Bergen
The sound of breathing in and shouting out
Just when you think you have it all figured out, you realize that you have to repaint the future you made. The canvas is filled with new colors, and you see that they look better than before. My picture was filled with the city line of Bergen, where I wanted to move. In the painting, some of my best friends stood next to me. In the horizon, I saw a new job, a new life.
Yesterday I was on an audition for a choir I have dreamt about joining since I moved to Førde. Two years ago, I was on my first audition with them, but I was so nervous that I almost could`t sing and I lost my chance to join them. My nervousness was right under the surface this time too, but I felt a little bit better since I have started to take singing lessons. The day before, I had a lesson together with my motivating teacher, who pushed my limits and made me sing at a pitch I felt uncomfortable with. But suddenly my voice did things it had never done before. We did a high-five after I finally managed to sing “stand by your man” properly. He told me I just had to believe in myself, and to not be afraid of “singing out”. For me shouting out sounded like I was an animal in pain, but he told me to stop thinking like that, so I did.
I drove to the audition with this in my mind. When I came there, I was as ready as I could be. I had chosen to sing “jar of hearts”, and managed to sing it without faltering too much. But then I came to “Stand By Your Man”, and everything went wrong. Each time I came to the point where I had to sing out, my voice disappeared, as if it suddenly decided to take a vacation.
I was sure I had ruined my chances, but luckily the woman I sang to, gave me another chance. She put on a karaoke version of the song, and let me sing again. This time I managed to sing like I had practiced at home, with some hiccups. When I didn`t manage to sing like I should, she suddenly came up behind me and started touching my stomach and lifting my hands. She told me this was to help me use my breath in the right way. With a firm tone, she told me to relax in my shoulders as they almost went up to my hair. She also told me I had to draw in as much breath as I could and then save the air until I started to sing. Otherwise, the air would leak out and I would`t have enough left to sing for more than seconds. Her energy and strange approach to my singing, made me laugh and relax enough to sing better than I thought I was capable off. At one point she told me she got goosebumps. I never thought I could sing good enough to evoke emotions in others, and now I did. I was still sure I had ruined my chances, when she told me that I would be invited to join them.
I started to cry and felt joy souring through me. I couldn`t believe it, and I`m still surprised when I think about it. Since this has been one of my dreams, I just have to grab the opportunity, even if it means staying in Førde longer. My plans of moving this summer, must be abandoned for the time being. From now on my painting will be filled with musical performances and new experiences.
Tammy Wynette – Stand By Your Man
About the choir:
Showkoret Surround
Neuropsychology and mental illness
When I started to study psychology, I was immediately interested in neuropsychology. For six months I worked at a rehabilitation unit in Bergen. I met people with different types of brain injuries, and learnt different tests used to map cognitive functions. I thought about becoming a neuropsychologist, but decided to work with trauma victims instead. But my interest in biology and neuroscience is still there, and I try to use the knowledge I have gathered when I work with trauma victims. My preferred method is EMDR (eye movement and desensitization). EMDR is based on solid evidence, and I love that we also use neuroscience to explain how EMDR works.
Neuropsychology studies the structure and function of the brain as they relate to specific psychological processes and behaviors. It is an experimental field of psychology that aims to understand how behavior and cognition are influenced by brain functioning and is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral and cognitive effects of neurological disorders.
At work yesterday, we had a lecture about the treatment of AD/HD and bipolar disorder. The lecturer works in Bergen where she does research on AD/HD. Her name is Anne Halmøy, and she was a truly inspiring person. It was really interesting to hear her talk, especially since she explained how neuropsychology helps us to understand AD/HD better. One of the problems people with AD/HD and bipolar disorder have, is regulation their behavior and emotions. She told us that we are beginning to understand that some brain areas are under-regulated in those patiens. It is not clear which areas contributes the most to what, but the prefrontal cortex and the limbic areas are two likely candidates.
What Goes On in the Brain
Studies show that brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, don’t work the same in children and adults with ADHD. There also tend to be differences in the way nerve pathways work.
Certain parts of the brain may be less active or smaller in children with ADHD than those without the disorder.
The brain chemical dopamine may also play a role. It carries signals between nerves in the brain and is linked to movement, sleep, mood, attention, and learning.
Science has already come a long way in explaining AD/HD and bipolar disorder, but there is still so much to learn. The coming years will probably see a surge of new research that explains why genetic and mental disorders develops.
Neuropsychology – Science Daily
Bergen
right now it’s raining outside. Typical Bergen. The city is actually known for the rain, but I don’t think the difference between where I’m living now and Bergen is so great. I’m including some pictures from the old part of town. This is a area full of charming wood houses, that have been there for a long time
The sound of the door bell waking me up
This is already a wonderful day, even if I was torn out of sleep by kids ex exercising their finger muscles on my door bell. I tried to hide in the shadow as I opened because of my frankenstein’s face mask, but by their swift disappearance, I’m not sure I managed. They brought a present; My snow-White mate for life, little Amadeus. He’s been naughty as usual, but wasnt away for long this time, and that wasnt to bad either, since I had a visitor yesterday.
Today I’m going to Bergen together with Helene. The anticipation is brimming: I will see my psycholgy Friends, my sister, my best friend and a lot of other Friends, and will in addition to that play boardgames, maybe Even Resistance, which is the best social game ever made that I know of! I have also done a lot lately, for example met a lot of warm and inspiring psychologist, organized things for my group (am now planning a hike to a cabin) and read about mentalization. I’ve had the best chatts, and talked a lot with an amazing guy. Can’t believe my luck, it was worth fighting away the hurt, rejection and dissapointment that lingered from the bad choices I made. I feel free, and will devour every bit of life with vigor. I have so many good things now: Wonderful and caring friends in many cities, a great family, the best job where I help the nicest people find their inner beauty, all the things I need, and my Italian course, that produce goose-bumps when I discover yet another beautiful word that gives my ear another reason to listen to magic.
Remember this: even if everything is as bad as it can be, you will get the price in the end. Or like my mother said; Nothing is so bad that it can’t be fixed. I believe that, and if you don’t, listen to my and others stories, and don’t forget you’ve felt good before.
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Mirrorgirl 
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