Believe me I am a beginner at this gratitude stuff and it is hard work rebutting my negative, ungrateful thoughts, but I highly recommend it. I simply don’t have the time to go through all of them, although I’m seriously considering whether to do a formal review and response to her teaching. Hearing stories like yours makes all of the time and effort so worth it. Imagine the outcry. Why? In order for my to understand your post better, answers to these questions would be greatly appreciated. Leaf, if you disagree, please provide tangible evidence otherwise. I would like to read your book afterwards. I think it’s great that you’ve spoken to your counsellor about it, and to your other friends who are also counsellors. 1992. 6. We may not know everything like God does, but that doesn’t diminish the power and place of science, without which we would still be living in the Dark Ages. When you’re attacked, your tendency is attack back — just like the rest of us. We really need to get the word out. Good science, as I stated before, is a study of the natural world using logic, critical thinking, and the scientific method. I had to divide up the original post into three parts to make it more manageable. I hope that over time you’ll see that my motives aren’t divisive, but come from a deep love for Christ and his bride, and a passion for the truth. If she is for real, and her cognitive therapies are of value, then lets put them to the real test and see how they hold up in real clinical trials. It would be helpful to the lay-population if those academics, scientists and doctors were willing to raise their concerns about Dr Leaf with their churches and their church leaders. But I didn’t even make it to the end of the first chapter before I was angry with the book (and trying hard to not project that anger onto the counselor who had recommended it) for twisting Scripture to say something completely different than its meaning in context and dismissing as “scientifically inaccurate” the evidence that depression can result from a chemical imbalance that can be treated by medication correcting that imbalance. While I appreciate what Caroline Leaf is trying to do, I’m expressing my opinion that she is not being entirely honest with folks or herself. I can pick apart Dr Leaf’s teaching from a medical point of view but I’ve always been interested to hear the view of an educational professional on her initial work. Then I looked up one of her videos. All we can do is speak the truth so that anyone who is interested can listen if they want to. Leaf on YouTube and found her talks interesting. It’s the only antidote when pseudoscience goes viral. BELOW IS A LETTER OF REFERENCE FROM A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL ENDORSING DR CAROLINE LEAF If you have any specific questions about my writing, I’m happy to clarify (I just can’t give specific medical advice on the blog). Translation ‘It is sooner felt than told’. God Bless You. If you are serious about knowing the truth, then I strongly suggest you review your reasons why you accept Dr Leaf’s teaching and dismiss mine. I only have two which is more than enough for me. Leaf, C.M. Typical medicines have to go through years of grueling testing and proving in the clinic before they are FDA approved and released to the public to treat diseases. This arguing and negative comments is the reason people dont become Christians. I was daily struggling with MDD and being told I was sinning was damaging. If it is not the real deal, then it too will pass. There will always be people who criticize you, judge you, attack you, and spread rumors about you. A lot of people are going to be jealous of your success, too, and they’re going to want to attack you for many different reasons. I am a Christian and suffer with Bipolar Disorder. The mini brain in the heart research can be found at Heartmath.org, Heartmath and Dr Don Colbert both reference the effect of ANF. 04 CDN$ 19.99 CDN$19.99. | churchwatch central, This “switch on your brain” and “21 day brain detox” stuff looks and smells like a money-making gimmick and pseudoscience, preying on the general populace who understands virtually nothing concerning how scientific research works and what constitutes real science, especially the brain, mind and conscience. If you require, we can also send letters from her peers in the field of Neuroscience. Thank you for spreading the word. There are actually three natriuretic peptides. A friend of mine highly recommends Dr Leaf’s writings and so I simply googled “review drcarolineleaf” to get to this site, as I found it very interesting because I have been struggling with anger and negativity for some time, even though I am a follower of Jesus by his grace. Even Jesus did not fight back in the face of his unjust conviction and persecution. I was not impressed with the way scriptures were clearly used out of context, but I thought I’d give it a go anyway. … Her thesis and research were not shown to provide any ground breaking discoveries or lead to paradigm shifts in the field of cognitive science, and did not publish in anything other than obscure journals. Physician “heal thyself”. I think there is a great need for spiritual discernment nowadays in the body of Christ. 