Refocusing Perspectives

 The impeachment trial in the Philippines functions as a hybrid political and judicial proceeding; any expert testimony must be directly relevant to the six constitutional grounds for impeachment, such as a betrayal of public trust or other high crimes.  Since mental instability itself is not a ground for impeachment, an expert cannot testify merely to declare an official unfit. Even if they may assert relevance, the testimony faces strict legal and ethical hurdles under the Revised Rules on Evidence, particularly if the expert attempts to diagnose a public figure without a direct clinical examination, which violates professional ethics and can be dismissed as speculative by the defense.  Historical precedents like the 2018 house hearings against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was widely condemned by legal scholars as an irrelevant distraction and was criticized as highly politicized tactics for character assassination even if they may argue permissibility.  It i...

    1. Beware of idea pathogens. Idea pathogens are ideas that are harmful to our minds and society. They can be spread through social media, the news, and even our own friends and family.     2. Don't be afraid to question authority. Just because someone is in a position of power doesn't mean they're always right. Be willing to challenge the status quo and think for yourself.     3. Beware of groupthink. Groupthink is when people in a group make decisions that are not in their best interests because they want to fit in. Be willing to speak up and disagree with the group if you think they're wrong.     4. Beware of echo chambers. Echo chambers are online communities where people only hear information that confirms their existing beliefs. This can lead to people becoming more extreme in their views and less open to new ideas.     5. Beware of confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out information that confirms our e...

[Whenever I will hear stories of injustices and extreme hardship from social experiences, either in conflict zones or by the narratives of those who suffered from this pandemic, I will remind myself of Judith Jaegermann's story written in a special book on reparation for human injustice. I console myself of her spirit, strength, and courage to surmount through hardship and emotional difficulties. There are many stories like this waiting to be written or heard. But for those who might have not the chance to find this book at a store, I encoded a chapter focused only on Jaegermann's story so that one day, you too will understand what it is to be kind, what it means to listen on other's feelings, and to speak of appropriate words only that is respectable of one's life. This is for women, who share similar life of Jaegermann and who wanted to be understood seriously, wherever you are in this world -- Violeta] ======= From the book The Controversy Over Apologies and Reparati...

Here's some excellent sharing of experiences on Mental Health which I happened to listened at TED. I felt it will be more meaningful if shared widely to inspire others in time of pandemic. I curated part of the thoughts which I held significant but you can listen all of the stories from these resources at TED through the links provided for expanded experiential contexts. I hope you will find meaning from these resource speakers to survive the pandemic's effect to human minds and emotions either as mental health service providers or as a survivor of this global situation.      Hailey Hardcastle at TED on "toolkit to survive mental health crisis." -- "...physical and mental health are equal and should be treated as such. In fact, they're connected. Take health care for example. But how about mental health care? I know I was trained in CPR in my seventh-grade health class. What if I was trained in seventh grade how to manage my mental health or how...