Chat Wednesday 9 PM - 11 PM Eastern Time (new chat software)
- The chat is at: http://www.fearofflying.com/talkread/chat.shtml
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Free Group Phone Counseling With Capt Tom Wednesday 10 PM - 11 PM Eastern Time
- dial (712) 432-3900
-
when asked, enter the conference ID 9352101 followed by the # sign
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Dr. James F. Masterson, M.D.
Automatic control of feelings, the breakthrough that is part of the SOAR Program, was developed during my studies at the Masterson Institute. The founder of the Institute, Dr. James F. Masterson, M.D, died a few days ago at the age of eighty-four. A major obituary was published in the New York Times which you can read at this link.
Based on studies at the Institute, it became clear to me that the disturbances adults experience when flying result from characteristics of the relationship they had as very young children with their caregivers. At the Institute, I was introduced to the work of Allan Schore, Ph.D. whose research shows that the part of the brain that serves as executive controller of feelings, the prefrontal cortex, is "experience dependent". Its physical development requires an interactive relationship with an adult, or adults, that stimulates the prefrontal cortex during the first year of life. Dr. Masterson taught us that characteristics of the relationship with the child's primary caregiver play a key role in the development of emotional regulation. When the child is upset, the steps the caregiver takes to calm the child are steps the child internalizes. These steps the child builds in are the child's tools to regulate emotion. The "kit" of tools given by the primary caregiver varies greatly.
Fear of flying, then, results from the failure of caregivers to provide the young child tools needed to regulate emotions. But now that we understand what went wrong, even though it went wrong very early in life, we can to repair the problem, and give clients the emotional regulation needed to fly.
All of us involved in SOAR, whether developing the program or learning from it, have benefited from Dr. Masterson's leadership.
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Volcanic Ash
To understand the volcanic ash problem, consider your experience with pumice. If you have used a pumice stone to scrape rough areas of skin, you know how abrasive it is. Pumice is volcanic rock. Volcanic ash is, according to wikipedia pulverized rock and glass created by volcanic eruptions."
It may help if you understand that airlines keep track
of volcanic activity everywhere in the world, and have done so for
years. Avoiding areas of volcanic ash is not new. What is new is an
eruption in an area where planes cannot simply fly around the ash. For
example, the policy at FEDEX is for their planes to avoid volcanic
clouds by about 500 miles. To avoid volcanic ash by that amount usually
is not a problem, but when the ash is over Europe, avoidance by that
many miles means no flying in Europe at all.
of volcanic activity everywhere in the world, and have done so for
years. Avoiding areas of volcanic ash is not new. What is new is an
eruption in an area where planes cannot simply fly around the ash. For
example, the policy at FEDEX is for their planes to avoid volcanic
clouds by about 500 miles. To avoid volcanic ash by that amount usually
is not a problem, but when the ash is over Europe, avoidance by that
many miles means no flying in Europe at all.
Planes are intended to fly through air, not through tiny bits of rock, or through air containing tiny bits of rock. After this recent eruption, governments closed where any volcanic ash was known to be in the air. Now, with advice from engine and aircraft manufacturers, flights have resumed due to assurances that slight amounts of ash that might be present outside volcanic clouds is not a problem.
The turbine blades of jet engines can be damaged by volcanic ash. Ash can cause abrasion to turbine blades at the front of the engine. In the area of the engine that burns jet fuel, heat can melt the ash. Then, as the ash exits the engine, it can cool enough to coat turbine blades with a glassy residue.
Ash that enters the pitot tube can block the tube and interfere with airspeed readings.
Though the airlines need to fly, they also know damage to an airliner by ash is expensive. Though incidents of damage are rare, volcanic ash caused $80,000,000 damage to a KLM 747 that flew through ash from a volcano in Alaska, in 1989.
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Dr. Phil
Dr. Phil is planning a TV show on fear of flying and asking for people who are willing to appear on his show. The web form to reply is http://www.drphil.com/plugger/respond/?plugID=14390
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"Tight Grip Of False Control"
Hello Tom,
No special reason for this e-mail, other than to say thank you for your continued work on behalf of those who have a fear of flying. I know my experience is probably similar to so many others - when I started to work through my fears about flying, I realized it wasn't really about flying but more about generalized anxiety, issues of control, and an inability to emotionally self-regulate. Flying was just a convenient place to "dump" all of that, but in reality these things were deeply affecting so many other areas of my life. I could pretend they weren't there until I had a flight to deal with, and then all hell would break loose.
So my thank you today isn't about a recent success on a flight, or about how I'm doing in preparation for an upcoming one. It's a thank you for the way your work has helped me in LIFE . . . just everyday life is different because of what I continue to learn from you. The best way I can describe it is I used to go through life with my hands clenched, trying so hard to keep a tight grip of false control, trying to micromanage every detail in order to generate a false sense of security. My hands are open now, and I thank you so much for your part in that.
All the best to you, again.
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SOAR Will Work For You Too
Even if you are doubtful, SOAR nevertheless works. This is because we, with the help of brain scan research that showed us how the mind works, broke the code on flight anxiety, claustrophobia, and panic.
SOAR was established in 1982 because no programs existed that could
help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other
program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No
matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.
help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other
program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No
matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.
- Call me at 877 332-7359 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern time or
- Set up a time online at http://soar.genbook.com
- No Charge. No Obligation. Just get the information you want.
Or Enroll Right Now And Get This Over With
You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.
You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.
- Accelerated courses give you the most help possible in the time you have available.
- A twenty-minute private session and unlimited group counseling sessions are included.
- What you pay is 100% transferable to the SOAR Video Course 11 DVDs.
Start viewing on your computer screen in two minutes.
- Get a compact version of the SOAR Course.
- Load it on your laptop, iPod or other media player. More info.
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Unsure Which To Choose
If
you are unsure which is best for you, please call me at 877 332-7359 so
we can talk it over. You will feel better as soon as you decide to act.
We are always here to help. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern.
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Discuss Or Schedule An Individual Session -- Call 877 332-7359
Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)
You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.
Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)
You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.
- find out how I can help you with flying
- discuss the possibility of a counseling session
- set up a time that fits your schedule
Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803
- a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.
- one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.
- additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.
- two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program
Schedule An Individual Session Online
Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)