11-15. Finally, a quick word on critique and criticism. Satisfy yourself about where the truth lies. Thank you for your timely response Dr. Pitt. As a … We respond in love. Learn More "But, the Emperor has no clothes ..." In Hans Christian Andersen's legendary tale, the Emperor was conned by two swindlers into believing that "they were weavers, and they said they could weave the most magnificent fabrics imaginable. God Bless you all. I stumbled upon Dr. I’m afraid that this is detracting from the real gospel and can mislead young Christians into believing that they have some sort of power over their destiny. While that sort of cherry-picking is good for book sales, it’s not very scientific, so my best advice is enjoy the book, but take his findings with a pinch of salt, and look for independent evidence for benefit from the therapies he discusses before buying into them too much. Again, thanks for your kind and uplifting encouragement. 1993. It slyly mixes in faith, and in so doing suggests that there is a mystical spiritual side to all this that cannot be tested. My initial opinion from your work suggests that you are a loving person with the right intentions and some truly useful insight. Like I said, I’m not here to win arguments but to provide an alternative viewpoint so that open-minded people such as yourself can have a choice. We believe that with a little bit of deeper probing, Dr Leaf's claims and hypotheses aren't as strong as they appear. Dr Caroline Leaf – Serious questions, few answers (Part 1), http://careersinpsychology.org/becoming-a-cognitive-neuroscientist/, http://www.cvphysiology.com/Blood%20Pressure/BP017.htm, A Health Mind is a Healthy Body | Medivizor, C3 Women’s Conference: A Leaf out of whose book? Would you know? In regards to why people don’t become Christians, I think there are many reasons. Caroline Leaf (born August 12, 1946 in Seattle, Washington) is a Canadian-American filmmaker, animator, director, producer, and tutor.She has produced numerous short animated films and her work has been recognized worldwide. Caroline Leaf (* 12. Sadly most lay people will not. Further, I have completed post-graduate fellowship training in the specialty of General Practice, which was another three years of work and study. Please don’t feel under any obligation – I don’t want to turn this into a sales pitch. For easy access to this research please see the Google links to TED talks and Time Magazine’s article. “Evaluation and Remediation of High School Children’s Problems Using the Mind Mapping Therapeutic Approach” in Remedial Teaching, Unisa, 7/8, September 1992. DVD £18.33 £ 18. Tafelberg, Cape Town, SA. In a 2013 blog for the Huffington Post, Charles Reid wrote, “Christians must provide effective witness against both extremes. These sorts of claims demand proof. She applied the findings of her statistically proven research in clinical practice for nearly 20 years and now lectures and preaches around the world on these topics. Just spent a weekend listening to your brilliant wife. Well, first, medicine is an art and a science, but good medicine relies on good science. “An Altered Perception of Learning: Geodesic Learning: Part 2” in Therapy Africa, 2 (1), January/February 1998, p. 4. He’s been heavily criticised in the past, some of which is quite legitimate (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y1xJAVZxXg but mind the language). With enough expressed concern, I hope that our church leaders will take these concerns seriously. No problems re: the book, just thought I’d offer, but ultimately the choice is yours. After 10 minutes it was quite tedious so clicked off. It may be socially and culturally acceptable, but the question at hand is it spiritually. Let’s put real teaching to the test, see if it stands up. The references were listed simply in that book for the lay person. 478k Followers, 567 Following, 5,014 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Dr. Caroline Leaf (@drcarolineleaf) Caroline Leaf. He was very thorough in responding to your critique of Dr. We are suppose to be a church unified under Christ. If you’re willing to share, I’d be interested in your opinion. 23,022 talking about this. 1990. ANF, produced by the top two chambers of the heart, actually regulates blood pressure (http://www.cvphysiology.com/Blood%20Pressure/BP017.htm). My husband is loving Dr Leafs cd’s but I am very wary. All ideas need critiquing. Let God be your defender. Personally, I don’t care if you hate me or disagree with my work, and you’re not the first person to accuse me of being a child of the devil, and probably not the last. 40, pp. I’m not sure what you meant by, “If spiritual people are not held to a higher, then why mention it or preface your argument with it.” Sorry. That’s because sometimes people can have adverse reactions, and certain people with certain issues can’t take that medication or it could cause serious problems, even death. Haters gonna hate. She is also not a pastor, not formally trained to teach the Word of God, and has no clear track record of being under the authority of the Church or serving in the church. But scripture is clear; it’s ok to ask questions, to look at both sides of a discussion, to critique and to be critiqued. Can you please refer me to some proven scientific or medical research that is based on infallible truths completed in its findings and requires no further research and investigation?” Respectfully, I think you may have misinterpreted my work. I suffered from clinical depression for many years as well and Dr Leaf’s books were recommended to me by my Connect Leader at church. I did listen to the DVDs and I’m far from