events are chronicled by the author, Sarah’s father; plus there is a very poignant additional contribution portrayal through the eyes of her sister Olivia too — together these sections paint the picture of what this family had to endure and complement each other.

This is a book which I am sure you will find hard to put down and will educate you not only as far as the illness of anorexia is concerned but also in seeing how it can be transcended.

Paul Vitz: Psychological Mythbuster

American psychologist, Paul Vitz, was a pioneer critic of the ‘me, me, me’ generation and humanistic psychology which flourished alongside it. He stands out because of the cultural, psychological and spiritual depth of his critique. Mythbusters are rare and Vitz is a mythbuster par excellence, tearing apart several generations of selfism with insight, wisdom and wit. Other critiques came much later. He saw it all at the time.

This book takes the reader on a journey into the life and thought of a rare thinker, a questioner of ideological sacred cows, and one of the most original and gifted psychologists of the past century.

Paul Vitz was a visionary for his time in confronting and mythbusting humanistic psychology amidst ‘a tsunami of humanistic adulation.’ This book gives perceptive insights into Vitz's thought and times. Well worth reading!

– Catherine MacLaurin, Psychologist, Senior Wellbeing Advisor (SWA), Health and Safety Directorate, NSW Department of Education and Training, Australia

The American psychologist, Paul Vitz, has been a remarkably prescient and courageous critic of the humanist psychology movement, headlined by Carl Rogers. In this book, Wanda Skowronska has provided a thorough and convincing account of Vitz’s work. Her book deserves a wide readership.

– Colin Patterson STD, Dean and Permanent Fellow of the former John Paul II Institute, Melbourne, Australia.

In her book, Wanda Skowronska masterfully narrates the philosophical, theological, and historical context of the development of humanistic psychology, especially that of Carl Rogers, through the lens of Paul C. Vitz’s life and publications. This work critiques the influences of contemporary psychology’s humanistic origins of self-fulfilment theories and cultural Marxism and honours the lifelong work of Paul Vitz, who is undoubtedly one of the most significant Catholic psychologists of our times.

– Professor Craig Steven Titus, S.Th.D./Ph.D. Divine Word University, USA.

Passionate

Do you ever feel confused, depressed or anxious? Do you think that you are going through some sort of crisis? Do you seem at odds with your partner, friends or work colleagues? But you can’t understand why this is happening? If so, Passionate will shed some light, as its author has experienced all these things and more besides, and has survived to tell the tale.

To achieve this, he experienced various therapies which helped to improve his mental health. But above all else, it was his discovery of attachment theory that was responsible for clearing his confusion and helping him to understand why his life had been so intense, so chaotic, and so passionate.

Originally applied to the early parent-child bonding process, attachment theory can also help explain why we have become who we are as adults. The author has applied this aspect of attachment theory to himself  – as he takes us on a roller-coaster tour of his life, with thoughtful self-analysis applied to every stage of the journey.

Passionate is not a quick fix for people unwilling to look within but it does show how positive mental health can be achieved through a better understanding of what exactly is going on in our lives and why. So, strap yourself in for a ride that might change your life!

Musings of a Grieving Mam

It’s humbling to realise that everything I’ve taken for granted over the last 13 years, touching Lils, holding her, being beside her, I now have to ask permission to do it.

That now, other mothers’ hands have the unspoken right to touch my daughter.

I have to ask permission to perform the most basic of ‘mum duties’ for my own child.

My. Own. Child.

16 days in the head of a mum during her teenage daughter’s battle with HLH.

Mental Health Workbook

Mental health is a critical component of everyone’s lives. If you have a brain and have ever felt feelings, then this is the workbook for you!
It is part coloring book, part entertainment, part journal, and part suggestions for when encountering difficult times and complex emotions. Its main goal is to be a fun, helpful and useful workbook that encourages the user.

Men Over 60: Don't Quit Now!

Dr. Dorsen, a fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine and retired internist, is a cum laude graduate from Dartmouth College with his medical degree from the Rutgers New Jersey University School of Medicine, and residencies in medicine at Johns Hopkins and Hennepin County Hospital Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has served at the United States Paralympic and Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and as a team physician for the U.S. Olympic Cross Country Ski Team. He is the author of The Vikings Change the Play Against Alcohol and Other Dangerous Drugs; Dr. D’s Handbook for Men Over 40: A Guide to Health, Fitness, Living, and Loving in the Prime of Life; Up from the Ashes: One Doc’s Struggle with Drugs and Mental Illness; and over 300 human interest and juried articles. He has spoken on sports medicine and related medical issues at US and world cross country events where he himself races. He lives in Eagan, Minnesota with his partner, Nada.