a scientist so I have no basis for agreeing with you apart from that IT DIDN’T SIT RIGHT with me. If you have any other comments, I’m happy to discuss them further. I have recently written an article for a major Australian medical journal, which has been accepted for publication, although its publication is still pending. she is entitled to her opinions, but she is no authority in these areas and should not masquerade as such. When people insult you, you want to insult them back. Either way, I suggest you quit while you’re ahead. These pathways are developed and refined during childhood, but we are born with built-in templates for basic emotion. In the Bible, King David was criticized and attacked his entire life. I have 2 children with significant but very different disabilities; the concept of neuroplasticity is not new to me. Switch on Your Brain. If it has an effect on thought, it is secondary, not primary. 4.7 out of 5 stars 692. Every time you are under attack, criticized, put down, or misunderstood, you have two choices. Dr. Caroline Leaf is on Facebook. She is best known as one of the pioneering filmmakers at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). Blessings on you, Mr. Pitt. It was good timing, a word in season if you like, as I was in need of encouragement. Admittedly, the definition of a cognitive neuroscientist is somewhat vague (http://careersinpsychology.org/becoming-a-cognitive-neuroscientist/) but the term ‘cognitive neuroscientist’ confers the idea that one is actively involved in cognitive neuroscientific research, or at least in the recent past. You can defend yourself, or you can let God defend you. The University of Cape Town has produced many outstanding graduates, including Max Theiler, a Nobel Prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine and Christaan Barnard, the first person to successfully transplant a human heart. It’s a shame because some of the issues and developments in mental and physical health she talks about are very important. Yes she does read a lot as the field of Neuroscience is constantly evolving and one has to be as informed as possible. 4.6 out of 5 stars 3,276. As we say in Yorkshire ‘It’s sooner felt than telt’. Anton, thank you for your bravery and openness in sharing your ongoing struggles. Dr. Caroline Leaf: her birthday, what she did before fame, her family life, fun trivia facts, popularity rankings, and more. If I have not adequately explained myself, or if I’ve appeared to suggest that my work is infallible, then you have my sincerest apologies. Good to see someone pointing out problems here with the Dr Leaf sales pitch. There is a difference between telling people “this is my opinion, based on my own experience” and “this is scientific fact.” In an effort to help people and convince them to try her approach, she has moved into a dangerous area. Switch on Your Brain with the Metacognitive-Mapping Approach. You can start here: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/depression/what-causes-depression, but if you want something in more depth, I suggest Palazidou, E., The Neurobiology Of Depression, Br Med Bull (2012) 101:127-145. I strongly suggest you choose your words more carefully next time you wish to show off your faux moral superiority with a passive-aggressive contemptuous swipe. Thank you for your open-minded interest in discovering the truth. But given the recent tragic events in Paris, your glib metaphor was in poor taste. But I am a GP – I see sick people everyday, on the coal face, before they are collected in subspecialist clinics, or improve spontaneously. Dr Leaf is charismatic and she says enough sciencey sounding words to pass as a credible expert, but even the lightest interrogation of her teaching and the edifice crumbles. She holds a Bsc Logopaedics with focus on in Neuroscience, Neuronanatomy and anatomy, Communication Pathology, Psychology, linguistics and audiology) , Masters in Communication Pathology She specialized in Traumatic Brain Injury and PhD in Communication Pathology (TBI) and Learning Disabilities focusing specifically on the Science and neuroscience of Thought as it pertains to thinking and learning. 23.022 Personen sprechen darüber. 87-102. Invoking God’s name doesn’t justify your post-truth thinking either. In fact, please have a look at the free sample first before you buy it and see if it might be something that’s right for you (Sample: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/720425, you can buy it from Smashwords or from other online stores like Amazon UK). No pressure, but interested if you were (I discuss her PhD work in my blog https://cedwardpitt.com/2015/03/26/the-tedx-users-guide-to-dr-caroline-leaf/), Hi Edward Thank you for your time and have a happy new year. If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend reading my book “Hold that thought: Reappraising the work of Dr Caroline Leaf” (iBooks = https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hold-that-thought/id908877288?mt=11 or Smashwords = https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/466848). For the greatest danger Christianity confronts at the present moment is not incipient persecution, but increasing marginalization and irrelevance. “The Development of a Model for Geodesic Learning: the Geodesic Information Processing Model” in The South African Journal For Communication Disorders, 44. “The Move from Institution Based Rehabilitation (IBR) to Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR): A Paradigm Shift” in Therapy Africa, 1 (1) August 1997, p. 4. I also know what solid Christian faith is. From what I have read I believe the brain to be negatively wired and our mind to throw out random thoughts that we cannot really change but diffuse, accept with practise. If spiritual people are not held to a higher, then why mention it or preface your argument with it. I wanted to thank you Dr Pitt for your thoughts on Dr Caroline Leaf, and recommend a book for people who are considering their thought life. Caroline Leaf received her training in Communication Pathology (BSC Logopaedics) at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. I thank you for having the integrity to post his response. Many new theories of how it functions will be criticized. I am not a cognitive neuroscientist, and have never claimed to be one. And wouldn’t simply teaching some of Jesus’ parables have a better and longer lasting effect? Looking at her book ‘Who Switched Off My Brain’ (Leaf 2009, p15), she says that 80% of all diseases are the result of our thought lives. As a Christian, i have also struggled with the context be derived from the scriptures she uses but I’ll leave wiser theologians to argue that. Southlake, TX, USA, Inprov, Ltd. One final thing, I don’t think there’s anything morally wrong or spiritually wrong with justifying a persons approach and behaviour with science. My initial response to Dr.Leaf’s book was that it sounded too good to be true and I am suspicious of authors who quote short verses of the bible to support their views. The above writer is correct in that she is misrepresenting herself as a respected research scientist, and therefore in a way telling people that they should listen to her because she is an authority in this area. She has chosen not to at this stage. 18. “The Development of a Model for Geodesic Learning: The Geodesic Information Processing Model” in The South African Journal of Communication Disorders, Vol. Those now need to be tested and proven or disproven. Hi! Paperback £8.35 £ 8. I contend that Dr Leaf has not kept up with the current science, despite her spruiking to the contrary, and this shows in the conclusions that she attempts to draw. 4.7 out of 5 stars 40. Christian bullies is all they are! While we may want to believe peoples offers of hope, and may find it hard to believe someone could be wrong, it is very important to carefully test teachings as instructed in God’s word (I’m sure anyone can find the references if interested), and this is not being hateful or negative, in contrast it is making sure your hope is based on facts, not wishful thinking, and for that we can be thankful to Dr Pitt. “The Mind Mapping Approach (MMA): Open the Door to Your Brain Power; Learn How to Learn” in Transvaal Association of Educators Journal (TAT). And what’s with this nonsense of assuming “75-95% of illness is from sinful thought”?! Facebook gives people the power to share … Thanks for your comment. But on that same logic, my rectum could be a mini-brain and be part of my conscience. and Louw, B. I appreciate how important it is, and how challenging it is, to know Christ and help people to follow Him. Considering it was a borrowed library book, my extensive comments in the margins may not be appreciated, but I sincerely hope that pointing out egregious mistruths will be helpful to the next reader(s). Leben. Consequently, before spending any of my hard earned money on the latest book, DVD, or snake oil, I do research. 2007. Who Switched Off My Brain? DVD series. Pingback: A Health Mind is a Healthy Body | Medivizor. Why?” My response to Mac Leaf can be found at https://cedwardpitt.com/2013/08/29/dr-caroline-leaf-contradicted-by-the-latest-research/, and I have published a 68,000 word rebuttal of Dr Leaf’s teachings in my book “Hold That Thought: Reappraising the work of Dr Caroline Leaf” https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/466848 or on iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hold-that-thought/id908877288?mt=11. While this book is about our thought life, it is also about our responses in relationship to others and God. She has endorsements from Joyce Meyer, Bobbie Houston, and a number of other pre-eminent Christian pastors. 44, pp. Not only were their colors and patterns uncommonly fine, but clothes made of this cloth had a wonderful way of … B., 1997. In all of my training, from the basic sciences at university through to my post-graduate subspecialty modules, I have been taught to understand the scientific and clinical strengths and weaknesses of various theories and research articles. Thanks for your interest. Thanks once again for your reply Luckily there are other reputable medical practitioners and researchers also working and publishing in this field. I am interested in knowing what are your credentials and scientific research completed in neuroscience. We can’t meaningfully engage with a person who has a rudimentary understanding of biology by proudly tell them that we create new genes with the power of thought. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. God bless. Unpublished D.Phil Dissertation, University of Pretoria. She justified her statement by saying that the heart has 40,000 interconnected nerve cells, and the heart is directly connected to the brain. Several members of my extended family also have BD. Thanks for sharing your interesting perspective.