“Dr. Dorsen offers an antidote to time and a commitment to daily respect for your body and mind. With insight and clarity, he encourages us to make health a daily habit.”
- David Feldshuh, M.D., Ph.D., Pulitzer nominee for Miss Ever Boys’ based on the Tuskegee Study, professor of theater at Cornell University, and practicing emergency room physician.

“If we are going to help make a healthy world it is essential that men become kind and soft and step down from the altar of power. These things were not spoken in medical school maybe because most all the teachers were male, and psychiatry did not address the unhealthy features of the male personality. Thank you, Peter, for showing the possibility for a healthier world, making healthier men.”
- Patch Adams, M.D., a physician, comedian, social activist, clown, and founder of the Gesundheit! Institute, “Patch” is the author of the film,” Patch Adams” (1998), “Bringing Good Health to You” (1998), and “House Calls”(1998).

“Men Over 60: Don’t Quit Now! supplies helpful information for men in their senior years who want to stay active and healthy. To share this type of information with senior men is an admired goal of Dr. Dorsen and myself. I recommend Dr. Dorsen’s sequel to Dr. D’s Handbook as a helpful guide to anyone interested in this age group.”
- Barry Mink, M.D. was catcher for the Cincinnati Reds out of high school with 40 years as a practicing internal and sports medicine at the Aspen Clinic. Dr. Mink has been the team physician for the US Biathlon Team and Nordic team physician at both the 1980 and 1994 Winter Olympics.

“I came to this book for the information, but I stayed for the inspiration. There is lots of new information, even for an experienced physician. But more importantly, this book offers the inspiration to implement a healthy lifestyle as we pass from our 60s and beyond.”
- Edward Feinberg, M.D., MPH, chairman emeritus department of ophthalmology; faculty retina-vitreous service.

Keep Stepping - A Step-By-Step Journey to a Clearer View of Mental Well-Being

Mike Owen, born with two congenital heart defects, battled with cardiac issues until the age of seven, when he underwent open heart surgery that changed his life.

For the following 31 years, Mike was plagued with intense and disabling heart palpitations. In 2004, the cause of the palpitations was diagnosed and, after a short cardiac procedure, for the first time in 38 years his heart was stable.

Life became easier. His confidence grew. But so did his workload. After three years of work-related stress, his heart succumbed to a new type of palpitation which would blight his life for the next four years. After taking steps to reduce the frequency and intensity of his cardiac problems, Mike finally felt like he had turned a corner. However, in 2017, he was plunged back into despair following a series of dramatic events.

When his Occupational Health Doctor gave him an unexpected Mental Illness diagnosis, Mike embarked on a new path. He now had to deal with psychological issues, learn mindfulness techniques and work through the trauma of his childhood and the uncertainty of having spent so many years living with his heart problems.

With his faithful dog, Coco, always by his side, Mike confronted the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness, in his own way. He found physical, emotional, and mental stability thanks to his diagnosis, and this is his uplifting story.

Joseph

Joseph is a book that tells the real-life story of a single mother coping with the pressures of life and bringing up a child with autism. The author, Philomena Scully, captures a world that is relatable to other parents – the main audience that the book has been written for.

It shares a variety of honest and funny stories, covering common topics that she has struggled with over the years while supporting and loving her son despite the extreme differences that her new life entailed. It also illustrates simple techniques and tips to help ordinary parents who are finding themselves in same situation.

Its written from the heart with a simple structure that people can learn from. It lays bare the trials and tribulations she encountered and how she accepted that autism is a different way of life through the love of her son.    

It Is My Garden! So, I shall Tend to It Myself

Have you ever wondered who you are? 

Or, if you could be exactly who you want to be?

All too often people present to the world, a representation of themselves which has been constructed from others‘ agendas!

How would it feel to go on a journey of self-discovery, and connect with your authentic self? And so become the person you were meant to be. 

You are entitled to prioritise your own wants and needs!

This book will encourage you to discover and connect with all elements of your being, the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, enabling you to reach enlightenment of self.

How Have I Cheated Death? A Short and Merry Life With Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the UK's most common life-threatening diseases, affecting over 10,000 people. There's currently no cure.

Not all that long ago, a CF diagnosis meant an early death. Tim Wotton is one such sufferer, who was told from an early age that he would not live beyond his 17th birthday. One of the oldest survivors of this crippling disease, How Have I Cheated Death? is a diary of his 39th year, a countdown to the illusive 40.
A story of triumph over adversity, this compelling chronicle, the first book written by a CF sufferer at 40, offers hope and inspiration, demonstrating what cannot be cured needs to be endured. Written with great honesty and humour with an enlightening Foreword by the actress Jenny Agutter, this profound account is a testament to the daily dedication required to deal with CF and recently diagnosed diabetes while managing a normal family life.